Maiatica Cherry of Taurasi#

The red cherry of Taurasi
Text and picture were kindly made available by the coordinator of the CHIS project Professor Massimo De Santo from the Insolita Italia Site

The Maiatica of Taurasi is typical of the valley of the Agro Taurasino some 30 km North of Avellino Avellino, Italy , with medium size fruits, with a more intense red color skin at the bottom and on the side exposed to the sun, characterized by a smooth and very juicy flesh. It belongs to the Recca variety and is picked at the end of May or at the latest in the first fifteen days or so of June.

Moreover, this fruit is used to make cakes, jams, syrups, juices, candied, sauces, sorbets, mustards and even liqueurs (cherry brandy, kirsch and others). It is a cultivation that adapts itself to various pedoclimatic conditions, even if areas with frequent rains during the period of ripening and harvest should be avoided, because the fruits, above all those of certain varieties, are easily damageable.

In the South of Italy, the most important cultivars are those with early ripening, while in the North are those with late ripening. The cherries have to be picked in the exact moment of ripening and in excellent conditions and right away conserved at a temperature not higher than 8-12° C.

The cherry has good quantities of fibers, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and vitamins A and C. It is rich in sugars even if it has not many calories. Moreover, it is rich in flavonoids useful against the free radicals. It has a diuretic and anti-uric function because its active ingredients transform the uric acid in hippuric acid that then is easily eliminated naturally. It is indicated in the care of arthritis, arteriosclerosis, kidney ailments and gout.