Saturday, November 24, 2012

Autumn in Ischia

Ischia is wonderfully calm in the Autumn. After a busy summer, jammed packed with visitors taking advantage of the great weather and sandy beaches, Ischia calms down completely in the autumn and winter months.

With cooler temps and sometimes very rainy weather, islanders find themselves other activities to consume their day....picking olives and making wine :) Yup, autumn in Ischia is olive and wine season!

The grapes are usually harvested for wine making in September - October and the new wine which is legal to drink after one month is called Vino Novello: a semi sweet wine with a slight fizz. October is the time of picking olives and Ischia olives make wonderful, fragrant oil. The damp weather also creates the perfect environment for picking mushrooms and there is a vast forest area on the Mnt Epomeo on which to spend the day in search of the delicious yet well disguised Porcini. Please note, it is wise to go mushroom picking with an islander who has a good knowledge of mushrooms as some varieties are even too poisonous to touch.

So after months of long, dry sunny days, islanders retire to the fire side with some good red wine, taglietelle pasta with porcini mushrooms, crusty bread and roasted chestnuts. Get your green fingers on and experience whats Ischia's earth has to offer.

Contact me for further info on an agroturismo experience in Ischia including harvesting grapes and wine making, mushroom and chestnut picking, and olive picking for jarring and pressing olive oil.

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