The culinary tradition of Vesuvius: from pizza to refined wines – Vesuvius National Park (2024)

Over the centuries a passion for the cultivation of grapes and the production of wines has developed, thanks to the characteristics of the Vesuvian soil. The red grape variety Piedirosso and the white grape variety Coda di Volpe represent the living testimony of this passion.

The historian Pliny the Elder mentioned these vineyards in his Naturalis Historia, describing a vine suitable for the pergola growing system and Colombia, later known as “Piedirosso”, among the most common vines of that time.

Today these vineyards produce famous wines protected by D.O.C. certification, such as D.O.C. Vesuvio and D.O.C. Vesuvio bianco and Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio.

Another typical production of Vesuvian area is that of dried fruit, in fact the main companies in the sector are located in Campania.

Established in the postwar period, the existing companies base their production on an ancient local tradition of drying and preserving fruit, in particular walnuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts of Mount Somma.

Among the local varieties there are the Sorrento walnut, considered the most refined in Italy, the Vesuvius walnut, the Tonda Bianca and Tonda Rossahazelnut and finally, worth mentioning are the Castagne del Sacerdote. The latter are characterized by a peculiar and ancient technique of preservation which allows not to alter the properties of the product over time.

Campania, and especially the city of Naples, is not only rich in history, art, and landscapes but it is also famous all over the word for its dishes. The main one is pizza, a dish born to please Queen Margherita at the end of 1800 and from which it takes its name.

Among sea dishes, instead, there are the famous “paccheri allo scoglio” and “polpo affogato”, whereas among land dishes we have the “caprese”, a typical summer dish with tomatoes and Buffalo mozzarella cheese, and the “frittata di spaghetti” prepared from outdoor trips. Lastly, it’s impossible not to mention the typical Neapolitan dessert that delights every palate: the babà.