We've already learned about Monica's favorite Osteria in Venice. Next in my series, "My Favorite Things In Italy," comes another friend, Letizia Mattiacci, who, with her husband, owns and runs the agriturismo, Alla Madonna del Piatto in Umbria near Assisi, and writes the deliciously beautiful food blog, Madonna del Piatto. When I asked Letizia to fill in the blanks to "My favorite ____ in Italy is ____," she quickly reponded with:
My Favorite Event In Umbria Is The Olive Harvest
Olive harvest in Umbria is an unforgettable experience. Much of the region's beautiful hills are blanketed in silvery olive groves.
Harvest starts during the mid to end of October and continues well into December. The best and most aromatic oil is obtained from early harvest olives, picked by hand at the very time when the fruits change from green to purple.
Olive oil is the liquid gold of Umbria. Spicy, fruity, aromatic, beautifully green when just harvested. It's not only a healthy condiment, but it actually enhances everything it is drizzled upon.
If you can get ahold of some freshly pressed extra-virgin oil from a small estate and compare it to the average supermarket variety, you will realize you have never tasted the real thing until now.
Don't use it for cooking as the heat will destroy its fragrance. Don't limit yourself to dipping bread in it or dressing salad. Learn a new habit: prepare your food with only a minimal amount of fat and serve. Have a bottle of good olive oil on the table. Drizzle one teaspoon of the emerald elixir over each portion. Enjoy immediately. Then, close your eyes and you will see the rolling hills of Umbria!
Thank you Letizia for making our mouths water! Do you have a favorite Umbrian olive oil to share with the rest of us? I'd love to hear about it!
