Umbria Culinaria

Umbria Culinaria
with Oldways
Elizabeth Minchilli and Jennifer McIlvaine
March 16–23, 2014
It
Umbria
could be said that Umbria is the heart of Italy.
Geographically it is, lying smack in the middle
of the peninsula, landlocked in the bosom of
Italy. Overshadowed by its sibling, Tuscany, Umbria
is like the timid child who has been hiding its beauty
and its treasures. But now the world is listening and
discovering the beauty of its undulating mountains,
and its cities where art and music abound, particularly works from Etruscan and medieval times, as well
as Renaissance art, rivaling what can be found in any
city in Italy. Equally alluring is the cuisine, which reflects the generosity of the land.
Mary Ann Esposito
Ciao Italia in Umbria
U
mbria may not have a coastline, or mountains as spectacular as the Alps or Dolomites,
but the gentler charms of its wooded hills,
lush valleys and placid lakes—the landscapes of
Perugino—are the visual equivalent of the centre of
your favorite chocolate. And it comes spiked with
art...There’s art in the kitchen, too; no one in this
nation of fussy eaters is as traditional as an Umbrian.
Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls
Umbria, a Cadogan Guide
Umbria Culinaria
with
Elizabeth Minchilli
and
Jennifer McIlvaine
The Green Heart of Italy
Benvenuti nel cuore verde d’italia!
T
his is Oldways’ first official Culinaria to Umbria, the “green heart of Italy.”
A region off the beaten path that most travelers to Italy miss, Umbria
offers so much to discover and celebrate!
Program
Sunday, March 16: Benvenuto
Morning and Afternoon
Check-in at Brufani Palace Hotel
Our five-star hotel offers a hilltop view in the heart of historic
Perugia. Unpack, rest, or explore the winding streets of this
beautiful medieval hill town.
6:30 pm
Welcome Reception, Wine Tasting and Dinner at the Brufani
Palace Hotel
Federico Bibi from Terre Margaritelli will provide us with an
introduction to Umbria through wine. We will taste several of the
main Torgiano DOC & DOCG wine varietals including Sangiovese
and Trebbiano & Grechetto. Following the wine tasting, we will
enjoy a welcome dinner featuring regional specialties.
Umbria is both mountainous and green. You will notice the wondrous structure of the hill towns immediately. It’s incredible to see medieval towns—
Perugia, Deruta, Todi, Orvieto, Spello, and many others—perched on top of
craggy rock formations.
Agriculture is all around—on the plains and in the valleys between mountains
and hills. And, as Elizabeth Wholey wrote in her book, Sustenance: Food
Traditions in Italy’s Heartland, the agriculture of the region is a good example
of the old ways:
“What will be remarkable to the modern-day
visitor who spends a year in the countryside
of central Italy is that farmers today still follow the same agricultural calendar and
traditions that were celebrated on the
Fontana Maggiore some 800 years ago.”
Wine, olive oil, truffles, pork, chocolate, grains,
lentils, and pasta are the foods that make up the cuisine we will enjoy during
our week in the green heart of Italy.
Lacking seashore, seafood is not a major part of the diet in Umbria. But we
will enjoy trout from the waters of the Clitunno River, and plenty of meat—
prosciutti, pork, wild boar, and lamb.
We’ll also enjoy the black truffles that Umbria is famous for, along with spectacular wines, olive oil, and so much more.
Throughout the week we’ll explore not only cuisine, but also art, churches,
and ceramics. Our guides will introduce us to the treasures of Assisi, Perugia,
Todi, Bevagna, and Orvieto. Elizabeth Minchilli, author of a book on Deruta
ceramics, will take us through traditional and modern Deruta ceramics
factories.
Finally, our week in Umbria will be about the people of Umbria, who passionately believe there is no place like their home. You’ll meet artisanal bakers,
farmers, vintners, and confectioners, and see how the best of Umbria’s old
ways are being carried forward, lovingly, into the future. I hope you will find
wonder and pleasure in the treasures we will discover and savor together.
Sara Baer-Sinnott
President, Oldways
March 2014
4
5
Monday, March 17: Truffle Day
Tuesday, March 18: Orvieto
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
9:00 am
Truffles in Trevi and Tenuta di San Pietro
We will head over the hills to Trevi to hunt for the famed Umbrian
black truffles. We will walk through the woods with trained dogs
and their keepers to see how these precious tubers are found.
8:30 am
Orvieto
After breakfast we’ll drive south along Lake Corbara to Orvieto,
one of the most beautiful hilltop towns in Umbria. David Tordi will take us on
a tour of the town’s main
sites including Piazza della
Repubblica, Piazza del
Popola, and the Churches of
Sant’Andrea, San Giovenale,
and others. We will also visit
the Duomo and the world
famous Chapel of San Brizio.
We’ll also keep some time
before lunch free for shopping,
coffee, or people watching.
After our truffle hunt we will go to Tenuta di San Pietro a
Pettine for a cooking demonstration. We will learn how to make
umbricelli, a local flour and water pasta, as well as how the
truffles are made into sauce. Then we will sit down to a truffle
feast for lunch!
4:00 pm
Perugia
We’ll return to Perugia after
lunch, where you will have
a choice of a guided tour of
Perugia or free time.
8:00 pm
Dinner at Osteria a Priori
We’ll take a short walk to
Osteria a Priori, a store and
restaurant dedicated entirely
to Umbrian food and wine
products, where we will enjoy a
dinner of local specialties. We
think you’ll find the design of
the restaurant as interesting as
the food.
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1:30 pm
Lunch at La Pergola
We’ll enjoy a rustic lunch at La
Pergola, a restaurant in Orvieto
known for its authentic dishes.
3:30 pm
Return to Perugia and Free
Evening
After lunch we’ll take a leisurely drive back to Perugia, where you
will have the rest of the day to explore the city and enjoy dinner
at the hotel or at one of the restaurants in town (see our list of
restaurant suggestions on page 22).
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Wednesday, March 19: Todi
and
Deruta
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
9:00 am
Todi
We’ll drive to
nearby
Todi, which has been
called “the most livable
town in the world.”
Elisa Pichiotti will guide
us through this charm–
ing medieval hill town,
providing the history
of Todi and the sur­
rounding area. We will
visit the main churches,
including San Fortunato and the Duomo, as well as the Tempieto,
which is attributed to Bramante.
1:00 pm
Lunch at Ristorante Umbria
We’ll have lunch in the center of Todi at Ristorante Umbria, a
restaurant with traditional food and spectacular views of the
surrounding Umbrian countryside.
2:30 pm
Ceramics in Deruta
After lunch we’ll visit Deruta before returning to Perugia. Deruta
is one of the most famed centers for the ancient art of majolica,
a type of ceramic decoration
that was developed in the 15th
century. Elizabeth Minchilli,
author of the book Deruta, will
take us to Grazie, one of the
oldest workshops in town. There
will also be time for shopping at
Sberna, Elizabeth’s favorite store
(and one that will ship to the US).
8:00 pm
Dinner at Civico 25
Our dinner in Perugia at Civico 25 is a more modern take on
Umbrian cuisine. We’ll leave the lobby at 8:00 for a 10-minute
walk through the center of town to dinner, which will be
accompanied by the music of the 60s.
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Thursday, March 20: Norcia, Mountains,
Chocolate!
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
8:30 am
Zafferano e Dintorini
Our first stop of the day is a very special farm,
Zaferano e Dintorni. We will taste and learn
about local heirloom fruits and saffron. We will
also learn about traditional medicinal herbs.
and
11:00 am Norcia
Next we’ll head up the mountain to visit another
spectacular medieval town, Norcia. Alessandra
Malozzi, our local tour guide, will tell us about
the history of this ancient town. The people
of Norcia are famous for their skill at curing
meats—so famous that today most salumeria in Italy are simply
called Norcineria. We will visit one of the oldest workshops in
town, and have a guided tasting of some of their specialties.
1:30 pm
Lunch at Palazzo Seneca
Our lunch will take place in Palazzo Seneca, a Renaissance
palace that has been converted into a stunning hotel and
restaurant. Our lunch will include local specialties prepared in a
sophisticated way.
3:30 pm
Cioccolateria Vetusta Nursia
We’ll visit the chocolate
factory Cioccolateria Vetusta
Nursia for a chocolate tasting.
Evening
Free Time in Perugia
You will be on your own for
the evening. Enjoy dinner in
the hotel or at a restaurant in
Perugia (see page 22 for restaurant suggestions).
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Friday, March 21: Farm Day
Saturday, March 22: Some
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
Morning
Breakfast Buffet at the Brufani Palace Hotel
9:00 am
Granarium - 0 Km Bakery
We’ll leave Perugia for the
Granarium, a traditional flourmill
and bakery in Cantalupo, where we
will see the entire transformation
process from grain seed to milling
to baking during a tour and tasting.
They call themselves a 0 km bakery
because all phases of the process are
completed on site.
9:00 am
Assisi
We’ll travel to the historic town of Assisi, birth place of St.
Francis. Irene Maturi, a local tour guide, will take us on a tour of
the most famous churches. We’ll also see art masterpieces by
Giotto, Cimabue, and other Renaissance masters. You’ll have
some free time in Assisi for shopping, coffee, or resting.
1:00 pm
Lunch at Ristorante Parco del Clitunno
We’ll leave Assisi for a half-hour drive
along the Trevi Valley to the small town
of Campello sul Clitunno at the source
of the Clitunno River. We will dine at
Ristorante Parco del Clitunno, where we
will enjoy trout, eels, and crayfish caught
from springs that run right through the restaurant.
3:00 pm
Free Afternoon
We’ll return to Perugia and leave the rest of the afternoon free for
you to pack, swim, exercise, or take a last walk around Perugia.
8:00 pm
Farewell Dinner at Postale
Our Farewell Dinner will
be at Postale in Castello di
Monterone. Located just
outside of Perugia, this
imposing castle has been
transformed into one of
the best hotels in Umbria,
with two of the city’s best
restaurants.
gems of
Umbria
10:30 am Scacciadiavoli Winery
We will visit the historic winery and vineyards of Scacciadiavoli
to learn about Umbria’s most important wine: Sagrantino.
Noon
Angelucci Family Farm
Our farm day continues with a visit to the Angelucci family and
their small-scale farm where we will enjoy a tour, a cooking
demonstration, a cheese making demonstration, and a simple
lunch of products from the farm.
3:30 pm
Bevagna
We’ll leave the farm to visit Bevagna,
one of the most intact medieval towns
in Umbria. Six of the original guild
workshops have been carefully restored
and are operating. We will visit a candle
maker, a paper maker, and an ancient
apothecary. There will also be time to
explore this small town on your own.
5:30 pm
Free Evening
We’ll leave Bevagna for a quiet night
on your own in Perugia.
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Elizabeth Minchilli
Elizabeth started her career as an academic, working on
her dissertation on sixteenth-century garden architecture. During a break from working in the Medici archives,
she met her husband, Domenico, and decided that she
didn’t really want to go back to the States and teach
undergraduate art history. So she changed gears and
very soon had a husband, babies, dogs, and a brand new
career writing for magazines like Architectural Digest,
World of Interiors, Art & Antiques, and Bon Appetit.
She is the author of six books: Deruta; Restoring a House in Italy; Private
Tuscany; Private Rome; Villas on the Italian Lakes; and Italian Rustic.
Elizabeth has also authored four best-selling apps: EAT ROME, EAT
FLORENCE, EAT VENICE, and EAT ITALY. Learn more about Elizabeth and
her books and apps on her popular and entertaining blog, which is full of
information about food, restaurants, recipes, wine, drinks, art, and life in Italy
(elizabethminchilliinrome.com).
Due to popular demand, Elizabeth has started organizing food experiences
in Italy. She leads food tours and workshops in Rome to help lucky students
discover the joys of olive oil, grappa, cocktails, and just about anything else
Italian and edible.
Elizabeth lives in Rome, and also has a house in Umbria, one of the houses
featured in her book Restoring a House in Italy.
Jennifer McIlvaine
Jennifer has been a professional chef since 1998. Her
career began in her hometown of Philadelphia, but as
she became more interested in organic and locally raised
products, she found herself moving to Seattle. There she
opened her first business, Bruschettina, at the regional
Seattle-area farmers’ markets to local and national acclaim. In 2006, Jennifer did an internship on an agriturismo
outside of Siena, but ended up falling in love with neighboring Umbria (as well as the man who is now her husband).
After working at the renowned Osteria Il Bacco Felice in Foligno (Umbria)
and later opening her own place, Trattoria Basilikó, Jennifer decided to take a
break from the restaurant biz to start a family. She is now the proud mamma
of 2 Italo-American bambini.
Jennifer has now started her third successful entrepreneurial adventure, Life
Italian Style, working as a private chef and leader of eno-gastronomic tours
for visitors to Umbria. She works closely with the local artisan producers she
has met over the years and keeps her ears open at the markets, always ready
to learn a new traditional recipe from an Italian Nonna!
12
“If you’ve ever wondered how some of the world’s healthiest and
best-tasting foods seem to wind up in your favorite home recipes
and restaurants these days, you’ll be glad to know it’s not by
accident. You have friends in the business.”
Cooking Light Magazine, about Oldways
Let the old ways be your guide to good health and well-being.
Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization with a
mission to guide people to good health through heritage, using practical and
positive programs grounded in science and tradition. Simply, we advocate for
the healthful pleasures of real food.
At Oldways, we are more determined than ever to help everyone, everywhere, live longer and healthier lives. We will do this by continuing to encourage people to seek out the joys of good foods and drinks, well prepared and
consumed with pleasure, in the company of family and friends. That is the
profound and worthy mission that drives us and our partners every day.
Healthy eating and healthy foods have the power to improve the health and
well-being of all of us. Science and common sense tell us that good health
and good food go hand in hand. The healthy old ways have a special importance and impact because they bring together: (1) good nutrition with delicious foods, (2) culture and heritage, and (3) eating, shopping and cooking.
As Michael Pollan wrote in The New York Times on Sunday, October 2, 2011,
“I have yet to hear of a traditional diet—from any culture, anywhere in the
world—that is not substantially healthier than the ‘standard American diet.’
The more we honor cultural differences in eating, the healthier we will be.”
Oldways was founded in 1990 to address health issues (increasing rates of
obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases of excess) and
to preserve culinary traditions, helping people make healthy connections to
their food (cooking and eating real foods) and their heritage.
We learned early on that change happens by motivating individuals and influencers to move in a common direction. Working throughout the world—from
Australia to Brazil and from Italy to the U.S.—Oldways has collaborated with
hundreds of international experts including scientists, health care professionals, chefs, historians, food producers, and food writers to create “mini-movements” that have inspired millions of people to change the way they eat.
Learn more at www.oldwayspt.org.
13
The Heart of Italy
I
t could be said that Umbria is the heart
of Italy. Geographically it is, lying
smack in the middle of the peninsula, landlocked in the bosom of Italy.
Overshadowed by its sibling, Tuscany,
Umbria is like the timid child who has
been hiding its beauty and its treasures.
But now the world is listening and
discovering the beauty of its undulating
mountains, and its cities where art and
music abound, particularly works from
Etruscan and medieval times, as well
as Renaissance art, rivaling what can
be found in any city in Italy. Equally
alluring is the cuisine, which reflects
the generosity of the land. The intense
aromas and flavors of the Norcino,
considered the best black truffle in Italy,
whether grated on top of strangozzi, a
handmade chunky spaghetti, or made
into a paste with butter and anchovies and spread on crostino, make for an
unforgettable eating experience. The best lentils in Italy—sweet, meaty, and
flavorful—are the small ones from Castelluccio, a medieval town perched on
top of a hill in the middle of a plain high in the Sibylline Mountains.
Waverly Root
The Food of Italy
Umbria: The Green Heart of Italy
U
mbria is called “the green heart” of Italy because of its very central location and tree-covered hills. Though it is completely landlocked, surrounded by the regions of The Marches, Tuscany, and Latium, Umbria has plenty of
water from the Tiber River and Lake Trasimeno.
There are no major cities in Umbria, although jewel-like medieval towns such
as Perugia, Orvieto, Spoleto, and Assisi dot the landscape. Black truffles are
a feature of the local cuisine, usually grated on pasta and egg dishes. These
truffles are much milder than the prized white truffles of Piedmont.
The town of Norcia is renowned for its excellent pork sausages and salami,
and Castelluccio for its tiny, delicious lentils. Umbrian olive oils are known for
their rich olive flavor and are used as a condiment on soups and bread.
The Seasons of Umbria
I
n December, the pig is butchered, and cured meats provide protein for the
farm family through the rest of the year. January finds the farmer and his
wife huddled by a large fireplace, the heart of the house. Fishing supplies
fresh food for February’s table. March is the time for pruning trees, and in
April the wood is gathered and stacked to dry. The month of May heralds
springtime, when the earth has warmed and the scent of wildflowers perfumes the valley. Grain is harvested in June, and in July it is threshed. In
August the figs are ripening; grapes are ready to pick in September. The
making of the wine occurs in October, and in November the earth is plowed
and seeds are sown as the new year comes around again.
The labors of the months, a popular medieval theme, appear on the Fontana
Maggiore, one of the most treasured works of art in Perugia, which dates from
the 1200s. Along with marble sculptures of saints and mythological figures,
the early Renaissance sculptors Nicola and Giovanni Pisano honored these
common chores in a series of friezes around the center of the fountain.
What will be remarkable to the modern-day visitor who spends a year in the
countryside of central Italy is that farmers today still follow the same agricultural calendar and traditions that were celebrated on the Fontana Maggiore
some 800 years ago.
Elizabeth Wholey
Sustenance: Food Traditions
in Italy’s Heartland
The Hill Towns of Umbria
T
he greater part of the Umbrians live
in high-perched citadel towns, while
the more thinly spread peasant population tills the valleys below. Umbria
is everywhere mountainous, a land of
swiftly rising heights and deep valleys,
with landscapes alternately smiling and
savage. The proportion of arable land is
limited, but to make up for it the many
small valleys are green and fertile, watered by the innumerable swift streams
which run off the flanks of the hills; and though the hills are unsuitable for
tilling, they provide good pasturage for sheep and goats. On lower ground,
cattle graze in the region of Lake Trasimeno and pigs in the Tiber valley.
Umbria has been noted as meat-raising country since antiquity, when it was
also important for its oil, wine and spelt.
Waverly Root
The Food of Italy
Michele Scicolone
A Fresh Taste of Italy
14
15
Assisi
A
ssisi represents a unique example of continuity of a city-sanctuary within
its environmental setting from its Umbrian-Roman and medieval origins
to the present, represented in the cultural landscape, the religious ensembles, systems of communication, and traditional land use. The Basilica of
San Francesco is an outstanding example of a type of architectural ensemble
that has significantly influenced the development of art and architecture. The
interchange of artistic and spiritual message of the Franciscan Order has
significantly contributed to developments in art and architecture in the world.
The city of Assisi is built on the slopes of the hill of Asio, at the foot of
Subasio Mountain. The form of the urban settlement is elongated and extends
from the south-east towards the north-west. The Roman plan of the city is
based on the set of terraces.
The most important event in the history of medieval Assisi was undoubtedly the life and work of Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), who initiated the
Franciscan Order and who was canonized in 1228. His companion, Clare,
also later canonized, founded the sister order to the Franciscans. After the
canonization of St. Francis, it was decided to build a monumental church in
his honour. This construction was followed by the Basilica of Santa Chiara
to honour St. Clare. The construction of the Basilica of San Francesco was
started in 1228. The lower basilica is entered through an exquisite Gothic
portal; the interior is completely covered with frescoes. The earliest of these
date from 1253 and are by an unknown artist, the Maestro di San Francesco.
Furthermore, the paintings include allegories attributed to Giotto and his
school in the presbytery, the Virgin with a Child on the Throne by Cimabue,
and the Crucifixion by Giotto, the paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti and his assistants, and the Chapel of St-Martin by Simone Martini. The upper basilica has
a magnificent east front in white limestone, with a large rose window in the
centre. In the interior, the walls are decorated with series of paintings relating
to the faith and life of the saint.
Deruta
I
remember the first time I heard the word “Deruta.” I had come to Italy to
research a dissertation on Renaissance gardens. While diligently digging
through mountains of dusty sixteenth century documents in Florence, I would
daydream about weekend getaways. When a friend suggested we head for
Deruta—a small village, just south of Perugia—I naturally assumed we would
visit a church or two, admire some frescos, and make a stop in the local museum. Only years later, when I finally made the pilgrimage to this small Umbrian
village, did I realize it wasn’t high-minded sightseeing my friend had in mind,
(although that was part of it) but rather some serious ceramic shopping!
Still, history is an integral part of the Deruta experience. Those familiar with
Italian ceramics will have already heard of Deruta. Along with other small
towns throughout Italy, like Viterbi and Grottaglia, Deruta is one of the biggest producers of the glazed Italian ceramic ware known as majolica. Deruta,
however, stands out, since unlike other centers of this age-old craft, it has been
producing majolica of high quality for over six centuries without interruption,
and continues to do so today. It is this continuous and ever-developing history
that informs the majolica from Deruta and distinguishes it from other cities. It
is this sense of history that is acquired when we bring a piece of Deruta ceramics into our homes today.
While the apex of the town’s production was in the sixteenth century, Deruta’s
kilns, once lit, never went out. The craftsmen that first developed the brilliant
glazes in the fifteenth century passed on their knowledge and innovations in
both form and patterns to future generations. One of the most attractive things
about contemporary Deruta pottery is this sense of history. There are more
than three hundred ceramic firms in Deruta today, making it one of the biggest
ceramic producers in Italy. But if quantity may ring of impersonalized industrialization of a craft, the briefest of trips to Deruta dispels this view. This little
town is a place where the human touch is always in evidence. The hand-crafted
element conveys itself in the shapes, textures, and colors of the finished works.
Elizabeth Minchilli, Deruta,
UNESCO World Heritage List
with photographs by Susie Cushner
Elizabethminchilliinrome.com
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Todi
T
odi may be small but it has everything a self-respecting central Italian
hill town needs. There’s the hill in a gorgeous setting, a cathedral and
medieval public buildings, one great Renaissance monument, a long and
tortuous history, a saint (uncanonized, this time), and a proud commune
escutcheon, a fierce eagle over the inevitable device ‘SPQT.’ In the past few
years it has consistently been voted the world’s most livable town by the
University of Kentucky, an accolade that has brought American tycoons
rushing to buy its villas and castles as holiday retreats, inviting comparisons
with the Hamptons. But Todi was always a sophisticated little place, famous
for its carpentry and woodworking. In April, it hosts one of Italy’s major antiques fairs, the Rassegna Antiquaria d’Italia, and in August and September,
the Mostra Nazionale dell’Aritigianato, a national crafts fair. Since 1986, the
Tudertini have added the latest fashion accessory: a festival, which brings the
town opera, ballet and stage companies from late August to early September.
Dana Facros and Michael Parks
The Cadogan Guides: Umbria
(2009)
Perugia
P
erugia, the energetic capital of the region of Umbria, is perched on a hilltop
1500 feet above sea level and has a commanding view of the pristine
Umbrian plain. It is a fascinating city with a turbulent history, one prone to lots
of warring factions from the Etruscans to the Romans (who encased the town
with walls built of massive stone to protect it from enemy invaders) to the wrath
of Pope Paul III, who destroyed the homes of the ruling Baglioni family and built
the formidable Rocca Paolino (Rock of Paul) on their ruins as a reminder to the
stubborn Perugini that the Church would not tolerate their existence as a free
commune instead of a papal state. As if that were not enough, in the sixteenth
century the Perugini were slapped with a tax on salt in the so-called Salt War,
which they defiantly refused to pay. Not to be defeated, they eliminated the use
of salt in their bread—and to this day it is made without salt.
Mary Ann Esposito
Ciao Italia in Umbria
Bevagna
B
evagna is not to be missed. A little snip of a town near the wine center of
Montefalco, it still retains its medieval look with its mellow brown stone
gates, narrow streets, and beautiful piazza built in the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries. And lone-standing Roman columns give evidence to its ancient
history. Bevagna is known for its handcrafts and for centuries was an important tile- and cloth-making center. Today it continues the tradition of
rope- and basket-making, and prized workmanship in wrought iron. Every
year toward the end of June, Bevagna celebrates its most important festival:
the Mercatodelle delle Gaite (Market of Gaite). For a week the town becomes
a medieval marketplace. Its citizens wear period costumes and practice old
trades; the bakers make bread in open ovens; the basket makers create intricate containers from willow branches; the rope makers turn hemp into cords
and ropes; and the taverns serve food prepared from antique recipes.
Mary Ann Esposito
Ciao Italia in Umbria
P
erugia possesses the longest list of private specialties in Umbria, as one
might expect from a capital city so many-faceted and vivacious, and
so often in the forefront of history. The city retains many evidences of that
history—for instance, an arch whose base is made of enormous stone blocks
(Etruscan); above it a central portion of masonry (Roman); and surmounting
the whole a 15th-century cupola—2,000 years of history summed up in a
single monument. The remains of Perugia’s Etruscan fortifications demonstrate that it was one of the strongest of all Etruscan cities. From later periods
it has kept the narrow rioni (alleys) of medieval times, some magnificent
Renaissance palaces, and a famous fountain. Everywhere one comes suddenly and unexpectedly on open terraces affording far-ranging views, for the city
enjoys a most peculiar topography. Its center is constructed at a point where
several mountain ridges converge from different directions along which its
various quarters have flowed outward, separated from one another by deep
valleys. Perugia lies sprawled out over its mountains like a drunken amoeba.
Waverly Root
The Food of Italy
18
19
Bringing Home the Essence of Umbria, Italy
T
o mangle a familiar quotation from Tolstoy, all regions of Italy are different, but each is Italian in its own particular way. Suppose the Italian
regions were women (humor me here). Lombardia would be a glamorous but
unapproachable Milan model. I see Emiglia Romagna as a wealthy, slightly
dowdy widow. Umbria would be the wholesome, friendly girl next door. Unlike
the American girl next door where I live, however, this one is a terrific cook.
Orvieto
O
rvieto is one of the most striking, memorable, and enjoyable hill towns in
central Italy. Less than 90 minutes from Rome, Orvieto sits majestically
high above the valley floor atop a big chunk of “tufo” volcanic stone, overlooking cypress-dotted Umbrian plains. A visit here will reward you with a
delightful, perfectly preserved, and virtually traffic-free world highlighted by a
colorful-inside-and-out cathedral and some of Italy’s best wine. Orvieto has two distinct parts: the old-town hilltop and the dull new town below. All travelers start at the bottom, where train passengers disembark and
drivers can leave their cars for free. Visitors can then drive or take an elevator
or escalator to the medieval upper town. But my preferred mode is joining
the locals to climb the town’s natural fortress hill on the slick funicular, which
deposits riders about a 10-minute walk from the heart of town.
Orvieto’s cathedral gets my vote for Italy’s liveliest facade. This colorful,
prickly Gothic facade, divided by four pillars, has been compared to a medieval altarpiece—a gleaming mass of mosaics, stained glass, and sculpture. It’s
a circa 1330 class in world history, back when no one dared question “intelligent design.” Things start with Creation and end with the Last Judgment.
Of course, no visit to Orvieto is complete without trying its famous Classico
wine…As the volcanic soil is very rich in minerals, grape vines thrive here,
as they have since Etruscan times. In fact, the Bottais still keep bottles in the
same cellar where the Etruscans used to store their wines. Dug from “tufo”
stone, the cellar provides the perfect conditions for aging wine.
Rick Steeves
Ricksteeves.com
Despite being landlocked and somewhat of an economic backwater—or
perhaps because of these things—Umbria is quintessentially, almost primally
Italian. This is certainly true of its cuisine, which exemplifies the cardinal virtues of all Italian cooking: simplicity, tradition and respect for fresh, local ingredients. Any list of the products for which Umbria is famous would include
farro, a grain; prosciutti and other pork or wild boar products from the town
of Norcia; and the gloriously funky black truffle, not to be confused with the
equally glorious but even pricier white truffle of Northern Italy and France.
I encountered wholesome, soulful dishes that seemed, like the stark beauty of
the Umbrian landscape, to express an Italianness stripped of pretension and
reduced to its essence.
Tom Gilbert
National Public Radio
(May 1, 2013)
The Truffle
O
f all the foods Umbria produces, the most
noteworthy is the truffle. When Italian truffles
are specified, many persons think immediately of
white truffles since, as far as I know, they are found
nowhere except Italy. The white truffle is a specialty
of Piedmont. The Umbrian truffle is black, and the
tastiest I know. Spoleto exports large quantities of
truffles to France, a successful sending of coals to
Newcastle. Spoleto used to be the unrivaled truffle
center of Italy (the ancient Romans preferred Spoleto truffles to all others),
but now Umbria has two truffle cities, the other being Norcia, which has also
become renowned for its black truffles, and supports its reputation by holding
an annual truffle festival in November.
The Umbrian truffle has supplied a term to the Italian menu not always understood even by the professionals who deal with it—trifolati, which describes
dishes of diverse kinds, pasta, kidneys, mushrooms, and many others. It
indicates an effect so rich as to suggest truffles—tartufi in Italian, but trifole
in Umbrian. It is an unconscious tribute to the Umbrian truffle that its dialect
name is used to symbolize richness.
Waverly Root
The Food of Italy
20
21
Meat in Umbria
W
hat would the region of Umbria be without its porchetta, salsicce,
prosciutti, and salame locale? These are all pork products, and along
with creamy lentils and black truffles they are the major foods of Umbrian
cuisine. Pork (maiale) is a gastronomic symbol of the region, recognized
for its superior quality world-wide. Porchetta alla griglia (grilled pork), allo
spiedo (on the spit), and insaccati (cured pork products stuffed into natural
casings) are made in Umbria by experts called norcini, or pork butchers. The
tradition dates back to the seventeenth century in the rugged mountain town
of Norcia, located in the southeastern part of Umbria. Norcia is an ancient
Sabine settlement whose name means fortune, which seems appropriate for
one of Italy’s culinary capitals; anyone who enjoys the delicious pork from
here knows why.
A stop in Norcia is a must for anyone serious about Umbrian foods. The
minute you walk into a norcineria (pork butcher’s shop), the soothing smell
of naturally spiced, cured meats overtakes your senses. Cured pork includes some of my favorites, such as la coppa, which is cooked and air-dried
boneless pork from the neck area of the pig that is stuffed into a casing;
there are stacks of spicy and mild versions of salumi (cured meats), which
make great lunch fare or an antipasto, and there are the prosciutti, the local
salt and air-dried hams that dangle from the ceiling on long strings. There
are huge cooked sausages of finely ground pork called mortadella; blended
with spices, it is totally different from the famous mortadella of Bologna that
is studded with pistachio nuts or cubes of creamy white lard. You might be
tempted to call it baloney, but it bears no resemblance to that placid cold cut
from home. Forget cold cuts altogether. In Italy these are cured meats that
have received careful attention in their preparation, and only the finest pork
and seasonings are used; no artificial color or flavors ever come into contact
with salumi.
Mary Ann Esposito
Ciao Italia in Umbria
Umbrian Wines
T
here is no question that viticulture in Umbria has its roots in Etruria.
Workers tilling the soil in Torgiano today to prepare it for new grape cuttings are still unearthing the remains of Etruscan wine amphorae. A respect
for this rich past continues to prevail in contemporary wine making.
Wine is a profound part of the fabric of daily life and a vital part of every
meal, whether for the peasant, who makes his own for his family’s consumption, or the city dweller, who drives out to the countryside to buy it vendita
diretta, “direct from home cellar.” Wine is, in fact, nothing short of a sacred
drink.
Orvieto has been famous for its white wine since Etruscan and Roman times,
when its wines were transported as far north as Gaul and the Nordic countries. In modern times, the Lungarotti and Antinori cellars have become
almost household words to even the uninitiated wine drinker. The other
Umbrian wines have not been heard of outside the boarders of Italy—or of
Umbria, for that matter—doesn’t mean that the region has not produced
wines of distinction. The Sagrantino of Montefalco, for example, both secco
(dry) and passito (red wine made from partially dried, thus sweeter grapes),
was an exclusive wine drunk only by the noble families of Montefalco until
the 1940s. According to Umbrian culinary writer Rita Boini, the making of
Sagrantino passito was a rite that every important family of Montefalco knew
and followed but kept secret, partly due to local mandate and partly due to
tradition.
Wines of quality are produced throughout Umbria, but there are nine restricted DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) zones. They are Assisi, Colli
Altotiberini, Colli Amerini, Colli del Trasimeno, the zone of Torgiano, Colli
Perugini, the zone of Montefalco, Colli Martani, and the zone of Orvieto.
Julia Della Croce
Umbria: Regional Recipes
from the Heartland of Italy
22
23
Umbria Culinaria Hotel and Restaurants
Participants
Suzanne Mercorelli (Scotch Plains,
NJ)
Brufani Palace Hotel
Piazza Italia, 12, Perugia
075.573.2541
Civico 25
Via della Viola, 25, 06122 Perugia
075.571.6376
John Bondur (University Park, FL)
Osteria a Priori
Via del Priori, 39, Perugia
075.572.7098
Palazzo Seneca
Via Cesare Battisti, 12, Norcia
0743.817.434
James Cronin (Westerly, RI)
Ardis Ono (Hilo, HI)
Michele Cronin (Westerly, RI)
Rodney Ono (Hilo, HI)
Oleg Karanec (Sterling Heights, MI)
Jocelyn Ramella (Gloucester, MA)
La Pergola
Via dei Magoni, 9/B, Orvieto
0763.343.065
Ristorante Parco del Clitunno
Via Flaminia, 7, Campello sul
Clitunno
0743.275057
Roksolana Karanec (Sterling
Heights, MI)
Charles Schoendorf (Rowayton, CT)
Phillip Ledin (Winchester, MA)
Carol Stearns (Gloucester, MA)
Ristorante Umbria
Via San Bonaventura, 13, Todi
075.894.2737
Il Postale
Strada Montevile, 3, Perugia
075.572.4214
Perugia Restaurant Suggestions for Free Evenings
Pizzeria Mediterranea
Piazza Piccinino 11/12 Da Antonio
075.572.1322
Hosteria Wine Bartolo
Via Bartolo 30
075.571.6027
A new trattoria next to the central
fountain that pays a lot of attention to local ingredients including
Chianina beef and fish from Lake
Trasimeno. Closed Wednesday.
Altromondo
via Caporali 11
075.572.6157
A simple, rustic trattoria that is
a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
Closed Sunday.
La Lumera
Corso Bersaglieri 22
075.572.6181
A simple trattoria just outside the
city walls where the chef mixes local
traditions and ingredients with his
own Sicilian roots. Closed Monday.
Al Mangiar Bene
Via dela Luna 21
075.573.1047
The menu features pizza and dishes
made with local ingredients. The
restaurant is a 5-minute walk from
the hotel.
Antica Trattoria San Lorenzo
Piazza Danti 19A
075.572.1956
Near the main piazza.
24
Katherine Bondur (University Park,
FL)
Janet Morehouse (Winchester, MA)
Eileen Sporing (Gloucester, MA)
Anne Liebman (Cambridge, MA)
Adine Storer (Melrose, MA)
Ronald Maiorino (Chappaqua, NY)
Nancy Wheatley (Boston, MA)
Martin Mercorelli (Scotch Plains, NJ)
Hosts
Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways (Boston, MA)
Abby Sloane, Program and Financial Assistant Manager,
Oldways (Boston, MA)
Mallory Cushman, Whole Grains Stamp Program Manager,
Oldways (Boston, MA)
Elizabeth Minchilli, Journalist and Author (Rome and Todi, Italy)
Jennifer McIlvaine, Chef, Life Italian Style (Cannara, Italy)
Guides
Alessandra Malozzi (Norcia)
Irene Maturi (Assisi and Perugia)
Elisa Pichiotti (Todi)
David Tordi, Tour Guide (Orvieto)
25
Acknowledgements
Oldways is very thankful to Elizabeth Minchilli for curating the week’s Culinaria
Program. Elizabeth has been a special, long-time friend of Oldways and participant in
many of our Symposiums for journalists. Elizabeth’s love and knowledge of Umbria
come naturally—she and her family have lived in Todi for many years.
We are also grateful to Elizabeth for introducing us to Jennifer McIlvaine, an American
chef living in Umbria. Jennifer has been a fountain of information, and a pleasure
to travel around Umbria with, helping us discover some special places in her new
homeland.
During our journey in Umbria, we will meet many others who have contributed and
helped in so many different ways.
Special thanks go to:
•Rita Balli and her family at Zafferano
e Dintorni
• Cioccolateria Vetusta Nursia in Norcia
• Granarium in Cantolupo
• Winery of Scacciadiavoli
• Fattoria Angelucci
• Bevagna artisans
•Wine expert Federico Bibi, Terre
Margaritelli in Torgiano
•Tenuta di San Pietro a Pettine in Trevi
•Grazie in Deruta
• Anna Sberna and her family in Deruta
If
Italy were a dartboard, the city of Perugia
would most likely be its bull’s-eye. Equidis­tant
from Florence and Rome in the bucolic, central Italian region of Umbria, Perugia is an enchanting
hilltop city with a compact historic center that is a
rambling maze of medieval streets.
Many thanks to our guides in Umbria for bringing to life the history and traditions
of these beautiful towns: David Tordi in Orvieto; Elisa Pichiotti in Todi; Alessandra
Malozzi in Norcia; and Irene Maturi in Assisi and Perugia.
Many thanks to our friends at the Brufani Palace Hotel—especially Chiara Ziarelli,
Assistant Manager, and Barbara Bulletti, Groups Manager. The Brufani has been very
welcoming and kind as we’ve planned this event, and Chiara has been especially
helpful.
We will enjoy a number of wonderful meals during our week in Umbria. Many thanks to
all of the chefs and restaurants for adding to our knowledge of Umbrian cuisine, with
delicious meals and the important connections of food to place.
•The Collins Restaurant at the
Brufani Palace
•Osteria a Priori in Perugia
•La Pergola in Orvieto
•Ristorante Umbria in Todi
•Civico 25 in Perugia
•Palazzo Seneca in Norcia
•Ristorante Parco del Clitunno in
Campello sul Clitunno
•Il Postale in Perugia
Finally, and wholeheartedly, many thanks to everyone at Oldways, and especially to
Joan Kelley, Oldways’ graphic designer, who has once again made everything look
so beautiful; Birthe Creutz who is always a help with the finances and budget (and
now along with Abby); and Mallory Cushman, Program Manager for the Whole Grains
Council/Oldways who always pitches in with great fun and enthusiasm. Also, special
thanks to Abby Sloane, Assistant Program and Financial Manager,
for her great enthusiasm and excitement about the program and
Oldways, and for being such a solid point of contact for all of us.
Sara Baer-Sinnott
President, Oldways
March 2014
CREDITS: As a nonprofit educational organization, Oldways expresses
sincere appreciation to the sources of selections that appear in this Program
Book. These works make valuable contributions to this educational program, and to our understanding of Umbria and the foods and wines, and art
that make it so special.
26
Perugia
H
Ingrid Williams
New York Times
September 22, 2011
Deruta
istory is an integral part of the Deruta experience. Those familiar with Italian ceramics will
have already heard of Deruta. Deruta stands
out, since unlike other centers of this age-old craft, it
has been producing majolica of high quality for over
six centuries without interruption, and continues to
do so today. It is this continuous and ever-developing history that informs the majolica from Deruta
and distinguishes it from other cities. It is this sense
of history that is acquired when we bring a piece of
Deruta ceramics into our homes today.
Elizabeth Minchilli
Deruta
Organized by
266 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02116, USA
Tel: 617-421-5500 • Fax: 617-421-5511
oldways@oldwayspt.org
© 2014 Oldways Preservation Trust