CALABRIA'S CHILE CULTURE

            Italy.  The word conjures up thoughts of The Coliseum, The Vatican, and The Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Place the modifier "Southern" in front and instantly the thoughts shift to Sicily, along with its extraordinary Greek temples and exquisite beaches.  Overshadowed by these magnificent cultural giants is a beautiful, virtually undiscovered wonderland of culture and cuisine known as Calabria.  Unfortunately, as a result of its historically depressed economy, Calabria remains a mysterious paradise, unknown to many outsiders.  Its spicy cuisine and fiery cultural heritage are rarely a topic of conversation among culinary circles.

            Calabria is the "toe" of the peninsula that is Italy.  The land has been invaded and conquered by groups throughout history ranging from the Greeks in 720 B.C. to the Austrians in 1707.  A most interesting little known fact is that among these settlers were the Enotrians, whose King Italo gave way to the name Italy, one of many significant contributions to the entire peninsula that can be attributed to the Calabrese.  Calabria is surrounded by nearly 500 miles of pristine coastline composed of the crystal blue waters of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas.  The mountainous region is bathed in sunlight year round, making Calabria an ideal place for cultivating citrus, olives, grapes, figs, and of course, chile peppers.

        The chile pepper was first introduced to the Calabrese upon the return of Columbus to Europe in 1493.  During that era, the Italians in Genoa and Venice had a monopoly on the black pepper trade routes from the Far East and North Africa in to Europe.  The chile pepper therefore introduced a new product viewed by these traders as a virtual cash crop waiting to be exploited.  Unfortunately for them, this new crop flourished rapidly throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, and Asia, making it an extremely inexpensive alternative to black pepper, a spice reserved for the rich as a result of its limited availability.  The chile pepper's quick adaptation to the Old World and near instantaneous overabundance erased any possibility of it replacing black pepper as the blue chip spice.  On the contrary, it became the preferred spice of those who weren't privileged enough to use black pepper.  The chile pepper, or peperoncino as it is known in Italian,  was quickly introduced into the local cuisine throughout Southern Italy.

At the turn of the 20^th Century, many Calabrese emigrated in search of financially viable and secure opportunities.  The largest concentrations of expatriates can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina.  Interestingly enough, the peperoncino has served as a form of liaison between these seemingly alienated populations.  L'Academia Italiana del Peperoncino (The Italian Chile Pepper Academy) has served as an avenue for this cultural nexus.  The organization was formed as a national group for the study of gastronomical and medicinal uses of the peperoncino.  

     The Academy now has local chapters in Calabrese communities around the world, using the chile pepper as a means of cultural unity.

            The Academy is based in the Northern Calbrian costal village of Diamante, the heart of the Calabrese chile pepper culture.  In 1992, the institute marked the 500^th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the Americas, and more importantly for Calabria, the chile pepper, by organizing the first annual Festival del Peperoncino, a celebration of the culinary and cultural contributions the peperoncino has made to the region.  The festival is held annually the first week of September.  As shop owners and residents decorate storefronts and balconies with strings of chiles known as filas, new spicy dished are prepared for public consumption each evening.  Products ranging from fiery alcoholic beverages to chile laced desserts are displayed along side peperoncino inspired artwork.

            Here in the States, peperoncino refers to those tangy, pickled peppers you get with a deli sandwich or with a pizza.  Although very tasty, this is not the full extent of the peperoncino.  In actuality, there are several varieties of peperoncini grown in Calabria.  These varieties include sweet peppers, such as the peperone, which literally means "big pepper", to the more spicy variety, such as the Italian Cayenne pepper, the naso di cane, or "the dog's nose".  The ciliega (cherry), amando (loving), and sigaretta (cigarette) are also varieties of chiles grown in Calabria.

     So the next time you sit down at that pizzeria and you load up that slice with red pepper flakes, or drip that peperoncini juice all over the melted mozzarella, remember your heritage, remember your traditions, remember the Calabrian Chile Culture.