Today as in the past
In the Neapolitan dialect “ ‘e curti “ represents people who are shorter than the average height. Luigi and Antonio Ceriello were two brothers from Sant’Anastasia, in the area around Mount Vesuvius. These two brothers were “Lilliputian midgets”, hence their knick-name “ ‘e curti.” After travelling all over Italy as Ringmasters in circus shows they decided to return to their hometown, with a treasure of knowledge of the numerous gastronomic traditions that they decided to use it. In 1952 they took over a tavern which had been opened in 1924 by one of their uncles. The culinary creativity of the two “curti” re-discovered some of the most antique recipes in the Parthenopean gastronomic tradition. These recipes had been rooted in the hinterland around Vesuvius. The combination of the tasty dishes and the typical Neapolitan cheerfulness of the “curti” brothers soon made the tavern popular with connoisseurs of good food in the area. Don Luigi, known as “o’ curto”, died in 1973. Nevertheless, the culinary tradition of the two brothers continues to live on thanks to Antonio, the other “curto” with the help of his sister, Assunta, and their niece, Angela, together with Carmine D’Alessandro. In 1990, when the last of the two “curti” died, the tavern was strongly anchored to the gastronomic traditions of its founders and jealously kept by their successors:
who with great passion and a growing professionality have increased the selection of exquisite dishes on their menu, always faithful the local traditions. In 1995, the two children of Angela and Carmine, Vincenzo and Sofia, decided to commercialize the liquer “ ‘o nucillo” producing it according to the 1904 recipe preserved by the ”curti “ brothers. This liqueur had been used right from the opening of their tavern and used as a digestive liqueur: it is a real traditional habit. Today Sofia in the kitchen with Mamma Angelina and Vincenzo al Nucillo continue to guarantee the family management of a small and large Italian company. THE WALNUT LIQUEUR “ ‘E CURTI” The “nucillo ‘ curti” is produced in an exquisite craftsman’s technique dictated by our best traditions. The walnuts used are the quality known as “Sorrento” , gathered by hand from especially selected trees in all the region. On the 24th. June on the day the walnuts are harvested, the hulls are put to ferment into large green glass demijohns containing pure alcohol and natural spices. These demijohns are left exposed to the strong rays of the sun to carry out an important catalyzing action for approximately 90 days. In this way an infusion is obtained which is then filtered, always manually, into large containers and then a syrup made from sugar and water is added. The mixing operation follows the filtering, done by passing the liquid through Holland cloth.. It is in this way that by the middle of October the “curti” nucillo is ready. This liqueur of a high digestive quality which derives not only from its high alcoholic content ( 50°) but also thanks to cloves. The antiseptic proprieties of cloves have been known since days of old as a soothing effect on the stomach during digestion.
For more information: info@e-curti.it www.e-curti.it
