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THE FOODS
The ancient Romans, who dubbed it Campania Felix, marveled at the fertility of its volcanic soils, as did the Greeks who founded Neapolis on the gulf bounded by Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Sorrento and the islands of Capri and Ischia. Naples, under the royal houses of Anjou and Bourbon, long reigned as a capital of haute cuisine. Yet, almost in spite of the noble resources of sea and countryside, the city became a sanctuary of street food.
The primadonna of the byways is pizza napoletana, in authentic versions known as marinara (with tomato, garlic and oil) and Margherita (with tomato, mozzarella and basil). Ingredients are rigorously selected by pizzaioli, who work the dough with a master touch so that when baked in a matter of moments in a searing hot wood-fired oven the crust puffs to a bread-like softness with a delectable hint of crunch.
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THE WINES
The ancient Romans admired Campania Felix as the most felicitous of wine regions. They favored the vineyards along the coast north of Naples where Falernian, the most treasured wine of the empire, was grown. They also praised the wines of volcanic Vesuvius and the wooded hills of Avellino. Even earlier, the Greeks had recognized the privileged nature of the place, introducing vines which still stand out today in Aglianico, Greco and Falanghina.
Yet, until recently, it seemed that wine producers of Campania, with a few conspicuous exceptions, had forgotten about the glories of the past, as growers left the land and winemakers largely ignored DOC. But now, after a long lapse, Campania is undergoing a revival that has dramatically improved quality.
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