Naples, the birthplace of the Pizza

Founded between the 9th and 8th centuries BC by the Greeks, the recorded history of Naples begins two thousand years ago. We were supposed to anchor in Sorrento, but at the last minute the captain was able to finagle us a berth in Naples so we didn’t have to use the water shuttles on Easter Sunday. Access to Sorrento from the harbor is via a 15-minute taxi ride or an 8-person elevator. Can you imagine all 1,700 of us getting off and waiting to go up the elevators?

Sailing into port

Enzo our guide for the morning took us on a tour of Sorrento and to a farm to see a cheese-making demonstration. On our way to Sorrento, we passed Pompeii, which in 79 AD was buried under 30 feet of volcanic material from Mount Vesuvius. Nearby Herculaneum was covered under mud from the same eruption and has well-preserved Roman villas. I had already been to Pompeii, so I wanted to see something different on this trip.

Mount Vesuvius - that's steam on the right

Driving into Sorrento

Mount Vesuvius’ volcanic activity continually renews the soil, making the area uniquely suited to grow everything from subtropical fruits and vegetables to hardier plants. Sorrento is known for its lemons and olive oil. Their lemons are oval and have large peels, which give a wonderful flavor to their limoncello. For those that don’t know, limoncello is made from lemon peels soaked in pure alcohol and sugar. Every household has its own recipe. It’s pretty strong, but when sipped as an after-dinner drink, it goes lovely with your meal.

Limoncello - from the tree

To the kitchen

To the bottle

At the farm, I met the cows that provided the milk for our cheese demonstration. 

  

Then we were shown to Maria’s kitchen where she (through our guide/translator) told us all about cheesemaking. I learned that Mozzarella is made from water buffalo milk and that Fiordilatte is the cheese made with cow’s milk (but we still call it mozzarella ‘cause it’s easier). Ricotta means re-cooked; when you boil the milk to make mozzarella and the cream rises to the top you skim that off and let it drain and that’s what you make ricotta from.  Once the milk boils and coagulates, it looked a bit like really chunky spoiled milk. Maria then began to work it with the hot water by hand, stretching and smoothing it. She then braided it into a pretty circle to finish it off. She makes cheese 365 days a year from the milk of the seven cows on the property. And the water is boiling hot, so I’m not sure if she has any nerve endings left in her hands.

On left, boiling milk. Middle, separating out the ricotta. On right, working the mozzarella.

stretching the mozzarella in boiling milk

The finished product

We were then treated to a tasting of the freshly made cheese, locally grown tomatoes, salami, ricotta, and freshly baked bread. What a yummy treat! Everything was so simple and yet so flavorful.

We hiked back up the mountain to our bus and headed down into the town of Sorrento, where we had some free time to wander and shop. I found a church that had an Easter Sunday service going on, so I stayed for as long as I could until I had to meet the bus.

Everyone out enjoying the weather

So many shops to wander

Clocktower

Cutie walking his owners

Snuck a picture at mass

Puppet show in the town square

After our morning in the countryside, my east Texas friends and I made our way into downtown Naples and found some of their historic pizza. We couldn’t leave Naples, the birthplace of pizza, without giving it a try. The crust was so wonderfully light and chewy, and the tomato sauce was bright and fresh. Really an enjoyable afternoon.

Yum! Classic Margarita

The Old Fort in Naples

The town of Naples itself was a bit disappointing; there was so much construction going on, and the town just had a neglected air to it. All the buildings are in dire need of a power wash, and the streets a good rain to wash them out.

Back on the ship, the crew had put out all kinds of Easter decorations, which made it feel a bit more festive. I missed my mom’s Easter leg of lamb though.