La Cucina l'Italiana

Umbria is called 'green heart of Italy ". This is largely an agricultural landscape, you will quite often meet harvesters and tractors on the roads. Farms keep the landscape open, and contributes to the picturesque scene of rolling hills dotted with sunflower and wheat fields. Here are also grown melons, lettuce and tomatoes.

Umbria is famous for its meat dishes, but there are also restaurants serving fish from the lakes. Most famous homely fare is Pici con Cinghiale. Pici is a type of spaghetti which is handmade, and much thicker than regular spaghetti. Sometimes called Umbriccelli in Umbria. In Tuscany they always say Pici. Cinghiale is wild boar, and there are quite abundant in Tuscany and Umbria. Fantastic with a rich tomato sauce,the perfect combination with a robust red wine from the grape Sangiovese.

It is also popular both in Tuscany and Umbria to use different types of beans, mostly in the winter season. Quite often served in soups, such as Zuppa di Farro, but also complements the pasta polenta. Menus are adjusted according to the seasons,depending on produce available.

Umbria's greatest culinary asset is without a doubt the fresh truffle. Black truffles are the most common and slightly cheaper than the white truffle. But you will see the white truffles on the menu, so please try! The white tastes much stronger than the black, so you need not take so much. It can be enjoyed with just pasta, or planed over the meat. Trattoria Serenella in Città della Pieve serves even pizza with truffle.

In Tuscany wild boar is served. Otherwise, the Tuscan specialty of a meat dish called Fiorentina. This is a giant T-bone steak, look before you order how big it is! It has a tendency to hang over the edges of the plate ... if it is from the white Chianina cow you have had extra luck. Ristorante da Nilo's in Cetona, has this wonderful dish on the menu. Dare you to order your Tripp as a starter. This is the lining of the stomach a Tuscan specialty.

At the coast of Tuscany you will find great seafood dishes. Most common fish are probably Spigola and sea bass. It can be boiled, baked and grilled. Spada means sword fish, and it is very good when smoked. Even thin slices of carpaccio of tuna is a delicacy. Squid are in every imaginable size, pickled, fried or deep fried. On the island of Giglio there is even stuffed squid, Ripieni, as an exciting experience for the curious restaurant visitor. Prawns and langoustines grilled or fried usually with shell and all. But do not miss the raw lobster, crudo, from restaurateur Bruno in Porto Santo Stefano. His gourmet trattoria near the port named Lo Sconiglio.