The Apennine. From Gubbio
to Nocera Umbra
Going towards north-east, one meets the mounts separating
Umbria and Marche. All the area of the Apennine located
between the mount Catria and the mount Pennino has its main
axis in the valley that from Gubbio goes down towards Gualdo
Tadino and then, through landscapes a little bit narrower,
towards Nocera Umbra.
Here, as in other areas of Umbria, the pork is the boss,
with its fresh meat just cut – are above all excellent
the “puntarelle” over the embers or the roasted
liver kebab with leaves of laurel – as for the very
flavoured salami. One of the remembrances that was regulating
the farming life was the killing of the pork, annual rite
in which all the family was participating and upon which
was depending an important part of the feeding during the
winter. With the cutting and then the salt, the launch of
the maturation, the capable hands of the butcher were manipulating
and are still manipulating with great mastery the meats
and all related elements (salami...). Were and are still
made sausages, partly eaten fresh and partly dried, hams,
shoulders and “capocollo”. These last ones are
served on the morning of Easter for breakfast, together
with the cheese cake and the hard-boiled eggs to celebrate
the spring.
In this area, the delicate and flavoured white truffle is
part of the house, together with the “poorer”
vegetables that, thanks to the adapted fields, are particularly
flavoured.
The chickpeas are excellent with the homemade pasta, preferably
the “quadrucci”, the broad beans, very flavoured
unique farm dish, the vetches, considered for a long time
as the vegetable of the poor and nowadays discovered again
above all thanks to the biologic agriculture. Some many
are the productions of honey, of various quality, colours
and aromas to taste with the pecorino cheeses and nuts produced
on the slopes of the mounts of this part of the Apennine.
To profit from the unique atmosphere of this part of Umbria
we advice you a long stay at the country house TORRE
DI CORDAGLIE between Gualdo Tadino and Nocera Umbra.
)