Franco’s favourite ... Umbrian delights
Jul 2nd, 2006, 01:55 AM
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Franco,
Apology accepted!
I had wondered if you were upset by my use of capitals, I really didn’t mean to shout it from the mountain tops that Piedmontese white truffles are considered by all gourmets to be the best in the world, the simple explanation is that I accidentally had my caps lock on, and after writing my comment, I realized it, thought about it for a second, but was kinda very busy that morning (operating a B&B plus a small vineyard/winery leaves one with very little time to write on these forums) so instead of re-keying, I added the XXX to take out any sting, or at least I thought, so I too apologize for this breach of Internet etiquette.
And coming back to truffles, if you were recently in Umbria you must have been either having black truffles “tartufi neri” or perhaps “tartufi estivi” the summer truffles, both of which are found here in Piedmont, but we don’t bother too much about these lesser tubers (ship them off to France I have heard) since the prized tuber magnum pico, aka “tartufo bianco” or white truffle finds its most fragrant (some say pungent) expression here in our Monferrato and Langhe hills from September to December each year, when gourmets from around the world flock to this area like bees drawn to honey. Yes it is true that white truffles can be had in Umbria, as well as Tuscany, Slovenia and other such places, but they lack the perfume, (described by one gourmet as similar to the saliva of a rutting boar!) of our ones, and indeed probably some of the tons you speak about are shipped in from Umbria each year to be sold to unsuspecting tourists (who lack the discernment of a sow) at the big Alba truffle fair every October. Locals around Piedmont only start eating truffles in November. I don’t know about the numbers you quoted, all trifalau that I know are very secretive about how many they sell; there is a huge grey market.
I am happy to hear that you don’t go for the “Dan Brown” principle, and write passionately about places you have travelled, but I am surprised that you don’t have a blog site. And since you have eaten your way
through some of the more popular tourist destinations and you obviously like fine food, you absolutely must come and spend some time in Piedmont. I know all Italian regions have their own specialities, and saying one region is better then another can lead to some lengthy debates, but Piedmontese are quite sure that we have the best food and wine in Italy, without having to shout it (only us foreigners who are so keen to spread the word that do that), it’s the combination of passion for food, more women cooks then male chefs (every chef has a mama right?), and incredible array of ingredients available locally. Only Emilia Romagna IMHO can come a close second! But do come and try for yourself, don’t take my word. Oh and we have some of the finest examples of Romanesque churches in Italy, including one where I would go to start looking for the Holy Grail if I was so inclined. And castles, and hilltop villages, and mountains and lakes and Turin, a wonderfully undiscovered city, one of Europe’s oldest chocolate centres! And one hour from the Mare Mediterraneo. Oh and the home-base of Slow Food (that’s an idea, why not come for this years Salone Del Gusto in October).
By the way, some of the Who is Franco? Replies are quite hilarious; I hope you are neither the former Dictator of Spain nor a fast food expert!
Tim
Apology accepted!
I had wondered if you were upset by my use of capitals, I really didn’t mean to shout it from the mountain tops that Piedmontese white truffles are considered by all gourmets to be the best in the world, the simple explanation is that I accidentally had my caps lock on, and after writing my comment, I realized it, thought about it for a second, but was kinda very busy that morning (operating a B&B plus a small vineyard/winery leaves one with very little time to write on these forums) so instead of re-keying, I added the XXX to take out any sting, or at least I thought, so I too apologize for this breach of Internet etiquette.
And coming back to truffles, if you were recently in Umbria you must have been either having black truffles “tartufi neri” or perhaps “tartufi estivi” the summer truffles, both of which are found here in Piedmont, but we don’t bother too much about these lesser tubers (ship them off to France I have heard) since the prized tuber magnum pico, aka “tartufo bianco” or white truffle finds its most fragrant (some say pungent) expression here in our Monferrato and Langhe hills from September to December each year, when gourmets from around the world flock to this area like bees drawn to honey. Yes it is true that white truffles can be had in Umbria, as well as Tuscany, Slovenia and other such places, but they lack the perfume, (described by one gourmet as similar to the saliva of a rutting boar!) of our ones, and indeed probably some of the tons you speak about are shipped in from Umbria each year to be sold to unsuspecting tourists (who lack the discernment of a sow) at the big Alba truffle fair every October. Locals around Piedmont only start eating truffles in November. I don’t know about the numbers you quoted, all trifalau that I know are very secretive about how many they sell; there is a huge grey market.
I am happy to hear that you don’t go for the “Dan Brown” principle, and write passionately about places you have travelled, but I am surprised that you don’t have a blog site. And since you have eaten your way
through some of the more popular tourist destinations and you obviously like fine food, you absolutely must come and spend some time in Piedmont. I know all Italian regions have their own specialities, and saying one region is better then another can lead to some lengthy debates, but Piedmontese are quite sure that we have the best food and wine in Italy, without having to shout it (only us foreigners who are so keen to spread the word that do that), it’s the combination of passion for food, more women cooks then male chefs (every chef has a mama right?), and incredible array of ingredients available locally. Only Emilia Romagna IMHO can come a close second! But do come and try for yourself, don’t take my word. Oh and we have some of the finest examples of Romanesque churches in Italy, including one where I would go to start looking for the Holy Grail if I was so inclined. And castles, and hilltop villages, and mountains and lakes and Turin, a wonderfully undiscovered city, one of Europe’s oldest chocolate centres! And one hour from the Mare Mediterraneo. Oh and the home-base of Slow Food (that’s an idea, why not come for this years Salone Del Gusto in October). By the way, some of the Who is Franco? Replies are quite hilarious; I hope you are neither the former Dictator of Spain nor a fast food expert!
Tim
Jul 2nd, 2006, 08:22 PM
#45
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Just a note on chasing the elusive "best" favourite olive oil.... a good stopping point on the Foligno/Trevi road is at Olio Trevi factory. This is the modern face of production but leads the uninitiated into a wider perception of the areas great oils. My museo Montefalco mate swears on the olio trevi and if he could mainline it he would. Agree wholeheartedly with your perceptive insite into Umbria and we stay in a village Montefalco or Bevagna and trot off around the ridges to seek wine/dine experiences.
Jul 17th, 2006, 11:38 AM
#46
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ek, hello - I don't know Laos, but a friend of mine, who is the more adventurous type of traveller, liked it very much. (I, as the not-so-adventurous one, prefer Umbria, as you can guess.)
Sampaguita - I don't want to make this a truffles thread, but I can't do without filing a mild protest in two respects. First, I'm not sure whether your conviction that Piedmontese truffles are the best everywhere could not perhaps be campanilismo (the Italian local patriotism, for those who don't know the expression - derived from "campanile", bell tower: a patriotism that covers just the area that can be seen from the top of the local bell tower - a very likeable sort of patriotism, but nevertheless sometimes bordering on the comical). I don't know if a similar event has ever been organized for Umbrian truffles, but at least for Istrian vs. Piedmontese truffles, a blind tasting with the participation of many famous chefs, gourmets and so on revealed few years ago that the difference is inexistent - nobody was able to discern Istrian from Piedmontese truffles. Second, I'm absolutely sure that your contempt of black truffles is nothing but campanilismo. Ok, in Piemonte, it's all about white truffles; but this doesn't mean black truffles are anything less or anything worse than the white variety (and no, the price is no indicator - the whites are simply much rarer, and therefore much more expensive). It simply depends on the recipe, which variety is preferable; personally, I have a slight tendency towards black truffles, but would never dare saying they are better - they are different, and both are exciting. Btw, it's another truffles legend that there are just white truffles, black winter and black summer truffles - there are about 20 edible varieties, and between the black truffles available in summer, differences are enormous (no reason either to be contemptuous of black summer truffles, you just have to find the right variety). And no, it's also not true that there is only one white truffle variety - personally, I love the bianchetti, much, much cheaper than the white winter truffle, yet gorgeously tasting with a decisive note of garlic (available for a short time in February/March). I don't know if bianchetti are known in Piemonte, I only know them from the Marche and Umbria.
king_roscoe, thank you for the olive oil recommendation, much appreciated!
Sampaguita - I don't want to make this a truffles thread, but I can't do without filing a mild protest in two respects. First, I'm not sure whether your conviction that Piedmontese truffles are the best everywhere could not perhaps be campanilismo (the Italian local patriotism, for those who don't know the expression - derived from "campanile", bell tower: a patriotism that covers just the area that can be seen from the top of the local bell tower - a very likeable sort of patriotism, but nevertheless sometimes bordering on the comical). I don't know if a similar event has ever been organized for Umbrian truffles, but at least for Istrian vs. Piedmontese truffles, a blind tasting with the participation of many famous chefs, gourmets and so on revealed few years ago that the difference is inexistent - nobody was able to discern Istrian from Piedmontese truffles. Second, I'm absolutely sure that your contempt of black truffles is nothing but campanilismo. Ok, in Piemonte, it's all about white truffles; but this doesn't mean black truffles are anything less or anything worse than the white variety (and no, the price is no indicator - the whites are simply much rarer, and therefore much more expensive). It simply depends on the recipe, which variety is preferable; personally, I have a slight tendency towards black truffles, but would never dare saying they are better - they are different, and both are exciting. Btw, it's another truffles legend that there are just white truffles, black winter and black summer truffles - there are about 20 edible varieties, and between the black truffles available in summer, differences are enormous (no reason either to be contemptuous of black summer truffles, you just have to find the right variety). And no, it's also not true that there is only one white truffle variety - personally, I love the bianchetti, much, much cheaper than the white winter truffle, yet gorgeously tasting with a decisive note of garlic (available for a short time in February/March). I don't know if bianchetti are known in Piemonte, I only know them from the Marche and Umbria.
king_roscoe, thank you for the olive oil recommendation, much appreciated!
Jul 17th, 2006, 11:56 AM
#48
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Mimar, sorry - I don't know that place! On the map, I see that it's not on Lago Trasimeno, which is a positive sign - West of Perugia, most often, means Lago Trasimeno, which is certainly NOT Umbria's most attractive part, rather on the contrary...
Jul 17th, 2006, 12:23 PM
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Although surrounded by Perugia's industrial sprawl, Corciano itself is an attractive town with some interesting churches. The main church has a Perugino. During the first part of August, there is a famous festival with the townspeople dressing in Renaissance costume and bands performing new music especially composed for the festival.
Jul 17th, 2006, 09:03 PM
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Hi Franco,
all I can say is that you need to come to Piedmont in fall to taste the real Piedmontese tartufi bianchi and then tell us what you think, but please don't be prejudiced by my campanilismo! Come with an open mind and pocket book and a fresh palate.
It's not that I am against black truffles, OK so I was a bit sniffy, but you will find them on the menus in many trattoria when there are no white ones. I have never myself been a big truffle fan and it took me some years before I learned to appreciate the white ones, and only after I had the real thing, my truffle hunter friend explained that most of the truffles sold to tourists in fall come from Umbria and other places, which is why they lack the real profumo of the prized Piedmontese whites. Again I can take them or leave them, but it appears that nearly all truffle gourmets in the world flock here in fall. Its something about the climate and soil conditions in Piedmont
And yes we do have many varieties of truffles, not just black and white, my truffle hunter friend takes people out into the woods all year, but you need to book months in advance for October/November.
So when do we see the great Francolive and in the flesh in Piemonte?
all I can say is that you need to come to Piedmont in fall to taste the real Piedmontese tartufi bianchi and then tell us what you think, but please don't be prejudiced by my campanilismo! Come with an open mind and pocket book and a fresh palate.
It's not that I am against black truffles, OK so I was a bit sniffy, but you will find them on the menus in many trattoria when there are no white ones. I have never myself been a big truffle fan and it took me some years before I learned to appreciate the white ones, and only after I had the real thing, my truffle hunter friend explained that most of the truffles sold to tourists in fall come from Umbria and other places, which is why they lack the real profumo of the prized Piedmontese whites. Again I can take them or leave them, but it appears that nearly all truffle gourmets in the world flock here in fall. Its something about the climate and soil conditions in Piedmont
And yes we do have many varieties of truffles, not just black and white, my truffle hunter friend takes people out into the woods all year, but you need to book months in advance for October/November.
So when do we see the great Franco
live and in the flesh in Piemonte?
Jul 18th, 2006, 12:46 AM
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I agree with Franco: in my opinion the idea (of both piemontesi and marchigiani) that THEIR truffles are the best has a lot to do with "campanilismo". In Acqualagna they say that people from Alba come here to buy white truffles because they don't have enough there and because "ours" are better... I have to admit that I once saw a car from Alessandria in front of one of the bigger sellers here and they were actually buying a huge amount of white truffles... I'm sure that it can happen the other way round too... because basically I think that a good truffle is a good truffle no matter where you found it!
Piemontesi are very good advertising their (very good) truffles and (superb) wines, marchigiani are very bad at advertising in general... infact most people talk about piemontesi and umbrian truffles and not many about equally superb white truffles from Acqualagna and Sant'Angelo in Vado.
Piemontesi are very good advertising their (very good) truffles and (superb) wines, marchigiani are very bad at advertising in general... infact most people talk about piemontesi and umbrian truffles and not many about equally superb white truffles from Acqualagna and Sant'Angelo in Vado.
Aug 28th, 2006, 07:56 PM
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franco, you have amazing insights!!! Im just curious about your comments on assisi. I agree during the day it is probably one of the most toursity spots in europe, especially the pilgrims. But in the evening when the day trippers leave it is an amazing town. The views the food everything is lovely. Do you not agree????? We went there as catholic pilgrims planning to stay one nights and we ended up staying 4. Being in our late twenties to early thirties we simply loved it.
Aug 30th, 2006, 04:11 PM
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Yes, I agree. Assisi is amazingly beautiful, and even the food is not bad (though it's mostly better elsewhere in Umbria). However, it's most beautiful off season, I insist. In summer, even the evenings can be crowded with pilgrims, and generally spoken, all those S. Francesco-shaped salt shakers and all that stuff must be hard to stand even for religious people, all the more for me. But I repeat, I'm always coming back to Assisi when I'm in Umbria - it's simply too great as an artistic treasure, and so I try to overlook the crowds...
Sep 24th, 2006, 04:47 AM
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Hi Traviata, nice to see you posting - it's quite a long while that we last met on Fodor's! How have you decided? Are you staying at Villa Roncalli, or is your reservation just for dinner? (Anybody who'd like to eat there - NEVER fail to reserve ahead for their restaurant, or they won't likely accept you!)
Huitres - per la cucina, sono meravigliose le tovaglie e i tovaglioli che si trovano a Montefalco. Bellissimi disegni rustici, ma soprattutto la qualità di tessuto è senza paragone.
Huitres - per la cucina, sono meravigliose le tovaglie e i tovaglioli che si trovano a Montefalco. Bellissimi disegni rustici, ma soprattutto la qualità di tessuto è senza paragone.
Sep 24th, 2006, 11:55 AM
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Hi franco,
We will be having dinner only...we had four wonderfully recommended places to stay and only two days in Montefalco, so this visit we will eat there, and with luck, next year we will sleep there...and I have my winery list all packed, thanks to you...
We will be having dinner only...we had four wonderfully recommended places to stay and only two days in Montefalco, so this visit we will eat there, and with luck, next year we will sleep there...and I have my winery list all packed, thanks to you...
Sep 24th, 2006, 12:48 PM
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Hi franco,
We leave in ten days and come back five weeks later....I do keep thinking about that trip report....have never done one before....also will be following your recommendations in Mantova. We are trying for reservations at Osteria Vecchia Mantova....the excitement builds!!
We leave in ten days and come back five weeks later....I do keep thinking about that trip report....have never done one before....also will be following your recommendations in Mantova. We are trying for reservations at Osteria Vecchia Mantova....the excitement builds!!
