Going to Italy and have 100lbs of luggage space left

[Dieter01]

I'm going to Ravello (not too far from Naples) in october. I have about 100 lbs of luggage space available that i intend to use for food. Any hard-to-source items that I should be looking at picking up? Parts of it can be items that need to stay refrigerated.

Anything from Caputo flour to truffles, mozzarello or ham...

[TXCraig1]

If it was me, I'd go with an eye for things I'd never even heard of - not difficult to source, but rather impossible to source.

[Trinity]

I'm going to Ravello (not too far from Naples) in october. I have about 100 lbs of luggage space available that i intend to use for food. Any hard-to-source items that I should be looking at picking up? Parts of it can be items that need to stay refrigerated.

Anything from Caputo flour to truffles, mozzarello or ham...

Take lot's of pictures for us while you are there!!!

Oh, and cheese,,, lot's of cheese!!!!

[pizzablogger]

If it was me, I'd go with an eye for things I'd never even heard of - not difficult to source, but rather impossible to source.

Exactly what my first thought was when reading the initial post.

It is not the most spell-binding wine you'll ever taste on its own (although it is good), but it is great with pizza. Gragnano is a red frizzante wine that goes well with pizza and is the red wine many in Naples drink with pizza (when drinking wine with pizza). Gragnano can be sourced in the USA from some places, so I would skip it for your suitcase. But it is extremely difficult to find a Lettere in America....and I would argue a good Lettere is better than Gragnano (Lettere is a town just E-NE from Gragnano). Both on its own and with pizza.

Wow, exciting trip....enjoy and post lots of pictures when you return. Enjoy!  

[parallei]

Anything from Caputo flour to truffles, mozzarello or ham...

Make sure you check the U.S. Customs site before you get to excited about fresh/dried foods.  A hint that can save some time: Be sure to declare every food item (the form on the plane), then ask to go thru the agricultural inspection site at Customs when reentering the States. Tell them you are not sure about something you have.  The agricultural inspection stations are MUCH faster than the normal customs.  At least that has been my experience.

Any hard-to-source items that I should be looking at picking up?

I like Mostarda, and very few types are available in the States.  I always bring back a few jars of unusual ones I find, for myself, and for gifts.

Have fun.......the fall is the best time to visit.

[Dieter01]

I'm from Norway not the US. Regulations are not quite so strict but there are a few items I can't bring with me.

I'll check out the items mentioned so far!

[Fire-n-smoke]

I wish I was able to bring back a whole prosciutto and some cheese but was told I could not bring it into the states. Tthe guy in our group who did bring home some meat had it confiscated when we arrived in newark    and i was looking forward to one of his parties.  One thing I brought back was a lemoncetta (lemoncello cream) and it was fantastic, but when I got home I found that the bottle had leaked.  The seal was not broke and when I asked at our local liquor joint I was told that it probably froze.  I don't understand how it could freeze (the cargo hold should be pressurized and heated too) but if you do get something freezable, make sure you wrap it real good or put it in plastic.
tom

[Chicago Bob]

  I don't understand how it could freeze (the cargo hold should be pressurized and heated too)
tom

That is an additional cost on a shipping bill. The larger planes have different compartments, not all of them are heated. And if there is ever a pressurization problem in the main cabin the lower heat can sometimes be shut of. That is known as having to push the "puppy snuffer" button. 

[Don K]

Not only that, airplanes aren't pressurized to sea level pressure, they are pressurized to what the pressure is at an altitude of 8000 ft. The pressure changes when the plane climbs and descends can cause liquids in bottles to leak. This is also what makes your ears pop or your ears painful.