Campora San Giovanni

Frazione
name = Campora San Giovanni
region = Calabria
province = Cosenza
comune = Amantea
linkStemma = Amantea-Stemma.pngelevation_m = 55
population = 7.200
population_as_of = 2007
coordinates = coord|39|4|5|N|16|5|38|E
postalcode = 87032
telephone = 0982
gentilic = camporesi
saint = Francis of Paola
day = 1 to 3 September

Campora San Giovanni is a frazione of the comune of Amantea, in the province of Cosenza, Italy, situated close to the border with the province of Catanzaro.

Economy

The economy is based on agriculture and tourism. Since the 1950s there has been a development in the cultivation of the "Red onion of Tropea", nowadays appreciated both in the domestic and in the foreign markets.

During the last 20 years, the export of this product, together with other commercial activities, has favoured the local economy. These activities are helped by the favourable position of the village, which is served by a railway line, by the SS18 road, by the A3 motorway (8 km) and by Lamezia Terme International Airport (25 km).

Geography

Campora is situated on the Tyrrhenian coast, and since the 1950s it has grown on a small cliff plain dominating a flat area next to the beaches. The nearby hills are exploited for high quality production of wine and oil. The view from the hills spaces from the gulf of Lamezia Terme to the Stromboli volcano, whose smoke is visible on clear sunny days. The Aeolian Islands can be easily reached from Campora harbour.

Historical buildings

A 14th century large tower is the only notable building. The upper part of the tower is decorated with corbels. This tower is nicknamed "U Turriune" in the local dialect. Recently, the harbour (2002) and Saint Francis of Paola square have been added. Francis of Paola is the local patron saint and is celebrated from September 1 to September 3. During the celebrations, which attract numerous pilgrims from the nearby villages, there is a procession where the statue of the saint is carried on the shoulders along the streets (sometimes accompanied by a cart decorated with flowers and ex-voto).

Hamlets

The territory of Campora San Giovanni is divided in the following hamlets:
*Augurato
*Carratelli
*Cologni
*Cozza
*Cuccuvaglia
*Fravitte
*Gallo (southern part)
*Imbelli
*Marano
*Marinella
*Mirabelli
*Oliva
*Piana Cavallo
*Piana Mauri
*Principessa
*Ribes
*Rubano
*Villanova

Local cuisine

Typically of the Calabrian cuisine, it derives from the agricultural and fishing tradition. It comprises simple dishes, complex pastries, and pork sausages. Typical dishes include:

Peasants' cuisine

*"Coria (or Frittule) 'ccu fasuli e cipulle": pork skin with beans and red onions.
*"Frittata i Carunevale": on Mardi Gras, every local family prepares a spaghetti omelette with fresh ricotta cheese and sausages, as on the following day (Ash Wednesday) Lent starts and meat should be reduced.
*"Patate 'ccu pipe e mulinciane": chips fried with peppers and aubergines, sometimes including pork skin or pork cubes.
*"Minestra e fasuli": aromatic herbs, boiled or shallow fried, with beans, and sometimes chilli peppers.
*"Mulinciane e pummaduari": Aubergines in oil with fresh tomatoes (summer dish, very refreshing).
*Spezzatino (Stew): pork stew with roast potatoes and tomato sauce, typical of the patron feast.
*"Pitticelle", flour flat cakes, sometimes with pumpkin flowers, courgettes, or olives.

ea cuisine

*"Pasta 'mbiancu e baccalà": pasta with baccalà boiled and dressed with olive oil, typical of the holy celebrations when meat is banned, such as Advent, Christmas, Ash Wednesday or Pentecost
*"Baccalà e patate vullute": baccalà boiled in tomato sauce, with large cubed potatoes.
*"Alici fritte": small anchovies fried in oil and dressed with lemon or oranges.
*"Alici sutt'uaglio": anchovies in oil, eaten with bread, oregano and sundried tomatoes.
*"Alici 'mpipate": anchovies in peppers and chilli sauce, eaten wih bread.

Cakes

*"Cuzzupa": typical Easter cake, usually with an egg in the middle.
*"Bucchinotti o Buccunotti": a typical Calabrese cake, with grape jam or cocoa and raisins.
*"Pani i castagna": similar to castagnaccio but smaller and thicker, with pine nuts, raisins, walnuts and hazelnuts.
*"Turdilli": fried, typical of Christams time, they have a spiral shape and are immersed in honey.

Wine

The local wine are notable, particularly the red ones; the most famous are Savuto and Gallo.

Miscellanea

*The main church is dedicated to Saint Peter apostle and was built in 1956
*The vicar is Rev. Apollinaris Paul Mashughuli Massawe, (born in 1969 in Tanzania), since January 9, 2005
*The most widely spoken languages besides Italian are Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Romanian; there are also small communities of Chinese, Turks and Arabs.
*The local dialect mixes different Calabrese dialects, with foreign words introduced by the expatriats.

External links

* [http://www.camporaweb.it Associazione Campora Web Onlus]