Instead of boring you with the usual Best of Umbria this or that, or random tips on Umbria, I will bore you with an award ceremony.
The Charlize Theron Award. Given to the most picturesque Town – Spello
We visited a number of towns and villages throughout Italy. Spello is not only the most picturesque town in Umbria, but one of the prettiest in the country. It helps if you visit during the Infiorate flower festival. But even at other times you got flowers, bunnies, chachkies of all kinds decorate every balcony. Some even proudly display the awards their balconies won.
The Tom Branson Award. Given to the most charming village – Scheggino
I’ve already written about this little fairy tale village near Spello that so many overlook. But it helps to see it like I did, without any preconceived notions. Have dinner at the excellent Osteria Baciafemmine, and visit the Urabni Truffle store. Pair it with Spello, and give it an hour or two of daylight prior to dinner.
The Leonard Hofstadter Award. Most atmospheric square – Montefalco
You get the sense that the squares of Umbria stick out more than other regions. Many towns feature interesting streets and alleys full of anticipation to what squares they lead to. Some, as the great Morrissey once said, are bigger than others. But few came close to the atmosphere of Montefalco in the evening.
Courtesy of Villa in Umbria
The William H Macey Award. Given to the sleepiest village – Bevagna
Or did we catch her at the wrong time. June, midday, hot hot hot. This is not a full endorsement as we found it a little too sleepy perhaps, but there’s something to learn here. Avoid middle of the day. Come with an open mind. Dont compare them. And no matter what, have dinner at Antiche Sere.
The Rick Steves award. Given to the most important, but couldn’t wait to get out of there town – Assisi
Every time there’s a discussion about wearing shorts in churches, I think of Assisi and the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi. I havent seen so many bare legs since the last ZZ Top video. Some places are touristy for a reason, and Assisi is certainly no exception. Best advice is this: Take a guided tour to help with the focus and appreciate it better. We didnt, and that was a mistake
The Boar’s Head Award. Given to the best picnic spot – Piani Di Castelluccio
With the aid of Norcia Salami, made by some of the most respected butchers in the world. Even after the devastation of Norcia and Castelluccio after the 2016 earthquake, there’s just something surreal about being there. A trip to the stunning Piani compliments any Umbria itinerary well. But if this is a bit far from you, a picnic overlooking the spectacular Assisi from the vineyards off SAIO may do.
The Milton Snavely Hershey Award. Given to the best Chocolate – Urbani truffled truffles in the Urbani museum
Umbria is sort of a Chocolate lover paradise. You got Perugia and its famous tenant, Perugina, the maker of Baci kisses. In Norcia you can visit Cioccolateria Vetusta Nursia. We purchased so much chocolate, we are still eating them months later. But it was the marketing nightmare of the truffled truffles in Urbani that triggered a reaction like no other. A good reaction.
The rest of the awards given in a ceremony earlier…
Best Porchetta – Antica Salumeria Granieri Amato, Perugia
Best I can’t believe it’s not Porchetta – Rabbit Porchetta, Antiche Sere, Bevagna
Best Dish – Pigeon at Enoteca L’Alchimista, Montefalco
Best Meal – Enoteca L’Alchimist, Montefalco
Best Chef – Patrizia Moretti, Enoteca L’Alchimist, Montefalco
Best Chef South East – Patrizia Moretti, Enoteca L’Alchimist, Montefalco
Miss Congeniality – Giulia Rossi. Enoteca… Just kidding. Its Patrizia Moretti
Congratulations to the winners!
To say that Cappun Magru offers the best Cappun Magru in Cinque Terre is a fair assessment. Its the only one making it. This old Ligurian specialty is slowly disappearing from Ligurian menus, even in Genoa where its most associated. Cappun Magru is an elaborate seafood and veggie salad to put in the simplest of forms. Its most common spelling is Cappon Magro, but here at the headquarters of EWZ, with the tagline “Eating Well, Spelling Pourly” we dont care about spelling all that much. My guess is that Cappun Magru is the more ancient spelling. Sort of like Giovanni da Verrazzano ancient spelling had only one Z. If only NYC would have known about it before spending millions to change the name.
This was supposed to be a post about Osteria Baciafemmine, one of Umbria’s most hidden (quite literally here) gems. But something happened during this visit. A twist. The kind I only see in South Korean movies. As good as this meal was, the little village of Scheggino, with a population of 463 (we counted) upstaged the meal. To the point that we changed plans on the last day to visit the village again.
Cutting through at the foot of Scheggino is the Nera River producing one of the only seafood items found in Umbria, trout. You can have it at Osteria Baciafemmine as is, or crusted with crunchy breadcrumbs and parsley. Osteria Baciafemmine is a local legend, Slow Food fixture, and the reason we came to this village in the first place. Rustic, all in the family Osteria, dishing out local specialties and meat raised in their own farm. Mother, father, daughter, cat, all hard at work at a space decorated head to toe with food and drink stuff, almost museum like. Toto, we are not in Staten Island anymore.
Tuscany is a wildly misunderstood region. You hear about it. You read about it. You finally decide to go. But unless you plan carefully, you may just miss it. Its large, very diverse, and it includes some of the most photogenic corners in Europe. But finding these corners requires time, patience, and a Fiat.
There’s a common belief in the travel community that vacations should be all about you, and what you like to do. Stay in the type of accommodations you like. Do the things that interest you. Eat the things you enjoy the most in the setting you feel most comfortable in. “What type of food do you like?” is a common response to someone seeking dining advice on the travel boards. It rarely makes sense to me. But knowing exactly what you want and getting it when you want it, doesnt sound so wrong. Some may argue its living life to the fullest. In fact I’m often jealous of people who travel with their favorite cigars, coffee, rum, prunes. Yes, prunes. Prunes give people comfort.
You start this adventure before you even enter the place. About 15-30 minutes before in fact. To ensure a table its recommended to come before they open, otherwise you get an approx time slot, or risk missing out. If its lunch time, and they run out of space and time, they can put you on a list for dinner. Once they open (may not be on time), everyone surrounds the list reader like he is about to read the chosen names in a high school play, and about to give them free Focaccia. Then he goes “Prego” and bam, a mad rush inside. You are shown to your table or table that you’ll share with others.
I tell ya. There are some beautiful places on this planet. Some of which look like belong to another planet. I can think of some parts in south Utah like Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend in Arizona that look like something you may see in science fiction movies. The common theme is usually color. And if you come at the right time to this part of Umbria you might just see every color imaginable. If you come at the wrong time as we did, its spectacular, still.
I get cranky when a meal doesnt go my way back at home. I tend to get very quiet, and everyone at the table usually knows it at some point no matter how hard I try to hide it. But when it happens o
What is the perfect base? Its not rocket science. Put your destination stars on the map, and pick something in the middle. The only decision is whether it will be a city, a town, village, or something in the countryside like a villa or Agriturismo. You’ll find many advantages and disadvantages with all options. Thats why mixing it up a little works for many.
Caterina Campodonico was a peasant that worked hard selling necklaces made of nuts and loafs of breads. Before she died in 1882, she was determined to show her legacy by hiring the most expensive sculptor around, Lorenzo Orengo, and a poet to build her monument. In order to do that she had to sell a lot of nut necklaces and save all her profits. So its easy to see why the “Peanut Seller” in the magnificent Staglieno cemetery in Genoa, became a symbol for the hard working people of Genoa. In the pictures below you can see her proudly wearing one of her necklaces.
Eating With Ziggy 