”I just wanted to check in with you and Federico since we left you….We had such a wonderful time in the Sannio and we cannot thank you enough for all that you did. Please please tell Berardino and Antoinetta again how deeply we appreciate everything they offered and that I really feel sorry that I cannot convey it myself….but it was such a special experience for my family from beginning to end an we feel lucky to have been able to be part of that extraordinary place.”…”We had excellent pizza and wine last night…..I was wishing however, that I could have re-visited the grilled meat or even the pasta that Berardino made for us…but was happy just the same and so were our girls. So, again, thank you both so much!!!”….” We have been talking about our trip with you constantly to our friends that we have hooked up with; raving and at the same time not being able to fully describe the experience.”

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For the past ten years the amateur theater group in the little town of S. Agata dei Goti, has been masterfuly directed by my next door neighbor, the retired comedy actress Hilde Maria Renzi, has put on a play in neapolitan dialect by Eduardo de Filippo. This year’s offering, Fortuna con la “F” Maiuscola, débuted inside the courtyard of the town’s 17^th century episcopio, or bishopric, and was filled to the brim with men, women, children, and local dignitaries. In its 11^th season this is such social a high point that the show is prolonged for four days, allowing the whole town to see the show. Tickets are free.

But who could have forseen that this year Italy would be still be in the European Championship playoffs?! For days people were talking of nothing else. The local bars had set up improvised screens with big white bed sheets. At 8 p.m. people were already arriving, armed with chairs, flags and anxiously tooting their whistles. As I walked towards the outdoor theatre, I wondered if there would really be anybody willing to forego the excruciating excitement to see an old Eduardo de Filippo play…

At 9 o’clock there were 10 old women sitting in a sea of empty green chairs. However, in dribs and drabs, slowly but surly more and more people began to arrive. By 9:30 the episcopio was practically full: women of all ages had decided to come to the theater, leaving behind their husbands and sons to watch their soccer team.

As the lights were about to go down an old woman looked around and chuckled to her friends: “It looks like we’re all widows for one night!”

 

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It’s been three years since we moved to the Sannio and as memories of the big city fade, an ever-increasing regard for the process of Nature unfolds before me. While walking my dog I welcome the morning dew. I smell the earth, sense the weather and delight in the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables appena colti. Springtime is luscious in every sense: there is a promise of good things, in the greenness of the grass, the budding fruit trees, the climbing pea stalks and the sweet smell of jasmine.

Cantine Aperte takes place on the last Sunday in May and is a perfect occasion to appreciate all this in a single day and to learn what makes the wines in this area so special. For me and the wines of the Sannio, it is the roses…everywhere.

This might seem like a feeble attempt at waxing poetic, but it’s basically true. The oenological reality of this territory is still one of small, single-estate producers that heralds back to a time when families lived off the land and worked their orchards. And so it was that before the advent of metal wire, farmers used their fruit trees as a support for the grape vines. And since the different crops were hand-picked it was easy to harvest (for example) the pears without damaging the grapes and vice versa.

It is wonderful to see the vestiges of this tradition in the Sannio which is why a well-made Aglianico will taste of wild berries, violets, walnut and tobacco and a good Falanghina will speak of apples and almonds and the presence of jasmine and roses.

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Our mission at Savour the Sannio is to extol the beauty, history and culinary wealth of the Sannio.

Happily, there is now a haven where the body and spirit can relax and recharge as well. What could be more conducive then an exclusive hideaway, deep in the lap of luxury and far from the chaos of smog and traffic? Inaugurated on June 1st, the spanking new wellness centre of Aquapetra Resort & Spa is a sight for sore city eyes.

Rebuilt from the ruins of a medieval borgo or hamlet and painstakingly restored (the landscaping alone took 11 years!) the centre overlooks immense groves of pristine oaks and silent olives. In the distance rises La Dormiente, or ‘The Sleeping Woman’ as the Taburno mountain is called, due to the resemblance of its outline to a female figure at rest.

It is a calm and gracious setting that gently envelopes you in its silvery-green landscape.

All rooms are equipped with SKY TV and wi-fi internet connection. Prices include a generous buffet breakfast, the use of the pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath and a top line of cosmetics. The complex has a large glass-panelled meeting-room which boasts a spectacular 360° panorama, ideal for motivational and executive meetings, along with beautiful dining facilities that offer regional, national and international cuisine.

 

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Scauratielli or scauratieddi is a delicious dessert recipe that is a favorite among children and adults in the Campanian inland. All you need to do is watch Antonietta Rotondo, of the Terre di Conca agriturismo (working farm/culinary center/ongoing organic food extravaganza..yes an Italian Note coming soon). You’ll be hard pressed to see her with anything but a smile on her face as she prepares any regional dish of delicacy in general, and this recipe specifically:

Ingredients for 10 people:
1/2 liter of water
500 gr. flour
(This recipe can be made with more or less flour and water as long as they are used in equal amounts)
a pinch of salt
½ glass of marsala, port or strong wine
1 clove
1 stick of cinnamon
Grated rinds of 1/2 lemon and 1 orange
40 gr of sugar (optional)

Place all the liquid ingredients, sugar, citrus rinds, clove and cinnamon in a pan and bring to a boil for 2/3 minutes in order to fully release the flavours. Remove from the heat and slowly add the flour and salt, mix lightly and turn onto a wooden board. Mash out any lumps with a fork or pestle and then kneed the dough until soft.

Take a small amount of pastry and roll into lengths of 10cm and 1 cm in diameter. You might want to moisten your hands with a little oil to avoid the dough from sticking. Shape into the characteristic form (the two ends crossing over in the middle to form a loop…see fotos).

Fill a deep pan with oil and bring to a boil. Deep fry the raw scauratielli for 2/3 minutes and drain well on paper towels.

Fill a separate bowl with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon powder. Dip the hot pastry into this mixture and serve on a bed of lemon leaves.

Recipe by Antonietta Rotondo for Terre di Conca

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