Oreste, the deer of Villetta Barrea

March 18, 2018March 28, 2019Leave a comment

Driving in a small village of Villetta Barrea in the Abruzzo National Park I saw a large deer standing beside the road and graciously accepting gentle strokes and pats from two adults and a child. I slowed down to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. The deer was real. As it turned out, it was Oreste, the stag that frequents Villetta Barrea in search of rubs and treats. The first time he arrived to the village after a heavy snowfall in 2012. The deer liked the locals’ hospitality and continues to visit them on a regular basis.

A few years back, Oreste caused some commotion in the village: he jumped on a police car and tried to chase someone. After the incident, he ran to the village park in hope to sit it out munching on juicy grass. However, local authorities, concerned about public safety, surrounded and apprehended the troublemaker. Oreste was placed in a fenced area nearby to make sure that nothing like that happened again. However, the locals immediately organised a protest: they painted a sign on the fence where the deer was kept that read “Oreste captured: he was only returning home”; a petition was signed by every villager demanding to let the animal go. They won, Oreste was returned to the woods in the mountains.

When the magnificent 200- kilos deer with a splendid rack of horns visits Villetta Barrea he strolls down the streets without fear. Locals think of him as the village mascot and an honorary citizen. A few times he stopped by the post office and everyone laughed joking that the deer came to pay the bills for the services rendered. The villagers say that seeing him walking around the village before Christmas makes the atmosphere especially magic.

However, he is not the only one who loves dropping by Villetta Barrea. The village is often called “the deer kingdom” because they are always wondering around here. Next time you visit the charming Villetta Barrea, take a walk in the areas where are the deer are often spotted: the Villa Comunale park, the pedestrian path along the Sangro River, the shores of the lake and local camping site.

Check out this short video of Oreste clopping on peacefully past cars in the village centre.

Featured photo by Guglielmo D’Arezzo.

Best traditional dishes to try in Abruzzo

February 21, 2018March 28, 2019Leave a comment

On my food tours I am often asked “What are the must-try traditional dishes in Abruzzo?” I have been eating my way around the region for many years and came to realise that every single dish here is a history lesson on a plate. While most of them are delicious, some might be too alien to foreign palates. If you want to embrace Abruzzese culinary traditions I suggest that you look for the following typical dishes that you can find in most rural family-run restaurants.

Arrosticini

Synonymous with Abruzzo, arrosticini are small chunks of castrated mutton or young sheep alternated with pieces of fat cooked on wooden skewers over hot coals. Surprisingly, the dish’s origins go back less than 100 years. It is believed that peasants in the area around Civitella Casanova and Villa Ciliera started cutting tough old sheep meat into tiny cubes to make it easier to chew. The first photo of arrosticcini is dated to 1930 (see below). You can find arrosticcini in many traditional restaurants all year round. The moment the weather turns warmer, Abruzzese dust off their “fornacelle” (a long narrow metal barbecue) and grill arrosticini outside. Eating them with a fork is frowned upon as you are supposed to slide the meat off the skewer into your mouth using the teeth. A few bites of bread drizzled with olive oil, a generous sip of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and you will fall in love with the hearty simplicity of the local cuisine. Abruzzese men love bragging about the amount of arrosticini they consume in one sitting. I have met a few who say the can gobble down 100 skewers without blinking an eye.

Archivio AIS – Berna Paul Scheuermeir

Pasta alla chitarra

Another iconic staple, the square spaghetti are made using a special tool called “la chitarra” that reminds a guitar. Although the recipe is simple, rolling the dough over the chitarra requires some practice. Usually pasta alla chitarra is served with a rich tomato and meat sauce alla ragù.

Where to find: Most rural restaurants in Abruzzo make excellent pasta alla chitarra. In one of my favourite restaurants, Il Tholos, the chitarra is made by hand with solina heritage grain flour.

Pallotte cacio e uova

Often called “the poor man’s meatballs”, the pallotte are made with cheese, eggs and breadcrumbs. The best cheese and egg balls have to be soft and melt in your mouth. Some old-fashioned deli shops sell them pre-made, all you have to do is just simmer the pallotte in a tomato sauce. You can learn how to make this dish in our Cooking with locals classes.

Where to find: Col di Gotte makes excellent pallotte and serves them as a starter. In Pescara, Taverna 58 does a good job.

Sagne e ceci

This pasta and chickpea soup is a winter dish. Easy and cheap to make, the recipe calls for short flat pasta (sagne), chickpeas (or beans) and an onion. This ancient dish is also common in Lazio, Campania and Puglia with slight variations in the recipe (e.g. in Rome anchovies are added).

Where to find: One of my favourite places to have pasta and ceci is in Trattoria La Tavernetta in Chieti. There the chef throws some toasted dry sagne pasta to the soup, which adds a lovely crunch to the texture.

Coratella

This ancient dish is made from finely chopped lamb lungs, kidneys, heart and liver. While in other regions coratella is cooked with artichokes (in Rome) or in a tomato sauce, in Abruzzo, the organ meats are simply pan fried with onions and, sometimes, with eggs. You are more likely to find it on the restaurant’s menus around Easter time as, traditionally, locals eat it for Easter breakfast with cheese bread (pizza di Pasqua), salami and hard-boiled eggs.

Where to find: Antica Taverna in Navelli has coratella on the menu all year round and it is delicious.

Pasta alla pecorara

Hard to find beyond the Teramo province, this ring-shaped pasta is one of my favourite. Thick chewy dough rings are simmered in a rich tomato and vegetable sauce and served with sheep’s milk ricotta. The area around Elice and Atri is where the pasta was born, so head there if you want to try the most authentic version of it.

Where to find: Hostaria Zedi in Atri makes good pasta alla pecorara, although, they are not very generous with the ricotta topping.

Brodetto alla Vastese

As the name suggests, it is a fish soup typical for the Vasto area. Historians trace the origins of this recipe back to the 19th century when fishermen traded with farmers some of their catch for vegetables. The soup has fewer ingredient than other similar ones cooked along the Adriatic coast: fish, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and local spicy red pepper. Traditionally, a local variety of tomato “mezzo tempo” was used, however, it has become hard to find in recent years, so often it is replaced with other varieties. A good brodetto alla Vastese should have at least seven types of fish, which is always cooked whole in a large terracotta pot called “la tijella”. The soup is never stirred but slightly shaken during the cooking process to make sure that the fish does not break.

Where to find: The famous Trattoria Da Ferri is one of the best places to try the brodetto. It is always full and it is better to book in advance, although, you might still have to wait for your table. Trattoria Zì Albina also makes excellent brodetto since 1907.

Scrippele

The Abruzzese version of crêpes is called scrippele. Thin and delicate, they are made without milk, just flour, eggs and water. Typical for the northern part of Abruzzo, the Teramo province, scrippele origins go back to the 19^th century when the French ruled the region. A local cook while preparing a meal for French officers by accident put some crêpes in a bowl with chicken broth. The dish scrippele ‘mbusse was born: small crêpes sprinkled with cheese, rolled up and served in broth. They are also served stuffed with ricotta or as part of timballo (see below).

Where to find: Not easy to find nowadays but some restaurants around Teramo still have scrippele ‘mbusse on the menu. La Cantina di Porta Romana is one of them. Want to make them at home? Watch this video on how to make scrippele ‘mbusse (in Italian but easy to follow).

Want to know more about traditional food in Abruzzo? Sign up to my food tours or book a foodie weekend.

Fragrant cakes of San Biagio, the first sign of spring

January 28, 2018January 30, 2020Leave a comment

In Abruzzo they say “Per San Biagio, il Mitrato, il freddo è andato” meaning that for the feast of San Biagio, cold weather is finished and spring is around the corner. Apart from the sunshine and birds chirping there is another sure sign of the fast approaching spring: ciambella di San Biagio, small traditional ring-shaped cakes that are baked in Abruzzo this time of year.

The feast of San Biagio (or Saint Blaise) is celebrated on February 3 across Italy. The province of L’Aquila in Abruzzo has always had strong traditions connected to this saint with many chapels, churches and sanctuaries dedicated to him. In Lecce nei Marsi villagers have been bringing their baked ciambelle (“sciambelle” as they are called here) to be blessed in the local church of San Biagio on the day of the feast for many centuries. In old days, the blessed cakes were given to friends and family members as they were believed to protect the throat and cure goitre, the disease that used to be quite common in the province.

Nowadays, you can buy a ciambella di San Biagio in many bakeries and supermarkets across the region. While in the old days the cakes were made with lard, today it has been replaced with butter. The rest of ingiredients haven’t changed for centuries: flour, milk, yeast, sugar, eggs and anise or fennel seeds. You can see one in English here with a variation from L’Aquila where these cakes are richer and have candied cherries and raisins in them. Dolci Aveja bakery makes delicious ciambelle di San Biagio, so if you happen to be near L’Aquila make sure to buy a few there.

I love my ciambella washed down with the most delicious dessert wine – Moscatello from Castiglione a Casauria. On the photo you see a bottle from the Angelucci winery, which has been sold since and now is called Secolo IX.

Christmas thistle soup

December 18, 2017December 17, 20211 Comment

Christmas festivities in Abruzzo mean gargantuan feasts. However, there are some dishes that are meant to give you a break from the heavy meals. Thistle, or cardoon soup (zuppa di cardo) is one of them, although, as calorie count goes, it is still quite rich. In Abruzzo, thistle stalks are called “Christmas greens” and the soup is traditionally made for pranzo natalizio, on December 25.

Several Italian regions have a version of this soup. In Molise, it is made with in a capon broth. In Piedmont butter is added and in Apulia – tomatoes.

If you are wondering what cardoon is imagine a thistle-like plant with impressive large leaves that remind of an artichoke but with smaller flower buds. It is the stems that are cleaned, chopped and cooked in soups and pies. Small green grocers’ as well as bigger supermarkets sell pre-packed chopped cardoon. Although the real Italian mammas prefer buying fresh bunches of leaves and cleaning them at home. Many families add a personal touch to the recipe: the soup is served with toasted croutons, a sprinkle or nutmeg, squeeze of lemon juice or small pieces of omelette (frittata). Here is the basic recipe of Christmas thistle soup from Abruzzo most commonly.

Ingredients:

500g cleaned and chopped cardoon

200g premium veal mince

2 egg

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

50g breadcrumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Put the cardoon in a pot with 2 litres of water and bring it to boil. In the meantime thoroughly mix the veal with one egg and breadcrumbs, make small meatballs (about 1cm in diameter). Brown them in a frying pan in olive oil, add garlic. Put the meatballs and garlic in the soup and cook for 30-35 minutes. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl, slowly pour it into the pot while swirling the soup with a spoon to get small strands of egg. Cook it for another minute. Cool it slightly. Season and serve with parsley, cheese and olive oil.

If you prefer the cardoon to be soft rather than slightly crunchy, add 15 minutes to cooking time.

For more traditional recipes see Recipes from Abruzzo e-book.

Buon appetito e Buon Natale!

Al Metrò restaurant: a creative take on Abruzzese traditions

September 29, 2017April 1, 2019Leave a comment

Hearty traditional dishes and exaggerated portions in rural family-run restaurants, – Abruzzo does these two very well. However, there is a fair share of sophisticated Michelin star eateries in the region as well. So when you feel like taking a break from the gargantuan pasta loads on your plate and long for something a bit more sophisticated yet still in line with local traditions, head to Al Metrò, one Michelin star restaurant in San Salvo. I’ve had lunch there recently and what a meal it was!

Brothers Nicola and Antonio Fossaceca turned what used to be a pastry shop owned by their parents into a sleek restaurant with minimalistic décor and innovative menu. Nicola, the chef, creates exquisite dishes using local ingredients with a flair. In 2012, when he was only 29, Al Metrò received one Michelin star, a well-deserved recognition of the chef’s culinary talent.

Nicola is very fond of smaller, less popular fish rarely seen on the menu of gourmet restaurants. One of his signature dishes is Triglia in scapece espresso, deep-fried red mullet with a sweet-and-sour dressing of honey and vinegar. It is light, crispy and elegant, which you can hardly expect from “poor man’s” fish.

What I really like about Nicola’s dishes is the way he skilfully mixes seafood with meat, showcasing “mare” and “montagna” of the region. The menu features such masterpieces as seaweed gnocchi and lupine beans (Gnocchi Verdi di Lattuga di Mare e Lupini), mantis shrimps with chicory (Cicoria e Cicale di Mare), cold soup with ricotta, celery and oysters (Zuppa Fredda di Ricotta Ostrica e Sedano). The risotto with green beans, pear and baby squid that I had was another great example of his mastery. The rice topped with crispy squid, streaks of pancetta and sprinkled with sea lettuce. The pieces of pear added a wonderful sweet note while sharp herby olive oil rounded off this unusual ensemble. Despite the elaborate looks, the underlying philosophy of Nicola’s dishes is simplicity.

Antonio Fossaceca is the sommelier and he knows exactly what wine to recommend to complement the best flavours of Nicola’s creations. He served a bottle of exquisite Pecorino from Azienda Agricola Faraone (head to their website, they sell wine online!), which was a wonderful discovery and became one of my favourite local wines since.

The sweet offering was Il Nostro Parozzo Abruzzese, a chef’s take on the traditional dessert. Delicate sweetened ricotta sprinkled with chocolate shavings was a great final chord for this special meal.

Prices at Al Metrò are kind on the pocket. They range from €16 to €30 (for the most expensive dish, the brodetto fish soup). If you are in a small group, you can order a 6- or 8-course menu for €60 and €80 respectively.

Braiding Red Garlic of Sulmona

July 15, 2017March 28, 2019Leave a comment

Red Sulmona garlic (Aglio rosso di Sulmona) is one of Abruzzo’s treasures that is waiting to be discovered by the world. Its outside skin looks just like that of any other garlic, but the inside shell is a lovely purplish-red. Its this colour and a great mild sweet flavour that make Sulmona’s garlic so special.

Although it has been cultivated since the 18^th century, just a few connoisseurs and those who have relatives in Abruzzo know about it. It grows in a small area around the city of Sulmona (hence the name) and its production has been steadily increasing in the last few years. Although, there is some machinery involved in garlic cultivation, a lot of work is manual. Many families have been growing aglio rosso for generations and everyone has their own little tricks and secrets on how to do it better.

In June garlic scapes are picked and I have written about this divine traditional delicacy. The garlic itself is harvested at the start of July and left to dry for 10-15 days. After that, the bulbs are sorted by size and, as the old local tradition dictates, garlic braids are made. Unlike many other types of garlic, aglio rosso di Sulmona is never treated chemically after the harvest. For centuries, the only way to store it was in braids hung in a cool dry place. This method allows better air circulation and the garlic can last for up to 10 months.

I went to the house of Filippo Centofanti and Franca Allegra to see how garlic braids are made. Filippo proudly showed me the prize he has won: Mister Aglio Rosso. The local jury of experts picked his garlic as the best in the area. “They evaluate the shape, colour, uniformity and size, as well as the taste”, explained Filippo. “My garlic is pungent but not too much, with a hint of sweetness, just the way aglio rosso di Sulmona should be”. And he is certainly an expert: his grandfather and father cultivated the garlic and taught him a thing or two.

Franca and her son Alberto sat down to braid the bulbs. They didn’t talk much, and when I asked what is the key to making a good braid, Franca smiled and said: “A lot of practice”. This year Filippo, Franca and Alberto harvested 2 tons (weight after drying) of garlic, so they had a lot of practice with their braid-making. A braid of Sulmona red garlic is normally double, with 40-50 bulbs and weighs up to 3 kg. To see whether it was made by an expert, you have to look on the inside: the leaves are tightly wrapped in a neat even pattern.

Later, when I got home, my kitchen filled with the smell of fresh garlic that I brought back from Sulmona. The temptation was unbearable: I cut a thick slice of local bread, rubbed it with a few cloves, added a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled it with sea salt. Life is good in Abruzzo!

Fiadoni abruzzesi recipe

March 26, 2017April 9, 20202 Comments

The recipe for fiadoni from Abruzzo originally came from the aristocratic kitchens of Ferrara (some historians say it might have been the Medici court’s cooks who invented it) in the 1500s. Back then, these delicious cheese puffs were made with saffron harvested in the Navelli plains. As centuries passed, the precious spice was eliminated from the recipe and adapted to more humble kitchens. Today, to my endless delight, fiadoni can be found in many bakeries throughout the year. Here is an easy fiadoni abruzzesi recipe.

fiadoni abruzzo — *photo by annalachiccosa/Instagram*

Makes 20

Dough

300g plain flour

3 eggs, lightly beaten + 1 egg for brushing

100ml olive oil

100ml dry white wine (Trebbiano or Pecorino if you want to keep the recipe 100% Abruzzese)

a splash of milk

Filling

175g pecorino cheese (pecorino from Abruzzo and pecorino Romano are both good), grated

150g parmesan or rigatino cheese, grated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4g instant dried yeast (optional)

a pinch of black pepper

Whisk two of the eggs with the oil and wine. Make a well in the centre of the ﬂour and pour in the egg mixture. Bring the mixture together using a fork or spoon, then knead the dough with your hands for two minutes until smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, combine the cheeses, eggs, yeast and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Divide the dough into two-three parts and roll it into sheets 2mm thick working one piece at a time. Cut out circles about 10cm in diameter (you can use a cookie cutter). Make sure the individual circles do not bounce back, if they do, roll them again. Place one tablespoon of filling in each circle, then fold over and pinch the dough with your fingers to seal, so they look like large ravioli. Whisk the remaining egg with the milk and lightly brush the fiadoni. Make a small incision in the top to let the cheese filling ooze out in the oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until pale golden on top. Fiadoni are best eaten when warm, but will keep in a paper bag or airtight container for several days.

Sweet Christmas in Abruzzo: Parrozzo and Torcinelli

December 23, 2016March 28, 20192 Comments

Just imagine all those delicious cakes and pastries that have been prepared and baked in kitchens across Italy right now. Christmas is almost here and with it cheerful festivities and abundant feasts. In many families, traditional cakes and desserts (dolci di Natale) are made days in advance. This year I wanted to learn how to make a parrozzo, tipical Christmas cake from Pescara, so I went to the agriturismo Il Tholos. Its owners Paola and Gabriele moved to the Maiella National Park, near a pretty village of Roccamarice, from Pescara a long time ago. They are true custodians of Abruzzese traditions and their restaurant with its farm-to-table philosophy is certainly one of the best in the region.“I use my family recipe to make parrozzo but instead of semolina, we use our own solina flour,” says Paola. She is busy taking out several cake bases out of the domed forms and preparing them to be covered in chocolate. For a couple of weeks before Christmas Paola and her daughters make ten parrozzi a day to keep up with the demand. They sell them in the agriturismo and deliver to Pescara to loyal customers.Parrozzo is a relatively recent addition to Abruzzese cuisine. Luigi D’Amico, a pastry shop owner in Pescara, created the first parrozzo cake for his welathy customers in 1919. He was inspired by the ancient corn bread called “pan rozzo” with a distinctive semi-spheric shape, burnt black crust and bright yellow inside. D’Amico’s sweet luxirious version of the poor shepherds’ bread called for loads of eggs, almonds and dark chocolate. You can buy an industrial boxed version of D’Amico’s parrozzo but, naturally, the best ones are made in small bakeries across Pescara or agriturismi like Il Tholos.While we were talking, Paola and her daughter Dalila covered parrozzi with luscious chocolate and made a few small mountains of torcinelli abruzzesi, another traditional Christmas treat. Different versions and shapes of this deep-fried dessert exist across Italy. I love torcinelli because, like many other tipical dishes in Abruzzo, they remind about the region’s humble past when peasants came up with delicious recipes using simple local ingredients. “Torcinelli were made on Christmas Eve while fasting, so it was a torture for kids to see chests full of these treats and not being able to eat them till next day,” says Paola while turning torcinelli in a pot with bubbling hot oil.Torcinelli are made with a mix of flour, mashed boiled potatoes and a few optional raisins. They are deep-fried till golden and sprinkled with sugar, although, in older days, this touch of luxury was not available in every household. Torcinelli are the opposite of the parrozzo cake. You can grab a few torcinelli, preferably warm, still dripping with oil, and devour them without any formalities, on the go. A slice of parrozzo requires a more ceremonial atmosphere, with a cake stand, cup of coffee and dessert plate. Although, nowadays both desserts are often served together during Christmas gut-busting feasts in the region, they offer a glimpse of two different worlds: the poor traditional Abruzzese village and sophisticated moneyed city. The worlds that still exist in Abruzzo, if you care to look deeper.You can find a recipe for parrozzo on the lovely Adri Barr Crocetti’s blog and recipe for torcinelli here (in Italian).

GASTRONOMIC EVENTS IN ABRUZZO IN MAY

May 12, 2016Leave a comment

May is an exciting month for wine lovers! There are so many degustation events and thematic dinners are happening in the coming weeks that I found it difficult to pick just a few. Here are the best of the enogastronomic events in case you are wondering what to do in Abruzzo in May.

Cooking demonstration “Sweet Rituals”, May 17, Pescara

Want to learn how to make traditional Abruzzese biscuits? Scuola del Gusto Abruzzo is running a cooking demonstration next Tuesday, May 17, in the Museo Delle Genti D’Abruzzo in Pescara. Local experts will share secrets of making delicious celli pieni, mostaccioli and spumini. At the end you will all that taste freshly baked goodness. Price: €26 per person. Book your place here.

Spumini. Photo by Scuola del Gusto

Thematic dinner A Tutto Corfinio!, May 25, Chieti

Have you ever tried liquor Corfinio invented in Abruzzo in 1858? This strong sweet drink is made with local herbs, seeds and roots to a secret recipe kept in the family for 150 years. During the dinner in the Trattoria Taverna Teate you can taste an aperitif, risotto, a meat dish, dessert and cocktails, all made with Corfinio. The dinner starts at 8pm. Price: €28 per person. Booking required. Call Taverna Teate 0871 349256.

Open Wine Cellars, May 28-29, various locations

38 cellars across Abruzzo will open their doors for degustations and guided visits. It is a great occasion to check out some of the best wine producers in the region. Many wineries organise picnics and lunches for their guests. Here is a list of all participating wine cellars that will be open that weekend. I am planning to pop over to Marramiero and Chiusa Grande. See you there!

Vintage train. Photo by Le Rotaie

On the train with Slow Food, May 29, Sulmona – Roccaraso – Sulmona

Hop on a vintage train that will take you to Palena, Campo di Giove, Pettorano Sul Gizio and Roccaraso to taste cheeses, cured meats, pasta and other traditional products made in Abruzzo. The train departs at 9.30 and returns at 18.30. Tickets are selling fast! Book your ticket online here. You can book a picnic basket for lunch at 393 6132492 (before May 20).

Gastronomic Events in Abruzzo in April

April 8, 2016April 14, 2016Leave a comment

Time is flying! It is April already!! This month is full of exciting events for food lovers. Here is my monthly round-up of the best of them to help you to decide what to eat and what to do in Abruzzo in April.

Cooking demonstrations “Master of traditional Abruzzese cuising”, Pescara (PE)

Watch locals cook some of the oldest traditional Abruzzese dishes in the Museo della Genti d’Abruzzo in a series of demonstrations. Although the cooking shows will be in Italian, it is easy enough to follow the process. At the end, you will taste the dishes made. On April 12 you can learn how to make le scripelle Teramane, crepes Teramo-style that are used in two delicious local dishes: Scrippelle ‘mbusse (crepes in broth) and il Timballo Teramano (lasagna Teramo-style). On April 19 a cookbook writer Gino Promavers will show various recipes for making minestrone soups with local varieties of beans and wild greens.

Price: €26 per demonstration. To see more details and book tickets go here.Farmers’ Market, April 16, L’Aquila (AQ)

After long waiting and many promises, a covered market in L’Aquila is finally opening its doors. Make a day of it, browse farmers’ produce and then head to the centre for lunch or an ice cream to support local businesses. Stock up on lentils from Santo Stefano, ewe’s milk cheese from Castel Del Monte, beans from Paganica, ancient solina grain flour and other gastronomic treasures from the province of L’Aquila. On the opening day, there will be free degustations at the market!

Address: Via Eusanio Stella, 4, L’Aquila. http://www.mercatocontadinolaquila.it/

Mexican food with craft beer, April 9, Loreto Aprutino (PE)

You don’t often see ethnic food in Abruzzo, so this is a rare occasion organised by the craft brewery Almond’22. However, the Mexican the chili con carne will be made with strictly local ingredients, including a native variety of beans, Tondino del Tavo. Not sure how Mexican it will be, but in any case it will be good, especially washed down with Almond’22 excellent beer.

Address: Contrada Remartello 47/H, Loreto Aprutino

For all wine enthusiasts out there, don’t forget I also run wineries tours all year round in the province of Pescara, during which you taste ten excellent red, white, bubbly and dessert wines, learn about wine making traditions in Abruzzo, visit a 200-year-old wine cellar and gorge on local cheeses and cured meats. For more details click here.

Photos by: Scuola del Gusto, Birreria Almond’22.

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