Today in the column Greetings from Kiss Kiss in Good Morning Kiss Kiss we had the pleasure of interviewing Michele Buonfiglio, mayor of Taurano, a village in the province of Avellino.
Taurano is a small municipality in Irpinia in the province of Avellino, about three hundred meters above sea level. It is a hilly center that rises on the edge of the Campana Plain and is set along the ridge of Mount Pietra Maula. His name probably comes from the surname “taurus” and the historical origins of the town take us to an ancient Samnite oppidum, or a fortified city.
According to the mayor, the visit to Taurano cannot fail to start from Freconia Square, “the historic and main square of the town, from which all the alleys that connect the square with the center start”. Particularly suggestive is also the Convent of St. John of the stage“a 15th century convent that has one of the most beautiful hand-carved altars in Italy”.
The mayor then recalls the incredible value of local craftsmanship and the production of Mortarella hazelnutwhich is flanked by many vineyards and olive groves.
Places of interest in Taurano
- Church of the Rosary: houses ancient paintings in the side chapels and on the ceiling
- Convent of San Giovanni del Palco: dating back to 1396, it houses a wooden altar that comes from the convent of S. Croce di Palazzo in Naples
- Abbey of Sant’Angelo: built on a sheer spur, it has a tuff portal with masks and rosettes
- Church of the Assumption: built in the 16th century, it features an interesting wooden choir and a painted canvas ceiling
- Freconia Square: the old town hall and the Rosario Church overlook here
- Roman villa of San Giovanni del Palco: vast building on three floors, today you can see the Roman baths with calidarium and frigidarium and the nymphaeum from the Tiberian era
Typical dishes and products of Taurano
The area of Taurano and Irpinia in general can boast a renowned food and wine tradition made above all of meat dishes, such as stuffed lamb belly or lamb and potato stew. Among the first courses there are lagane and chickpeas or fusilli with ragù in a pan.
Chiena pizza is also particularly good, a stuffed focaccia of peasant origin containing a dough with eggs, cheese and cured meats. Finally, in Taurano many delicacies are prepared with local hazelnuts, such as spaghetti in hazelnut sauce and various sweets and biscuits.
