A slow gastronomic road winds along the border between Umbria and Tuscany. Debbie Oakes travels this fertile land to meet the makers, growers and kitchen masters who best represent the region's cuisine.
In the region of southern Italy where Tuscany winds into its rolling green neighbor Umbria, the road leads through sparkling olive groves to sparkling lakes where All are fish. It goes up and down, over verdant hills dotted with sheep, past medieval villages, to ancient ruins bathed in sunlight like grapes. The mysterious Etruscans first groomed and cultivated these fertile lands eight thousand years ago, and since then gourmets over the millennia have been treated to a wealth of seasonal flavours.
Goats roam freely on the organic farm of Podere il Casale
Located in the heart of Tuscany, Pienza is a town rebuilt by Pope Pius II during the Renaissance. His visionary city planning left behind a time capsule of UNESCO-protected palaces, churches and piazzas that most recently became Italy's capital of Pecorino cheese.
Podere il Casale, near Pienza, is an organic farm that houses one of Tuscany’s best-kept secrets: a farm-to-table restaurant with dazzling views and food to contend with attention. Below us was a landscape directly pasted by Botticelli's dripping brush, while in front of us sat an assortment of delicious pecorino (goat's milk) cheeses and homemade chutneys.
"Depending on how long the cheese is aged, and even depending on the size of the room in which it is aged, the flavor and texture will change," explains owner Ulisse Br?ndli, a self-described shepherd. "Ripe cheese, called stagionato, is harder, crumblier, and has a nutty flavor. Semi-stagnant cheese, meanwhile, is softer and milder. But even fresco, the mildest pecorino, tastes sweeter than cow's milk cheese. Rich.
Cheese matured in Podere il Casale (dairy product)
For a city smoothie (like me), eating with care raised, grown and made The food is a soulful (and satiating) experience. After lunch, bathed in sunshine and the smell of summer lavender, Ulisse takes me to the cheese or dairy, where the cheeses are arrayed like well-fed soldiers and aged carefully. : Fat, tall, white, small, some coated with ash, some wrapped in walnut leaves, some cheeses with blue mold, and my own favorite cheese, "Drunken Pecorino" , coated with grape skins left over from winemaking
Capoccolo and salami
Pork, in all its culinary incarnations, has long been Umbrian. And a Tuscan staple. It is said that no part of the pig is wasted here
I was with Lucia Noritto, a local travel stylist who took me to Tuscany. An organic farm in Chianciano where we meet the friendly voices of a Cinta Senese, an indigenous breed of pig - first bred by the Etruscans - that has been on the verge of extinction for years because of farmers' focus. However, in 2012 they were finally recognized as a "niche product of exceptional quality" and were given Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. p>
"Cinta Senese meat tastes like the forest because they only eat acorns, hazelnuts and chestnuts," Lucia told me. "The meat is not too fatty, but soft and juicy because they use muscle. Rather than just standing in a stable and developing fat. The Spanish have Pata Negra jamon, we have Cinta Senese prosciutto.
Umbrian capoccolo and salami
The meat is traditionally marinated - depending on the cut - into finocchiona, a marinade with wild fennel, black pepper, and garlic and Tuscan salami made with red wine. Meanwhile, the cheeks are transformed into prized guanciale, capocollo and rigatino, while the belly is spit-roasted for eight hours for porchetta, the region's most famous ingredient for the juicy sandwich.
Heading northeast, we reach Italy’s third largest lake. Trasimeno is located in landlocked central Umbria and offers clear waters, sandy beaches and fresh fish. On the shore, polished Italians are living the dolce vita under parasols while sipping Aperol between volleyball and swimming. In the waters, bass, pike, carp, tench and eels thrive.
Francesco Falciani, the renowned local chef, told me over a steaming plate of fresh fish: "When the produce is fresh, the flavors speak a language of their own. The simplicity of our dishes is what highlights the quality The natural taste of ingredients in the best possible way
Steamed plates of eels and fresh fish from Lake Trasimeno
A community of fishermen known as the "Cooperative" uses available. Continuous net fishing techniques to catch the lake's bounty They can also arrange sunrise excursions along the coast to find hidden spots for swimming, fishing and admiring the views. Cooking lessons can also be arranged to learn about Lake Trasimeno. Traditional recipes such as "peasant broth" stews such as tegamaccio, a delicious combination of freshwater fish, tomato sauce, garlic, celery and local white wine
In Pegasus, located in the wild Apennine mountains of Umbria. The small village of Tino, where visitors are transported to about 200 years ago, has ancient stone buildings and small squares nestled into the mountainside, as if for protection, and the locals care for the land in an ancestral way; growing pharaonic wheat and lentils, raising sheep, and cattle. and goats, and collect porcini mushrooms and truffles in centuries-old beech forests rich in ecosystems and wildlife
Add shaved truffles to your pasta
It was a typical endless blue-sky September morning when I met Mac from Italian Wild Foods and his Lagotto Romagnolo truffle dogs – Picchio, Vespa and Macchia – as we entered the forest in search of the precious tubers. , will jump and bark with excitement. What follows is not only the experience of the light flavor of freshly dug truffles (once banned by the Catholic Church for their sensual aphrodisiac qualities), but also the experience of deep healing in the oldest grove in Europe. Bath. The dark green forest air, thick with oxygen, fills my lungs while the view of the mountains stretches endlessly
"My wife Francesca Chiachiari. “Francesca Chiacchiarini’s family has owned these lands since 1486,” Mike told me, “and they’ve been hunting truffles ever since. Soon, Picchio is barking and Maggia is yelling because Vespa has discovered a truffle! In the distance, New Zealand shepherd Dan Lithgow looked up from his flock, smiled deliberately and waved. Afterwards it was back to the home of Francesca and her nonna to support fresh pasta and homemade cheese as we all sat down to a fresh 'everyday gourmet' lunch with side dishes Upper Umbria wines. It all has to be experienced to be believed.
The ingredient that binds all this gourmet goodness together is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), renowned for its low acidity, richness, and variety of aromas and flavors. For Amanda Forman Simonelli, who stood with me in the olive grove, dappled sunlight dancing in her golden Oklahoma hair, Umbria was A case of love at first sight.
Amanda Forman Simonelli of Olivando EVOO
"I love the scenery here," she said. "It is one of the most forested regions in Italy, full of rolling hills and mountains. The air is clean, and neatly trimmed cylindrical olive trees dot the landscape. The sunset feels like a living painting.
Amanda, who founded Olivando EVOO with her husband Marco ***, explains that Umbria’s mountainous landscape and rocky clay soil have historically made it difficult to develop extensive farming. The topography, coupled with Umbria's extreme changes in weather conditions from summer to autumn, explain the aroma, intensity and complexity of the olive oil.
"During the fruiting stage, olive trees enter a stress mode. Plants accumulate phenolics, which protect the fruit's oils from degradation. Other Italian EVOOs are often described as "delicate, with aromas of almonds or ripe tomatoes," but Umbrian EVOOs are characterized by a bitter taste and a sense of spice. Can we call it the best? I’d love to hear this conversation unfold at the dinner table in a mixed area! " she added with a smile.
The historical roots of viticulture on the Umbria-Tuscan border can be traced back to the Etruscans and Romans. To the west is Montepulciano The great Tuscan Vino Nobiles, while to the east you'll find Umbria's most famous red, Montefalco Sagranteno, and in the middle, Trasimeno's wine route boasts delicious wines. Of wine, you wouldn't know it unless you knew it. The vineyards on these hills are located on prime grape-growing land, and the lakes create a mild winter-long hot-summer microclimate that the plants just love.
Surrounded by grapes ripening greedily in the sun, I found myself near Città Della Pieve chatting with Paolo Bolla, a descendant of the famous Bolla family, whose long winemaking tradition in Verona includes a 1953 The first Amarone. Paolo fell in love with the "light and landscape" of Umbria, which is why in 2001 he moved with his family to Fonteseca, an organic vineyard.
"We started with one hectare, planted in 1973 by the previous owner Giovanni Parbuono, and expanded from there," he explains. "For us, organic food is important. We are doing our best to protect and respect our little piece of the world. It is challenging, but inspiring.
Mature vineyards in Umbria
"The grapes I use have been adapted to the region for hundreds of years. They express themselves better here than other grapes. The terroir is hilly, sandy and clayey. There are fossilized shells on the soil, remnants of the ocean from long ago. This gives the wines good minerality, while exposure to sunlight gives them intensity and depth.
Meanwhile, just under the vines, Nicola Chiucchiurlotto was tending to his vines near a quaint little village called Gioiella (meaning "little treasure"). Grape vines. His vineyard, Madrevite, has been in the family for three generations and he also talks about his deep connection to the land.
"I make pure wines that reveal the inherent qualities of the grapes so that you can taste the complexity of the terroir," he said, adding that environmental sustainability and the elimination of chemical herbicides and pesticides The use of agents are some of the main principles of Madrevite. Nicola's grape varieties include Gamay del Trasimeno (known as Grenache in France), Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto, Sangiovese and Syrah. "My wines respect the tradition of the land and the place," he adds with a smile. "My wines are genuine. They tell the story of love and dedication in daily work.
In Italy, "slow" is the way people eat and "gastronomy" is a state of mind. During my journey , the "slow road" I took led me to real food grown by real people on small artisan farms (often family owned) that was prepared and eaten at the time nature intended. Food, and with passion. The Umbria-Tuscan border is an edible landscape and a feast for the eyes and soul, in a region where when nature speaks, farmers listen. Something foodies can celebrate.