Conference venue
Paestum, ancient town of Magna Grecia
Caciocavallo Podolico
Podolica cow, descending from Bos Primigenius, lives in the inland areas of Southern Italy, including Cilento e Vallo di Diano National Park. Caciocavallo prepared with its milk has been named after this cow; however, according to some hypotheses, it comes from the provola maturation process carried out astride horizontal poles, thus “cacio a cavallo”. It has a thin and smooth rind with a color going from white alabaster for greener cheese to amber yellow. Its texture, with an intense yellow color when the cheese is mature, is compact, without holes nor fissures. The taste is sweet and a little sapid if made with calf rennet or when the product is still green, more intense and slightly spicy if made with kid rennet.
Cacioricotta
Cacioricotta is a characteristic cheese of Cilento e Vallo di Diano National Park. It is obtained from mixed goat and sheep milk or only from goat milk, in the period between June and August, at the end of the sheep lactation. It has been named after its production technique. It has a cylindrical shape with flat sides and a slightly wrinkled crust. The color goes from off-white to straw yellow. It has a compact texture, without holes, and slightly granulous. It has an intense taste and can be eaten fresh or grated on pasta.
Muzzarella co’ a murtedda
Muzzarella co’ a murtedda is a traditional product of lower Cilento and derives from the processing of cow milk. The ancient habit to preserve mozzarella in small branches of “mortedda” or “mortella”, the dialect name of the myrtle (Myrtus communis), probably derives from the need to preserve and transport it from the pastures where it was produced to the town. The shrub, widespread both in the beech forest undergrowth and in the Mediterranean maquis characterizing the production area, gives the cheese a matchless aroma. It is a spun cheese exclusively made with cow milk. Mozzarelle are prepared alternating them with myrtle small branches bound at the edges with broom sprouts or other spontaneous essences. They have an ellipsoidal or spherical shape, a porcelain white color, and a smooth and shiny surface. The compact texture has a slightly acidulous taste with a delicate aroma due to the myrtle.
Pecorino Cheese
For centuries, sheep milk has always been transformed into cacio. It has a cylindrical shape, a hard and wrinkled crust with a golden yellow color. The white texture is compact, with rare holes with a small diameter. It has a persistent and slightly spicy taste if well matured and a pungent odor rich in aromas, due to the pasture. It can be eaten fresh, as table cheese, or, after a long maturation period, grated on the pasta to enhance its taste.
Cilento White Fig
Cilento white fig has exclusive features: a yellow-green skin, an abundant pulp, and a very sweet taste. About 80,000 tons/year are produced. It can be eaten fresh, dried, or as a syrup. Dried figs are without a doubt an aristocratic production in the field of dried fruits. They are prepared in various ways: filled with walnuts and almonds, covered with chocolate, or in a wooden stick like kebabs. The fig cultivation in Cilento has very ancient origins and probably goes back to the 4th century BC. The plant was considered sacred by the Greeks and is linked to episodes of the Bible and to legends. In the past, figs were used to prepare herb teas. Today, thanks to their therapeutic properties, are used to prepare diet foodstuffs and in the herbalist’s shop. The role played by the tree to protect the environment is also important.
Pertosa white artichoke
A globe artichoke with no thorns and large blooms, round and with a very bright color tending to silver. The white artichoke is grown in small fields, mostly family-run and hand made. The cultivation area is within Pertosa, Auletta, Caggiano and Salvitelle municipalities, in the Salerno province. In the ’80s this species was endangered, then a group of farmers decided to restart the cultivation: from only 1 hectare of fields, now total artichoke area is about 15 hectares wide. Production generally starts around the second week of April until the end of May, depending on the season. Small artichokes head are eaten fresh or cooked in different ways, otherwise can be stored in oil or processed into cream.
Menaica Anchovies
Anchovies fishing, which is still carried out with the so-called menaica (traditional net) and menaide (a small rowing fishing boat), is surviving only in Pisciotta, in the Province of Salerno. Fishermen go out fishing at night and at dawn their women immediately clean the anchovies and cover them with salt in terracotta jars. Both fishing and salting are very ancient techniques, deeply linked to the traditions of this small medieval village along the coast of Cilento; however, even in these places, only a few people know and preserve them. The Slow Food Presidium, born thanks to the significant support of Cilento e Vallo di Diano National Park and also thanks to the collaboration of the Municipality of Pisciotta, aims at ensuring an income to this group of fishermen: to save an important tradition, a micro-economy, and an important product of the Italian gastronomy.
Gioi Brawn
The historical information on Gioi brawn date back to 1835, as demonstrated by Compendio di Agricoltura Pratica: “…among the best brawns there are Noia brawns; however, Cilento brawns are excellent, especially those produced in Gioi, in the Principality of Citra…”. Unlikely many others, this brawn is made with prime-quality meat which gets even cleaned from small nerves. The meat is cut with the knife by hand, flavored with salt and spices (chilli pepper, wild fennel, and pepper) and mixed until the ingredients are well amalgamated. The mixture settles for a few minutes and then is bagged into natural bowels together with a piece of “lard” of the same length of the bowel. Once the product is ready, if it is not immediately eaten, is preserved in olive oil or lard during the whole summer. It has a red-brown color with a white heart: it is the lard. It has an intense aroma of pork meat enhanced by the natural fat of the lard and a fragrance of spices.
Roccadaspide chestnut IGP
Roccadaspide chestnut, named after its ecotype, is part of the genetic group of chestnuts located in Campania and related to the cultivar-mother “Marrone di Avellino”. The production area is in the Salerno province, in particular Alburni, Calore and part of Cilento, mostly included within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. Despite municipalities involved are 70, the producing territory is only the one placed above 250 meters height.
Paestum, an ancient town of Magna Graecia
Velia, birthplace of the Parmenides and Zeno
Charterhouse of San Lorenzo of Padula
The sea
Acqua dei Ranci
Casina D’Amato
La Laura
Licinella
Ponte di Ferro
Torre di Paestum
Varolato
Villaggio Merola
Bay of Infreschi
Bussento River
Mount Cervati
Mount Stella
River Calore Valley
Valley of the Orchids
Events
From September 16 to 20, 2019, the 14th General Assembly of the CLM Community will take place at Paestum – Italy
Registrations are open until May 30, 2019. The registration fee include admission to the assembly, social activities, coffee breaks and two meals.