Did you know that as of about 10 years ago Italy was the 4th largest exporter of strawberries? Areas like Campania, Basilicata, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, and Lazio all grow strawberries but the most famous area is just outside of Roma in Lago di Nemi.
Lago di Nemi is a crater lake located in the Alban hills and folks say that crater walls capture the warmth of the sun and shield the area from strong winds, making it an ideal location to grow strawberries. And like many Italian specialties, there’s a wonderful festival in June at Lago di Nemi.
Strawberries are best enjoyed wild in my opinion, but they are hard to come by so look for the smaller, organic, varieties in your local market during the June time period. I like strawberries with greek yogurt and a bit of honey!
