The fermano taste | Itinerario

Here we cannot advise you of just one itinerary as gastronomy is the main live wire of the whole territory: in each small place you can find typical things which really do excel.

 During your stay, look for initiatives of the “herb circuit” “Chi mangia la foglia” that organizes: conferences, events, didactical courses about wild herbs and vegetable garden management, tasting sessions and thematic dinners. 

The Circuit of the traditional cooking of the territory is composed by five branches. The “Circuit of the wild erbs” promoted by Francavilla d’Ete, Moresco, Smerillo, Montefiore dell’Aso e Petritoli. Taste as many of local traditional dishes like the natural herbs in “mesticanza”, a herb and cereal soup or the singular nettle tagliatelle; not to be overlooked are dishes born out of the creativity and innovative genius of work; not to be missed are the ‘donzellette’, the herb salame, the petritolinian sweets, the fried acacia flowers, and last but not least: the very fresh salads made up of herbs and natural flowers. 

From the traditional cooking, emerges the circuit of the “vegetable garden” promoted by the municipalities of Massignano, Montottone, Sant’Elpidio a Mare and Spinetoli where there is a come-back of the precious dishes of vegetables like: asparagus, artichokes and ‘taccole’, all accompanied by very good wines produced from the local land.

Of great importance is the “Circuit of the truffle cooking”, it take inspiration from the “jewel” of the national gastronomy: the withe, black or scorzone truffle. Even if Montefalcone Appenino don’t boast of a long tradition, its territory, thanks to the natural characteristics of the soil, boast the highest number of “tartufaie” (truffle plantation), that also extend across the municipalities of Amandola, Montefortino and the sub-Apennines area.

In the same territory there is the “Circuit of the mountain cooking”, promoted by Comunanza and Arquata, with its typical products: mushroom and chestnut. Here tale, legends of fairies and Sibille are joined with the quality of food.

Also the cost has its circuit: the “Circuit of the Marinaro Adriatico cooking” is promoted by the municipalities of Porto San Giorgio, Pedaso, Porto Sant’Elpidio, San Benedetto T., they present dishes that are used to cook by the fisherman in their fishing boat like the brodetto, high-quality dishes that now you can taste in the restaurants of the circuit.

The “Circuit of taste, art and history” ” is promoted by the municipalities of Monte Vidon Corrado, Massa Fermana, Falerone, Rotella, Montedinove, they revisit the typical dishes cooked in the local taverns where usually artists met up, and revisit also the typical dishes of roman and Franciscan cooking. The art of Crivelli, Licini and the hat fhasion are joined togheter

GASTRONOMIC LOCAL PRODUITS

The king of the beasts is most certainly the pig: locally the saying goes “nothing goes to waste” from him; amongst the ‘anti-pasti’ (= hors d’oeuvres) you can taste the famous ciabuscolo, the lonza, the fegatelli or fegatini (liver salame), the coppa, the sausages and other types of salame.

Among the most famous “primi piatti” (= first course dishes), are most certainly the maccheroncini from Campofilone and the Vincisgrassi, a sort of lasagna of uncertain origins: some say created in the 18th century in honor of the Austrian General Windisch Graetz, others say their invention is attributed to Antonio Nebbia’s treaty of “princsgrass”.

Let’s not forget the coast and the famous “brodetto” (= broth / soup): no universal recipe but a different twist at every bell-tower.  A dish of different types of fish usually with tomatoes. At most of the fish restaurants we find a vast variety of “antipasti” and for the “secondi” (= main courses) grilled and fried fish and oven baked frog-fish.

Also in the Fermano area we can taste excellent olives “all’ascolana”, stuffed and fried, often served with “cremini”: confectioner’s cream, squared into cubes then breaded and fried.

Among the various olive oil produce, worthy of mention is the ‘piantone’ of Falerone.

We recommend local wines; among the most famous are the Bianco Falerio from the Ascoli hillsides and the Rosso Piceno, we suggest also to taste the wine of the native grape variety like the Passerina and Pecorino

The proverb remains: “Every festivity throughout the year has its own ‘dolce’ (sweet). During Christmas time are prepared the “frustingo” or pristingolo and the Serpe; Cicerchiata, frittelle and sfrappe during the Carnival. 

Sweet pizzas and cheese pizzas and the ciambella are dedicated to the Easter festivities.

In autumn the various biscuits and ciambelloni are united with chestnuts and vino cotto. 

Written by Noris Rocchi