The May issue of the Italian monthly magazine Sale & Pepe is a particularly rich edition for strawberry and berry enthusiasts.
The magazine opens with an editorial by Laura Maragliano, who recounts some curious stories about strawberries, from historical admirers such as Shakespeare and the Sun King, to the history of intercontinental hybridizations that led in 1766 to the selection of Fragaria x ananassa, "the plant from which all cultivated strawberry varieties in the world today descend."
Of course, there are also recipes: from homemade strawberry ice cream to delicious spring tarts. There’s a pistachio and raspberry tart and, for those who enjoy an exotic touch, a coconut tart with ricotta, wild strawberries, and lime.
The issue on newsstands also features a special on Lucanian strawberries titled "The Place of Strawberries." It defines the Italian area of Metaponto as the place "where excellent fruits grow from crops that respect quality, the environment, and working conditions," and includes interviews with Rocco Zuccarella (OP Tenute Zuccarella), Antonio Rubolino (Apofruit Italia), and Naomi and Christian Nicodemo (OP Frutthera / Nico Fruit).
