Q is for Quaglia di Capri:
A traditionally popular and economically valuable dish of the island of Capri has been the quail. The common quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family with rusty red plumage mottled in black and white. Historically, Capri depended on quail hunting as a large part of the economy. Flocks of hundreds of thousands of quail used the island off the coast of Naples as a temporary resting ground in their migrations to and from the mainland of Italy in the spring and autumn. The quail of springtime were not as tasty as those that feasted all summer long in Campania and Puglia to return in September fat and healthy, which were hunted with more vigour and attention. At the time, quails were caught in nets, which were strung between poles of about 30 feet high and 50 feet apart. In 1775, the bishop of Bourbon Ferdinand II chose the island of Capri as his summer residence, where he enjoyed quail hunting so famously that Capri earned the nickname Bishoprie of Quails. One report from 1793 states that up to 12,000 quail were netted in a single day, and 150,000 in fifteen days. Other methods were employed to catch quail, including the potentially dangerous poaching; scrambling over the cliffs of Capri in search of the small bird did not always end well for the hunter. Today, quail are not hunted as much as they had been in the past, although quail hunting by rifle is still a popular sport. Quail is prepared much like other poultry, including braising, roasting, or accompanying with various wine sauces, such as the traditional white wine, pancetta and peas; less commonly, the decoratively mottled eggs are eaten.
touring information:
These restaurants offer regional specialties: Ristorante Buca di Bacco Via Longano, 35 80073 Capri, Napoli Telephone: +39-081-837-0723 Ristorante Al Grottino Via Longano, 27 80073 Capri, Napoli Telephone: +39-081-837-0584 Email: g.arbace@libero.it Farmstay Terrammare Hours: Sun - Sat., 12:00-2:00pm, 7:00-11:00pm Via Migliera, 18 80071 Anacapri, Napoli Telephone: +39-339-878-5140 Email: info@terrammare.com For a more luxurious stay, try this hotel or its restaurant, which also offers quail: Capri Palace Via Capodimonte, 14 80071 Anacapri, Napoli Telephone: +39-081-978-0111 Email: info@capripalace.com Restaurant: olivo@capripalace.com
Q is for Quintodecimo, Azienda Agricola:
The winery of Quintodecimo in Avellino was founded in 2001, making it relatively new compared to the other vinicole highlighted in this series. Owners Luigi Moio and Laura di Marzo bought a small parcel of land that today has expanded to about 8 hectares just outside the village of Mirabella Eclano. The winery's name derives from "Quintum Decimum," the name of an ancient farmhouse during the 8th Century AD, a time when Mirabella Eclano was known as Eclanum. The philosophy of this winery is to stay small and produce a limited amount of only the finest wines that authentically express the typicality of the area's indigenous grapes. In keeping with this philosophy, Luigi Moio, a professor of Oenology at the University of Naples, combines his knowledge with his experience of being part of a family of winemakers. While remaining loyal to traditional grape varieties and creating single-varietal wines, he also carries out small-time research on the soil, location and equipment usage of the vineyards and winery.
The three white and two red wines produced in Quintodecimo are of grapes that are common in the vocabulary of Campania wine: Greco di Tufo, Falanghina, Fiano di Avellino and Aglianico. The white wines, aged in oak barrels, are single-varietal wines that represent the grapes splendidly. Fiano Avellino DOCG Exultet Bianco is smooth and rich; Greco di Tufo DOCG Giallo d'Arles Bianco is fruity, warm and golden; and Falanghina Via del Campo Bianco is fruity and mineral. Both red wines, the Vigna Quintodecimo and Terra d'Eclano, are also single varietal and express Aglianico beautifully. Vigna Quintodecimo is a DOCG Aglianico Taurasi Riserva, aged for 24 months in barrels and another 24 months in the bottle; and Terra d'Eclano IGT is aged for 18 months in wood and another 6 in the bottle. Both have full bodies and balanced tannins, with a nose of liquorice and spices and a fruity flavor. Both age well; none of Quintodecimo's wines are aged for less than 18 months.
Sources: Capri: La Cucina Italiana. Da Gelsomina. Sept 2003. Chi Siamo. Quintodecimo: Vignaioli in Mirabello Eclano. Phillips, Karen. Vineyard Hopping - Mirabello Eclano (Av) - Quintodecimo. Andiamotrips. June 2011. Pignataro, Luciano. Quintodecimo. Luciano Pignatora Wineblog. Sept 2007. Viktorija. Quintodecimo Winery. Winery Visits. Trower, Harold Edward. The Book of Capri. Naples: E. Prass 1853. Digitized book. Webster, Thomas, et. al. The American Family Encyclopedia of Useful Knowledge. New York: Derby and Jackson 1856. Digitized book.