Food and Wine
The city of Ascoli Piceno seems to be an ideal place to visit in southern Marche for its aesthetic beauty; the travertine town has pretty streets and piazze to discover, but regarding food, the name makes the connection to an indulgent antipasto dish that I love, the olive all'ascolana. These are fried green olives, stuffed with a bit of minced meat, and they originate from this city. Thus, a first regional dish to try are these stuffed fried olives. (You will see them as an antipasto option all over Italy as the popularity has spread; for good reason!) A healthier regional alternative is the ancient grain, farro. Farro is grown in the region of Marche, and it has been popular since Roman soldiers were marching through this region to carry out battles and expand the empire. You will find the grain used in diverse recipes throughout the region, from farro and leek soup to trendier summer salads.
If you love pasta al forno (pasta baked in the oven), and lasagna, in particular, Marche, has a regional dish called Vincisgrassi that resembles lasagna to a great extent. Marchigiani, that is people from Marche, are proud of Vincisgrassi which can be considered a symbol and pride of the region.
Update: I wrote this previous sentence before having more intimate knowledge of the region, or intimate relationships with native ‘Marchigiani’, and I cringe a bit reading it now. That said, at the restaurant where the picture of the famous Vincisgrassi for this post was taken, I blissfully participated in a ‘serious’ conversation debating the differences between the regional dish and a ‘traditional’ lasagne. ‘Creamier’ aka ‘with more Bechamel sauce’ was proposed as the distinguishing factor during this conversation. It is also said to have more ingredients than lasagna, as one of the other distinct features. According to legend (and this website): this dish was created … to impress a German general called Windisch Graetz who was passing through Marche region in 1799. The name was an Italianized version of the Austrian surname. Windisch Graetz was supported in Ancona because he fought against Napoleon’s army in Ancona; he was instrumental in bringing about the end of Napoleon I’s occupation of continental Europe.
Another important local product that I would be remiss in not mentioning is ciauscolo, a rather mild spreadable type of salumi. You will also find this type of salumi in the Umbria region; however, the IGP designation (Protected Geographical Indication, like DOC for food products) is found only in provinces in the Marche.
Wine
The featured wine for this region is a from white wine grape called Verdicchio. The verdicchio grape is grown primarily in the Marche region. It is known to have high acidity and citrus notes, but as always, I recommend you try for yourselves. The grape is used to produce many blends, especially in the regions of Le Marche and Umbria, but I would recommend that you first try the DOC versions: Verdicchio di Matelica DOC and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC.
Two bottles of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC (which also happen to be natural!)
Both of these must have at least 85% verdicchio grapes to meet the DOC standards. The other 15% is often fulfilled with Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes. This Buca della Marcona, pictured at left, and produced by Tenuta San Marcello was delicious, and I definitely recommend it. Also, I just found out that Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva is a relatively new DOCG titles in Italy, created in February 2010. That said, this producer, Tenuta San Marcello, is also a natural producer. They are responsible for both bottles of Verdicchio pictured here, on the left is the equivalent of a ‘riserva’. Verdicchio is the most popular and abundant white grape in the region, and although these wines (pictured above) are produced through natural methods, the taste is very clean and quite ‘conventional’ tasting, if you will.
This producer, Tenuta San Marcello, also makes some more ‘experimental’ wines, using the same grape, but completing the aging process in an amphora. See this article on the ancient art of amphora wine-making. Indeed, it is the most ‘ancient’ process for making wine, started in the country of Georgia. In this century, many natural wine makers are harking back to these methods, a fusion of the old and the new in the wine world.
A quick note for red fans: On my recent trip to this region, I tried the regional favorite called ‘Lacrima’ or (Lacrima di Morro d’Alba in full). I liked the wine as it is described in this Wine Searcher article as quite floral with ‘stewed strawberries’ and some sweet spice. As was explained to me during our cellar visit at Tenuta San Marcello, the word ‘lacrima’ literally means ‘teardrop’. One theory is that because the skin of this grape is quite thin, it is easy to puncture and and bleed, resembling a teardrop. I would recommend seeking out both Verdicchio and Lacrima, if you visit the region, and especially to pair with the local food.