Umbria

Today, marks one of the last days at the Castello di Ugento. We studied the Region of Umbria, which so happens to also be the most central region of Italy as well.

The first people to set foot in this region were called the Umbri, which sadly we do not know much about, due to the Etruscans taking over the region. Like the Etruscans in Tuscany, their love for food in Umbria is above everything, as their cuisine takes flavor into mind. Since they are a central area, however, they do not use fish a lot, only fresh water species, such as trout or catfish. However, the region is known for it's Norcio, or the makers of Salumi in Norcia. In this area of Umbria, we can see the rise of Salumi, and the makers of such, as they were able to raise pigs in this area semi-wild, keeping the meat flavorful.

Within this region, we also see the cultivation of Black truffles. These beautiful little fungi are found at the base of certain trees, and can only be found with the help of pigs, which so happen to also be the pigs farmed in Umbria. With these truffles, you can make a beautiful sauce, mix them into butter, or eat them as is, as they are perfect for cooking, unlike their white counterparts, which are better sliced over pasta.

As well as finding truffles in this area, they make a certain wine, called Vin Santo Affumicato dell'alta valle del Tevere, which is a sweet wine, in which the grapes are dried in a certain room, and are exposed to a level of smoke, which gives a hint of smokiness to the wine. This was possibly developed early on, as the Italians were drying out and smoking their tobacco in the same room.