I have just returned again from my ‘pied a terre’ in the mountains of Abruzzo, just about an hour away from Rome.  Still emotionally drunk with all the food, wine and beauty this little spot (well not really so little) has to offer. I know most get to travel only the well known places in Tuscany or Rome or Venice..not that there is anything wrong with that. But you are missing a true experience, an old world experience..

Abruzzo is considered the ‘greenest region of Europe’ for its’ natural beauty. The beauty of Abruzzo, is that we have mountains (Appenines) on one side and the Adriatic sea on the other, and lush parks in between. It is a place where the mountains co-exist harmoniously wiht the sea. The beach stretches for 130 kilometers (approx 80 miles) with the sea cliff serving as a continuous backdrop.

For many years famous writers have used the words ‘forte e gentile’  (strong and gentle)  to describe this beautiful region.

Some streets are still  filled with cobblestone. My favorite towns are Tagliacozzo, Avezzano, Pescara, and L’Aquila. I am in close proximity to them all  and although each of these towns do hold some sentimentality for me, they also hold some great culinary experiences, too many to include all at once. So let’s start with some delights in and around Pescara.

In the US, the San Marzano tomatoes are considered ‘king’ but if you are a food insider in Italy and a true”Abruzzese” you know about the tomatoes from Francavilla-right near the biggest city in Abruzzo-Pescara.  They are even more delicious than the San Marzano and in August they are sold everywhere in Abruzzo.  Everyone jars them  for sauce ( ‘sugo’) all year around. They just don’t have the publicity surrounding them that the San Marzano  do and they are difficult to find outside certain parts of Italy but a true treat to behold. The ‘pomodoro of Francavilla’ are   deformed in shape and not perfectly round or oval-but they are a  gourmet delight. A pound of these tomatoes with some  olive oil (see below), fresh basil, 2 cloves of garlic, slice of onion  makes a   tasty ‘sugo’ to top penne or spaghetti.

Near Pescara is my favorite little town to buy olive oil-Loreto Aprutino. A beautiful little town that was once owned by the family of St Thomas Aquinas.  The drive up the hill to Loreto-Aprutino is a sight to behold. The landscape  covered  with olive trees  and dotted with  little churches  that are filled with thousand year old frescoes. Here you can find olive oil made from olives picked by hand, another taste like no other, an old world treat.

Then you will need some wine to go with that meal and in the same vicinity  you will find Pasetti vineyards and a superb Montepulciano D’Abruzzo to go with that pasta. Dessert is next with a trip to the locals’ favorite gelato bar in Pescara. Although the tourists opt for the glitzy, ornate gelato bars in center of town,you will find the locals standing out the door at the little Bar Bologna for their artisan produced gelato.

 Going to the beach and being near the sea always makes me hungry. But that is no problem here with plenty of ways to satisfy your hunger..in fact ,too many ways.

Here is a traditional recipe from Pescara..you will also find it in my best selling book The Basic Art of  Italian Cooking.  A desert made with a type of sponge cake, almonds and dark chocolate called Parozzo.

Parozzo (serves 4)

1/3 cup melted dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon of  almonds

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup potato starch

10 toasted almonds (for decoration)

3 eggs

Grind almonds with 1 tblsp sugar.  beat egg yolks with remaining sugar. Add in ground almonds, then flour and then potato starch. Add in melted butter.

Whip egg whites till peaks form and fold into flour mixture. Place in a round cake pan and bake in a preheated oven for 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, take out of pan and cover with melted chocolate and decorate with 10 toasted almonds. Let chocolate harden before eating.

If you would like to get to Pescara, the easiest way to get there is by train from Rome at Termini Station. There are buses that go to many points as well ,the bus system in Abruzzo is known as ARPA. Or if you want to drive for a true Italian adventure, from Rome take the A24 going North and then the A25 going East follow indications for Pescara.

Next we will take a trip to the mountains, which makes me hungry as well, but there will be plenty of culinary delights  to find along the way to take care of that.

Ciao for now.

Maria

For more recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

  

While enjoying pranzo on our beachfront flat here in the seaside resort of Pescara-we also enjoyed a bottle of Barolo. My souvenir today is the undescribable beauty of the colors near the Adratic Sea, the summer sun and the sea breeze along with a bottle of Barolo.

  From the province of Cuneo in Italy’s Piedmont region comes what is sometimes called “The wine of kings and the king of wines.” Barolo, named after a tiny town in the middle of the growing zone, is a thick, red wine and is one of the most collected wines in Italy.

Rarely can famous wines be traced back to their exact origins because many have been produced for centuries. In the grand scheme of things, Barolo is a fairly new wine.  Though it was present during the Middle Ages and was enjoyed by Louis XIV, its era of greatness dates back to merely the 1800s, when the Marchesa Giulietta Colbert Falletti decided to start making wine from Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo is produced primarily from these grapes.

These days, only about 3,000 acres of Nebbiolo are being cultivated in the region, which means that Barolo, though in high demand, is in short supply For the perfect Barolo, a certain type of soil is necessary. Oddly, the hills of the growing zone are split between two types of soil, which result in mild variations in flavor.The “left hills” produce a fruitier, longer lasting wine, whereas the “right hills” wine has a more composed taste that should be enjoyed more quickly.

The scent of Barolo is said to be reminiscent of cherry blossoms and the color is a light ruby red that becomes somewhat orangey with age. Age is very important when it comes to Barolo and DOCG regulations state that the wine must be aged at least three years before it can be sold.  To become a coveted Barolo Riserva, a bottle of this wine must age at least 5 years. These are just the stated minimums, though, as Barolo is often enjoyed when aged over 10 years.

This wine is at its best when paired with a meal. Be sure, though, to let it aerate before serving.

For more great recipes and tips get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com