Calabria

Cradle of the Mediterranean Diet, Calabria's is a convivial table, with strong and intense flavours. Chilli peppers reign supreme: cultivated in pots next to basil, they set the spirits high and enhance 'nduja, the spreadable sausage produced in Spilinga, as well as morzello, from the Spanish 'el muerzo' (the bite), a very spicy dish made from veal entrails, typical of the Catanzaro area, suitable for courageous palates! Meatballs in sauce, 'i purpetti', are an authentic institution in Cosenza, known since the 15th century and born as a throwback dish, for the Calabrians they mean many things: home, party, Sunday; to be eaten on out-of-town trips, the memory of knowledgeable mothers and grandmothers. In the hinterland, pesce stocco, a recipe based on salt cod, onions and tomatoes, is a dish that can also be accompanied by a good local red wine. Surprising is the survival to this day of strangugliaprieviti or strozzapreti (handmade gnocchi) and lagane, a kind of wide noodle to be eaten with chickpeas. Remaining in the groove of traditional cuisine, one cannot do without the unmistakable flavour of Mormanno lentils and the poor man's white bean, true ambassadors of the agricultural and food culture of the Pollino. Also in Mormanno (CS) lives the tradition of bocconotto, a soft short pastry cake filled with mostarda or cherry jam. The citron in Calabria also has a history that must be discovered. Cultivated for centuries in these lands, it is considered a sacred fruit by the Jewish people: for this reason, rabbis from all over the world come to Santa Maria del Cedro every summer and, together with the farmers, select the best citrons for the feast of the huts. The harvest is a festive occasion that attracts many visitors. Reggio Calabria is the home of nougat, that of Bagnara has been a tradition since 1690 when a Spanish noblewoman arrived in Bagnara bringing the recipe. What makes this torrone special is the use of orange blossom honey, the fragrant citrus flower that abounds on the Costa Viola, local almonds, cocoa and cinnamon. The Calabrian table keeps the roots of this land alive, and one could say that between the Pollino, Sila and the Strait the connection between the needs of nutrition and those of the spirit is felt more than anywhere else.