L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Continued from page 4 closed with a wooden disc, t o p p e d w i t h s o m e t h i n g heavy. After a few days, the o b j e c t i s c h a n g e d w i t h a lighter one to decrease pres- sure. Then, the magic happens: b e c a u s e o f t h e p r e s s u r e caused by the weight placed on the terzigno, and the nat- u r a l m a t u r a t i o n o f t h e anchovies, a savory liquid forms. It is collected every day or so, placed into glass bottles and then left in sun, so that water evaporates and a thicker, tastier product remains. The procedure goes on until the end of October or early November when the collected liquid is filtered and battled. Cetara's colatu- ra was used initially to dress vegetables, but then became a staple for pasta, too, espe- cially on Christmas Eve, a day when Catholics tradi- tionally do not eat meat. Let's leave Pompeii and Roman times, to return to the modern-day Costiera. What about a walk in Amal- f i a n d P o s i t a n o ? O n c e upon a time one of the coun- try's bravest and boldest sea powers, Amalfi is a little jewel that has been loved by t h e g r e a t o f l i t e r a t u r e , m u s i c , a n d a r t : H e n r i k Ibsen, Richard Wagner and Gore Vidal are only some a m o n g t h e m a n y f a m o u s artists who loved this town. The first settlements in the area where Positano stands today can be dated to prehistory, but it's in Roman times – again! – that the town came to be a center of high-end tourism, just like Capri. Just like Amalfi and Capri, the connection of this charming village with the a r t s i s s t r o n g : i n 1 9 5 3 , American Nobel Prize John Steinbeck wrote an essay p u b l i s h e d i n H a r p e r Bazaar, where he described Positano as "a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." I n c a s e y o u d o n ' t f e e l i n c l i n e d e n o u g h t o p a c k your bags yet, I have some more interesting things to tempt you with. But to do so, w e n e e d t o m o v e t o t h e kitchen. Is there anything more cheerful that the yellow of lemons? Indeed, blue and yellow are the colors of the Amalfi Coast! And what aro- mas in the air! I don't know you, but speaking of Amalfi does bring to my mind the f r e s h , s u n n y s c e n t o f l e m o n s . C o s t a d ' A m a l f i lemons are like no others because they grow here and the soil, sun, and sea breeze o f t h i s p a r t o f t h e w o r l d makes them special: that's w h y t h e y h a v e a n I G P denomination, in the end – it means that only lemons g r o w n h e r e c a n b e c a l l e d Costa d'Amalfi. We are very familiar with them because they recur so often in photos and post- cards of the Costiera, but they are also a traditional decoration on local pottery and, of course, a staple of local cuisine. Lemons were introduced in the area in the 11th century by the Arabs, at a t i m e w h e n p e o p l e w e r e looking for the right culture to grow on the area's steep hills: that's when farmers began creating the terrazze, or terracing, to which they have been tending with love and care since, so much so they are known today as gia- rdini, gardens, because of their beauty. For a great part of the modern period, from the 15th to the 19th century, Amalfi lemons were export- ed across Europe, because their very high content of V i t a m i n C m a d e t h e m a good antidote for scurvy. A m a l f i l e m o n s a r e c a l l e d s f u s a t i b e c a u s e o f their long and slender shape and are known for the deep aroma of their skin, which makes them perfect to pre- pare liqueurs and desserts. They are also very juicy and with a very small number of seeds. Up to now, in our little journey through the places and flavors of the Costiera A m a l f i t a n a , w e h a v e n ' t moved very far from the sea. But there is a lot to see and e x p e r i e n c e i n l a n d . F o r instance, did you know that chestnuts are a traditional c u l t u r e o f t h e a r e a ? Y e s , c h e s t n u t s ! W h e n I t h i n k o f t h e m , I t h i n k o f t h e mountains and green, alpine w o o d s . I k n o w t h a t ' s n o t e n t i r e l y c o r r e c t b e c a u s e chestnuts are a staple in the c u i s i n e o f r e g i o n s w h e r e there are no Alps – like in Tuscany, but they do have the Apennines! – but who'd have guessed they were a traditional product of the Costiera Amalfitana? The mountainous area between Scala and Ravello has been k n o w n f o r i t s c h e s t n u t s since the 11th century when Benedictine monks likely brought them to the region. A n d i f w e l o o k a t l o c a l cuisine, it's easy to see how this humble fruit is a true part of tradition: from soups to tarts, from castagnaccio and cannoli all the way to chestnuts zeppole and roast- e d c h e s t n u t s , t h e r e c i p e s made with them are numer- ous. But we could not speak and write about this corner of Italy without mentioning i t s q u e e n , t h e t o m a t o . Here, we find the pomodori- no del piennolo, which is considered one of the most ancient cultivated species in the area. Just like another traditional cultivation, that of lemons, pomodorini del piennolo are grown on hill terraces facing the sea. The deep red, small and sweet fruit is often kept hanging in l a r g e b u n c h e s c a l l e d scocche or 'nzerte. They are so famous that you can even f i n d t h e m r e p r e s e n t e d in presepi Napoletani. They are very tasty and fragrant, s o t h e y a r e p e r f e c t e a t e n raw, maybe on a good slice o f f r e s h b r e a d a n d s o m e extra virgin olive oil. W h a t a n a m a z i n g place our Costiera is… so many things to see, so much culture to take in a n d f o o d t o t r y . Y o u know what, I'd love to visit again: it's been a while, since that school trip when I had the best pizza of my life. Should I g e t t i c k e t s f o r o u r sweepstake, too? A bunch of piennolo tomatoes in a greengrocer stall in Naples (Photo: Alvaro German Vilela/Dreamstime) In 1953, Nobel Prize John Steinbeck wrote an essay published in Harper Bazaar where he described Positano as "a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone"

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