(foto by Fabio Mascio on unsplash)
Despite it being on the cost, Abruzzo isn’t really a seaside region. It is a necessary background though, the sweet-scented Adriatic. Walk a few hundred meters away and there begins Abruzzo proper. Strong, gentle and stocky. Beautiful but not the beauty of, say, the Alps – that can take your breath away without even trying. Abruzzo’s beauty is not for everyone. Every corner is not a picture-postcard as certain more famous places in Tuscany or the lakes in the North. It’s not snobby, not chic. Let’s say that if Saint Tropez or Portofino are for you, you probably will not find your earthly heaven here.
Its beauty instead offers you the best of itself freely. It will let you into its forests, rivers, mountains of pure rock, even its wooden fishing huts, ‘trabocchi’, which seem almost like expressions of fatalism on this coast of west Europe’s greenest region. Strong and gentle, that’s Abruzzo. It’ll touch something solid inside, if you are willing to let it.
As will many of its people, (although things are changing there as well. The bi-forcation of resources: socialism for the wealthy, a sort of corporate fascism for the rest of us. Our brave new world…) The men in these parts after a certain age begin to resemble the territory from which they came, even when they emigrate. Their faces take on more and more the appearance of the shapes of the rocks and mountains, their bodies often become a bit like the trunks of trees, low but broad and strong. They grow old well. Women often posses more or less an infinite supply of physical energy and are loaded with practical intelligence, kind of like Madonna. Which is to be expected. They worked hard here, nothing came for free. And they still work, when they can find work. You need hearty food for all that hard labor.
In this episode we continue our trip heading south and visiting the eastern central region of Abruzzo. Abruzzo is situated due east of Rome and stretches from the Apennine mountains (including Gran Sasso) to the Adriatic Sea. This givse Abruzzo the benefit of mountains as well as seafood along its coast.
Abruzzo contains mountin ski resorts like Campo Imperatore as well as towns such as l'Aquila that date back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Along the Adriatic you will find the coastal port city of Pescara.
While not a widely know region for culinary items, Abruzzo has made its contributions to cuisine of Italy and is well known for its high quality Saffron of l'Aquila, Colline Termane Olive Oil, Liquorice of Atri and Honey. They are also known for Truffles, Lamb and Rosemary. And of course, arrosticini (lamb skewers rosted on wood charcoal.)
Check out this video on the honey of Abruzzo.
Abruzzo is also known for their Salumi like Mortadella di Campotosto, their Spaghetti alla Chitarra and Torrone. To make Spaghetti alla Chitarra you use a Pasta Chitarra (Guitar).
Enjoy!
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