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Tuscany is truly a magical place to rent a car and just drive around, and for some to hire a driver. The rolling hills, the hairpin turns, the slamming on of the breaks, the weaving in and out of traffic. It's enough to make one sick. Literally. Behind a dumpster in Radda-in-Chianti. The tomatoes I had for lunch in Florence seemed a little sour but I didn't quite realize how sour until or masterful driver of the sprinter van made his way at record speed on curves he knew well. I am prone to being a little green around the edges when I'm not the one behind the wheel and the car gets too hot but these tomatoes finally pushed me over the edge. We had made it all the way into Radda and we were parking when all hell broke loose. Why yes, I did have a group of 16 with me. Thank you for asking. It was this fateful trip that I discovered TravelGum at the farmacia. I'd tried Dramamine at home before but it didn't work. I didn't get drowsy, I still got ill. It was like I took a Tic Tac. The TravelGum helps me a lot more. However, be warned, it can numb your tongue. This isn't the best thing to be chewing on the way to the winery but it's better than leaning against a row of vines wishing you had.

A post shared by Sara Sassaroli (@sara_sassy) on Jul 31, 2016 at 9:05am PDT

Flying

For getting directly to Tuscany, you have 2 main options. Florence (FLR) would be your connection from the international hubs and Pisa (PSA) from the budget European airlines. As of this writing, taking the train from Pisa to Florence (or vice versa)  is a bit of a pain with luggage. They are reconstructing the track that goes to the airport so you must get off at one stop and take a bus the rest of the journey. Knowing this, I planned on taking one of the bus services from the Florence train station to Pisa. I had planned on booking Terravision and I had checked their schedule. I arrived at the train station and could not find their service window. I asked at the travel agency in the waiting area and she said they went bankrupt. The day before. Terravision's website currently says "route suspended." The service I ended up taking was called Autostradale. Plan a lot of extra time if you are getting to Pisa for a flight. The stop was was at the end of track 15, out the door and down the street. I only found it by following other people.  

Autostradale | In autobus con un click

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Trains

There are an abundance of little train stops all over Italy. Just to make life more confusing, there are 2 stations in Florence. Santa Maria Novella is the usual hub but you could also book a train from Campo di Marte. It all depends on the route, so mind your ticket! The stations are far enough apart to make you miss your train if you've made a mistake.  

Buses

The main bus station of Florence is right next to the train station. Your best bet for getting to Siena is by bus. Yes, they both have train stations but the Siena station is a bit outside of town. The bus will drop you off right in Piazza Gramsci and you walk right on into town.  

Sitabus.it - Informations on bus, autobus and trasports.

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- Guido Cavalcanti

Gorgeous landscape near Montalcino in Tuscany

Sant'Angelo in Colle and Montalcino 

It took me over a week to fall asleep without earplugs when I moved into my apartment in Sant'Angelo in Colle, a tiny hamlet close to Montalcino in Tuscany (Siena province) where I lived for nearly 3 months. My beautiful top floor (just a 3 floor walk up) apartment was directly across from the church whose bells would chime on the hour all night long. After awhile I could manage to sleep from about 12:01am until 6:00am. I could never make it past 6 chimes of the clock! And I had no AC in a really ridiculously hot and dry summer, sweltering in front of my one fan. But I grew to love it as part of the life in my tiny village.

Tuscany is dotted all over with these tiny hamlets whose origins date back as far as the Middle Ages and a few even before that. They are one of the biggest attractions about the culture of Tuscany to me and in Italy in general, not only for the quaint charm they retain, but also for their individuality that stubbornly and thankfully refuses to be diminished. The little old nonne (grandmas) arguing over the best recipes for whatever the town specialty might be in the morning as they shop from the fish truck that stops in the village center (and who gets the best fish,) the traditional afternoon stroll around town, sitting in the park visiting with neighbors or reading the paper or a book, a lovely glass of wine and snacks at apperitivo time, watching the glorious sunsets from the terraces---all these can be found in their own various iterations in each little Tuscan village.

Tuscany is one of the most sensually stimulating places I've ever had the great pleasure visit. Everywhere you turn there is a feast of pattern, texture, aroma, sensation.

A post shared by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Jul 25, 2015 at 1:11am PDT

Montalcino is a gorgeous example of one of these hilltop villages that has its roots as far back as the Etruscans and retains many of its Medieval structures. It's first noted document according to the official website for the commune states that it was formally mentioned in 715AD over a dispute with a Bishop. They go on to say that it became a formal city in 1462. The vibrant town square is home to several quaint but lively cafes, bars and restaurants. The towering clock is the center of attention in the main town square and they often have outdoor concerts and other live performances there that can be enjoyed from a seat at one of the many cafes.  It is also home to several ancient churches with beautifully preserved and restored frescoes dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. They are definitely worth seeing in person.

The Museum of Montalcino is equally impressive, housed in an ancient St. Agostino monastery. And I cannot leave out festivals! Every city in Italy pretty much has an annual schedule of festivals for saints, wines, foods, medieval city quarters, hunting, sport, and music. Montalcino is no exception. The city has a full list of events here including a Brunello festival, The International Festival of Montalcino, International Chamber Music Festival, Jazz & Wine Festival, the famous Sagra del Tordo (Festival of the Thrush) with the competitions amongst the quarters, medieval traditions, spectacles and parades. See Rescources for more info.

Surrounding Attractions

St. Antimo Abbey

Robbin and I both happened to be in the Montalcino area at the same time and had the fabulous opportunity to do a little touring together. One of the most memorable spots was certainly the Abbey at St. Antimo. It was built in the 11th and 12th centuries, including part of the old Carolingian Chapel, and until very recently was one of Italy's oldest working monasteries and home to a small group of Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré monks since 1992. While we visited, it was still possible to listen to them sing their daily prayers. From what I've been able to learn, a new, small group of Olivetan monks have taken over again as of January of 2016, continuing the ongoing work at St. Antimo. They have beautiful grounds and gardens as well as orchards where anyone can walk around and admire the scenery. See Resources for more info.

Val d'Orcia cypress....

A post shared by Robbin G 📸🎙 (@robbin_g) on May 11, 2015 at 6:44am PDT

Val d'Orcia and Bagno Vignoni

While I was living in Sant'Angelo in Colle, I had the incredible opportunity to take a drive through the majestic, rolling hills of the Val d'Orcia. Depending on what time of year you go there, it can actually look more like Mars! The reason for the drive was to arrive at one of the many spa villages that Tuscany has to offer, Bagno Vignoni with its thermal springs and beautiful ancient center with its vast "pool" of hot springs. Unfortunately it is forbidden to bathe in the town center, but there are many local spas to choose from as well as the very nearby and FREE Parco dei Mulini where you can take a dip in the outdoor, natural hot springs.

A post shared by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Jul 23, 2015 at 1:39am PDT

Brunello di Montalcino

Nearly everyone has heard of the delicious wines that come from the Chianti region of Italy (and are made predominantly from Sangiovese) but slightly lesser known and deeply rooted in the culture surrounding Montalcino are the famous wines of Brunello di Montalcino (also made from Sangiovese grapes and which will certainly have their own post!)  And check out one of my favorites, Terralsole.

Terralsole | Vineyard Adventures

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Get an amazing listing like this. CLICK HERE

  Tuscany Overview

While I have discussed Sant'Angelo in Colle and Montalcino, a delightful hamlet and small city, this is not to say that the larger cities don't hold their own vibrant charm. When we think of Tuscany, many of us likely think first and foremost of Florence or Firenze in Italian---the Duomo, the Arno, the churches and the famous frescoes, the grand museums and squares. It's the regional capital of Tuscany (Toscana) and thought of as the home of the Italian Renaissance and the hub of all things Tuscan and is for sure a MUST SEE. Since volumes have already been written about Firenze, I've focused here today on a few things I love the best about the general culture of Tuscany and some specifics that spoke to me deeply during my truly enchanted time there.

A post shared by Robbin G 📸🎙 (@robbin_g) on Jun 17, 2014 at 11:03am PDT

Location

That being said, it's still nice to have some general context for Tuscany as it might seem nebulous to some. It's located relatively in the center of Italy, surrounded by mountains on the north and east, with a gorgeous coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea and full of those famous undulating hills so well documented in photos and film. And the stunning city of Siena is relatively in the center of Tuscany itself.

Art, Architecture, Etc.

Tuscany boasts major museums, grand architectural triumphs, was home to scores of artists, musicians, scientists and authors throughout the ages. Among the more celebrated are the following: Giotto, Donatello, Botticelli (a personal favorite,) Brunelleschi, Michelangelo. More info in Resources below.

Outdoors

Due to its location with mountains to the north and east as well as the gorgeous coastline, there are also seemingly limitless options for outdoor adventures like hiking, trekking, boating, fishing, cycling and on and on.

Really cool pinecone in Tuscany

A post shared by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Sep 6, 2015 at 4:06pm PDT

UNESCO

Tuscany also has more UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites than any other region; it has seven. The historic center of Florence, the Piazza del Duomo in Pisa, the historic center of San Gimignano, the historic center of Siena, the Pienza historic center, the Val d'Orcia, the twelve Medici Villas and two pleasure gardens, Boboli and Pratolino. See below for more info.

Festivals

There are also seemingly UNLIMITED Festivals one can attend, no matter what time of year. From massive international music or food and wine festivals to the tiny local festivals for, say... honey! Check the resources below for more info.

We hope you enjoyed our cultural adventure in Tuscany.

What are some of your favorite cultural activities in Tuscany? Your favorite city? Festival? Museum, etc.? Share with us in the comments!

And look for our upcoming posts on how to travel in Tuscany and our posts from the road as Robbin and I head back to Italy.

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Cheers!

Robbin & Raelinn

Want to travel to Italy with us or have us plan your next trip?

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Resources

Below are some fantastic resources on the culture of Tuscany:

benvenuto

Nell'Abbazia di Sant'Antimo (Diocesi di Siena - Colle di Val d'Elsa - Montalcino) risiede dal gennaio 2016 un gruppo di monaci della Comunità monastica benedettina di Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto Maggiore (Asciano, Siena) www.monteolivetomaggiore.it. I monaci benedettini di Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, chiamati anche olivetani, furono fondati nel 1319 dal senese san Bernardo Tolomei (1272 - 1348).

Home

IL RESPONSABILE DEL SERVIZIO 7 ATTIVITA' FINANZIARIA -PERSONALE- ECONOMATO PremessoL'Amministrazione Comunale di Montalcino intende avvalersi dell'assistenza tecnica e della consulenza... Con la presente si comunica che il DPR 160/2010, prevede che a decorrere dal 29/03/2011, le domande, le dichiarazioni, le... Bando "Panno" Giostra di Simone 2017 Aperto a tutti i cittadini italiani e stranieri, anche non professionisti, che abbiano compiuto...

Tuscany

Tuscany is located in central Italy and stretches from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its landscape, artistic heritage and stand-out cities - first among them Florence - make Tuscany an unquestioned protagonist of international tourism. In this region, nature has many different facets, starting from the coast that alternates long and sandy beaches, like the Versilia beach, with rocky cliffs and steep headlands.

Toscana Events - turismo.intoscana.it

Toscana Events - The Official Site of the Tuscan Region: an online guide to discover art, nature, spas and events.

“This does NOT look like the postcards,” I said to myself looking out across the vineyards during my very first trip to Tuscany. Greve in Chianti, in the Chianti Classico zone, has patchy shrubs and the woodland areas create a quilt-like pattern with the vineyards. In my mind, everywhere in Tuscany looked like that well-manicured rolling hill with three cypress trees perched on top. It was oddly disappointing, and it stuck with me during a long love/hate relationship I created with the region. Additional fuel to the “hate” side of the relationship was a confusion and misunderstanding of Chianti. For quite some time, I blew off Chianti and Tuscany as a whole because I found the north and south of Italy much more interesting and more to my personal tastes. But as the Vineyard Adventures mantra states, nothing beats a personal experience, and I had a trigger moment in the spring of 2015 that forced me into an 180-degree turn on Chianti, and I chose to dig a little deeper. The mission of the day was to visit a Chianina beef breeder; I was unaware they also made wine. Our driver missed the turn, it was easy to do. Off the beaten path is quite the understatement and we were following the signs for Lamole. As it is with all things driving in Italy, the signs weren’t exactly correct, and we weren’t exactly going to Lamole. We rolled down the window and asked a random person walking along the road where we could find Castellinuzza e Piuca. The road was so narrow; we had to drive onward before we could find a suitable place to turn the car around.

A post shared by Robbin G 📸🎙 (@robbin_g) on Oct 6, 2015 at 10:22am PDT

To give you an idea of the rustic simplicity of Castellinuzza e Piuca, below the professionally made sign provided by the Chianti Classico Consorzio for a different, yet related winery, is a hand-written board stating “wine and oil for sale” in English, German and Italian, pointing us in the right direction. Castellinuzza is tiny, and it seems to be fully inhabited by the Coccia family. Simone Coccia received a portion of the land his father and uncle purchased in 1962 when sharecropping finally ended. (Podere Castellinuzza, the winery with a professionally made sign, is owned by Paolo Coccia, Simone’s brother.) After visiting the breeding cows, Simone showed us the cellar. Behind one slim door lives a few concrete vats that have been there for quite some time. “No barrels?” I asked. He said no. All stainless steel fermenting with concrete and bottle aging. I began to get curious. We sat down to lunch of some of the most tender, flavorful steak I had ever eaten and was pleasantly surprised by the wines. I had only ever known Chianti to be bitter and wood aged where this was light and refreshing. I took a hard, wine geek look at why I liked this wine so much when I’d been so dissatisfied with other Chianti Classico. For Chianti Classico DOCG, only 80% of the wine has to be Sangiovese. 20% can be any other variety as long as it is grown in the Chianti Classico zone. Sure enough, following something I learned about my personal tastes, I discovered that the Chianti I’ve had in the past, there was up to 20% Cabernet overwhelming the Sangiovese. I also assumed that an overabundance of oak might have been to blame, but I found the 2014 Dievole Chianti Classico just as interesting. Here, the wine is fermented in large oak casks and aged in large oak barrels but the 90% Sangiovese still shines through helped by 6% Canaiolo and 4% Colorino, traditional grapes for the blend. So remember! Don’t give up on a place or a grape just because you’ve had a few glasses that weren't to your liking. Keep exploring and discover something new. Do you have a similar story? Share it with us below!

Toscana IGP and DOP Products

We previously discussed what IGP and DOP are in our Umbria Food post. And Tuscan food has many wonderful IGP and DOP options that guarantee the quality and regional specificity of the products. I've listed many for you here:

Miele della Lunigiana DOP

The Lunigiana honey is produced from of acacia, flowers and chestnut. The acacia has smooth texture and bright straw yellow color; the smell is delicate and floral and very sweet flavor, vanilla, fresh, not bitter. The wildflower is the honey that may face higher organoleptic changes from year to year. It tends to crystallize and is typically intense, aromatic, with hints of molasses and licorice. Chestnut honey, instead, is liquid, or slightly crystallized, and amber color; the scent is intense and persistent, and taste in the mouth can be perceived a typical generally pronounced bitter aftertaste. Once extracted from the hive, the honey must be clarified by centrifugation, decanting and filtration; Finally we proceed to packaging. It lasts a long time, if you take care to keep it away from sources of light and heat.

Lardo IGP

Lard, in the Apuan Alps, is derived from the fat layer of the back of the pigs, from Tuscany and other Italian regions. Reduced to rectangular pieces, it is first flavored with pepper, cinnamon, cloves, sage, rosemary and garlic, and then matured in large marble containers, non-porous, so-called "basins", often internally rubbed with garlic to make the walls less permeable. Once the pieces of lard were arranged in layers, interspersed with the other ingredients, the tanks are closed with a marble slab and the bacon is left to mature for at least six months.Slightly pinkish white, the lard has delicate, slightly sweet, with hints of herbs and spices; the texture is soft, even dark. It is preserved in a cool place or in the refrigerator, in the vegetable drawer, wrapped in a damp cloth.

Farro or Spelt

Farro della Garfagnana IGP

The Garfagnana Spelt has been rediscovered today for its excellent dietetic properties and because its fibers have a beneficial action for the digestive system. This grain is rich in starch and therefore particularly suitable for preparing pies, but in the kitchen is used mainly as an ingredient in soups: combined with beans and vegetables is presented as simple dish but with very particular tastes and aromas. Great for cold salads, farrotti (risotto) with porcini mushrooms. It goes extremely well with red wines. The shined spelled grain can be ground for other uses (pasta, bread, biscuits etc.).

Mortadella di Bologna IGP

Mortadella is a cooked sausage in fine paste. It differs from the products of other countries that may resemble (in the white body type salami sausages), as the fine paste is obtained by grinding meat in special grinders and not, as is done for similar meats, in chippers or cutter. This procedure does not give rise to emulsions that hold water or fat added to better mix the mass. In mortadella, in fact, it is not mixed with water and the fat is incorporated in the form of cubes, ensuring a generally thin dough. The whole is then stuffed into natural or synthetic casings and cooked at a low temperature for hours. It has a rounded shape and is available commercially with variable weight of between 500 grams and 100 kilograms. The paste of the sausage must be compact and pink, punctuated by the white cubes of fat. Mortadella has a delicate, fruity and spicy. It should be kept in cool, never wet, or in the refrigerator until serving.

Prosciutto Toscano DOP

Tuscan ham is notoriously salty, so much to that the famous "unsalted bread" is the ideal accompaniment. The intense flavor is given by the salting, more intensely than the one administered to the Emilian hams, Venetian or Friulian. The Tuscan climate, in fact, knows hotter summers than the hilly areas in the north, and the salt is used to ensure better preservation of meat. It is a raw ham, obtained from fresh leg of pork, trimmed of excess fat and then salted. Salting is dry, repeatedly massaging the thigh with sea salt, and adding pepper, garlic and herbs. The most exposed parts, ie without the rind, are protected with a paste made of lard and flour, with a process called "smearing". It follows the maturing stage which lasts for at least one year, after which the ham is ready for commercialization. When sliced, the ham has a more or less intense red color and little fat; the scent is pleasantly aromatic, with excellent persistence, and the palate is fruity and spicy.

Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora DOP

The name of these sausages, originally produced in the Lombard hilly belts and then spread to the rest of Italy, comes from the habit of hunters to take them in a knapsack, and because it is easily transportable for the convenience of single-portion. The cacciatore salami are pure pork and come from lean muscle and hard fat parts. Once ground, the meats are seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and sometimes wine, then stuffed into natural or artificial casings. The sausages are small in size and bright red color, interspersed by white fat parts. The scent is delicate and sweet and aromatic flavor. The consistency is soft and compact.

Steak with Pecorino at Il Leccio in Sant'Angelo In Colle, Tuscany

Pecorino Romano DOP

Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese made from whole milk processing Sardinian breed sheep. The milk, once heated, is added with lamb rennet and selected lactic bacteria. The curd is broken into small grains, is cooked, drained and then distributed into molds. Salting lasts at least 70 days and at its end starts maturing, which is extended from five to eight months depending on whether you want to get a table cheese or grated. Pecorino Romano is sold in cylindrical shapes with a diameter of 25-30 cm, height of about 30 centimeters and weighing between 20 and 35 kilograms. The surface is ivory or gold, sometimes covered with black protective cover; the paste is white in color which can turn to straw; the scent is intense, sometimes penetrating; the taste is full, savory, spicy when aged for several months.

Pecorino Toscano DOP

Tuscan pecorino is made with whole pasteurized sheep's milk, curdled with the addition of calf rennet. The obtained curd is broken into lumps of different sizes, depending on whether one wishes to produce a soft or semi-hard cheese. The mass, once collected in the molds, the whey is drained and then dried. After being released from the forms, the pecorino is subjected to the salting of the crust, and finally the seasoning: the fresh cheese matures for about 20 days, while the aged cheese continues to mature for at least four months. When marketing this cheese, it has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 15-22 cm, 7-11 cm high and slightly convex. The rind is hard and yellowish, but sometimes brown or reddish color, depending on the treatments that have been submitted during the maturing (oil, ash, etc.). The paste is white tending to straw; the nose is intense, while in the mouth it is sweet when young, spicy if long aged. It is preserved in a cool, dry place, sometimes in oil, with the addition of black peppercorns.

Olio Extravergine di Oliva Chianti Classico DOP

Produced mainly with the varieties Frantoio, Correggiolo, Moraiolo and Leccino. It has intense green color and fruity and vegetal smell; the flavor is rather spicy and slightly bitter, with notes of artichoke.

Olio Extravirgine di Lucca DOP

Produced from olives of the Frantoio variety supplemented by those Leccino and has yellow color with green hues of changeable intensity; the scent is fruity, more or less delicate; the flavor is basically sweet, though having also spicy and bitter notes of artichoke.

Olio Extravirgine di Terre di Siena DOP

It is produced from olives of the Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Leccino Correggiolo. It has yellowish-green; the nose is grassy and vegetal and is evocative of the scent of fresh olives; the taste is fruity with an artichoke finish.

Olio Extravirgine di Toscano DOP

The olives that contribute to the production of this oil are numerous varieties and give life to a green oil, sometimes tending to yellowish.Good fluidity, the nose is fruity mingled with herbaceous and vegetal aromas, especially artichoke. In the mouth the Tuscan oil is fruity, with a sometimes slightly spicy and bitter aftertaste.

Zafferano di San Gimigniano DOP

Of Persian origin, saffron finds on these hills the ideal place for growth. The saffron of San Gimignano DOP is obtained from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus plant. The working cycle is completely manual: flowers, picked in the early morning when it is still closed, then cleansed and checked. Then  they are roasted at a temperature which must not exceed 50 ° C, during which the stigmas filiform go from red to orange or violet. It is a very delicate moment because excessive or inappropriate duration or temperature could affect the quality of the saffron. Saffron is kept preferably in glass jars and sheltered from light and humidity. Although spoilage is difficult, it is advisable to consume it not too far from the purchase date. The most valuable saffron is a whole stigmas, which must be soaked before use.

Ricciarelli di Siena IGP

Ricciarelli di Siena are an expression of the wisdom of Sienese confectionery traditions that have characterized the craft since ancient times, confirming the legacy of the important role of custodian played for centuries by the local apothecaries that arose in the Middle Ages. The sector's importance is demonstrated not only by the number of companies and workers involved in confectionery production but also the major part of the entire sector exports. This success rests largely on traditional production evidenced by the existence of a considerable specialization and skill of employed workers. Born as typical and irreplaceable sweets of the Christmas celebrations, Ricciarelli di Siena have extended their use to other months of the year mainly due to the strong turnout in the territory of visitors and tourists from all over the world, a factor that has contributed to strengthening the same exports and increase the reputation of the product.

(All of the above was translated from the original Italian by me and my good friend Google Translate from www.agraria.org)

A traditional meal in Tuscany might include the following:

• A starter of Ribollita or Tuscan Bean Soup, a famous peasant soup made with white beans

• A second course of Pici with either tomato or meat sauce or Pappardelle with wild hare sauce

• A main course of the famous Florentine Steak (grilled T-Bone) or pork dishes

• And perhaps a beautiful Castagnaccio (chestnut flour cake) for dessert (NB link in Italian)

And now I hope so much you might enjoy this fairly simple and delicious Tuscan Food recipe for Farro Salad from my dear friends at Terralsole winery in Montalcino:

Tuscan Farro Salad | Vineyard Adventures

This recipe is a twist on the classic recipe which is usually served cold with lemon and capers. I've made some changes to better accompany the rich flavors of our Brunnello di Montalcino, adding rich Marscapone to give it body and omitting the lemon.

If you have an amazing story related to Tuscan Food or a fantastic recipe we hope you might share them with us in the comments below! Tag us in social media with #vineyardtravel!

AND

If you know of or are a restaurant in Tuscany, share it in our guide. Anyone can submit their favorite places!

CLICK HERE.

Look for our upcoming recipe for Ragu Toscana from Il Leccio in Sant'Angelo in Colle (Near Montalcino in Tuscany) and for our Tuscan Wine post!

Il Leccio - Risorante/Enoteca | Vineyard Adventures

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Locanda del Teatro is glad to offer You a Pasqualino’s recipe

• 4 mature red tomatoes

• 2 fresh onions

• 2 carrots

• 1/2 liter cream or half and half

• 30 gr ricotta cheese

• 1/2 clove garlic

• 6 leaves chopped basil

• parsley

• 2 Quail eggs

• salt

• sugar

• white pepper

• extra virgin olive oil

1. Chop the garlic very fine, onion and carrots as well,put them in a fry pan and cook them until they get gold; dice the tomatoes and add them together with basil, salt, a pinch of sugar and 2 pinches of white pepper.

2. Cook for few minutes and add the cream; boil everything together for a little, take it out of the stove and blend everything adding the ricotta cheese.

3. Once is all homogenous, filter it and serve it warm with a quarter of boiled quail egg,chopped parsley and a hint of olive oil .

Locanda del Teatro

Piazza del Comune,19

06036 Montefalco (PG) +39 347 7882235

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Ragù toscano dose per 8 persone ingredienti 1 kg carne di vitello 1/2 kg carne di maiale 1 bicchiere di olio 1 barattolo di concentrato di pomodoro e procedimento in un tegame mettere olio e un soffritto di cipolla sedano carota per 5 minuti poi mettere la carne e cuocere per 30 minuti sfumare con un bicchiere di vino e poi mettere il concentrato di pomodoro aggiungere acqua e cuocere per ameno 1 ora sale e pepe

• 1 kg of ground veal

• 1.2 kg ground pork

• 1 cup of olive oil

• 1 small can tomato paste

• 4 medium carrots finely chopped

• 3 medium onions finely chopped

• 3 stalks celery finely chopped

• 1 cup dry red wine

1. In a large skillet, cook the carrot, onions, and celery in the oil for 5 minutes.

2. Add the meat to the pan and cook for 30 minutes.

3. then deglaze with wine.

4. add the tomato paste and some water to desired consistency.

5. cook for a minimum of one hour

6. salt and pepper to taste

7. serve with pasta like pici or pappardelle (or your favorite) cooked al dente

Recipe provided by our dear friends at Il Leccio:

Il Leccio - Risorante/Enoteca | Vineyard Adventures

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This recipe is a twist on the classic recipe which is usually served cold with lemon and capers.  I’ve made some changes to better accompany the rich flavors of our Brunnello di Montalcino, adding rich Marscapone to give it body and omitting the lemon.

• 1 part farro/spelt

• 2 part water or stock

• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 tsp salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• chopped basil leaves

• 1 cup marscapone

• ¾ cup olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves

• teaspoon of sea salt

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Slice 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a bowl with a splash if olive oil, half teaspoon of salt, freshly grown black pepper and some chopped basel leaves.  set aside for at least 15 minutes to let tomatoes release some liquid.

2. Cook the Farro in slightly salted boiling water or stock until cooked al dente, not mushy, about 15 minutes. Usually I use 2 cups liquid to one farro. drain any excess liquid and leave to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, sauté 5 diced carrots and 3 diced zucchinis in two teaspoons of olive oil until  cooked through and slightly browned.  Be careful to flip veggies gently with spatula to keep them from turning mushy.

4. When cooked add 1 cup of marscapone to the pan and let it melt, stirring gently.

5. In a food processor or mixer combine:

6. ¾ cup olive oil

7. 3 garlic cloves

8. bunch of basil leaves

9. teaspoon of sea salt

10. Add garlic/olive oil mixture to pan while still hot and mix to combine.  transfer to large mixing bowl and combine all ingredients.  Finish with ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Serve warm or room temperature.  garnish with basil leaves.

Recipe by our friends at Terralsole

Terralsole | Vineyard Adventures

Related

One of the best reasons to visit Umbria is that it’s a bit out of the way of the usual path of the major cities and tends to be a destination for the return traveler to Italy after seeing the major sights in other regions. For the determined, Assisi can be reached by train and bus from Florence and Siena but when I was studying in Siena in 2009, it was a 3-hour trip. Staying in Umbria a couple of nights is worth it the effort on a longer trip and worthy of an entire weeks vacation.  

A post shared by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Sep 7, 2014 at 10:31pm PDT

Here is how to get to and around Umbria:

Flying

Great news for those of you who fly Star Alliance airlines. Starting in summer 2017 there is a connection to Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi (PEG) airport from Munich with Lufthansa. From other locations in Europe, your choices are Ryan Air and WizzAir. (Yes, I said WizzAir.)

Aeroporto Internazionale dell'Umbria - Perugia - Home

Aeroporto Internazionale dell'Umbria - Perugia | "San Francesco d'Assisi" | voli, orari, informazioni, servizi, eventi in umbria | Official Website

Trains

If you happen to land in Rome, Foligno lies on the line from Rome to Ancona (Marche). This is your usual change to other destinations within Umbria. Here you are going to be on the smaller regional trains so packing light is a must for a quick transfer.

Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia

Acquista il biglietto del treno online con le nostre offerte. Viaggia con Frecciarossa, Frecciargento e Fracciabianca, alta velocità da centro a centro città.

Buses

Bus service in Umbria is quite good within the region and further afield. As always, schedules can be a bit difficult to read so it’s best to consult your concierge or the local tourism office for clarification.

Umbria Mobilità

©2011-2016 UMBRIA TPL E MOBILITÀ SPA | STRADA SANTA LUCIA 4, 06125 PERUGIA | ISCR. REG. IMP. DI PERUGIA, C.F. E P.I. 03176620544 | R.E.A. PG 269463 | CAPITALE INT.VER. 54.075.000,00 € INFO@UMBRIAMOBILITA.IT | UMBRIAMOBILITA@PEC.IT | TEL.

We all know that Italy is a country steeped in ancient history, and each region has its own special set of cultural charms where this is concerned. It's one of the beautiful things that makes Italy in general such a huge attraction, most especially for us Americans with our comparatively short history. To see the ancient ruins from the Roman Empire, the still-functioning structures from the Middle Ages, the towering Cathedrals with their incredible domes and towers is something we simply cannot do in the States. The culture in Umbria possesses a wealth of this kind of heritage as well as a natural beauty giving the region the nickname, "The Green Heart of Italy." It is called this partly due to its physical location landlocked in the center of the boot, and partly due to its beautiful, rolling green hills fed by the lakes and rivers that sustain its verdure.

Nature

Marmore Falls

From underground Roman cisterns to modern art museums and jazz, to the outdoors to fine ceramics and everything in between, the culture in Umbria has something to offer literally anyone. And in this post, I'm going to discuss my personal experience from my October visit in Umbria and then provide you with some amazing resources to help you learn more yourself. Not that there is a proverbially "beaten path" just yet in Umbria, but our visit was a little bit "off path" in that it didn't include the cultural powerhouses of Assisi and Orvieto this trip (though we have definitely visited before!)

Antiquity

Piazza del Popolo   As you may already know, Robbin and I had the great pleasure to visit Umbria in October on a fantastic post tourism conference tour with TTI/TTG and with the wonderful Strada del Sagrantino. We began our adventure in the beautiful town of Todi with its famous city center, the Piazza del Popolo and just outside the city, the glorious Temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione (pictured below). It's difficult to capture images that really do any justice to the majesty of cathedrals like this. They always make me feel how tiny a part of this vast universe I am and give me a huge admiration for the craftsmanship that existed in ancient times. These are real treasures of Umbrian culture and history. Umbria is also home to many UNESCO World Heritage sites (Italy has 51!) as well as several "Longobards in Italy" sites. Assisi is Umbria's best known site .  

A post shared by Raelinn (@raelinnd) on Oct 15, 2016 at 3:01pm PDT

Exterior of Temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione

Temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione

Festivals

Challenge of San Fortunato - Todi While Robbin and I were in Todi there happened to be one of the festivals that make Umbria so famous. This one is called the Challenge of San Fortunato where there is a truly impressive Medieval re-enactment including archery competitions (one of Umbria's hallmarks) sword fighting, dancing and a grand procession (shown here.) These kinds of festivals occur all over Umbria at various times during the year and it really is a feast for the senses! I'll share some of the better known festivals of Umbria at the end of this post.

Theater

This amazing tiny theater Teatro della Concordia in the precious Medieval village of Monte Castello di Vibio has just 99 seats and gorgeously restored frescoes on the walls and ceilings. They have a regular theater season, host special performances and also private events.

Teatro della Concordia Ceiling  

Teatro Exterior

Montefalco

The amazing people at the Strada del Sagrantino began our visit in Montefalco, yet another absolute gem of a city rich in tradition and history. The image below is the symbol of Montefalco and is in the very center of the circular town "square." We walked all over the city, exploring the many churches like St. Claire and St. Augustin as well as the St. Francis Museum complex with its amazing frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli. They are also known for their tiny micro-vineyards that are historically protected and grow just in front of and over even small entrances to the ancient stone homes. We also had the good fortune to have dinner at the restaurant OLEVM in Montefalco where they thoughtfully prepare delicious, wholesome meals from organic and local foods as well as the wonderful Locanda del Teatro that we mentioned last week in our Umbria Food post.

A post shared by Vineyard Adventures (@vineyardtravel) on Oct 18, 2016 at 2:15am PDT

 Montefalco Town Square Center

Medieval

As we continued our travels, we visited the village of Bevagna, renowned for its Medieval Festival based on its well-preserved districts called Gaite  of the town devoted to weaving in Gaita San Maria (no website) , candle making in Gaita San Pietro, paper making in Gaita San Giovanni and coin making in Gaita San Giorgio. Even when there is no festival in sight, Bevagna is an absolute gem of a village and not to be missed if you visit Umbria; and not only for the enchanting Medieval character, but also lovely, modern shops as well as delightful restaurants like Delizie del Borgo that we shared in our previous post about the Foods of Umbria.  

Hand woven silk thread on ancient spinning wheel

This is part of the reproduction of a Medieval spinning wheel in the Gaita San Maria. It takes 2 people to operate---one stands inside it and walks around in a circle pushing the wheel around and the other person observes the spools on the outside and changes them out as needed. Silk is collected from silk pods, spun into thread, dyed with vegetable and mineral dyes, then woven on an antique loom with stunning results. (You KNOW I had to buy something!)

Beautiful Silk Scarf from Sete in Bevagna - hand made from the silk pods

Handmade beeswax candles in Bevagna.

A post shared by Vineyard Adventures (@vineyardtravel) on Oct 19, 2016 at 3:41am PDT

There is a long process to get to the beeswax candle, from extracting the material for the wax, clarifying it, melting carefully over a wood fire, creating the wicks, and then gently pouring the wax over the wicks to finally create the candles themselves. And the aroma is amazing! Robbin and I both got candles. It was irresistible.

And this is the utterly charming candle maker from the Medieval Village of Bevagna

Gaita San Pietro

Modernity

Not only does Umbria boast incredibly preserved Medieval weaving traditions, but it also has outstandingly high quality, modern products as well, as evidenced by our visit to Tessitura Pardi. They are a manufacturer of fine, natural fabrics. They create everything from bedding to outdoor cushions, to beautiful scarves of every density, pattern and color.  I admit that I was initially skeptical about touring a modern manufacturing facility, but Robbin and I had a first hand tour with one of the owners, the gracious and elegant... It was an absolutely fascinating experience to say the very least! The intricate machinery with all its moving parts performing almost like a symphony to create the resulting natural fiber fabrics in exquisite detail and quality.

The impossibly impressive and massive looms at Tessitura Pardi

One of the fine examples of the weaving expertise at Tessitura Pardi

It is impossible to fully cover the wide range of cultural possibilities that exist in Umbria in one post. The options above are just what Robbin and I were able to cram into a week of trying as hard as we could to see as much as humanly possible. There are other equally enchanting cities and cultural activities in Umbria; a few are listed below in the resources.

Are you inspired to learn more about Umbria or maybe even experience it for yourself? Let us take you there or help you have the best possible Umbria or other Italian vacation. Click here:

Contact | Vineyard Adventures Coming soon: The Wines of Umbria and How to Travel in Umbria

Thanks so much for reading!

- Raelinn & Robbin

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Resources:

Festivals

Nero Norcia - Truffle Festival Umbria Jazz Spoleto Festival Festival of Nations Strasimeno UltraMarathon

Cities

Perugia Orvieto Montefalco Bevagna Todi Assisi Deruta  

Restaurants

OLEVM - Restaurant | Vineyard Adventures

Related

Ristorante Delizie del Borgo | Vineyard Adventures

Related

Ristorante Locanda del Teatro | Vineyard Adventures

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Want a listing for your restaurant, wine bar, winery or accommodation offering? Click below: Submit Listing | Vineyard Adventures

Delicious amuse bouche. Black celery soup. #Umbria

A photo posted by Vineyard Adventures (@vineyardtravel) on Oct 20, 2016 at 11:36am PDT

Being the only landlocked region of Italy gives Umbria a unique foodshed compared to the other regions of Italy with their often ample coastlines. Umbria is best known for its more land-based products, many of which are even D.O.P. certified (Denominazioni di Origine Protetta - more about that shortly)--- hearty grains like farro, olive oil, cured meats, black truffles, pastas like strangozzi, and unsalted bread with its dubious “history” dating back to the Perugian “Salt War” of 1540.

First let's discuss DOP certification--- Denominazioni di Origine Protetta (or elsewhere, PDO, Protected Designation of Origin) is one of the strictest designations one can find in food quality. DOP's regulations guarantee that the products are of the hightest quality, not only in the end product but also all of the source materials used to make the product itself; and importantly, in the areas of both production methods and food safety. The products can be traced back to their sources and are directly linked to the regions (and sometimes even villages) where they are produced. They are certified this manner because they are ultimately unique to the region. Things like climate, environmental factors, and the human element of method all influence the designation and tell the story of the products themselves.

Hand harvested olives - Umbria The foods of Umbria have several DOP designations--- Proscuitto di Norcia DOP is a large (over 8.5kg) dried, cured proscuitto that undergoes a lengthy process of dry salting, rinsing, drying, smoking and curing before it can be sent on its merry way to our waiting tables. It's lovely red-pink color and delicately spicy aroma and full flavor make Proscuitto di Norcia DOP a favorite among Italian proscuittos. Another is possibly a little confusing due to its name Pecorino Toscano DOP. And while it says Toscana (Tuscany) in its designation, it applies to certain pecorino from Umbria as well. This is a delicious, nutty sheep's milk cheese that is curdled using calf rennet, then made into either a soft or hard cheese that is often aged and even used with additional treatments like ash or oil. It is usually found in large cylinders that are then cut for retail sale. The cheeses can have a wide range of flavor depending on the age, going from a youthful slightly sweet to a mor mature spicy and pungent flavor.

Cured meats and Pecorino Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Umbria is certainly a product of great pride for the region. We were lucky enough to be in Umbria during the harvest and got to taste some newly bottled oils at several different producers. I can't begin to say how incredible it is to taste and discover the huge variety in flavor from one producer to the next, even with the same varieties of olives! The DOP designation for Umbria is even subdivided into five sub-regions with special regulations on the quantitiy and combinations of various varieties of olives. They also have to harvest by January 15th each year and bottle within 2 days of milling.

Olives: A photo posted by Vineyard Adventures (@vineyardtravel) on Oct 19, 2016 at 5:06am PDT

Truffles are yet another one of life's greatest pleasures, at least for me, and Umbria is well known for its black truffles. You can think of them like a weird cousin to the mushroom, growing underground and normally hunted by truffle dogs specially trained to track the scent and dig them up. (Umbria does have some of the more rare and highly prized white truffles as well, but the black are far more abundant here.) In the foods of Umbria, it is common to find truffles shaved on eggs, in pasta dishes and even in dishes with fish. Yes! Fish! In spite of being landlocked, Ubmria is home to Lake Trasimeno, and  the Tiber River runs all the way across it, providing many fresh water fish and even eel.

A photo posted by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Oct 19, 2016 at 11:27am PDT

Recipes

As we continue our series on the regions of Italy, we will be offering you recipes, often directly from the chefs at the restaurants we visit! The second recipe below is directly from our friend Pasqualino at Locanda del Teatro in Montefalco. And the image in the first recipe for Swiss chard is from a similar dish I had a the wonderful Delizie del Borgo in Bevagna.  

Smulicata - Umbrian Swiss Chard

• 1 pound Swiss chard (washed and chopped)

• 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed (or more to taste))

• extra virgin olive oil

• salt

1. In a saucepan, cover chard with water, add salt, simmer 10 minutes. 

2. Drain and rinse under cold water, set aside

3. In medium skillet, gently crush garlic in olive oil to soften, add chard, saute 5 minutes

4. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, cook on low 5 minutes

5. Season to taste, serve

Cream of Tomatoes and carrots in onion’s perfume

Locanda del Teatro is glad to offer You a Pasqualino’s recipe

• 4 mature red tomatoes

• 2 fresh onions

• 2 carrots

• 1/2 liter cream or half and half

• 30 gr ricotta cheese

• 1/2 clove garlic

• 6 leaves chopped basil

• parsley

• 2 Quail eggs

• salt

• sugar

• white pepper

• extra virgin olive oil

1. Chop the garlic very fine, onion and carrots as well,put them in a fry pan and cook them until they get gold; dice the tomatoes and add them together with basil, salt, a pinch of sugar and 2 pinches of white pepper.

2. Cook for few minutes and add the cream; boil everything together for a little, take it out of the stove and blend everything adding the ricotta cheese.

3. Once is all homogenous, filter it and serve it warm with a quarter of boiled quail egg,chopped parsley and a hint of olive oil .

Locanda del Teatro Piazza del Comune,19 06036 Montefalco (PG) +39 347 7882235

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              We hope so much that you've enjoyed learning a little more about the regional foods of Umbria! Do you have a favorite Umbrian food? A favorite recipe? Restaurant? Share it with us! We'd love to hear from YOU! UP next the Wines of Umbria!

Buon appetito from  Robbin & Raelinn!

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Just click HERE. 

Flying

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Sep 2, 2013 at 11:21am PDT

There are a lot of little factors that can impact how and why you choose a certain route or airline for international travel. For years, I was loyal to Delta and racked up quite a few miles between actual flying and a Delta credit card. This meant I was always flying through Atlanta. Then I became friends with an airline employee so if I wanted to use her perks, I was at the beck and call of routes and seat availability. (My 4 nights stuck in Rome is a story of its own.) Personally, I like my long-haul to begin stateside and go directly into Italy, which is usually Rome (FCO). In low and shoulder season, there are fewer direct flights to Milan (MXP) and Venice (VCE), but they can be found if your travel dates are flexible. On one of my first trips to Italy, I was on quite a budget. I was told about RyanAir and booked USA to London, and then a second flight into Italy with RyanAir. Well, it was not clear to the person who told me about RyanAir that I was coming to Italy for 3 months and had 3 months worth of luggage. I didn't understand about booking luggage on RyanAir. I almost missed my flight and surely paid as much in last-minute charges than any airfare directly into Italy. So pay close attention to the baggage regulations of smaller, European airlines! If it doesn't matter where you connect, then you can get to a variety of the smaller airports by connecting through Amsterdam (AMS) or Frankfurt (FRA). We will cover the little airports month-by-month.

Trains

Poppies in the tracks. #tuscany

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on May 5, 2014 at 2:48am PDT

I seem to be one of the few people that say pre-booking individual train tickets on Rail Europe is a BAD idea for Italy. The main reason is flexibility. I have never heard of anyone having success changing a ticket day or time once they have arrived in Italy. Going to a ticket agent window with a Rail Europe ticket is a complete waste of time. If you are 100% sure you want to stick to your schedule and make no changes, then Rail Europe may work out OK. (Multi country rail passes are another story.) There were a lot of credit card problems in the early days of online booking with TrenItalia but these seem to have been resolved. With the introduction of the Italo private train company, TrenItalia has even begun offering lower fares with advanced booking. Yes, I said no advance booking with Rail Europe, but many times I've gotten great deals with as little as 48 hours lead time, it just depends on the route and whether or not a big event may be selling out seats. So be sure to check on the TrenItalia For both TrenItalia and Italo, booking online, you'll need to know the names of your city pairs in Italian. (Rome, Roma. Naples, Napoli for example) I have not noticed this on an in-station kiosk. (I will check and update this post!)

Busses

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Jun 26, 2015 at 10:15am PDT

Yes, that was the view from the front of a bus. Personally, I can't stand busses and avoid them as much as I can. More than just getting ill, using them across the country is so inconsistent that I don't want to bother with it. In some cities you can buy on board, in others you can't at all even for a higher fare. Traveling inter-regionally on a bus is really hard to figure out. When I lived in Siena for a summer, I wanted to go to Assisi. I finally went to the information office in Piazza Grande for advice. Now, Rome2Rio is a great site to figure out busses but it's not perfect. My biggest frustration is city busses. The "map" on the pole will just have stop names, not an actual route. I end up relying 100% on Google Maps, which can be fruitless. After I've decided what route and stop I'm going to need, I tell the driver where I'm going on hope he stops and yells and when it's time to get off. So it's always an adventure on the bus! If you're up for it, it can be handy and even entertaining.

Cars

Abarth!

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Oct 13, 2014 at 1:33am PDT

I'm wary of any travel agent or rental service that promises to get you an automatic transmission vehicle. Find someone with a manual transmission and practice before you go if you know you're renting a car. My first car was a stick, so I've not had this conundrum. I did, however, have to help a woman at the Naples port who was yelling at the rental agent that she couldn't drive it....after she killed the engine multiple times on the Lungomare. GPS is also iffy in the most rural parts, as some wineries can be. All coordinates listed on this site have been verified by us or by the winery and should be used instead of street addresses. I will never forget turning down a road the GPS said was correct, only to have locals staring at me wondering where I was going and finding a dead-end with gate and a lovely horse who was wondering if I was there to feed him. As I turned around, I waved at everyone as I went by for the second time. Turns out there was a parallel street so close together that the GPS didn't pick it up. Have any general questions about getting to or around Italy? Let us know in the comments or drop us a line. Have some fantastic Italy travel tips of your own? Or even just a fun adventure? Share them with us here or post it using the hashtag #VAtravel. We can't wait to hear from you! Buon viaggio!

Just passing through.

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Sep 19, 2015 at 8:35am PDT

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Oct 21, 2013 at 11:29pm PDT

A photo posted by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Jun 15, 2015 at 2:55am PDT

When we think about Italian culture, several things might immediately pop into our heads. The first thing that comes to mind for me is always “Civilization” and the many connotations of the word. Beginning with ancient Rome and the Roman Empire, most of my concepts about Italian culture are framed with this deep history as of one of the cradles of our modern, western ways of life including our governmental systems, infrastructure and architecture---from philosophers  and writers like Virgil and Ovid, to emperors, roadways to aqueducts, to temples and the Colosseum. We also always certainly imagine majestic columns, frescoed walls and marble sculptures of ancient times along with the mythology of the gods and the writings and teachings of the philosophers. And this is only the ancient history!

First time seeing this open.

A photo posted by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Oct 25, 2016 at 10:16pm PDT

In more “recent” times, the Italian Renaissance provided us with the works of artists like Michelangelo and DaVinci, the frescoes of Raphael, Botticelli’s beautiful depictions of women, and of course the literature of Dante, Petrarch and Machiavelli among others. We can also call to mind the creative, scientific discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo from this important period along with the musical “innovations” of polyphony and the creation of madrigals. Just imagine sitting in one of these gorgeous, frescoed rooms, with their high ceilings, listening to the blended voices of the polyphonic singers!

A photo posted by Robbin Gheesling (@robbin_g) on Aug 30, 2015 at 8:26am PDT

We can then leap to a more modern Italy and imagine civilization in the context of “civilized”. The profound sense of style of the Italians can be a bit daunting (at least for me, a non-fashionista.) I find myself wishing I had that seemingly effortless, innate, elegant fashion sense! I’m also reminded of the undeniable elegance of Italian leather goods (bags and shoes), their multitude of high fashion labels, automobiles, furniture/interior design, the famous Venetian lace and other textiles, and their glorious Murano glass. And we cannot forget the Italian contributions in more "contemporary" opera and film. And finally, there is the obvious importance of food and wine, which we’ve already touched on in their own articles.

A photo posted by Raelinn 🍴🍸✈📝📷 (@raelinnd) on Aug 17, 2015 at 11:50am PDT

 Nice juxtaposition amongst ancient SPQR evoking the ancient infrastructure alongside the modern Roman sidewalk and my negroni cocktail "to go"! As we continue our new Italian adventure over the next 20 months, beginning next month with the beautiful region of Umbria, we will dive deeper into the extensive additions to world culture that are held by each of the unique and endlessly interesting Italian regions, looking at architectural sites of great importance, museums, festivals and customs. We will provide you with some historical context for each region, the historic traditions they hold dear even today, and highlights of their architecture, art and other cultural contributions. We hope you’ll enjoy coming along for the ride! And as always, we’d love to hear some of your favorite aspects of Italian culture. Please feel free to share in the comments!

Italy was not even truly unified until the late 1800s. So its feudal roots remain well entrenched even still, as evidenced by the strong presence of the regional linguistic dialects. It’s still possible to find people (mostly the elder generation these days) who don’t even speak much Italian, but rather only their local dialect. The regional recipes are every bit as diverse as these dialects. Even from one hilltop to another within the same region, one can find variations on recipes; and people still argue, mostly amicably, over whose way is best!

The foundation of Italian food and cooking is most certainly (even today) based on the availability of local ingredients and most especially to those "native" to the regions. There is a rather simple logic to it---from the plentiful seafood and the seemingly endless coastlines and islands, to the heavier meats and cheeses in the mountains, along with fruits, nuts, vegetables all in season or in the locally preferred version of preservation. The old ways of preserving foods like pickling, salt curing, drying, and even the spices they use, all inform a great many dishes even in our modern days of refrigeration and easy transport. It is the foods that are raised, grown and produced in the regions, and have been for centuries; that truly make each locale unique from a culinary standpoint.

As we move through our 20 months of blogging the regions of Italy, we’ll focus on each region and their various wines, foods, cultural traditions and how to travel there. When it comes to food, we’ll be talking with chefs, nonne (grandmas), farmers, cheesemakers, salumi makers, etc. and digging deeper into regional foods and recipes and what makes them so special along with the food sources and products that are raised, grown and/or created in each region.

As an introduction, we invite you to a visual feast of Italian regional cuisine and a tiny taste of what’s to come. Enjoy! (Just click on the photos below for a gorgeous slideshow.)

We'd also love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite regional dishes in Italy? What are your favorite things about Italian food?

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Denominazione: How Italian Wine is Classified

Italy follows what’s called a “classification system.” All this really means is that there are laws in place regulating the following:

• What kind of grapes can be used

• Where the grapes are grown

• How the grapes are grown

• How many grapes are grown

• How the wine is made and aged

• How much wine can be made

When a wine producer meets the legal requirements outlined in a classification, the wine qualifies for a certain designation, otherwise known as a denomination, or in Italian: denominazione.

These denominazioni are where things can start to get tricky for wine buyers.

Italy is considered a producer of “Old World” wines. For “Old World” wines, the designations are usually the name of the place where the wine is made (sometimes known as an “appellation”). For example: Barolo DOCG wine is made from the nebbiolo grape in the region of Barolo in Piedmont. The region, not the grape, is what’s highlighted on the label. “New World” wines like those produced in California and Australia also have a classification system, but usually have looser regulations as to what can appear on the label – so you might see the kind of grape instead of or in addition to the name of a place.

When it comes to places and grapes, then, a little research and memorization come in handy. But what tasty research!

Levels of Italy’s Wine Classification System

In 2009, European law kicked in requiring all new wines to fall under the general DOP naming structure. All this means really, is that there is another layer of labeling you may encounter looking at labels.

Italy’s classification system is broken down into levels, starting with the most strict:

• DOCG: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita – a wine with this classification follows all of the laws of its designation and is also tasted by a panel to guarantee the wine is “correct” for its type and quality. You will find the words or abbreviation on the label but you will also find a red or greenish-yellow band around the neck of the bottle. These bands are numbered and are issued in limited quantities to each registered producer.

• DOC: Denominazione di Origine Controllata – a wine with this classification follows all of the rules of its designation. There is no tasting panel at this level and does not have a registered banding system.

• IGT: Indicazione Geografica Tipica – a wine with this classification has much looser regulation broadening the rules. An IGT wine can take the name of the region if 75% of the wine is made from typical grapes of the region. Otherwise, the name of the wine can be created by the winemaker.

• VdT: Vino da Tavola – A wine produced outside of any set legislation. The label is not allowed to state a vintage or the grapes used, only rosso (red), bianco (white), or rosato (rose).

©FEDERDOC

The new system is just making everyone in Europe adjust to the standard labeling structure.

• Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) / Denominazione di Origina Protetta (DOP) 

• Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) / Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)

One would think that maybe DOP would be equal to DOCG and IGP would be equal to DOC, but....of course not. DOCG and DOC can now use DOP designation if they want to. 408 wines potentially can be DOP. However, in practice, a DOCG label carries a bit more clout so no wine I've seen has used DOP.

©FEDERDOC

Here is what the marriage looks like in the end:

©FEDERDOC

These are other words that might appear on an Italian wine label, and what they indicate:

• Classico: Made in the historic zone of the appellation

• Riserva: Has been aged longer than the “regular” version

• Superiore: Has more alcohol than the “regular” version

Sample Italian Wine Labels

As you can see from these Il Palazzone wine labels, the information is generally the same, it just might be in different places. Although it may be awhile before you see a Twitter name on most Italian wine labels – the left label is clearly ahead of its time!

Buying Wines in Italy

How do all of those acronyms defined above help you buy a wine while traveling? If you come to Italy with something in mind to buy, it can help a lot. If you’re simply exploring, they mean very littleIn other words, if you absolutely love every Chianti Classico DOCG you’ve ever had, you’re a fan of wines made from the sangiovese grape. Knowing which DOCGs and DOCs use a majority of sangiovese will make your selection process much simpler.

If you’re up for experimentation, the reputation of the producer can be more important than the classification. When a good winemaker chooses to play, they tend to play outside of the regulation and those wines tend to fall under the IGT or VdT category. A lower classification does not automatically mean a lower quality wine.

With all of these restrictions, logic says the DOCG wines are the most expensive because they are the most restrictive. That’s not always the case. When shopping, you can’t automatically assume that every vino da tavola will be inexpensive. The term “super Tuscan” came about in the 1970s when those good winemakers started making excellent wines outside of the regulation. These wines were vino da tavola and yet were not bargain wines. Like wine itself, value for the price can be a personal decision. If it’s only 2€ a gallon but you don’t like it, is that a good deal? If it’s 50€ a bottle but you love it, is that a bad deal?

So, what is the best strategy for exploring wine to buy in Italy? Start at home! It’s always great to have a relationship with a good wine shop, be it for Tuesday night’s dinner or your next trip to Italy. The questions to ask the shop should start with what you usually buy. Maybe you want to find something similar – or completely different – either way, they should be able to help. Ask if they know of any great producers that are not imported in your area, or what your favorite producer might be making in small quantities that might only be available at the cellar door.

With a little pre-planning, the bottles you bring home from your Italian holiday will have richer story attached to them. When you share those special wines with family and friends you will have a better appreciation of the journey you took to get those bottles.

**a version of this post originally appeared on Italylogue**

Important DOC areas of Piemonte, including the principle Dolcetto ones The Dolcetto grape is grown in the same regions as Barolo and Barbaresco, and serves an important role for producers of these two great wines. Dolcetto is best served fresh and young; it is light and simple, unlike either Barolo or Barbaresco, which both require longer aging. While a producer waits for a vintage, the Dolcetto fills in. This not-so-complex wine is better known to be a table wine or a lunch wine, but a producer from Ovada named Tomaso Armento of the Forti del Vento winery is determined to prove this false. His Dolcetti are balanced in both tannins and acidity – a Dolcetto tends to be too tannic and not acidic enough. And, the layering of flavors is interesting and more subtle than the simple, sometimes flat, average Dolcetto.

Dolcetto grape The grape has been cultivated in Monferrato, Piemonte since before 1000 AD, and while it has spread and produced closely related vines since then, its best expression lies in the hills below the Alps. Its best terroirs are suitably its seven DOC areas: Acqui, Alba, Asti, Diano d’Alba, Dogliani, Ovada and Langhe Monregalesi. The wine earned its DOC status in 1972 in Ovada. Recently, Dolcetto di Dogliani and Dolcetto d’Ovada have acquired the DOCG status. This modest but versatile red wine is usually not for drinking alone, but pairs smoothly with almost anything; and it is so light in flavor and refreshing that a summer glass of it could substitute a white wine for the evening. It’s traditionally low in alcohol, but modern production tendencies can sometimes give too high of an ABV. Dolcetto generally has a fresh, fruity scent and tastes of quince and jams, with balanced acidity and tannins in its very best expression (but again, too tannic and not acidic enough in other cases). It is versatile with food and never overpowering. Its signature taste is that of almonds, and a slight bitter aftertaste may be detected, as though the fine, bitter peel of the almond had dipped into the glass. As drinkable as the average Dolcetto may be, which in itself is certainly a virtue, it has proven to be a hidden gem of a wine if produced in caring hands. Keep an eye on the Dolcetti of Piemonte, especially from Dogliani and Ovada.

Sources:

About Dolcetto. Wine Access. Dawson, Evan.

Dolcetto in Ovada Has Potential to Be More Than Pizza Wine. Palate Press. Jan 2012.

History. Dogliani. Kobrand Wine and Spirits.  

Living in Bra, Italy in the Piemonte region provides access to many small, surrounding Italian villages. Each one boasts a fine, regional wine: Barbera d’Asti, Grignolino, Barolo and Barbaresco to name a few. One fine, sunny Sunday, some friends and I found ourselves in Verduno, the land of Pelaverga Rosso DOC. This is a fairly new addition to the wine legends of the area, with DOC appellation since 1995. The wine is only produced in the small surrounding countryside of this outlier community of Alba, located in the same region as Barolo. The name may mean something like “vine peeler” after the process of harvesting; pela from the Italian word “to peel” and verga as in “branch.” Although the wine has achieved more prominence lately, it has been around since the 15th century, when it was mostly blended in other wines or was a simple table wine. We asked the barista at a local wine bar if we could try a bit of the wine, and he lent us wine glasses to enjoy the bottle in a nearby park that overlooks Piemonte. The table and lookout were made specifically for wine tasters. This medium-bodied wine has an herbal scent with undertones of fruit, and a pleasant and balanced flavor with a light acidity. At first, violet and red fruit notes are prominent; then, the signature white pepper spiciness pinches your tongue. This distinct aroma and taste of white pepper is incredibly pronounced so that it seems someone sprinkled a bit into the bottle. We were told that it comes from the soil and terroir of this very specific area in Piemonte. The wine finishes with clean, fresh, peppery notes topped with ripe, red raspberry.

Sources: Pelaverga - Verduno, Piedmont, Italy. Fringe Wine. June 2011.

The incomplete ABC’s of Campania list may never be completed, at least not until the Italian language adds X and Y to its alphabet. As for Z, if there are any suggestions for a Campanian wine or winery, do let me know! Z is for Zeppole di San Giuseppe, a delicious, cream-filled Saint Joseph’s fritters dessert, which is waiting for its vino-partner to make an appearance.

I have been attending classes at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, a Piemontese town where it is has been raining for days, as it has in the rest of Northern Italy. This means classes about food sovereignty, olive oil making, cheese tasting, the beer-making process, food anthropology and food philosophy, media and communications as is related to food, and much, much more.

Just this past week I enjoyed an offal dinner which was certainly not awful, but very delicious and...adventurous. Offal is the fifth quarter of an animal, as in tendon pesto that looked like a plate of rough-cut pasta; chicken liver pate topped with candied fruit with a side of Tuscan olive oil and toast; creamy, breaded cow brain served on spoons; tripe (cow stomach) in a slurpy, red sauce and sprinkled with pecorino toscano; and much more was on our menu. This was in preparation for our week-long Tuscan study trip beginning on Tuesday, where in the past, Tuscans made use of as much of the animal as possible. In the week to come, however, I don’t think we’ll have the honor of another offal dinner. Instead, we’ll be watching the olive oil process, as the olive harvest is now, in November; visit a geothermal power plant that naturally grows basil all year long; see traditional bakeries and pecorino toscano cheese-making; and of course sample many Tuscan wines, including some Super Tuscans.

Again, I’d love to feel like the ABC’s of Campania are neatly wrapped up and write about a Z wine. Send me some names if you have them! In the meantime, I'll keep my eyes and ears open for something uniquely Campanian.

White cavolfiore (cauliflower) is widely and internationally known, such a common vegetable that the average dinner-partier does not think twice about the origins of that hard, bumpy, white vegetable among the others on the veggie and dip platter. The white cauliflower is actually relatively new in terms of cultivated plants that humans have been munching on since before recorded history.

Along with at least a dozen varieties, the white cauliflower was cultivated from two native plants from Asia and the Mediterranean. This plant, its growth stunted so that the flowers never bloom and its mass covered with its leaves so it stays as white as snow, came from broccoli. Broccoli arose in Italy, some varieties evolved into cauliflower, and the vegetable was known throughout Europe by the 1500s. Italy still produces cauliflower today. Campania is the single most productive region with 40% of Italy’s white cauliflower grown here; Le Marche and Tuscany are two other key areas. The season lasts from October to May, and thus white cauliflower and its colorful cousins, such as the green and angular romanesco, are great cold-weather vegetables. Even though the stark whiteness of cauliflower may lead one to wrongly assume it is poor in vitamins, the opposite is true. It is rich in potassium and folic acid, and one of the highest vitamin contents is Vitamin C: a half a cup of cauliflower gives an entire day’s worth. White cauliflower and its variations can be pureed to a creamy, smooth consistency, baked, steamed, boiled, roasted and eaten raw, to name a few preparation methods. Its tendency to lose structure and turn to mush can be avoided with a 20-30 minute precook at a low temperature (130-140 F / 55-60 C) before undergoing a final long cooking (this can be applied to other foods, such as apples, carrots and potatoes). In Naples, especially around Christmas and New Year’s Day, the insalata di rinforzo is served. This “Reinforcement salad” is a hearty dish featuring cauliflower, peppers and olives.

touring information:

These restaurants offer the traditional insalata di rinforzo during the holiday times. Ristorante Rossellini Hotel Palazzo Sasso Via San Giovanni del Toro 28 84010 Ravello - Amalfi Coast tel + 39-089-818-181 Email: info@palazzosasso.com Agriturismo Il Cocchiere Via Piano del Principe, 229 80040 Poggiomarino - Naples Tel. +39-081-528-3758 Cell +39-334-365-2922 Email: info@ilcocchiere.it L’Olivo Ristoranti Via Capodimonte, 2/b 80071 Anacapri (Napoli) Tel. +39-081-978-0111 Email: olivo@capripalace.com

W is for wine lake:

The phenomenon of the wine glut, referred to as a “wine lake,” is certainly not confined to the region of Campania. But, when visiting this region rich in cultural and gastronomical history, there are ways to personally counteract the negative consequences that the wine lake causes.

The wine glut refers to too much wine for too few consumers. The extra wine goes to waste or is used as alternative fuel – a terrible waste of energy overall, given that wine and all of its production processes are being used as fuel in the end. The wine lake exists because of low quality and low cost wines produced in huge quantities. Government support has helped to fuel mass production of wine, but this is not the only thing to blame. Huge wine companies themselves are actually pushing for more demand instead of responding to the present demand, making not only batches and batches of poor quality wine, but also various other drinks such as wine coolers, in an effort to tap into the soft drink mindset of consumers. The wine lake is not simply an overflow of terrible wine, but even of palatable, albeit not “good” quality wine. All countries are guilty of purposefully overshooting the demand in the race towards catering to a consumer culture, including newcomers Chile, Australia and the United States as well as old-timers Spain, France and Italy. This overproduction of lower quality wine is by no means a new phenomenon, however. Throughout history, wine has been an everyday drink as a source of calories, clean water, and the relaxing, pleasant effect of alcohol. As the demographics of these countries have changed and the average worker does not need the caloric value of wine, less wine of a higher quality is consumed by more people. The out-pour of too much low quality wine has not slowed down. Allora, as Italians say – well? How to counteract this is simple. Buying from small producers to support their vineyards in Campania is easy to do. Your wine drinking experience will certainly be more fulfilling and gratifying as your taste buds appreciate the flavor of high quality.

Sources:

Baldwin, Eleonora. Christmas in Italy. The Reluctant Gourmet. December 2009. Carter, Marina. Adventure guide: Naples, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast. Hunter Publishing, Inc.: 2006. Google Books. Europe burns its wine lake. Nature News. June 2007. McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Scribner 2004. Phillips, Kyle. Cavolfiore: That's Cauliflower, A Winter Gift. About.com 2011. Resnik, Hank. Youth & Drugs: Society’s Mixed Messages. DIANE Publishing 1990. Google ebooks. Veseth, Mike. Money, Music, War and Wine. The Wine Economist. May 2010.

The Vitellone Bianco dell’Apennine Centrale IGP, or white veal of the Central Apennine mountain range of Protected Geographic Origin, is a superior quality veal that is raised in Campania near the Apennine mountain range. The cattle and steer are also raised in other Italian regions near the Apennines, including Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Le Marche, Molise, Tuscany, and Umbria. Three robust and, frankly, gigantic breeds are part of the white veal IGP category: Marchigiana, Romagnola, and Chianina. All three breeds were used as draft animals up until the mid-1850s, when Italians began to breed them for meat instead of for work. The environment in the mountains is one of the most important factors that contribute to the high quality of meat: not only have these breeds evolved and been bred to fit the Alpennine environment like a glove, but the animals feast daily on quite a wide variety of flora.

The Consorzio di Tutelo del Vitellone Bianco dell’Apennine Centrale IGP is the protection agency that requires specific parameters of weaning and husbandry in order for the calves to be of IGP quality. The period before weaning can be in pastures, stabled, free range and fixed. The calves must be weaned solely on their mothers’ milk, and then afterwards are free-range or bred in stalls. Butchering happens from 12 to 24 months, often around 16 to 20, and only in certified butcheries.

When buying this meat, one can always be sure that is is, indeed, the Vitellone Bianco IGP. This is because the Consorzio is the first protection consortium to electronically track the calves and meat from their origins. With every package purchased, one may trace the package number back to the original farm. On each package, a unique label that marks it as true Vitellone Bianco IGP is stamped. The meat is lean with an average GPI value of 2%, and its delectable flavor, juices and texture are best brought out with the simple and traditional preparation method of grilling and drizzling with extra virgin olive oil immediately before serving.

touring information:

A producer in Campania:
Fattoria Carpineto
Via Venafrana, Km 4700
81050 Presenzano (CE)
Tel/Fax: +39-082-398-9080

Agristor Le Due Torri
Strada Statale N 85
81050 Presenzano (CE)
Tel. +39-082-398-9518

V is for vesuvio, cantina del:

Cantina del Vesuvio is situated in the center of the Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio (National Park of Vesuvius) in Naples. Maurizio Russo, the owner and viticoltore (wine producer), has a long family history of viticulture and enology in his family. Today, the vineyards are in the middle of a transformation to becoming organically certified. The Cantina del Vesuvio has vineyards in Vesuvio, Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii and Naples.

Traveling to the vineyards, one will be greeted warmly by Maurizio Russo and take a tour of the vineyards and winery, chat with Maurizio and, of course, drink a glass of wine. The territory and natural simplicity of the area are found in the bottles of wine the Cantina produces. These wines are numerous: First, the three most typical and traditional wines of the region, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco, Rosso and Rosato DOC; Maestro Rosso IGT (100% Aglianico); Mariè Bianco IGT (100% Falanghina Pompeiano); and Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC Rosso Riserva “Sigillo Ceralacca.” (80% Piedirosso, 10% Aglianico, 10% Olivella). The Cantina also produces Grappa del Vesuvio, Distillato di Albicocche (apricot spirit), and, in keeping with tradition of the region, Extra Virgin Olive Oil del Vesuvio.

The Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC Bianco is composed of 80% Coda di volpe and 20% Falanghina, with a floral profume and a fresh, light and fruity taste. The Rosso is 80% Piedirosso, 10% Aglianico and 10% Olivella, with a full body and intense scents of violet and the native ginestra flower of Vesuvius. White peach is predominant on the palate. The Rosato is composed of 80% Piedirosso and 20% Aglianico, with similar tasting notes as the Rosso. Because the Lacryma Christi tends to have a soft palate and be rich in alcohol, it nicely complements seafood, including sautéed clams, crustaceans, fish stews and seafood risotto. Grilled vegetables and semi-firm cheeses pair well with the wines, as does the local mussel dish called Impepata di Cozze.

Sources:

Baldwin, Eleonora. The Wines of Campania. Italy Mondo! April 2010.

Cantina del Vesuvio. Luciano Pignatoro Wine Blog. May 2011.

Foods of Campania: Vitellonne Bianco dell’Appennine Centrale IGP. Italian Made.

Cantina del Vesuvio.

Italian Food DOP and IGP. Forums.cooking.com document.

Marchigiana, Vitellonne Bianco dell’Appennine Centrale. In Campania.

Vineyard Hopping – Trecase (Na) – Cantina del Vesuvio. Andiamotrips. Sept 2010.

Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale IGP. Naturalmente Italiano.