The mussels of Taranto are queens of the sea. The mussels cultivated in Taranto's Mar Piccolo lagoon are considered the finest in Italy, and this proverb elevates them to royalty. It expresses civic pride, culinary identity, and the claim that what comes from one's own place is inherently superior.
Taranto's mussels have been cultivated in the Mar Piccolo — the 'little sea,' a landlocked lagoon fed by freshwater springs called citri — since the Greeks founded the city as Taras in 706 BC. The unusual mixing of fresh and saltwater, combined with the warm temperatures of the enclosed lagoon, creates ideal conditions for mussel growth of exceptional size and flavor. For millennia, mussel farming was the primary livelihood of Taranto's borgo antico, the old city on a small island between the Mar Piccolo and Mar Grande. The tarantino fisherman-farmer, called cozzaro, was a distinct social figure — half fisherman, half gardener, tending underwater rows of mussels as carefully as a vegetable plot. The cozza tarantine is now a DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) product.
Rooted in the ancient mussel-farming tradition of Taranto's Mar Piccolo lagoon, dating to the Greek foundation of the city in 706 BC.
A Tarantino proudly serving mussels to a guest
Assaggia queste — le cozze di Taranto so' regine d'u mare. Non trovi niente di meglio in tutta Italia.
Try these — the mussels of Taranto are queens of the sea. You won't find anything better in all of Italy.
A chef explaining the source of his ingredients
Uso solo cozze del Mar Piccolo — le cozze di Taranto so' regine d'u mare, e i miei clienti lo sanno.
I use only mussels from the Mar Piccolo — the mussels of Taranto are queens of the sea, and my clients know it.
A fisherman at the market defending his price
Costa di più, sì — ma le cozze di Taranto so' regine d'u mare. Non è la stessa cosa degli altri.
It costs more, yes — but the mussels of Taranto are queens of the sea. It's not the same as the others.
A Tarantino explaining his city's heritage
Taranto non è solo acciaio — le cozze di Taranto so' regine d'u mare e lo sono da tremila anni.
Taranto is not only steel — the mussels of Taranto are queens of the sea and have been for three thousand years.