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The "sweet" salt of Cervia
For over a thousand years, the economy of Cervia rested on the production of its salt pans. Today, the "white gold quarry", the southern gateway to the Po Delta Park, covers a surface area of eight hundred hectares and represents one of Italy's major nature reserves. Among the birds which nest in the salt pan, are pink flamingos, the stilt plovers, the avocets and herons.
Perhaps it is because of this wonderful environment or perhaps because its extraction has been going on for so many years that the salt of Cervia is so special. The French call it fleur du sel because it is so "sweet". This does not mean it is less salty, but simply that it contains less bitter salts. Because of the exceptional quality of the salt produced, the Camillone Salt-Pan, the last example of artisan management and multiple collection, has become a Slow Food Presidium. Cervia sea salt is collected and packed according to traditional methods. It is not dried artificially or treated with additives, features all the natural humidity of unrefined salt and contains all the minerals found in sea water. Besides course sea salt and that of the Camillone Salt-Pan, also produced are Salfiore di Romagna, a medium-fine salt and Salfiore di Cervia, a superior quality salt collected in small quantities on the surface of the water in the salt-pans. Its special characteristics are highly appreciated by gourmets and in the production of dressed-pork products and cheeses. Even chocolate manufacturers have discovered the excellence of Cervia "sweet" salt. According to an ancient tradition and a precise ceremony, this salt is donated every year to the pope. Cervia salt is therefore one of the products placed on the table of the Holy Father. Also very tasty are the salts aromatised with herbs from the Casola Valsenio garden to be sprinkled on meat, fish and vegetables. Numerous salt-based recipes can be enjoyed in the restaurants of Cervia, from sea-bass cooked in a salt crust to fillets of sardine in "sweet" salt. The salt-pans are also home to the "buratel", the small eels cooked in a delicious soup according to a local recipe.
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The oil of Brisighella
Olives have been grown and oil has been made in the Lamone and Senio valleys since Roman times. This is evidenced by the family oil press dating back to the 2nd century A.D., discovered in Brisighella in the crypt of the Pieve del Thò parish church. This oil is particularly good thanks to the temperate microclimate of the area, created by the chalk hills that protect the crops from the cold north winds, and to the particular geological conformation of the land. The olives are picked and the extra-virgin olive oil is made between early November and mid December. Harvesting, known as "brucatura", is done by hand by stroking the branches with "combs", thereby causing the olives to fall into nets underneath the trees. The oil, which is extracted cold by dripping, is so typical and characteristic that it was the first in Italy to be awarded the European protected denomination of origin mark which appears on "Brisighella" and "Brisighello" oil.
Production is chiefly obtained from two typical local varieties: Nostrana di Brisighella and Ghiacciola. From the local "Nostrana" variety of Brisighella, the Brisighella dop oil is obtained – hint of flowers, decisive flavour, excellent on vegetables, cereals and soups, and Cru Brisighello: ample fragrance, taste of almonds and which goes perfectly with fish dishes. Average yearly production is around 5,000 bottles. From the rarer and more prized Ghiacciola variety, Nobil Drupa oil is made – fruity flavour and a subtle and bitter taste, perfect with Mediterranean and rustic dishes. Production is limited. Used by great chefs, the oil of Brisighella is a sign of distinction of top-quality Italian cuisine in the world. |
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