The Vesuvian area has always been celebrated for its strong vitality since its ancient past, in many literary works. Strabone (Geografia, Libro V, 48) describes the landscape during Augustan Age: “(…) all the Gulf is full of cities and plantations so close to each other, to look like (from the sea) a huge metropolis”. The works of Seneca, Virgilio, Plinio, Catone and Columella have been praised this rich and flourishing land, with its gardens, its splendid patrician villas of which Pompeii bears witness. Marziale wrote in the 1st century A.C. : «Haec iuga quam Nysae colles plus Bacchus amavit» (Bacchus loved these hills more than his native place, Nisa), to emphasize the fertility of such a generous land which can still give us the same grapes to produce protected brand wines. The ancient Latin cult for wine is still alive: the vines dominate up to the 400-500 meters. On the slopes of the volcano we can find the Falanghina, the Coda di Volpe (also called Caprettone), and the Piedirosso del Vesuvio, from which the famous Lacryma Christi is obtained. It is a pleasant wine with characteristic odor, dry and aromatic taste. The Catalanesca grape is worth a special mention: a sweet table grape, cultivated in small quantities on the slopes of Mount Somma. A very special and peculiar wine derives from this grape, with matt color and strong aftertaste.
The Vesuvian agriculture, thanks to the lava ground rich in minerals, to the excellent draining and to the Mediterranean climate, is considered unique for the variety and the special original taste of its products. Apricots and cherries are typical products, some of them are very ancient. Among the 40 different species of apricots we have the Pellecchiella, which is considered the best for its sweet taste and its firm flesh; the smooth Boccuccia with its bittersweet taste, the thorny Boccuccia, the Cafona and the Carpone with their sweet flavour. We also have to mention the Baracca, the Vitillo, the Panzona, the San Francisco, the Prevete Bello, the Fracasso, the Stradona, the Prete, the Pazza, the Palummella, the San Castrese, the Portici, the Ceccona and the Taviello. The cherries are fewer and mainly cultivated on the slopes of Mount Somma. Among them we can find the famous Malizia, with red and firm flesh, juicy and aromatic flavour,; the Seconda Nera with dark flesh; the Ciliegia del Monte, which is considered the best table cherry, red and yellow with light-colored pulp. Olive trees, fig, orange, lemon and quince trees are valuable cultivations.
The famous “Pomodorino del Piennolo” (Piennolo Cherry Tomato, PDO)is another remarkable typical product. It is a little, round, pointed tomato, with a sweet and acidulous taste due to the concentration of sugar and mineral salts. In the country tradition it is picked in summer, tied in a circle on a plant fiber twine, then stored in dry places far from the sun rays. In this way, tomato matures slowly, its pulp gets tasty and juicy, protected by the peel gradually drying. The bunches of tomatoes are so called “piennoli”, and their gastronomic versatility has given them new life in the last few years.
Among the vegetables crops we have peas, cauliflowers, broad beans, zucchinis, and the so called “friarielli”: a versatile variety of broccoli with a strong and bitterish flavour, frequently used in the Neapolitan cuisine to prepare pasta, meat dishes or pizza.
Today, after a decade of standstill, the conditions of the agricultural production has improved. After the desertion of rural areas in favour of the city, there is a trend reversal due to the rediscovery of ancient tastes. This means returning to slow food, to its culinary possibilities, and the likely positive consequences for the agri-food sector in terms of employments and production.
With the changing market needs and an increased attention to the farming sector, the phases from the producer to the consumer should take place without intermediaries. Our philosophy is inspired by this simple concept: we want to produce some indigenous raw materials, transforming and distributing them directly without affecting their final price.
In order to realize this project, it is necessary to plan the investments and recovery the available agricultural soils. This is very difficult because of the strongly parceled agricultural funds, difficult to reach and whose crops are very poor.
We hope, for the future, in a strong collective awareness: a high quality agri-food, with affordable prices and a known and certified origin, could be the chance to kick-start this sector. Unfortunately, the average age of the farmers is about 45 years: but if we think about a canning sector that can transform raw materials on-site, promoting the information about the production that characterizes every single good through local marketing actions, there is no prior history in our area. More reason to try and believe in our project.
