European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 16, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Italy a Fragolino capital United press International t s a perverse mile Strawberry festival they throw aver june in Nemi he Strawberry capital of Italy. No Strawberry Shortcake no Strawberry Jam. No Strawberry milkshakes. No Strawberry tarts. Just strawberries More strawberries picked that morning served up along the Village s main Street at tiny ice Cream parlor tables covered with Strawberry printed tablecloths. Perhaps even More confounding is Nemi s idea of the perfect Strawberry a tiny narrow specimen about the size of a child s thimble with a Larl woodsy taste they re Lor Sale All summer Long. Called frag of rite or arvo iee1 nay literally Little strawberries these miniature wild looking berries Are served Only in the simplest ways with sugar Lemon juice or vinegar or while wine or Maraschino liqueur sometimes Erlb Vanilla ice Cream or under a spoonful of thick freshly whipped Cream. Nemi s Fragol lne grown in the volcanic soil around the Liny jewel of a Lake Al Tho loot of tha town bring in 10 times the Price of the Standard cultivated Strawberry that also is grown in the area Fragolino of Mem retail in town Lor 25,000 lire a kilo roughly $7.75 a Pound White growers who cultivate i Tagoloni literally big fat strawberries gel Only about 80 cents a Pound. So expensive Are the fat Giltne thai they ate often sold by the etto one tenth of a kilo equivalent to 3 ounces in doll House sized. Handmade baskets. One miniature Wicker basked holding 3 ounces of Fragolino lined with miniature terns costs $2. In Norm throughout Italy bigger is definitely not better when it comes to fresh fruits vegetables italians seek Oul the Small from tiny strawberries to miniature Green Beans from baby peas to scallions that Are Little More than slivers of while Green. With taste instead of magnitude As the Basic criterion italian housewives think nothing of rummaging through a crate of lava Beans to Shell one or to Lor a raw Sample before deciding whether to buy. Strawberry vendors in Nemi know most berries look alike whether they come front the Rich volcanic soil near Lake Nemi thai produces the Best Flavoured berries or from the less favored lowlands nearby. So they compete Lor customers in the Only Way they can offering free taste tests calling into question the origin of their neighbors products. Signora try one of mine said one sturdy Armor s wife Selling berries Al a Roadside stand. Mine come from right by the Lake not like those Over there that come from who knows a Village of 1,500 people Nemi is situated on a heavily wooded Promontory in the Alban Hills 15 Miles South of Home. Romans have been making the 1,575-foot climb up to Nemi for some 2,000 years. But religion not strawberries is wha first brought ancient romans to the area. Imperial Rome used to troop out to Nemi to celebrate Pagan rites associated with the goddess Diana the High pries who reigned Al her Temple there. Trie priest kept his Post until a challenger succeeded in breaking of a Branch from a certain Bee in the goddess sacred Grove fought him to the death. The emperor Caligula who reigned from 3741 a.d., had two pleasure barges build to carry his guests across the Lake Lor the festival of Diana. The barges virtually intact were raised from the Lake in 1930-31 but were destroyed by repeating German soldiers during world War ii. Food historians say that by the end of the first Century during the reign of the emperor Trajan the strawberries around Nemi were highly praised As the Best available in the Region. Is Fin a two Strawberry Delighta to favor Milkshake or simply detect ref Finger food. Picking your own strawberries by Steve Polston staff writers strawberries Cream strawberries Shortcake or just strawberries straight can be yours Lor a Good Price in you wont to pick the berries yourself. The Defost Otto Ken or you pick Strawberry season is on in Germany should last through july. At Selbst a kicken farms scattered throughout the German Countryside for a modest Lee you can Bend Over Harvest your own crop. At Dree in Gat Zenhichi a Small town in Hessen near Frankfurt you can pick tonight s berries for 3.40 Marks a kilo about $1.07 per 2.2 pounds. Ii you re having friends Over or just want a lot of Strawberry Shortcake supplies around for the coming weekend you can save Money by picking More. At this farm a lot leased from the nearby Mogul Neuhold estate known for its popular bul pricey restaurant the picking Price is 2.80 Marks a kilo when you take in 7.5 Kilos or More. While the whole idea of the self pick Strawberry farm is that the picker saves Money already picked strawberries can be bought Al the cashier s stand at the front Gate Lor 5 Marks per kilo. A kilo in a supermarket on the Economy costs about 5.60 Marks the Hof gut Neutill lot is marked by two flags Oul in the Field a Little sign with a Strawberry across the Road from the Entrance. Children Are permitted to pick but must be supervised by their parents. Other rules Are no smoking no dogs no stepping on the vines no picking of unripe fruit. If you Don t have your own Berry Basket you can buy one at tha cashier s stand or 1 Mark. The weigh of the Basket is added so the total weight of your pickings will reflect whig. Germans claim to be among the world s top Strawberry Consumers. About 30,000 tons of berries Are grown in the country each year ions More Are imported from Italy other countries to meet the demand. Page 16 the stars stripes Sis photo by Stive Fosston watch far aligns along european Strawberry Field inviting you fora modest fee. To pick your own wednesday july 16,1966
