ITS FOOD & DRINK
The region of Marche offers not one cuisine, but a mix of foods and gastronomies from surrounding territories. Savoury specialities such as cappelletti [small rounds of pasta stuffed with meat and cheese], passatelli and tagliolini in brodo [pasta in a bouillon], as well as strozzapreti and lumachelle urbinati. Also delicious are the granetti al mosto cotto and patac¦c (large squares made from wheat and corn flour) with beans; a robust bean sauce is also used to dress tagliatelle and polenta. Don't miss out on fresh and light piada pesarese, as well as the urbinate variation, high, soft and full of lard. The region's most renowned dish, however, is anconetani vincisgrassi, the ancestor of all lasagna dishes in the entire country. Second courses include delicious porchetta [roast pork], tripe, roasted chicken øco lu pilottoÓ (flavoured with a thick slice of lard), marinated lamb, lamb offal, and frittata con la mentuccia [mint omelette], the latter being typical dishes prepared for the Easter holidays. Eel is served stewed, and stockfish is prepared 'in potacchio' at Ancona, with tomato, anchovies and chilly peppers. Savoury olive ascolane are filled with meat, breaded and fried. A special mention goes to the coniglio in porchetta, even better accompanied by tomatoes and grilled eggplant. Fish lovers will want to savour brodetto marchigiano, a princely soup of Adriatic fish, in a red version from the areas of Pesaro and Ancona, with tomato, and a yellow version from Ascoli, with saffron. The capitals of brodetto [fish soup] are San Benedetto del Tronto, Fano, Porto Recanati and Porto San Giorgio. Sweets employ the flavours and techniques of the Renaissance, such as for sanguinaccio, a mixture of breadcrumbs, honey, rum, cinnamon, sapa and orange peel all crammed into pork intestines and boiled for a half hour; ciambellone, ciaramilla, beccuta made both with flour and maize, and miacetto. Verdicchio from Castelli di Jesi is a fragrant white wine suitable for accompanying fish dishes. Reds include the excellent Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno, made from Sangiovese and Montepulciano, not to mention the Lacrima di Morro dAlba. A first-rate dessert wine is Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, one of Italys few red sparkling wines.
ITS SIGHTS
A long stretch of golden velvety impalpable sand, surrounded by crystalline waters and the fragrances of the Mediterranean undergrowth. This is the so-called 'velvety beach' at Senigallia, a sought-after destination renowned the world over, rich in bathing establishments, bars, restaurants, pizzerias, discotheques, and above all, decorated with the prestigious 'Blue Flag' for its pure clean water. The other side of Marche is without a doubt its artistic and cultural heritage. And a pleasant and entertaining way to get to know this territory is 'La caccia delle Signorie' ['The Hunt of the Signories'], a promotional initiative mixing together games and tourism. Essentially, its a sort of 'treasure hunt' on horseback through the territories between Romagna and Marche, which centuries ago belonged to the signories of the Montefeltro and Malatesta. Participants are given game cards, and the aim is to find traces, signs and answers in a predetermined area, simultaneously seeking to discover art treasures, castles, parks, churches and other places of cultural interest. In fact, these lands preserve an infinity of treasures, large and small, as well as 'signs' which speak to us of men and their thoughts during the centuries between the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Among the walls of fortresses and palaces, in the halls of museums, in the luminous cathedrals and in small dark churches, along the narrow alleyways of historic centres, and in the woods which divide Romagna and Marche, ancient artefacts survive, such as sculpted stones, both well known and unknown paintings, enigmatic architecture, ceramics rich and poor, rites and legends which lead us to symbols that are at times clear, at times mysterious. Seeking these traces and details, treasure hunters can admire famous works in a new light, while discovering other hidden elusive masterpieces. |
