Calabria Food

What is Nduja? Sometimes called 'ndugghia' or 'nnuglia' it is not dissimilar from the tripe salami known in France as 'andouille'. Although available all over Italy it originates from the zone of Monte Poro in Calabria and the hinterland of Capo Vaticano between Nicotera and Tropea. Specifically, Spilinga. It is made from pig's fat or 'lardo', kidney and the lungs of the animal. All the offal is (very) finely chopped and wrapped in an intestine along with a healthy dose of Calabrian peperoncino. It is then matured for 12 months to render the aroma and taste even stronger.

These famous red onions are grown in an area which stretches in both directions along the coast from Tropea. The onions belong to the lily family and are of 3 distinct types:

A great alternative to ice cream is sorbet, or water ice, which is also called granita and can be flavored with various fruit syrups. It is a fabulous drink which contains no milk or eggs, but just water and sugar and is very refreshing o a hot summer day. In Rome, these water ices are called 'grattachecca' because the ice is scratched from a block of ice. Nevertheless, when you think granita, Sicily tends to come to mind. I know friends from the island who are very severe in judging the quality of a granita which they insist must be…