Trip to Mammola and Cittanova, the towns of stockfish

Fancy tasting a typical Calabrian seafood dish?

Take a trip to the province of Reggio Calabria and taste the Stockfish of Mammola and the Stockfish of Cittanova, during the traditional summer festivals.

Not by chance renamed ‘’Stockfish Towns‘’, Mammola and Cittanova are renowned for the preservation of stockfish and its use in the preparation of mouth-watering typical Calabrian recipes.

Let's discover together how the tradition of the Stockfish of Mammola and the Stockfish of Cittanova was born, visiting both cities in a weekend that takes us from the Ionian Sea to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Calabrians know that to enjoy an excellent stockfish, one must go to Mammola, in the province of Reggio Calabria.

Lying between the Aspromonte foothills on the Ionian side, Mammola has always been linked to stockfish processing, although this variety of dried cod is, as is well known, of Nordic origin. How did this link come about?

It dates back to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, when Calabria began to import dried cod in large quantities, referring to the port of Naples. From the capital, by means of small boats and vessels, the cargo reached the small port of Pizzo (VV) and from there, on the back of a mule, the destination of Mammola, ‘Town of Stockfish’. 

What is so special about the processing of Mammola Stockfish? The water.

Stockfish from Mammola, treated directly with water from the springs of the Aspromonte National Park, takes on exceptional characteristics that enhance its quality and taste. These waters, in fact, have a chemical and physical composition and a quantity of oligomineral substances which, when combined, determine the perfect ripening of the stockfish when soaked.

The very symbol of the cuisine of this area, an area of humble traditions, Stockfish of Mammola was originally consumed by the poorer classes, while today it is the basis of delicious dishes, sought after and appreciated throughout the region, so much so that it has earned the De.Co. (Municipal Designation of Origin) and PAT (Traditional Agrifood Product) marks.

The best time to taste the Stockfish of Mammola? Obviously during the Mammola Stockfish Festival, held every year in August.

During the festival, it is possible to taste stockfish in all its forms, from appetisers... to dessert! The recipe not to be missed is Stockfish alla Mammolese, made with potatoes, PGI Tropea Red Onion, tomato sauce, olives, capers and the ever-present hot chilli pepper.

A trip to Mammola means getting lost in the narrow streets and fishmongers of the historic centre, but above all visiting a place not to be missed: the Mu.Sa.Ba. (Santa Barbara Museum), one of the most original contemporary art museums in southern Italy.

Born in the 1960s from the genius of two extraordinary artists, the late Nik Spatari and his wife, Hiske Maas. the park-museum is a magical place, where colours and shapes converge in a fresco that is a true masterpiece of contemporary art: Jacob's Dream (Jacob), also known as the "Calabrian Sistine Chapel".

Our weekend of stockfish continues in Cittanova, still in the province of Reggio Calabria, but on the Tyrrhenian side, on the edge of the splendid Costa Viola.

Another ‘Stockfish Town’, this locality is just as famous as Mammola for the processing and typical preparation of Stockfish of Cittanova, which again bears the De.Co. (Municipal Denomination of Origin) mark.

Recently, Cittanova hosted a three-day International Meeting for Stockfish Heritage, an event organised by the Stockfish Academy of Calabria, with the aim of supporting the candidature of stockfish as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, among the elements of the already recognised Mediterranean Diet.

The processing of Stockfish of Cittanova is almost identical to that of Mammola and uses the same Aspromonte waters for soaking.  

Tasting Stockfish of Cittanova means tasting a cod caught in the seas of the North (FAO area 27), selected, cleaned and dried naturally in the open air, then rehydrated in Cittanova using the artisanal ‘soaking’ technique, through the use of low-temperature water that gushes from the springs of the Zomaro, the mountain above the town.

Cittanova, too, dedicates a festival to its iconic foodstuff: the Cittanova Stockfish Festival takes place like the other, in August, and includes tastings and various entertainment events in the square.

For the occasion, we recommend a visit to some unmissable places, such as the well-kept Villa Comunale ‘Carlo Ruggiero’, a 2.5-hectare botanical garden in the centre of the city recognised as a ‘National Monument’, the Baroque churches and a hike through the mountains of the aforementioned Zomaro, up to the peak of Mount Cucudo, which offers a breathtaking panorama in a journey between faith and nature.