Kehlen Daly
Sorrento's Agriculture
Sorrento is a small town in southern Italy. The town is known for its beautiful views, charming streets, and proximity to popular destinations like Capri, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento also boasts some great agriculture feats, featuring popular foods like tomatoes, lemons, and buffalo mozzarella.
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Agriculture is known to flourish in this region because of the rich soil. There are a high amounts of nutrients in Sorrento's soil because of volcanic ash; the eruption of Mount Vesuvius not only enhanced the amount of essential nutrients in the soil but it also increased the soil's ability to drain, meaning that crops can grow without the risk of waterlogging. On top of that, the mediterranean climate is ideal for growing crops like lemons and tomatoes. Yearlong sunlight and cooling sea breezes also contribute to the superb agriculture.
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Ancient Map of Sorrento
The image to the right is a picture I took of a piece of art from the 1800s. This picture is a sketch of what Sorrento looked like 200 years ago. As you can see, the map shows the city blooming with agriculture and dispersed homes. This is very different from modern-day Sorrento, but it is interesting to see how much the area relied on agriculture.
Area of Campania in Relativity to the Country of Italy
Throughout this website I will explore the region of Campania. It is in the more southern part of Italy, and is home to the town of Sorrento where I am currently studying. This region holds significance in it's agricultural feats.
Closer Look at the Campania Region
Post the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the Campania region began to flourish agriculturally due to all of the nutrient deposits from volcanic ash. Sorrento is notorious for it's large and juicy tomatoes and lemons, and these crops are said to be this way from the mineral-enhanced soil.
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History of Lemons
Sorrento lemons originate from the Sorrento Peninsula. This variety is thought to have emerged from a natural mutation on a femminello lemon tree near Sorrento in the 16th century. Experts suggest that lemons arrived in Italy through travelers on the Silk Road, although some believe Jewish immigrants first introduced them to the region in the 1st century CE.
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This picture was taken at Villa Fiorentino in the heart of Sorrento's town center. It is a public garden that houses an abundance of lemon trees and citrus groves.
History of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are thought to be from South America in the Andes. They were domesticated by the Mexican people, so how did they get to Italy?
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Tomatoes were brought to Europe in the early 16th century by the Spanish explorers. Italy was one of the first European countries to embrace tomatoes and utilize it in their dishes. In the Southern parts of Italy tomatoes flourished because of the climate conditions, and the earliest known tomato sauce recipe dates back to the mid 16th century.
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In Sorrento, there are two popular and renowned tomatoes. The first is the San Marzano tomato. The restaurants in this city serve this kind of tomato on a plethora of different dishes, and in the image to the right you can see a San Marzano tomato in a caprese salad. The other popular tomato is the Pomodoro Di Sorrento, which is grown locally, and is known for its large size.
History of Mozzarella
The history of Mozzarella in Sorrento is intertwined with the overall history of the cheese in the Campania region. Mozzarella, and more specifically buffalo mozzarella, is a staple ingredient in many dishes in Sorrento. Mozzarella cheese is known to be originated in the southern parts of Italy, and is named after the term "mozzare" which means "to cut off" and this describes the process of making the cheese.
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The Campania region supplies the perfect environment to raise water buffalo, for it has rich soil, an advantageous climate, and a multitude of flowing rivers and streams. Mozzarella di Bufala Campana , plus Sorrento, is acclaimed for its indulgent and creamy texture with a little tang. It comes from the milk of the Italian Mediterranean buffalo, and these animals contain a higher fat content than cow's milk, furthering to why the cheese tastes the way it does.
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Mozzarella fior di Latte, or mozzarella from cow's milk, is still a prevalent cheese in this region. This type of mozzarella is well known worldwide, and the Italian's are proud creators. This cheese has a more delicate taste with less tang, and a firmer texture compared to buffalo mozzarella. Both types of mozzarella are available in Sorrento, but Buffalo Mozzarella is more local.
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To the right is a picture of a pizza I ordered in Napoli, with fresh mozzarella on top.
Sorrento tomatoes are large and round, featuring juicy and seemingly "fleshy" pulp, with an exceptionally sweet and delicate flavor. Some believe that this local tomato originated from trade between the Sirens Land and America, particularly in the early 20th century. During that time, local businessmen, who were heavily involved in exporting citrus fruits, walnuts, and oil, imported seeds. When planted in the fertile coastal soils, these seeds thrived and produced abundant and high-quality crops. ​
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The image to the left exhibits the Pomodoro di Sorrento in a local market called "Dodecà Sorrento". These tomatoes are huge, and at first glance may even look like mini watermelons.
Sorrento Tomatoes at the Market
Tomatoes in Local Shops
Sorrento's tomatoes are featured in many dishes throughout restaurants in the city. In this picture, I am at A'Marenna, a local sandwich shop. My favorite sandwich from this restaurant is the "Nicol", which features parma ham, burrata cheese and freshly sliced Sorrento tomatoes! These large delicious tomatoes are featured on a lot of sandwiches from the shop.
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Sorrento tomatoes are not only used on sandwiches, but in a plethora of dishes throughout the city. It is very common to cook with the tomatoes because as they cook their flavor intensifies. Another dish they are featured in is a caprese salad, which includes basil, mozzarella, and Sorrento tomatoes.
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Tomatoes in Sorrento are a huge factor of the local economy. There is not a definite number that shows the revenue from tomatoes, but we can make an estimate. Production volume (roughly 5,000,000 kg) times the market price ( about €2/kg ) would equal a total revenue of about €10,000,000 annually. Safe to say that the Pomodori di Sorrento are a best seller! The San Marzano tomato is a little pricier per kg, ranging from €2 to €4, and is a more commonly used tomato throughout Italy. The pomodoro di Sorrento is cultivated locally, making it a cheaper option because it does not have any export tax.
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Buffalo Mozzarella
Buffalo mozzarella is cheese made from Buffalos milk, and it is a local ingredient in many dishes around town. To make Buffalo Mozzarella, ​it starts with heating the milk at a high temperature. The milk coagulates due to the rennet and after a few minutes the cheese lumps are broken up with a tool called a “spino”, which reduces them to the size of a walnut or a little more.From this moment on, the separation between the solid phase and the liquid phase of the milk takes place. The liquid phase: removed by sampling, it consists of sweet whey, which will then be used for the production of ricotta. The solid phase is the curd, it is left to acidify under whey until it is defined as ripe for spinning by the cheesemaker. This is the longest phase of the production process, because it lasts around 5 hours.The time is needed for lactic bacteria from the whey starter to make the curd stringy and enhance the product's flavor.Next, it is spun using thermo machines, and lastly it is shaped and salted.
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Buffalo Mozzarella is a common ingredient sold at the local markets here in Sorrento. In the picture to the right I am holding some prepackaged buffalo mozzarella. The cheese can be used in many different dishes, but I prefer to cut it on top of my pesto pasta.
Fior di Latte Mozzarella vs. Bufala Mozzarella
Below is linked two videos that show how the different mozzarellas are made.
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How Buffalo Mozzarella is Made
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Both of these cheeses contribute greatly to Italy's economy. Mozzarella di Bufala is a southern italian classic, and is very common is the cities in/surrounding the Campania region. It is estimated that Mozzarella from cow's milk has an overall larger revenue because it is common not only throughout Italy but throughout the world. However, buffalo mozzarella attracts tourism and adds extra uniqueness to the towns that cherish it.
Importance of Agriculture
Lemons are a huge symbol of not only Sorrento, but this region as a whole. Shops all along the city exhibit lemons, and in the image to the top right is a wall of limoncello at a local store. Lemons are not only seen here as a food, but as a fashion statement, and a huge part of Sorrento's history.
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The image on the bottom is from one of Sorrento's museums: Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea. The museum has a display of historic posters that feature lemons. One of the posters quotes "Good all the year round!" in an effort of advertisement for citrus in Sorrento. Agriculture for lemons changed in history when farmers realized that cross grafting lemon and orange trees would supply more fruit and create more revenue. Lemons presence in Sorrento date back to hundreds of years.
