Fruit & Nuts

Frutta Fresca e Secca

Appears in

By Antonio Carluccio and Priscilla Carluccio

Published 1997

About

When I was a child, one of the most exciting times of the year was the beginning of summer. Not only was it school holiday time, but there was also a sense of anticipation that the first of the summer crops of fruit were ripening. Having gone through the long winter eating pears and apples and preserved fruit in the form of composta, or compote, it was exciting to consider eating the new season’s cherries for dessert instead.

These days, many fruits are available all year round. They are imported from all over the world, from Chile and Bolivia to South Africa. Unfortunately, this fruit is usually harvested when it is unripe so that it can ripen on its journey. What this means, however, is that it often lacks flavour and the fruit lacks that sun-ripened scent that comes only from fruit eaten a day after it has been picked.