Trattoria II Vesuvio

No matter the season, few cuisines are better suited to soothe more than Italian.  So take a tour of Italy, Berkshires-style, and indulge in simple, satisfying Mediterranean flavors. The Berkshires can be seduced by visions of milder climates. And few seductions could be more sweeping and romantic than the lure of a trip to Italy, starting with its sun soaked coastlines and sapphire seas. Such is the setting of Campania, considered the gateway to southern Italy.  Loosely speaking, the region represents the boot ankle of the Italian boot.  Campania encompasses the island of Capri, the Gulf of Naples, and the Amalfi coast. One of the region's most prominent features is Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that covered Pompeii and surrounding cities in lava and ash in 79 A.D. In a way, the eruption laid the foundation for Neapolitan cuisine, since the volcanic soil rendered Campania’s countryside highly fertile. The region today yields some of Italy's finest produce.