In Calabria, they’ve struck gold: it’s the fennel grown on Isola di Capo Rizzuto, a comune in the province of Crotone. This peculiar fennel is compared to gold for the unique properties that can’t be found anywhere else. They really have something more, both in how they tickle our senses and in a social sense. So let's go deep on what is it that makes them so special.
Where they come from
Some sources say the origin of Isola di Capo Rizzuto fennel can be traced to Magna Graecia, especially the town of Marathon, which means “fennel” in Greek (named for the abundance of fennel in the area). It has grown in Calabria for at least 160 years, especially along the wondrous 19 square miles of Ionian Coast from Strongoli to Botricello, up to 700 feet above sea level. It has spread further over time, but it’s closely related to local culture, so much so that almost everybody grows it, even if only for personal consumption.
How is it different?
The Isola di Capo Rizzuto fennel differs from other types in three main ways: its fragrance, which is much stronger and quite heady especially when sliced open just after picking it; its near absence of tough fibers, certainly much less than others, meaning it has fewer “threads” in it; and finally its persistent flavor, which lasts a long time on the tongue.
Why gold?
This fennel is called gold because it is a valuable economic resource for the area, a bit of a gold mine. In the last ten years, especially thanks to the work of the Fennel Promotion Committee of Isola di Capo Rizzuto and its chairman Aldo Luciano, fennel has greatly increased local employment with new processing facilities and related businesses. Now there are 60 companies in the committee, and the number keeps rising. The goal is to promote this product and earn IGP designation for it, as well as trying to keep the majority of the processing done locally. “We are selling it both nationally and internationally while following good farming practices, showing that quality can go with quantity.” For the last couple of years, a fennel festival has been held in May after the harvest is complete.
The growing season
The fennel of Isola di Capo Rizzuto grows from September to May, a long growing season, but this leaves three summer months idle (a period when most fennel comes from Emilia Romagna). Recently the Promotion Committee decided to try fennel farming in the nearby Sila, a mountainous region where the temperatures are different, in order to have the product in June, July and August as well.
In the kitchen
This fennel is extremely versatile in the kitchen. The best way to get the most fennel flavor is to eat it raw as an appetizer, or as a digestive aid after the meal (remembering that one of its great features is helping with digestion). It doesn’t lose this property when cooked, either, and can be enjoyed creamed or in cream soups, or au gratin, as done by chef Natale Pallone of the Ruris restaurant in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, served with pane di Cutro and made with Pecorino Crotonese PDO cheese, another regional specialty. This dish was even noticed and mentioned with appreciation in The New York Times.