Umbria, Italy’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret, Is Budding

I truly loved this article and for a moment felt transported from this dystopia I find myself in now. I must make a panzanella salad this week to add weight to my daydreams of Umbria.

Does anyone know whether Prosciutto de Norcia is available for purchase in the U.S.? From a Web search it doesn't appear to be. And even the venerable culinary emporium, Eataly, doesn't stock it. If it's unavailable, would this be due to USDA food regulations?

As a part-time resident of Umbria, I was proud to read the Times article. While only a few towns suffered major damage, the economic impact of the recent earthquake has spread throughout the state, many of my friends depend on tourism for their livelihood, and they report significant cancellations and a drop in new bookings. Also, the "And what to drink" section failed to mention Umbria's wonderful wine producing region around Montefalco, where the Sagrantino grape produces a bold red that holds it's own with Tuscany's royalty reds, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Chianti? An Umbrian would be appalled!

What a great article. It so happens that I was at the Norcineria Viola at Campo di Fiori in Rome last week. For a charcuterie lover like me, this place is heaven on earth. The variety and quality of their produce is incredible. I spent almost an hour 'sampling' the different varieties, and came back to London with the most amazing selection. The salami tartufatto (with truffles) and the Acquilino (from the prior earhtquake hit area of L'Acquila, a normal salami according to gentleman behind the counter) where the finest I ever had. Also worth trying it is their Barolo Salami from the Piedmont region. It is a shame that those are rarely available outside of Italy at they take charcuterie to completely different dimension. Then again the fact that their produce is artisanal, they focus on quality not quantity, hence the almost lack of worldwide spread availability. The textures, aromas , the flavours are second to none. And the ham that you mentioned, your description couldn't have been better , closer to a good Iberico than a Parma San Daniele, sensational. They do deliver abroad and believe me , I will be back for more.

My mother and I took the hour-ish train ride from Rome to Spoleto, rented a car and spent a week exploring this beautiful area in fall 2013. Our home base was the organic stone farm agriturismo Localita al Piano, whose American-Italian owners grow heritage fruits, make goats milk cheese, and lead forest foraging walks. We made day trips to Norcia - quiet and small, with memorable wild boar's heads - the source of the famous salumi - decorating storefronts; to beautiful, historic Assisi, brimming with excitement as it prepared to host the new Pope, who had chosen their namesake saint's name as his own; to tiny Spello, another quintessential hilltop village like so many in the valley; and many trips into Spoleto, a large hilltop city, home of the famous music festival and to Roman ruins, gorgeous vistas, the rebuilt acquaduct, the duomo ... a living town, not glamorous, a little worn down, but wearing every one of its hundreds of years of history one on top of the other. And, unlike Rome and Florence at that time of year (September), none of these places were remotely overwhelmed with tourists, though Assisi is certainly more tourist destination than *normal* town.

I want to know how to make the gnocchi in the photo!

Three thoughts on Umbria article: 1. In addition to rebuilding from late 20th century earthquakes, Norcia was spared because, after a devastating 18th century quake, the Pope, who then ruled Norcia, forbade any building more than 2 stories high. 2. Chicken is not a favored dish, at least in central Umbria, with which I am familiar. Pork, Cinghale (wild boar) and lamb are favorites. Beef less so and chicken even less. 3. Eric Asimov should know better than to push Chianti with Umbrian cuisine. The finest red wines in Umbria, available on a limited basis in the US, are Sagrantino and Montefalco Rosso, both from the Montefalco area. There are also whites, called Grechetto, that I prefer to Orvieto, but I don't think they're available in the US.

30 years ago I followed an itinerary in Travel + Leisure magazine on Europe's Most Romantic Roads and had one of the most amazing trips ever. We stayed in Orvieto, Todi, Assissi and Perugia with stops to most of the towns mentioned in this great article [kudos Julia Moskin] and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Of course we had no money but the dollar was double to the lira so we 'lived large'. I have been fortunate to return but it has never quite lived up to that first experience. We are always recommending Umbria to our friends who are stuck on Tuscany. Well done!!

Wonderful article describing an intriguing region. Bevagna, while a very cool walled town, is not a hill town.

Now that this secret is revealed you can take the train to Macerata and savor the absolute best cooking in Italy. There is a restaurant in San Ginesio that make an herb-smothered cotoletto di porco worthy of Savonarola! And a little down the road is Polenta, which is the birthplace of you-know-what.

I wish the culinary elite would give more attention to the many interesting varieties of beans and lentils that exist in the world. Americans have for so long ignored beans and have some of the lowest bean consumption rates in the world, which is too bad given how healthy, nutrient-rich, cheap and delicious they are and how sustainable they are to grown, compared to animal products. In this era of concern about climate change and pollution, chefs and food writers should be making it a priority to promote the types of food that are the least hard on the climate and planet like beans and lentils. Thank you Julia Moskin for including mention of the legume family in this article and let's hope we see more articles from her and the NYT's other food writers in the future that give more coverage to legumes than to salumi and other animal products.

I was struck by the size of the flies in Norcia. Very happy and well fed on hanging salami.

Our favorite restaurant in all of Italy was Da Nina in Bevagna, now closed (sigh). The Paolo Bea sagratino from Montefalco is my favorite wine. Perugia is my favorite city. Reading Ms. Moskin's article made me cry.

Great article. I have been to Umbria and had a great time. We were hosted by our friend Filippo Antonelli. For the wine selection, as a rule you should drink the local wine. I don't understand why would you drink wine from Tuscany or France when you have the best Sagrantino wine which is produced in Umbria. Thank you.

A wonderful article that makes me long to visit Italy, and Umbria, again! We were fortunate enough to take a class with Letizia Mattiacci in her lovely home in the hills above Assisi last summer. The simple yet truly delicious meal was cooked in her home kitchen by 10 of us and served on her outdoor porch overlooking the town of Assisi and the surrounding area, drinking wine and celebrating new friendships. We re-create that meal frequently at home and remember the experience fondly.

We had the great pleasure of discovering Norcia two years ago and fell utterly in love. The medieval town is beautiful all day but spectacular at night. The evening mass in the ancient Benedictine church is entirely in silence except for the Gregorian chants of the monks and it is as spiritual as a Buddhist service in Laos. It will deeply move the most ardent atheist.

The food is different from the other areas of Italy and oh so delicious and do try the local wines... you will unfortunately not find them in the US.

Could someone please direct me to a recipe for the fundamental Umbrian pasta sauce seen in slide eight.

Was in Spoleto in 2010 during the truffle festival. Best food ever.

Brava Julia Moskin (Grazie NYT!) I have been bringing groups to this beautiful area of Italy since 1998…All comment what a wonderful region it truly is!
Thank you for recognizing Umbria as a needed travel destination in Italy.

In Spoleto go to TricTrac - the best fried bread and risotto of zuchini and basil I have ever tasted. The wine list has a lot of Barolos.

Many years ago (long before it became an artists' colony) my family had the joy of making summer visits to Civitella Ranieri. It is delightful to read that Ms. Ciubini carries on the castle's tradition of preparing such lovely meals for visitors. My first (and fondest) memory of making fresh pasta comes from watching Rosa (I think that was her name) laying out an ancient door for mixing, rolling, cutting and drying the noodles. And, of course, she hung her home-cured hams in the depths of the castle for aging. Our amazing hostess, Ursula Corning, said that we were always welcome because Rosa was only happy when the dining table was filled with guests - truly the Umbrian spirit!
When not enjoying Civitella's hospitality, we spent the days exploring the countryside for artwork in small churches (a Madonna a day). I re-visited the area in 2014 with my now-grown son and grandson. We found that, while some things have changed, the food and the atmosphere is still extraordinary.
Thank you for the beautiful article.

My husband and I with friends are are doing a selfguided walking tour in Umbria in 2 weeks, with stops in Spoletto, Spelo, Montefalco and Assisi. Any special places to see or restaurant recommendations appreciated.

I had a wild boar stew in Montefalco two weeks ago & I'm still dreaming about it!

I enjoyed and agreed with the article on the cooking of Umbria. However, how could you extol the food of Umbria without mentioning porchetta, the staple of fairs and open air markets and one of the five treats of the world the NYT wrote should be on everyone's bucket list? The Times specified a butcher shop in Bevagna (which, by the way in NOT a hill town put on the Umbrian plain near Foligno). Personally, I believe that a porchetta panino should always be bought from a white truck with the meat being cut to order. A comment for Mr. Azimov: why did you not mention the beautiful Sagrantino and Rosso di Montefallco when suggesting red wines to accompany Umbrian cuisine?

Thanks to a major transportation screw up by a tour company in 2011, I saw "stuck" in Umbria for five days. Those five days turned out to be one of the best culinary experiences of my long life. I now have dear friends there and I've been back THREE times - going again in June, 2017. Ms. Moskin nailed this one and yes, you may 'stuck' me there anytime and for any reason. I love the place, the people and especially their food. It is one of my go-to destinations, not just a pass-through and I look forward to every visit. Perhaps as a bonus, if one investigates a little, accommodations can be very reasonable and meal expenses are an even better deal.

I'm sure that everyone has a favorite town where wine, food, and ambience converged to create an out of world experience. Our's is Montefalco.

Approximately 50,000 pilgrims visit Norcia annually because of its association with St. Benedict, founder of western monasticism, and his sister, St. Scholastica. That's enough people to make it an important religious destination.

"Umbria is Italy’s largest producer of black truffles, which are lavishly used in season (but not as prestigious as the ones from Piedmont)."

Why add this statement at the end regardless if it is true or not? It's not actually true since the black (T.melanosporum & T.aestivum) and white (T.magnatum) truffles found in Umbria are the exact same as the ones found in Piedmont. Umbria just has many more of them. I'm a truffle expert.

Umbria is a great region, just lacks accessibility with trains/planes etc.

Umbria is Italy's best keep secret and IMO Italy's best region. There's no innuendo's of being a Northerner or Southener, people just love life. It's country side is that of Tuscany but a bit more spectacular. If you go to Italy make sure you visit Umbria, you won't regret it

I missed Umbria on my last trip to Italy but it's on my itinerary for next summer, along with 6 days in Monteresso.

Having spent ~9 months or so studying in Perugia, I have always wondered how this region has remained relatively serene from a tourism standpoint (aside from Umbria Jazz & the chocolate festival). I suppose it's the close proximity to both Firenze and Roma, which keeps the masses at bay. Of course this article is spot on. There are a number of other notable dishes that do not get their due here - ragu di cinghalle (wild boar pasta) & penne alla norcina (sausage and black truffle cream sauce) being the most notable. The white wines from Orvietto are certainly of note as well. I think another worthy mention would be beautiful porchetta, which can make for a most wonderous panino.

If any readers are looking for wonderful dining options in Perugia I would highly recommend Osteria del Tempo Perso (meaning 'Lost Time', and believe me, you'll be there a while!) and Dal Mi' Cocco - which is both economical and a true Perugian meal (full courses for <15 euros - a bottle of wine, of which you can only choose between red or white will only cost another 15).

I know I'll never forget my days on via Imbriani & cannot wait to return.

I am fortunate enough to be able to visit my husband's Italian family every year, making sure to give special attention to Umbria. It is perhaps my favorite place, where I would love to retire to one day. I share the sentiment of other commentators, who hope Umbria stays undiscovered and unspoiled by hordes of tourists. And, yes, Sagrantino di Montefalco is a most amazing wine!

Such a wonderful article about a wonderful region of Italy. It should be more duly noted that after an earthquake (not the most recent one), Norcia was rebuilt to code but rebuilt looking exactly as before. It is an example to follow for rebuilding the towns such as Amatrice and Accumolo, destroyed by the earthquake a month ago. It should also be noted that lentils are not traditionally cooked at Christmas, but for New Year's Eve and Day, but you can eat them anytime you like and the ones from Castelluccio are the best. If you go, do take a trip to Deruta; traditional handmade Italian maiolica ceramics. Buy a dinner set, you will not regret it.

Wonderful article! I have spent a lot of time in Umbria over the years and have been fascinated by the history, the culture, the incredible work of its artisans, the scenery, and especially the food (which I often try to recreate with mixed results). I have taken several cooking classes with Letizia Mattiacci quoted in this article, at her agriturismo Alla Madonna del Piatto in the mountains above Assisi and it really has helped me to connect with the history of the region's food and its traditions. (BTW, Bevagna is a gorgeous little town with a fantastic summer festival, the Gaite, but it is completely flat, unlike the better known hilltowns such as Spello, Spoleto, Assisi, Montefalco and best of all, Perugia.)

The article missed Orvieto, home to Cittaslow (slow food movement). A beautiful small city with some of the best family-owned restaurants in Italy. Not to mention the duomo. Not to mention the Etruscan underground. Not to mention nearby vineyards and wineries. Not to mention the funicular. Not to mention a walker's paradise. Not to mention the amazing cultural and artistic offerings. And of course the shopping opportunities found in all the small alleys and twisting streets.
If you want wonderful adventures in italy, start with Orvieto.

How could you fail to mention Sagrantino di Montefalco as a red wine to accompany some of the hearty stews, especially those made with lentils from Castellucci.

Some of the best and most memorable Italian meals that I have ever had (other than in family homes) were in Spello and Perugia. And, of course, Spoleto.

I have mixed feelings as I read Julia Moskin's lovely tribute. On the one hand, it had been a long time coming, this sense that Umbria (like so many other little known--at least to Americans--Italian regions) is such a great treasure. But on the other hand, I hope and pray this accolade will not lead to Umbria becoming yet another destination on the international tourist's bucket list. Yes, do go to Umbria, but spend time there, savoring the food, the people, the way of living in the world, and come away enriched.

Makes me and probably a million other NYT readers want to visit Umbria. Little known Norcia soon to be no longer little known.

I recently spent a week at the beautiful Casale Prato delle Coccinelle near Montecchio, in the western part of Umbria. The owner fed us nothing but local food. Local Pecorino cheeses of various ages, bread, pastries, and most sublime of all, porchetta from the local butcher. All this overlooking the beautiful Tiber River valley. Umbria is marvelous.