In the XVI Century, in his report to the pope, a pontifical functionary, wrote that, despite being tormented by war and famine for centuries, Assisi «shall beyond any city in Umbria be hight happy, sith of wheat, wine and oil and other meat has aplenty above all others and of delicious fruits […]». We knew that eating opens the door to happiness, now we know that Assisi has had the key for centuries.
What makes the food of this land so unique is undoubtedly its relationship with history, the antiquity of traditions and know-how through which the crop is brought from the farm to the table. A few centuries later, another document drafted by an agrarian committee appointed by the Kingdom of Italy reads: «the diet of sharecrop farmers predominantly consists of […] flatbread or savoury tarts cooked in a disc of fireclay heated on the fire at a rather high temperature». Over a century later, this technique is still used by bakers in Assisi to make Torta al testo, one of the more typical regional products.
Another speciality of Assisi is olive oil. The city is part of the Assisi-Spoleto olive strip, an area comprising five different municipalities which is a unique example of landscapes where, for centuries, human intervention – with over 40 kilometres (25 miles) of olive groves along the slopes of the Spoletana Valley – was able to seamlessly combine with environmental protection and land preservation in a perfect balance. In 2018, the olive strip was recognised as agricultural heritage of world relevance by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
In case you need more evidence that here food makes people happy, you can take a trip around the villages at the feet of Assisi, which regularly hold thematic food festivals with typical products. Need some examples? Well… torta al testo with sausage and cooked vegetables, fried goose, stew snails, porchetta di Costano spit-roasted pork, boar stew, Cannara red onion Parmigiana, spaghetti with Subasio caciotta and truffle. These are just some of the regional delicacies you’ll be able to enjoy. Feeling happier already?