Food in Calabria
Food in Calabria as the region, is very particular and different if compared with the rest of the Italian regions. Being an area were agriculture, fishing, olive oil, wine, cheeses and salami production are the main activities, products coming from the land, sea and animals are the main part of the traditional dishes cooked from generations to generations.
Every part of Calabria counts with different traditional dishes that can vary from area to area, however, there is a common ingredient between all of them and is the Peperoncino or also known as the Calabresian Chilli. Calabria is the only region in Italy that produces the peperoncino and they are well known for eating it raw with every meal or adding it in almost every dish.
There are different types of peperoncino from the hottest to the more mild flavour satisfying every taste and resistance!! The peperoncino is so traditional that every year in September the Peperoncino festival is celebrated. In there you can find from dishes cooked with peperoncino to ice cream made from it, for sure a festival not to be missed!! Another typical product from Calabria is the Calabresian sausage. It differentiates from the rest of the sausages produced in the country because almost all of them are produced organically, the added herbs are typically from the region handpicked from the surrounded mountains and naturally sun dried, their fat content is normally very low and have no artificially preservatives or wheat making it almost an art and crafts product with an unimaginable flavour and texture. Olive oil and wine are still a family activity.
Calabresian still keep the tradition of producing their own wine and olive oil, making their quality, flavour and consistent of a superior quality not seen anywhere else in Italy. Although you can get local produced olive oils and wine in shops if you ask around you will probably find families that will sell their olive oil and wine for a very reasonable price as long as you bring your own container as they sell it by litre. So on and all, Calabria is a region that is worth discovering, not only for its fantastic natural resources, but also for its food, culture, architecture and traditions.
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