Sorrento Peninsula Walnut

The walnuts of the Sorrento Peninsula have long been prized for their sensory qualities. Of medium size, oval in shape with a rounded base and a slightly pointed tip, the thin, cinnamon-colored shell protects a pale, plump, crisp-tender kernel with a delicious, delicate flavor.
Historically in this area walnuts were grown symbiotically with olives and grapes in the hill terraces and intercropped with citrus in the lowlands. The nuts have a long connection with the area, and Sorrento walnuts were already being grown and appreciated by the Romans. Remains of fossilized walnuts and carbonized trees have been discovered at Herculaneum, and paintings of walnut trees have been found at the Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii. These days, the names of places and streets testify to the ancient link: The town of Piano di Sorrento, for example, is also known as Caruotto, from the Greek charouon, meaning walnut.
The walnuts are harvested between September and late October, depending on the area, by being knocked down with long chestnutwood rods, or by climbing the trees. The nuts are sold fresh, or dried on racks set out in the open air.
Many typical coastal recipes use the nuts: sauces, spaghetti with walnuts, confectionery (biscuits, nougat, semifreddo) and the famous liqueur known as nocino or nocillo. Sorrento walnuts are particularly appreciated by bakers and pastry chefs not only for their sensory qualities, but also because the kernel is particularly easy to extract whole from the shell.

Season

The walnuts are harvested between September and October