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LE
MARCHE region offers the visitor such a feast of culinary
delights it really is difficult to know where to start.
Food and wine is almost a religion in Marche, as well
as it is in Italy. And to enjoy the vast range of
traditional flavours on offer you are advised to take
your time and do the job thoroughly.....Aaaaah.
Eating
out means encountering a wonderful variety of Italian
dishes, usually divided into three courses (antipasti,
primo piatto and secondo piatto) followed by dessert,
coffee and the choice of a mind-boggling array of
³digestive² (and usually very potent) liqueurs.
If done properly the whole thing can easily last two
or three hours!
You
will probably notice different names for restaurants
apart from ristorante, such as osteria, trattoria,
agriturismo and pizzeria, but rest assured that all
serve up a range of great Italian flavours to savour.
Pizzerias generally open only in the evening because
they use large wood ovens, but pizza can be bought
by the slice from take-aways at
lunchtime as well.
Seafood
is excellent along the Adriatic coast, while in the
upland areas traditional cooking of local organic
produce (especially lamb and suckling pig) is very
much to the fore.
Local
sheep cheeses produced predominantly in mountain areas
include casciotta and pecorino. Wild boar is also
often found on the menu in local restaurants and the
tasty local salami is called ciaùscolo.
Highly
prized white and black truffles are found in several
areas of Marche and form an important part of many
Italian dishes, while stuffed olives (olive all¹ascolana)
originate from the Ascoli Piceno area.
Lentils
are grown on the huge expanse of the Piano Grande
in the heart of the Appenines and are a staple part
of the diet in that area, typically eaten with zamponi
(stuffed pig¹s trotters).
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