Marche and truffles: where to eat it and when to go. Perfect roads for motorbikes, itineraries rich in history, traditions and unique flavors such as truffles.
Ad Loving it, in the province of Fermo, and especially in the province of Pesaro Urbino, Between acqualagna e Sant'Angelo in Vado, Pergola e Apecchio, the "diamonds of the table" have always existed, and October and November are really the right months to savor them, also thanks to the various truffle fairs, organized precisely in this period, which represent the most famous dedicated gatherings in the world.
1Sant'Angelo in Vado
Also Sant'Angelo in Vado, an enchanting medieval village located along the upper valley of the Metauro river, every year “celebrates” the truffle with the National Exhibition of the Precious White Truffle of Marche of Sant'Angelo in Vado, this year in its 57th edition between October and November. Between one truffle tasting and the other, you can walk through the alleys of the ancient village: rich in beautiful monuments from various eras, from the fourteenth-century Palazzo della Ragione dominated by the coeval Torre Civica ('el Campanon') to the eighteenth-century Cathedral, from the ancient palaces Santinelli, Grifoni, Clavari and Mercuri to the seventeenth-century Palazzo Fagnani, not to be missed is the Domus of the myth, the most important archaeological find to come to light in the last 50 years. Erected towards the end of the 1.000st century AD, it is about XNUMX square meters wide and embellished with a rich complex of mosaics; moreover, in the largest room of the Domus, the mosaics depict the portrait of a male figure who holds the truffle in his hand: this explains why Sant'Angelo in Vado is called "The land blessed by the Gods". For those wishing to add a stop at the table here in San'Angelo in Vado, the advice is to taste a famous traditional Marche dish, seasoned with truffles, of course: i passatelli.
2acqualagna
acqualagna it is home to the collection of 2/3 of the entire national production of the precious mushroom, and it is even a national law that establishes that the best white truffles in Italy are found here and in Alba. It is therefore no coincidence that, every year, the National White Truffle Fair of Acqualagna, the most important appointment in the center Italy dedicated to the prized white truffle, for 2020 scheduled for 25 and 31 October and 1,7,8,14, 15, XNUMX, XNUMX and XNUMX November. Known since the times of the Greeks and Romans, who attributed a sacred and divine origin to it, the history of the truffle is really interesting, and the Truffle Museum, which is located right in the town, is worth a visit to discover it. So loved and celebrated everywhere, the Acqualagna truffle is also the protagonist of many funny anecdotes involving important characters of our history. For Gioacchino Rossini, for example, it was the trigger of a real war, the so-called Macaroni War with Alexandre Dumas father who, invited to dinner by the composer to taste the real recipe of Neapolitan macaroni, found himself in front of a dish based on truffles, the Macaroni alla Rossini, precisely. Deceived, he refused to taste it, unleashing Rossini's disappointment. Strolling through the streets of Acqualagna, therefore, you will not be able to give up a gastronomic stop to taste this fabulous dish.
3Gorges of the Furlo
Acqualagna is not only the renowned homeland of the truffle, but is also part of the Gola del Furlo State Nature Reserve, a territory of great naturalistic, archaeological and geological beauty. Located along the ancient Via Flaminia, at the point where the Burano flows into the Candigliano, Acqualagna is located south-west of the Gorge of the Furlo - the wonderful canyon created by the incessant flow of the water of the Candigliano river, an area to be discovered on foot thanks to the numerous paths and trekking that cross it, such as the walk that develops right along the watercourse, a wonderful clear mirror it is green. In addition to the naturalistic beauties, among the historical sites not to be missed is the Church of San Vincenzo al Furlo, what remains of an ancient Abbey of the eighth century in which San Romualdo (1011) and San Pier Damiani (1042) lived. Frescoes from the Marche school are still visible on the walls of the church; in addition, the position adjacent to one of the most suggestive passivated Apennines makes the abbey a truly suggestive destination also for the magnificent landscape that surrounds it.
4Pergola
Remaining in the province of Pesaro Urbino, also Pergola, located along the upper valley of the Cesano river on a large terrace at the confluence with the Cinisco, is very famous for its truffles. Although this year there will be no festival dedicated to the prized white truffle, a stop in this village, considered one of the most beautiful in Italy, is almost a must. There will certainly be opportunities to taste and buy truffles, and you can also visit this wonderful town, known as the city of a hundred churches, all rich in precious works of art that testify to the important economic, political and religious role played. over the centuries. In Pergola they are then kept at the Museum of the Gilded Bronzes the famous Gilded Bronzes from Cartoceto, the only bronze-gilded group in existence that has come down to us from the Roman Age. It is a sculptural group that has no equal in the world, and that is really worth observing at least once in a lifetime.
5Loving it
The last stage of this itinerario in the name of truffles is Loving it, in the province of Fermo. Immersed in a breathtaking natural setting, between the banks of the Tenna river and the woods, in the heart of Sibillini Mountains Park, Amandola is one of the most important historical and cultural centers of the Sibillini Mountains. After a walk through the ancient alleys, between Piazza Risorgimento, the heart of the historic center, and the sanctuary of Blessed Antonio, not to be missed is Piazza Umberto I (also known as Piazza Alta) which houses a beautiful 360 ° viewpoint overlooking the National Park. Here you can also visit the fifteenth century Tower of the Podestà and the historic theater The Phoenix, inside which are preserved decorations with medallions and cherubs in the neoclassical style. Finally, let's not forget the truffle: the main product of this area is precisely the Tuber Magnatum, or the Precious White Truffle of the Sibillini.
6Wine
With truffles you cannot miss the combination with a good wine: the province of Pesaro Urbino, for example, is also the land of Pergola Doc, in its three types of Rosso, Novello and Passito, with a full and well balanced flavor, as well as del Pesaresi Hills in its dominant variant of red Sangiovese, with a more or less intense ruby color and a dry and harmonious flavor. Excellent accompaniments to better enjoy the fabulous food of the gods.
* Ph. courtesy of the Marche Region
FOLD EAT TRAVEL
