I'm proud to announce that the authentic artisanal (as opposed to industrial) Bella di Cerignola olives have finally arrived to the Bronx.
They are huge and meaty, the biggest olives in the world. But not tacky big. Elegant and tasty big. Great for cooking, near your cold cuts and cheeses, alone with your aperitif. They come in black and green. Not red. Andrea Fratepietro tells us that the red Bella di Cerignola becomes red with chemical additives, and are made only to appeal the consumers' eyes. Go figure!
Bella di Cerignola are so called because they grow in Cerignola, a small village near Foggia, in Puglia. They are also DOP. Everybody knows the name Bella di Cerignola, but, until you taste these, you have not had the real thing.
We went to visit the Fratepietro farm in Puglia and met Andrea Fratepietro, whose family has grown Bella di Cerignola for four generations. The olives are so delicate, they must be picked individually by hand and stored in padded boxes. Watch the video, below and click on the arrow. You'll meet charming and passionate Andrea, too and will learn about his wonderful olives.
