Tag: Calabria

Calabria is our mysterious California – Italian Cuisine

Calabria has all the cards on the table – and the elements on the map – to amaze. Here are some suggestions on where to go and what to see, between the (crystal clear) sea, rafting and dromësat

Del Molise is said to not exist (although, obviously, it is not true). But also on Calabria hovers strong on mystery. Terra unfairly known more for its troubles than for its riches, it would have all the cards on the table – and the elements on the map – to be counted among the most beautiful and tourist regions of Italy, whatever some airlines say.

Italian California

Believe it or not, Calabria is truly our California. For this reason it should be (re) discovered and enhanced.

The ocean is missing, all right, but in return there are two seas, the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian, who compete which is more beautiful, and it has not yet been understood who wins.

There are two coasts, both varied and jagged, alternating between fine sand and rocks, along which the Big Sur they are wasted (i.e. those headlands overlooking the water that characterize the section between Los Angeles and San Francisco).

There are mountain ranges, six of them, ranging from the most rugged and wild to the most familiar, but no less fascinating: Aspromonte, Sila and Pollino, in order, the most famous.

There are the canyon, fantastic. That can be crossed on foot or by making gods rafting spectacular.

And if you really feel the lack of Hollywood, the little hill on the beach of Tropea from which stands the panoramic Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell'Isola, Benedictine monastery of 1500 from which you can admire the Aeolian Islands, will fill the absence and be comforting (without forgetting that there are also red onions). Of movie sets, between these latitudes, few could come out!

Leaving aside certain obviously out of place spots, to discover Calabria this could be the right year: according to a survey carried out by Demoskopica on post-Covid tourism, in fact, the demand is growing, and has its reasons. Here mass tourism has the road blocked, partly for the very conformation of the territory, partly – it is undeniable – for the lack of certain services, which however the extraordinary hospitality of the people knows how to make up for. In Calabria we prefer a slow tourism, nature and adventure. And the advice, also for this reason, is to leave cities alone.

How to get

There are three airports, but one – that of Crotone – does not even know the Calabrians. The main ones are the international one (e central) of Lamezia Terme, also served by many companies low cost; and Reggio Calabria, in the far south of the peninsula, functional if you want to stay in the area or pass through the Strait in Sicily. Calabria can also be reached by train, with the new fast routes Turin-Reggio Calabria Trenitalia and Italotreno, and of course also by car, taking into account the infamous queues of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria (but only those: in terms of maintenance the road is fine today and the panoramas are certainly not lacking).

The sea

If you arrive do not arrive by your own means, the advice is to rent a car to get around: moving around will be an obligation, to admire the different landscapes and enjoy both the Ionian and Tyrrhenian beaches. The most beautiful are not counted, really. And if you ask the locals everyone will come up with a different and equally wonderful one. Along the renowned coast of the gods – nomen omen – there are the beaches of Pizzo Calabro, Tropea, Zambrone and Vibo Valentia, where sand and cliffs alternate and where it is also nice to practice snorkeling. Do you think that Michelino beach, in Parghelia, is in third place in the ranking of the most beautiful Italian beaches according to the travel site Skyscanner. Further south there are Palmi and Scilla, the so-called Costa Viola beaches, where as well it's impossible make a mistake. On the other side, on the Ionian side, less touristic places alternate, but equally deserving of a dip (literally): from Roseto to Cirò Marina (Punta Alice), from Capo Rizzuto (archaeological park and marine protected area) in Roccella Jonica. You are with children? Those considered best for families are located in Bova Marino, Bovalino, Capo Vaticano, Cariati, Torre Melissa, Nicotera, Palmi, Praia a mare, Siderno, Roccella Jonica and Soverato (source Zingarate); while the beaches where to bring also the dogs at the sea (source Zampavacanza) are Torre Melissa (Crotone), Lido Kahlua (Cirò Marina), Hang Loose Beach (Gizzeria Lido), Lido Calypso Yey (Bocale Secondo).

Civita, the Pollino Park, and Calabrian-Albanian cuisine

Nestled between the peaks of the Pollino (and this is why the country of the rocks), but with its gaze always fixed on the sea (you can see the Ionian Sea from here), Civita – with just over 800 souls – is a fascinating village, between the most beautiful in Italy, home to one of the historical Albanian communities of Italy (arbëreshët), of which it retains language, customs and religion (and a monument to the hero Scanderbeg, in the city center). To visit, the Arbëreshë Ethnic Museum, which tells precisely the life of the Albanian ethnic group, fleeing here in the fifteenth century from the Turkish persecution.

Thanks to its well-preserved historical center, to important architectural elements (one above all the Devil's bridge in medieval stone, unfortunately rebuilt after a collapse in the 90s), and in a strategic naturalistic position (at the gates of the Pollino park and its numerous paths, as well as close to the steep gorges of Raganello), Civita has become a center of tourist attraction, including food and wine. As he tells Stefania Emmanuele from B&B Il Comignolo in Sofia, «In Civita there are 7 restaurants where you can eat very well and which recover dishes from the forgotten Calabrian-Albanian tradition, such as Raskatielli (macaroni with underwire) and Dromësat, transforming them into gourmet dishes .

The "pasta of the poor"

You write it dromësat and it reads dromsa, small pasta, and it is the so-called pasta of the poor, typical of Albanian mountain cuisine. It is a middle ground between pasta and polenta, it resembles couscous and is often cooked in a soupy sauce, with meat or with simple tomato and dried pepper. An ancient rite provides that the flour scattered on the pastry board is first blessed with a sprig of oregano soaked in Pollino and then sieved, so as to obtain small balls that are cooked for 3 minutes. In Civita you can enjoy excellent dromësat at the Kamastra Restaurant. And also in Lungro (Cs), at Anna Stratigò's house, housewife and local artist, who also handed down in these remote lands worship of the mate, the typical drink of South America.

The Raganello Gorges

As mentioned before, Civita is exhibited on the Raganello a stream that originates on the Pollino, from the Source of the Lamia, and more or less violent it flows into Sibari and Villapiana (Cs). It is a river nestled between two rocky walls – the Timpa di Porace-Cassano and the Timpa di San Lorenzo (1652 m) – which dominate it for a dizzying height, in some places, of 600-700 meters. Here and there it also creates caves and cliffs, where bandits once used to hide. The name derives from the Greek Ragas, rocky cliff, but according to some it can also be linked to Calabrian verb rragàre, fight, Like the force with which the water flows between the gorges, and which in some cases can prove dangerous: in 2018 a flood caused by bad weather overwhelmed a group of unwary hikers, causing 10 deaths, and since then the accesses to the Gorges are unfortunately still dumbfounded («a disgrace for our community, which has always been a very popular tourist destination by nature lovers, she vents on the phone the mayor of Civita Alessandro Tocci). A never superfluous recommendation: especially when you visit rough and rough places, always contact expert guides and guides.

All rafting

To fully enjoy the wild and unspoiled nature of Calabria, but in complete safety, the Rafting Explorer Center of Orsomarso (Cs) offers rafting activities on the Lao river, also for families, guided trekking and quad biking. The softer rafting descent lasts an hour and a half, the sports one up to three hours. In the price (from € 25 per person) all equipment is included. Even the company's photo shoot.

Where to sleep

On the slopes of Monte Calimaro, on a natural terrace overlooking the Gulf of Policastro, just 25 minutes by road from Praia al Mare (Cs): TerreRosse di Massadita also organizes excursions by boat, on horseback and by mountain bike; spacious rooms with spectacular views at the La Dolce Vita Hotel in Tropea (Vv), where breakfast is served strictly on the terrace every morning. Cozy and familiar atmosphere at Il Comignolo di Sofia in Civita (Cs), where culture and traditions are also protagonists. On the Ionian side: the TH Capo Rizzuto Village, Le Castella Village is located in Punta Le Castella in a splendid panoramic position on the bay, 10 kilometers from Isola Capo Rizzuto. A true paradise for lovers of the sea, sport and relaxation.

Calabria coast to coast – Italian Cuisine – Italian Cuisine

The New York Times had already thought of including Calabria among the must-see destinations in Italy. And he did it with purely gastronomic reasons. In fact, if this region really begins to make itself felt today, we must thank all the various producers of excellence, as well as the great chefs such as Gaetano Alia, who for years with his Locanda has been working for the enhancement of the territory; or Giuseppe Romano, which, although of Campania origins, has made this land its own, as demonstrated by organizing the huge event for its Me Restaurant Tasting Calabria, where some protagonists of this region have had the opportunity to meet and reflect on the immense heritage of which they are called to speak.

Northern Calabria: chilli, zafarana and lavender

We usually think that we eat spicy all over Calabria. Instead, it's not like that at all. The area where more chilli is eaten and produced is in particular the one to the north, on the coast, or from Diamante (where the biggest party in his honor also takes place in September), up to the province of Vibo Valentia where it is used for the production of 'nduja. In the inner part, above all in the municipality of Tortora, the zafarana is produced, a sweet pepper, similar to the crust of Senise, excellent both in powder and fried in a pan (with cod). And then always in the northern part of the region there is part of the green lung of Europe, or the Pollino National Park, where lavender is produced in large quantities, giving rise to a marvelous spectacle of long, open lilac stretches.

Arbëreshë Community: Shëtridhlat, Dromsa, Collivi, Panaghie, Picetulit and Pane di Cerchiara

Moving on the Ionian side, it pleasantly stumbles between the arbëreshë communities, or countries where they emigrated from the then Arberia, or Albania around the 1400s and settled in municipalities such as Lungro, Civita, Spezzano. Here some traditional aspects are anything but dormant: the arbëreshë culture is still very strong and present, especially from the gastronomic point of view, as can be seen in unique dishes such as dromsa or dromesat, or pasta crumbs; or Shetridhlat, a dough that is continuously worked by a group of women, forming a circle that does not break until it is cooked, then seasoned with legumes; or even Collivi, Panaghie and Picetulit, that is, wheat cooked with spices and cocoa and human-shaped sandwiches prepared in commemoration of the dead, one of the most important festivals there is. Also in this area, the Cerchiara bread is also produced, among the best good long leavened loaves, prepared by local bakeries with the ancient natural yeast.

La Piana di Sibari: rice, oil and clementines

The Piana di Sibari is such a beautiful place that it seems like a dream. Walk around the Agriturismo Casacchella among the centuries-old olive trees, from which one of the best oils in Italy is made, up to the clementine trees, which give sweet and delicious fruits, today IGP. And then in Sibari it is produced a rice that according to some is the best Italian, a carnaroli grown on about six hundred hectares of brackish soil, flooded by the Raganello river when it descends from Pollino.

The Crotonese: Finocchio d’Oro, Pecorino DOP and Pane di Cutro

In those five thousand hectares of Ionic band that go from Strongoli to Botricello, in the area of Isola di Capo Rizzuto, a special fennel has been produced for at least 160 years, without filaments and with a very persistent aroma. Sold all over the world, it is called "gold" because it represents an important economic resource for the territory, a real mine. In the last ten years, especially thanks to the work of the Organizing Committee and its President Aldo Luciano, they are trying to enhance it a lot in the kitchen too, collaborating with some chefs like Natale Pallone of the Ruris restaurant in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, which prepares it au gratin, combined with Cutro Bread and mixed with Pecorino Crotonese DOP, two other great uniqueness of the area. And you think this dish was also noticed, mentioned and appreciated by the New York Times.

Catanzaro: morsello or morzello alla Catanzarese and pitta

Not very summery and tendentially for strong stomachs, "u morzeddhu cu a pitta”Is a very ancient dish, widespread in the province of Catanzaro. It is prepared with entrails, tripe and fifth quarter which are first cut into strips and then fried with oil, bacon, onion, chilli pepper, tomato paste, red wine and oregano. It is usually paired with pitta, a typical Catanzaro bread with little crumb and a shape similar to a flattened donut, which is often used together with other dishes.

A unique triangle: ‘nduja, onion, pecorino, beans, truffle, tuna and fileja

Although it may have spread within and beyond regional boundaries, nduja is actually only from Spilinga. Here the oldest Calabrian festival that takes place every August 8 from 1975 takes place in his honor, also thanks to the fact that every family still raises and slaughters at least one pig. It must be said that Spilinga is located in a unique Calabria in terms of production: near Nicotera, the reference city for the Mediterranean Diet; in Tropea and its red onion, famous for its sweetness and digestibility; to Monte Poro, to his pecorino e “a sujaca nta pignata", Or beans cooked in the crock of Caria (from which a beautiful festival). But it does not end here: the nearby Pizzo is noteworthy both for its historic tuna fishing; both for the sweet truffle, or the ice cream that is served in all the bars of the central square. Local pasta is the fileja, which is seasoned with all these products (beans, pecorino, tuna).

La Piana di Gioia Tauro and Rosarno: kiwi, citrus fruits and Struncatura

Here too, as in the Piana di Sibari, many citrus fruits are produced, including lemons and clementines, but also a large quantity of kiwis, of a quality clearly superior to those imported. The undisputed protagonist of the Piana cuisine is struncatura: a fresh pasta like fettuccelle alte, produced with bran, carob flour, rye and water, traditionally seasoned with anchovies, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and chilli pepper. The name comes from struncaturi, which in dialect indicates the scraps of flour and bran from the grain milling that remained on the ground, for this reason it was also forbidden for a period. To absolutely try the version of the "Struncatura De Gustibus" in Palmi.

The Stocco di Mammola

Stockfish with tomato, onion, capers, olives, chilli and potatoes is a must of Mammola, which is worth a visit for the MuSaBa. It is a unique art park in the world, with works of art and monuments of many colors, created by the artists Nik Spatari and Hiske Maas. Returning to the rapier, it seems that it has become the typical dish according to this legend: after a terrible earthquake, a Norwegian ship arrived loaded with stockfish, which the northern sailors decided to devolve to the country in difficulty. And from that moment on they never separated from this tradition.

Scilla and Reggio Calabria: not just fish

Both in Scilla and in Reggio Calabria there are two kitchens of the sea (to taste at the Taverna Kerkira in Bagnara Calabra), in particular with mussels and swordfish, which is historically caught in the nearby Strait of Messina. But not only in reality: the kitchen of Reggio also includes the consumption of meat, especially pork. On the occasion of the feast of the Madonna, the second week of September, frittole are prepared, or rather the pork is cooked in its fat for eight whole hours with all its parts, including innards, but it does not end here. Once cooked, on the bottom of the pan all the undefined waste remains, called the "curcuci”, Which are then stir-fried with a beaten egg.

In Aspromonte: maccaruni and cheeses, figs and bergamot

We at La Cucina Italiana have never hidden our love for Aspromonte, a spectacular land, where a true, authentic atmosphere still reigns, which has something original not only from Calabria, but from all over Italy. Here, in fact, some countries still talk about the ancient Greek and they prepare simple homemade pasta, with tomato sauce, like maccaruni (try them at Trattoria Nizia Paleo di Gallicianò). And for some time now, thanks to the work of some enlightened people, they are taking land away from construction and other things, to give them back to grazing and animals, with a renewed production of cheeses such as caciocavallo from Ciminà; and to crops such as figs and bergamot.

Finally, let's not forget that they are produced throughout the region excellent wines starting from local vines such as gaglioppo or magliocco.

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The revenge of the Bergamot of Reggio Calabria – Italian Cuisine

A production that is in crisis in the seventies also because of the construction industry that eats all the soils of the Bergamot. But then, from below, comes the rebirth and today for its healthy and organoleptic characteristics it is much loved in the kitchen

We really risked losing it. Then, a revolution started from below, animated above all by Ezio Pizzi, current president of the Consortium for the Protection of the Bergamot of Reggio Calabria, which has set fire to the minds of the Bergamotticultori and has made possible the rebirth of this citrus fruit. But not only: returning to the cultivation of bergamot has taken land away from construction and inaugurated a new season also in the kitchen.

The bergamot in Calabria

Its origins are still uncertain. According to some sources it seems to come from China, according to others it is instead the result of the encounter with citrus fruits from Turkey. What is certain is that it is a cross between grapefruit, lemon and lime, or lime and that there are mainly three cultivars: fantastic, which is the most widespread and profitable; femminello, which is similar; is castagnaro, which due to its fluctuating yield has almost disappeared. Despite not knowing with certainty its origin, over the years it has spread to the province of Reggio Calabria, where it has found its ideal climate especially in those marvelous 120 kilometers of Ionian coast, including the one that has been defined the most beautiful kilometer in Italy, in Aspromonte.

The bergamot crisis

It was in the 1970s, with the building boom and the obsession with brick, that the production of bergamot entered a seemingly incurable crisis: it was the period in which the crops were only pieces of land taken from the buildings and in which the production of bergamot it is not a profitable activity like building, even more so on the sea. Furthermore, at the time, bergamot did not even have a food destination: it was used, in fact, only as an essential oil in the cosmetics and, once the juice has been extracted, as animal feed. But these are the years in which even the farms are severely arrested, as they are part of the general abandonment of work in the countryside, and of the growing emigration to the north. To further aggravate the situation is a sentence that declares it even carcinogenic, probably as a targeted action to feed and incentivize the building market. As a matter of fact, of the 3 thousand hectares cultivated in the fifties, of bergamot there are only a few thousand.

The rebirth of bergamot

With the new century, the destiny of the Calabrian citrus is revived, in particular thanks to the work of Ezio Pizzi who promotes the union of the various remaining bergamotticoltori. «I could not accept that such a unique product suffered harassment from multinationals and other categories. We absolutely had to go back to believing, to join and re-evaluate our bergamot . Thus was born, from the bottom of the note, the Consortium for the Protection of the Bergamot of Reggio Calabria, which also became the second in Europe to obtain PDO recognition (after lavender). Today there are about 600 producers and 486 companies, from the smallest of about 10 hectares, to the largest of 40, like that of the president. From this moment on, it is also decided that to enhance the product the price can only increase, without ever decreasing; but above all it starts to be used also in the kitchen. And this is where the real turning point comes.

The turning point in the kitchen

The change of direction takes place following the result of some analyzes, which reveal how much the principles present in the pulp inhibit the formation of cholesterol in the blood. It is with this news that the interest in the kitchen is turned on, so above all for health reasons, with continuous cooking shows on possible uses. Here the bergamot proves to be excellent for marinate fish and meat without altering the flavor, as it is perfect to contain the strong taste of game or, again, thanks to its bitterness that well balances the sugars, it depopulated in confectionery in desserts, cakes, ice creams, juices, jams, honey, candies, soft drinks, liqueurs (bergamino). But the best of it is given as an element of novelty in haute cuisine: it is appropriate to mention the Sibari risotto with asparagus cream and bergamot prawn tartare prepared by chef Giuseppe Romano of the ME Restaurant in Vibo Marina, a profound connoisseur and active promoter of the products of his own land (acquired); as well as his wife Eleonora Marcello enhances it perfectly in desserts.

Waiting for the recognition as Unesco Heritage, for the very high nutritional, social and cultural value of this product, the president Ezio Pizzi concludes as follows: «If every Italian consumed at least one bergamot a year, we would double the production, thus giving more work in a difficult area such as Aspromonte and the province of Reggio Calabria .