The Accademia del Gusto organized a lesson/tasting on saffron and its use in the kitchen in Campiglia on the terrace overlooking the sea of the “La Lampara” restaurant. The President of the Accademia del Gusto Nicola Carozza explained that saffron, from the Arabic term jafarantransformed from the Persian sahafaran, meaning yellow, is one of the most expensive spices in the world, originally from Asia Minor and Greece, already used by the Romans to flavor game and wines while the Accademia Antonietta Sforza retraced historical notes on Campiglia.
The toponym of Campiglia – of Latin origin (campilia) – has the meaning of common property intended for cultivation. The oldest nucleus of the village was born in the early Middle Ages, from nuclei of families who sought refuge there, safe from Saracen raids. The oldest mention of Campiglia is found in an act of the emperor and king of Italy Otto II which bears the date of 18 July of the year 981 (etiam Campilia cum piscatione et venatione di lui).
Forty Academicians followed the tasting with interest. The saffron plant has always been widely spread in the Tramonti area in the wild but for about twenty years on the terraces overlooking the sea of Campiglia the precious bulbs have been cultivated which have found in the climate and in the loose and drained soil an ideal habitat for their luxuriant growth. Livia Cerliani and chef Paolo Bosco spoke to illustrate the menu proposed to the Academicians: stuffed squid, crouton with salted anchovy and burrata stracciatella, fish parmigiana; trofie with saffron and prawns; Island-style sea bream with potatoes, grandmother’s cake accompanied by passito wine.
