The Amarene di Trofarello are fresh cherries of the Prunus Cerasus L. species, with an acidic, tender and transparent pulp. In Italian they are named "amarene" or bitters, and "griote" in the Piedmont idiom. In the region the locally known, old varieties are greatly diffused. Among these is the Marisa or Amarena Barbero: a cherry cultivar with intermediate acidity characteristics of the amarena and sweet cherry, with elongated petiole and bigger berries. It is not so compact, dark in colour, and a sweet-sour taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The harvest season lasts up to mid-July.
Production Area
The production area is limited to the municipalities of Trofarello and Moncalieri near Turin.
How it is made
The sour cherry, Amarena di Trofarello has a late ripening feature compared to the normal cherry and bird cherry, and due to this the harvest goes up to mid-July. When rightly ripened the amarena cherries are hand-picked, selected and packed.
History
The cultivation of the cherry and the black cherry variety in the Turin hills has spread from the beginning of the last century. While at Pecetto, sweet table cherries were cultivated, Trofarello retained the original prevalence of the cultivation of the black cherry variety with its own specialized market, which ran until 1989. The black cherry variety of Trofarello was sought after in all Italy; many buyers from other regions came to buy. According to the testimonies of senior producers, between 1950 and 1965, every year about 300 "ciresè" (cherry and black cherry pickers) came to Trofarello from the mountains and the surrounding hills during the cherry season, and stayed for more than a month.
Interesting features
The black cherry of Trofarello has a late maturation with respect to the ordinary cherry and the large "graffioni" cherry variety: harvest continues until mid-July. This variety has its limits because of its poor resistance to handling and conservation.
