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The Regina di Castello cherry, a unique flavor thanks to the climate of the Lattari Mountains and the volcanic origin of the soil

Already at the beginning of the 1600s some historical documents attest to its cultivation. Today it is a Slow Food Presidium and this keeps it safe from disappearing from the scene in the face of the advance of Turkish cherries. Some trees are over sixty years old and over 15 meters tall. The easy recipe to make cherries in syrup at home and consume them all year round

The Regina di Castello cherry, a unique flavor thanks to the climate of the Lattari Mountains and the volcanic origin of the soil

Their color is unmistakable, red flecked with a hint of white, as well as their fresh, intense flavour pulp that crackles in the mouth. THEIts habitat is that of slopes of the Lattari Mountains, a pre-Apennine area where stable meadows give unique aromas to dairy products, as do the centuries-old volcanic sedimentations, together with a microclimate that has made these lands famous over the centuriesthey have allowed the cultivation of tomatoes, lemons and vegetables with a unique flavour.

It is the Regina Castello dei Monti Lattari cherry which grows in the hilly area between Gragnano and Pimonte, in the province of Naples. An ancient and appetizing fruit: they have always been sold on the road to the sea, towards Castellamare di Stabia: «they are unmistakable. Once you taste them you don't forget them" says Sabato Abagnale, president of Slow Food Monti Lattari Costa d'Amalfi.

Known and appreciated throughout the region, particularly in Naples and on the Amalfi coast, the cherry from the Lattari Mountains risked disappearing starting from the 80s of the last century, when the improved varieties of cherries from Türkiye have replaced local production, also reduced due to the depopulation of internal areas.

Some trees are over sixty years old and over 15 meters tall.

But it wasn't just a question of competition from more profitable varieties that started this extraordinary cherry on the road to oblivion. There are few specialized cherry orchards today, present in mixed and traditional sections. The historic ones are characterized by tall stems, for which long wooden ladders were once used. Some trees are over sixty years old and over 15 meters tall. It's a problem for collection, because no one is specialized in doing it anymore.

Fortunately, he came to give new life and perspective to the Somma cherry from Monti Lattari inclusion among the Slow Food Presidia of Campania.

Known since 1600, it risked extinction due to its advance on the Turkish cherry markets. Today it is a Slow Food Presidium

Large, firm and juicy, this cherry is particularly linked to the territory in which it grows. We are in the agricultural areas of Gragnano and Pimonte, in the province of Naples, on the hills close to the Lattari Mountains, where already at the beginning of the 1600s some historical documents attest to its cultivation. Here "the volcanic origin of the land contributes to the fertility of the soil and gives particular organoleptic characteristics to the cultivated products" explains Simone Lucchisani, manager of the newly created Presidium. If the lower area of ​​Gragnano is traditionally dedicated to the production of pasta, the hilly area close to the mountains has always been appreciated for its fruit and vegetable production and for cherries, which in particular in the medieval village of Castello, the historical cultivation area , find the perfect exposure, mild but breezy. A peculiar microclimate «due to the fact that the area where the cherries are grown receives very little light for six months of the year. From April onwards it gets as much sun as possible, from dawn to dusk" says farmer Francesco Scala. Together with his father Ciro, representative of the Presidium producers, he is one of the four members of the project which aims to encourage generational turnover among local farmers.

For its relaunch the aim is to network with local restaurateurs and pastry chefs

The local Slow Food group was among the promoters of the cherry's revival and today hopes that the Presidium «can contribute to promoting the area and opening it up to new tourist developments, also aiming to network with local restaurateurs and pastry chefs», concludes Abagnale. The Somma cherry, delicious fresh but easily perishable, is in fact traditionally transformed into jams.

The cherry harvest goes from the third decade of May to the beginning of July. And the municipality of the village of Castello has dedicated a festival to him which takes place every year in June.

Also unique and unmistakable is the tradition of "bagging" the cherries, that is, arranging them in a pyramid to keep them longer. If the dimensions have changed over the years - once they were made up of large piles, today there are 4-5 kilo boxes or trays - the art of detaching the peduncles of each cherry, by hand and with care, before arranging the fruits remains unchanged.

The recipe for cherries in syrup from Cucchiaio d'Argento

Ingredients

1 kg of cherries

80 g of white sugar

20 g of cane sugar

500 ml of water

Method

Wrap some glass jars in a cloth and place them in a pan to boil for 30 minutes, adding the caps at the end. Allow to cool, remove from the pan and leave the jars to dry on a cloth.

After washing the cherries well, remove the stalk and dry. To prepare the syrup, pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.

Leave to cool and fill the jars with the cherries without crushing them. Pour the syrup up to 1,5-2 cm from the edge of the jar and beat lightly on the work surface to prevent air bubbles from forming.

Now you can proceed by closing the jars and pressing the center of the cap so that you hear it click. Wrap again in the cloth and boil in water for another 10 minutes, then leave the jars to cool in the pan. Then take the jars and place them upside down on a tea towel. Leave the cherries in syrup to rest in a cool, dark place for about 30 days before consuming.

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