Azienda Agricola Scalzo

In Calabria's Savuto valley, the Scalzo family grows and preserves its own vegetables and chiles, packing many of them in extra virgin olive oil.

About Azienda Agricola Scalzo

Based in
Marzi (Cosenza), Calabria, Italy
Founded
1973
Known for
Calabrian chile and vegetable preserves in olive oil

Giuseppe Scalzo started the business in 1973 in Marzi, in the province of Cosenza, trading fresh and dried mushrooms. In 1989 the company turned to preserving, putting up fruit, vegetables and wild products from the Valle del Savuto. The recipes are those of Giuseppe's wife, Carmelina, and the family still runs the company.

The farm grows chile peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, Tropea onions, mountain oregano and citrus, then processes the harvest itself. Preserving relies on sugar, salt and extra virgin olive oil, with no added preservatives.

Calabrian preserves in oil go on bread, pizza and antipasto plates or into tomato sauce, and the oil left in the jar is good for cooking.

Azienda Agricola Scalzo questions

How hot are Calabrian chiles?

Calabrian chiles run roughly as hot as cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce, so they bring real heat. In Calabria they are crushed into olive oil, sometimes with vegetables such as eggplant and peppers, to make chunky spreads like bomba. Start with a small amount and taste before adding more.

What is a Tropea onion?

The Tropea onion is a red onion grown in a small area of Calabria near Capo Vaticano. It has purplish-red skin, white flesh tinged with red and a sweet flavor, since red onions carry less of the compounds that make onions sharp. Since 2007 it has held IGP status, a European label tying a food to its place of origin. The Scalzo farm grows its own.

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