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GASTRONOMY |
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BACOLI'S GASTRONOMY HAS AN ILLUSTRIOUS PEDIGREE: THE LECTISERNIUM, A SUMPTUOUS AND TASTY FEAST, OFFERED TO THE GODS ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED BY THE GREEKS WHO LIVED IN CUMA; THEY HAD MUSSELS AND CRABS ENGRAVED ON THEIR COINS. SERGIO ORATA INTRODUCED THE CULTIVATION OF MUSSELS TO BAIA, STARTING WITH LAKE LUCRINO. DURING THE FEASTS OF TRIUMPH IN ROME, THOUSANDS OF MORAY EELS WERE BROUGHT TO JULIUS CAESAR IN ROME, FROM THE FISH PONDS OF BAIA. LUCIO LICINIO LUCULLO HELD DELICIOUS BANQUETS AT HIS HUGE VILLA IN MISENUM. A LOT OF RECIPES USED FOR THE BANQUETS WERE HANDED DOWN BY ASPICIO, SUCH AS BROAD BEANS IN SEA-SAUCE AND OYSTERS IN VINEGAR. BUT BACOLI'S CUISINE CHANGED IN THE 1700-1800s BECAUSE OF THE HISTORICAL AND ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS. HISTORICAL, BECAUSE THE SETTLERS FROM POSILLIPO AND PROCIDA INFLUENCED THE CUISINE OF BACOLI, PARTICULARLY THE JEWISH TRADITION THAT EXCLUDES MEATS IF NOT PROCESSED IN A CERTAIN WAY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE PEOPLE OF BACOLI, WHO WERE ESSENTIALLY FARMERS, TOOK BOATS ALONG THE COASTS LOOKING FOR FISH TO COOK WITH VEGETABLES. SO, THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF BACOLI'S CUISINE WERE SEAFOOD AND VEGETABLES. EVEN IF THESE DISHES WERE MODERATE AND FRUGAL, THEY WERE TASTY. THIS CULTURAL BACKGROUND ALLOWED BACOLI’ S CUISINE TO TAKE A BIG LEAP IN QUALITY. FISH AND SEAFOOD ARE THE PRECIOUS AND DELICIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE GASTRONOMIC MIRACLE OF THE PRESENT BACOLI. IN FACT, THERE ARE MANY WELL-KNOWN RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE RENEWED THE ANCIENT TRADITIONS. ABOUT WINE WE CAN SAY THAT QUALITY VINEYARDS HAVE BEEN THE HALLMARK OF THIS AREA SINCE ANCIENT TIMES. THE LATIN POETS HAD ALREADY SUNG PRAISES ABOUT THE LOCAL WINES SUCH AS FALERNO, PIEDIROSSO, AGLIANICO, AND FALANGHINA. from: Gli eredi di Lucullo by G.Race |
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