About Umbria
Umbria is a region of central Italy, bordered by Tuscany to the west, La Marche to the east and Lazio to the south. It is named for the Umbri tribe, who settled in the region in the 6th century BC. Umbria is mostly hilly or mountainous, its relief is dominated by the Apennines to the east, accounting for the highest point in the region at the summit of Mt. Vettore on the border of La Marche.
The capital city of Umbria, Perugia is only 40 mins away by car, with its magnificent medieval center, fantastic shopping, restaurants, cathedrals and churches it is a must see for any visitor to this region. Perugia is one of our favorite cities in Umbria and Tuscany. Another favorite is Terni, just 15mins away by car from Casa Della Mura. Terni is great for shopping with very easy access.
The Roman ruins of Carsulae are located along the original Roman road the Via Flaminia, an important communication road of the Empire which joined Rome to the Adriatic sea. This Roman municipality which was founded after the opening of the important consular road (circa 3rd Century BC) was enlarged afterwards not only because of its favorable position along the Flaminia but also due to the beauty of the place, mentioned by Tacitus and Plinio il Giovane and is only 10 mins by car and well worth a visit. And remember all the drives are through the stunning countryside of Italy's green heart, Umbria.
Buon Cibo !
Cooking in Umbria is varied: meat, fish, cereals, vegetables, spices, and herbs are equally important. Umbrian cooking is described as rustic or poor, We think a better description is a clever use of fantastic seasonal produce to produce wonderful dishes. In Umbria as in most of Italy they tend to use only produce that is is season, this means that you are getting food that tastes as it should, and when things come into season it is a joy and something to look forward to.
Pasta of course forms the primi of most Italian meals and in Umbria we have lots of different kinds of pasta that you wont find on your supermarket shelves. As far as we have found every town and area have a speciality pasta which must be served with a certain sauce. In Acquasparta and around this area we have a few, the main one is called Ciriole, (pronounced Cheerolay) a kind of thicker spaghetti and a really local one called Picchiarelli, (pronounced peekarellee) both are normally served with a tomato sauce and pecorino cheese.
Soups are also very popular and include "pasta e fagioli" made with pasta and beans, flavored with pork as well as the famous "scafata" soup made with lentils from Norcia. Another very special Umbrian food is the "torta al testo", a hand made bread prepared with water, flour, salt, pepper and olive oil, cooked on a special marble stone in a wood burning oven. Torta al Testo is stuffed with ham, cheese, sausage or simply with herbs prepared in olive oil.
Olive Oil of Umbria
Olive oil production, as wine production, has been an important economic resource since Etruscan Times in Umbria. The Umbrian region with its hills, grounds, and climate allow the olive trees to grow and produce superior quality olives with low acidity. The rich and at the same time light taste are the guarantee of a level of quality very elevated and certified by the denominations D.O.P. D.O.C. D.O.C.G. that the largest majority of the producers of the region have earned. In the last ten years, biological cultivation techniques have spread over the fertile land of producers caring for the saving of the environment and for the quality of products such as the Umbrian ones.
The extra virgin olive oil from Umbria suits the simple, genuine and delicious Umbrian food. The olive oil from Assisi, Spoleto, Colli Martani, Colli Amerini, Colli del Trasimeno and Colli Orvietani carries the special "Umbria" label. Tourists may also visit the museum of olive civilisation in the city of Trevi, showcasing ancient tools used in olive oil production.
Wines of Umbria
The Umbrian landscape and climate make the cultivation of vineyards easier than in other parts of Italy. Clay ground and rich spring-waters have been the base of high quality wines since the time of antiquity. A wide range of wines are produced in Umbria including several special DOC and DOCG wines.
Orvieto - Since Etruscan times, this wine has been produced and preserved in tufa caves. Today it is an excellent dry sweet white wine.
Torgiano - This recent production area is specialised in rose, red wines and spumante.
Montefalco - This wine was produced during Roman Times under the name of "Itriola". Later it was replaced by "Sagrantino" a world famous wine. A dry red and a "Passito" (raisin wine) is also produced here.
Assisi - Also this area (Perugia, Assisi, Spello) is good for producing red, white and rose wines. Famous are "Grechetto" and the "Novello".
Trasimeno - This is a special area of Umbria. Lake Trasimeno, with its climate and hills exposed to the sun, facilitates the production of red and white wines.
Colli Perugini - This area was exploited by the Etruscans and the Romans. The zone continued on the right side of the Tevere, south of Perugia.
