
Just north of Rome, on the outskirts of Viterbo, is a community
of about 40 Cistercian nuns who follow the Benedictine rule of
Ora et Labora, Pray and Work. Their work, growing fruit and
making jam, supports an AIDS clinic the nuns opened in Africa
several years ago. It is truly a labor of love, and Paul Ferrari
was most impressed by the simple joy with which the nuns make and
present their products. He was also impressed with how good their
fruit preserves were. Ripe, locally grown fruit is cooked down in
small batches in the monastery kitchen. We were lucky enough to get
a decent quantity of their small production, including their trademark
green tomato jam.
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