Veturia Vestucci
The flavors of the Cilento

Veturia Vestucci was born on 5 September 1930 in San Mauro Cilento (Salerno). Hers was a peasant family even though her mother was a seamstress and was very much appreciated. Being the penultimate of six children, including three women, born not far from her last brother, who later became a doctor, she did not work in the countryside but managed the family shop.

Veturia has therefore carried out works deemed “strong”, such as loading and unloading gas cylinders and managing the fuel area of ​​the country. She got married but her husband left early, even before they could have children, so she continued to take care of the economies of the family of origin.

Veturia claims to “have run his life” or to have fully lived all the stages of his existence. However, he regrets nothing of the past because it was a time of misery. However, he remembers with pleasure the evenings around the fire, eating chestnuts, in a time when we gathered every day at the end of the working day. Today – says Veturia – this is no longer the case, “the villages are finished”.

He loves to eat traditional Cilento recipes, which he also knows how to cook very well but which he keeps to take out of the drawer of memories only when he receives visits from his grandchildren. For himself he cooks more often the “ciambotta” (a mixture of Cilento vegetables) which he considers “delicious” and some pasta dishes.

How to live well and for a long time? His secret is “never to be amazed” but fill your life with pleasant interests.