A taste of Abruzzo

To make life easier for all the foodies and travellers that come over to Abruzzo, here is a list of all the food and drinks that you need to try (you must try at least 5 of them to receive the true abruzzese experience). The abruzzesi are known to be very "forti e gentili" (strong and kind), characteristcs that shine through even the food. Even the food has passion!

• Arrosticini (form of lamb kebab that you can find in the mountan area) you're not an Abruzzese if you have never eaten one before;
• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (a deep red wine produced only in Abruzzo and sold all over the world, it has won many awards for its quality);
• Pecorino d'Abruzzo (a delicious white wine made from a different kind of grape that grows only in Abruzzo), there are many different variacions in taste depending on preferences;
• Pecorino di Rigopiano (a special goat cheese that is made in a little mountain village);
• Pasta alla Chitarra con il ragù d'Agnello (a dish made typically from the dear grndmothers of the house, with home-made fresh pasta, cut with the "chitarra", an implement that has the shape of guitar strings, cooked with red sauce and lamb);
• Pizzelle (a strange sort of waffle, made with a special traditional implement that get passed on throug generations and lots of love), the tradition is to go in the afternoon at Nonna's house and eat them as a snack before starting homework;
• Bocconotti (a sweet sort of biscuit with a choccolate and jam filling, covered with caster sugar), the recipe is the biggest secret of the area and to eat them you must go to specific shops that specialize in Bocconotti;
• Pallotte Cacio e ov' (or meatballs without meat...) the two main ingredents are cheese and eggs, served in a dish with tomato passata and eaten with bread;
• Porchetta (a sandwich made with a peace of a whole wild bore that has been cured for 24 hours and then slow cooked) you may only find it in the mountains or on a truck from someone that sells it speccifically during market days (wedsnesday and saturday);
• Zafferano (a spice that is produced in the areas of the Gran Sasso mountain that has a very different kind of taste, known all over the world);
• Sise delle Monache di Guardiagrele, or "the tits of the nuns" (a sweet produced in memory of the people that would smuggle food, people or anything that could be of use through the settlements in the second world war in their "third breast");
• Caciocavallo (another very special cheese produced in the mountains);
• Tartufo, "truffle", Abruzzo is known for its white truffle, that is the most expensive in the world;
• Aurum di Pescara (that means "gold" in latin), is a very different liquer that has a taste of orange in it, used a lot for puddings;
• Confetti di Sulmona (sugared almonds with different fillings) are originally from Sulmona, and carried out throgh the whole world;
• Parrozzo di Pescara (a dessert made with a almond and cornflour sponge, covered with choccolate) typicall for Christmas, "Natale", also know as Gabriele D'Annunzio's sweet;
• Ventricina di Guilmi (a spicy salame that is very good on pizza, the famous Diavola, "devil"), it has even been recognised by the Queen of England and received the second place for its great taste and quality;
• Pupe e Cavalli di Pasqua (a sponge cake covered in choccolate) it's a typicall cake that is giiven as a present during Easter, the Pupe (dolls) for the girls, and the Cavalli (horses) for the boys.

These are a few of the delicious things that you can find in Abruzzo, but of course you cannot go in Abruzzo, eat a savoury dish and not do "La Scarpetta" (the little shoe), in which you fiish the sauce on the plate at the end of the meal with a peace of home-made bread. After you have tryed these things you can say that you had the true Abruzzese experience!

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