Torta Caprese: The Timeless Art of Having your Cake and Eating it, Too
Capri, located in the Bay of Naples, may be a playground for celebrities during the summer, but most of the year, it’s a quiet place that observes the same family traditions found throughout Italy and the Mediterranean.
The population who lives here is split between two cities. The better-known Capri sits between the Marina Grande and Marina Piccola and her sister city, Anacapri (which means “above Capri”), sits just below the highest peak on the island called Monte Solaro.
Anacapri of Capri, Italy
The lush, cliff-lined island has been a magnet for the rich and famous long before the celebrities arrived with their superyachts. Emperor Tiberius Augustus, the second Roman Emperor, built a palatial home there called Villa Jovis, which eventually became his primary residence as his political fortunes deteriorated back in Rome. You can still walk through the Villa’s expansive foundations and imagine the splendor and luxury that the most powerful man in the world enjoyed until he died in AD 37.
Perhaps the stories of Tiberius’ “excesses” (which we won’t go into here) gave Capri a bad name, but the destination fell out of favor until the mid-19th century, when the island once again became the playground for artists, writers, and intellectuals.
An Italian Island Getaway
Capri’s limestone cliffs and green-blue grottos have always been an inspiration for ideas and innovation. Capri pants were invented here for Jackie Onasis. Capri sandals (another Jackie O fav) were perfected here, too. The oldest perfumery, called Carthusia (est. 1380!), is still operating on one of Capri’s quiet backstreets. But perhaps the most delicious invention from Capri is the one of the world’s most beloved desserts: the Torta Caprese or Chocolate Caprese Cake made famous by the exclusive Villa Verde Restaurant.
Villa Verde is not a well-kept secret, as you’ll quickly discover when you walk inside. The walls are papered with thousands of photos of the glitterati- the rich and famous who have visited here throughout the years. On a recent night, Taylor Swift could be seen toasting next to Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, and Ben Affleck. They come for the ambiance, but they always finish with the cake.
The Torta Caprese
The Torta Caprese recipe is one of those delicacies that can only be sampled here at Villa Verde. The recipe is known to only four living people; the Chef, the owner, his wife, and her sister. Yes, you can make your own Caprese Cake (see the recipe below), and it will be delicious, but it will not be the same. Word has it that the Villa Verde Original contains natural ingredients found only on the island of Capri.
The ingredients in the Caprese cake are simple, and the recipe, like most of the delicacies found here, is generational. The fountain of raw human invention that springs from the Mediterranean is unique. You simply must come here to experience it.
Once Cold, Dust the Surface with Powdered Sugar.
ENJOY!
