Shady forests, still lakes, green pastures, golden fields – nature is at its most divine in Umbria, where the people always have had a special, almost mystical relationship with the land.  Even the area’s larger towns and cities – Spoleto, Perugia, Orvieto, Assisi, Gubbio – seems to exist in gentle harmony with the magical landscape that surrounds them. The hospitality of Umbria’s inhabitants and its natural beauty landscape make this region, in the center of Italy, an ideal destination for nature lovers, food lovers, or anyone who wants to experience the country at its most enchanting.

Like the landscape, the cuisine of Umbria changes with the seasons and is best described as “down-to-earth.” The cooking is refined, but never fancy, based on ingredients that have been flavored by a centuries-long tradition of excellent, light olive oils, almost as green as the countryside. The pork-butcher’s shop plays a pivotal role, offering gourmets from all over the world an almost unlimited selection of sausage products, both bulk and link-style, the fruit of an art handed down from generation to generation. Wild boar meat also is available, as this animal is still hunted in the local mountains. It is often served with black Norcia truffles, another proud mainstay of the local cuisine. If sweets are what you crave, the city of Perugia is synonymous with chocolate, producing some of the finest in the world.

Specialty Foods of Umbria

The prized black Norcia truffle is gathered from bases of oak, holm oak and walnut trees in the hills and mountains around Norcia and Spoleto.  Covered by a black skin with small wart-like bumps, the truffle has a purple-black flesh with distinctive white veins and a delicate scent.  Unlike white truffles, which can only be eaten raw, black truffles can be heated (but never boiled) and added to sauces, pasta and pies without losing their delectable flavor. 

Cultivated since time immemorial in this part of Italy, legumes deserve almost an entire page to themselves. A good example is the wonderful lenticchie di Castelluccio, lentils of Castelluccio, which are the most sought-after in Italy and in recent years have become famous well beyond the borders of the country.  Small and green, they contain a large amount of protein and mineral salts, and are so tender that they require no soaking. A visitor to Umbria might encounter them among the ingredients of flavorful meat stews that feature anything from rabbit to game to sausage.

Bread is an indispensable component of the Umbrian culinary tradition, and is available in all sorts of sizes and descriptions. We urge visitors to try the pan nociato, a specialty made with pecorino cheese, walnuts and pine nuts, and the local torta al testo con i ciccioli, a typical focaccia bread baked on a stone disk and stuffed with the little pieces of pork obtained when melting the fat to make lard.  It’s one of the tastiest, most intriguing delicacies found in this simple, wholesome corner of the world.

Food Festivals of Umbria

Torcolo Festival
Perugia (January)
This spiral shaped dessert is offered during celebrations of the town’s patron saint, Saint Constance.

Red Potato Festival
Colfiorito (August)
The red potato is the most famous product from the Colfiorito area.

Eurochocolate
Perugia (usually mid-to-late October)
This yearly festival in Italy’s chocolate capital draws tens of thousands of chocolate lovers from around the world, who come to experience tastings, exhibits, readings and plays that celebrate “the food of the gods.”  For more info: www.eurochocolate.perugia.it.

Black Celery Festival
Trevi (end of October)
The Trevi Black Celery, which is only available at the end of October, was given its name because it becomes very woody and dark if left to grow.  However, if it is harvested at the start of October, after 15 days it becomes white and strongly flavored with a tender heart.