Small Umbria is a casket that collects characteristic gastronomic jewels all along its territory. It is possible to trace the guiding principle of this region’s gastronomic traditions in extra-virgin olive oil civilization and in lard’s culture.
Extra-virgin olive oil
One of the prominent features of the green hills of Umbria are the groves of olive trees. The very long-lived but slow-growing olive well represents this region’s capacity to lovingly preserve centuries-old traditions, handed down from one generation to the next, and the flavourful extra virgin olive oil from Umbria represents the best of regional cuisine, consisting of simple, down-to-earth dishes made with wholesome, tasty foods. The extra virgin olive oil produced in five communes of Umbria can make use of the “Umbria – Colli Martani Protected Designation of Origin,” which is for one of the five sub-zones into which the region has been divided. The main cultivar in the Colli Martani area is San Felice, a local variety that is sweeter and thus allows the Colli Martani extra virgin olive oil to compensate for the typical pungency of Umbrian olive oil coming from the “Moraiolo” olives grown almost exclusively in the rest of the region.
