I Contadini

Siblings Edoardo, Emanuele and Gianna farm near the sea in Salento, in the province of Lecce, and preserve what they grow by hand with salt, vinegar and lemon.

About I Contadini

Based in
Ugento, Puglia, Italy
Founded
2003
Known for
hand-preserved vegetables from Salento

I Contadini means the farmers, and that is how Edoardo, Emanuele and Gianna describe themselves. Their grandfather Fiumano grew capers on a small farm. They founded their own farm company in 2003, now based in Ugento, in the province of Lecce, and in 2008 bought an overgrown plot between Felline and Torre San Giovanni, near the sea.

They grow more than 50 kinds of vegetables, and local staff preserve them by hand with salt, vinegar and lemon, with no artificial preservatives.

I Contadini questions

How do salt, vinegar and lemon preserve vegetables?

Food spoils when microorganisms grow in it. Acid from vinegar or lemon juice prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum, a deadly bacterium, and in fermented pickles a high level of salt holds back bacterial growth. Properly heat processing sealed jars kills the microorganisms that cause spoilage. I Contadini preserves its vegetables with salt, vinegar and lemon and uses no preservatives.

How does I Contadini make its preserves?

The family grows more than 50 kinds of vegetables on land near the sea in Salento and starts processing them within a few hours of harvest. Local staff carry out every step by hand, from processing to packing, using traditional techniques and tools. The family has also revived the old practice of drying tomatoes in the sun.

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