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 Bread from Matera Timbro di Pane
We always say that the further south you travel down the peninsula, the richer the coffee gets and the better the bread gets. Lifeless, salt-less Tuscan bread cannot hold a candle to the thick, crusty loaves you find in Puglia and Basilicata. So famous and delicious is their pane that they have been granted the DOP designation, a marker of regional authenticity.
Matera DOP and Altamura DOP honor those cities’ commitment to producing bread the old-fashioned way, but this traditional product is not limited to those two towns alone; it is found throughout the southern regions, still made the way it has been for generations. Some even claim that this particular bread dates back to Roman times, and claim that Horace referred to it in a letter in 37 AD!
 You can just smell it! The large loaves have a soft golden interior, because it is made with finely milled semola flour (hard durum wheat which is also used to make pasta). The crisp crust is sometimes splotched with black marks from wood-fired ovens. Natural leavening known as lievito madre or biga, is used, with a piece of dough always being reserved for the next round of baking. The lumpy, irregular loaves are said to reflect the peculiar landscape of the Murgia.
Long before the bread was designated with its prestigious DOP status, however, it was marked in another way – with a timbro di pane. Bread stamps were used to imprint a symbol or initial onto the top of the loaf to designate who the bread belonged to, as it was baked in communal ovens.
 A wood timbro di pane The women prepared and kneaded the dough in the evening, left the bread to rise, stamped it with their seal, and a baker came to take the dough to town, or a nearby masseria in the case of rural folks, for baking. Bread ovens were –and often still are – fueled by olive and oak wood. The finished bread was then retrieved by the family for the next several days’ consumption.
Nothing was wasted. Dough scraps were fried in oil and dusted with sugar as a treat for the children, and crumbs from the very crusty bread were reserved to be sautéed in olive oil with garlic and peperoncino and sprinkled as a topping on the pasta, an everyday garnish still enjoyed throughout these regions today.
The timbri di pane were often made of wood, carved into fanciful shapes by local shepherds. Others were forged in iron or cast in terracotta. Many families still have their grandmother’s timbro on display in their kitchens, a reminder that while bread generally is no longer kneaded at home, the ancient tradition is still very much alive and treasured, and preserved by countless bakeries.
 Tmbri styles
 Arco di Traiano Ancona is the capital of the Marche Region and has been a major Adriatic port for more than two millennium. It was one of the main debarking points for European crusaders during the Middle Ages. Today’s port is industrial, with heavy shipping, cruise ship and ferry traffic. It was rebuilt after heavy bombing damage during World War II, but contains some unique finds amongst the drab.
The Arco di Traiano, built in 115 to honor the Emperor Trajan (Traiano) who was instrumental in expanding and improving this most important Roman Adriatic port. This marble structure stands almost six stories high and originally had large brass statues of Trajan, his wife Plotina and his sister Marciana. The arch originally dominated the port as a landmark for approaching ships but now looks rather small compared to the towering cranes of a busy modern port.
 Duomo di San Ciriaco Situated above the sea is the Cathedral of San Ciriaco, which provides good views of the port and Adriatic to the east. If you like to watch the ships come and go this is a great vantage point. The duomo is an interesting medieval church with stone lions standing guard at the door and a simple but elegant interior. From this location, the highest in the city, you also have a view of some Roman era ruins to the north that currently are not accessible.
 Roman road at Grumentum You don’t need to spend much time in Italy to discover there is truth in the old adage that “all roads lead to Rome” (or as they say it Italian, “tutte le strade si portano a Roma”).
Many of the modern roads used today in Italy, and even other parts of Europe, were built by the Romans as a means of expanding and accessing their Empire from the capital city. Beneath that asphalt highway, country lane, or modern city street may lurk a byway that was laid down by the Romans over 2000 years ago. The modern road surfaces is built upon (and hides) that ancient foundation.
The first major road that the Romans built to their expanding empire was the via Appia (now known as the Appia Antica, or Appian Way). It was constructed in the 3rd century BC by Appius Claudius Caecus. Outside of Rome you can still walk on parts of this ancient highway…now that is a well built road!
 Road in the center of Terracino Such engineering marvels have survived in part due to their excellent base and a surface of crystalline basalt block, using materials readily available in and around Rome or the location of construction. A trench was dug then filled with layers of gravel and sand, then capped with heavy, hard, durable blocks like travertine or granite. The surface was rounded to allow proper drainage. When finished, the roads were used to transport troops and goods to and from the far reaches of the empire. Later, they facilitated invaders’ aspirations.
Driving between Rome and Ascoli Piceno, we follow the via Salaria, the so-called ‘salt road’ that transported the valuable commodity from the Adriatic coast to the Roman markets. That particular highway dates back to 361 BC. We have located and tread upon other Roman roads, as well; one right outside the Colosseo in the heart of Rome, and others in various locales around the country. Amazingly, some are overgrown and neglected, seemingly forgotten.
As you walk along these routes, it is hard not to imagine the history that has passed over their surfaces during the past two millennia.
 Typical Italian mercato vendor Stroll through any mercato (weekly market) in Italy and you’ll eventually be hit with the wafting aroma of herb-scented roasting meat. Porchetta is classic street fare, proffered from mobile stands. It is also fair food, starring as the headliner of many a town festival and people all over the peninsula go hog wild for it.
Porchetta is the whole hog. A small pig is gutted and boned, then stuffed with herbs like rosemary, fennel and garlic, along with pork fat and seasonings. It is sewn up and roasted whole on a spit over a wood fire for hours to achieve a crispy, flavorful skin while creating moist, savory meat.
 Porchetta ready for eating Porchetta dates back to ancient times. Some say it originated with the Etruscans, though no historical records were left to back this up. It certainly was in vogue during the Roman era, as ancient writers mention it dating back to 400 BC and it was a favorite meal of Emperor Nero. It was often served at grand Roman banquets.
It enjoyed a resurgence in the Middle Ages, particularly in the central regions of Lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria and Tuscany. Today, the classic dish is more popular than ever nationwide. It can be found in supermarkets, some meat markets, and shops called rosticceria, where rotisserie meats are made fresh daily. Street fairs are dedicated to it, with three or four spits turning at once to meet demand.
Next time you’re in the mercato ask for a sample, and you’ll see why the country is addicted to its porchetta.
 Amatrice Amatrice, Lazio
The compact, picturesque stone and stucco town of Amatrice rests just off the ancient via Salaria, in western Lazio where it nearly kisses Abruzzo. Here the mountains loom larger and the landscape grows more intensely rugged. Driving along the lovely valley you skirt a small lake. The setting alone is worth the trip to Amatrice, its pastoral position seems to sit just below the clouds.
The place gives off an aura of relaxed energy. Outdoorsy gear and casual wear are de rigueur. A major influx of summer visitors are attracted to the nearby national park, Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, while winter travelers find skiing and snow-showing.
 A sign of great food ahead But the real attraction to the town is signposted at a crossroads: Amatrice – la Citta degli Spaghetti. Amatrice – Spaghetti City.
Spaghetti all’Amatriciana originated here and spread the length of the peninsula. It is known and loved by all Italians, though inevitable regional variations have crept in. Romans often try to claim it as their own, though they use bucatini instead of spaghetti, and frequently make it using onion and garlic, the addition of which the good Amatriciani say is akin to blasphemy. They should know; they’ve been making this plate for many generations. The town isn’t labeled Spaghetti City for nothing!
The original “matriciana” was made in bianco, without tomatoes. Shepherds used cured guanciale (a type of bacon made from the cheek) and their own abundant pecorino cheese to flavor their pasta. The three necessary ingredients, dry spaghetti, cured pork, and aged cheese, were very transportable and didn’t require refrigeration. This older version of the dish is also known as Gricia. Eventually, tomatoes got thrown into the pot, and a famous dish was born.
 Courtesy of inuyaki.com There are numerous restaurants and agriturismos offering the town’s claim to fame, but our favorite is the humble Trattoria del Lago. The unassuming restaurant is on the outskirts of Amatrice along the little lake, Lago di Scandarello, in a non-descript building. The bustling trattoria is easy to miss, except for the cars lining the curvy road.
Trattoria del Lago serves the famed Spaghetti mounded up on the plate with nice, coarsely-grated pecorino cheese dotting the top. A carafe of vino rosso and a side dish to round it off is all you’ll need. One bite and you’ll see why Amatrice is known for its culinary contribution to the country.
 Trattoria del Lago
An Evening With Brigands
For many people the view of il Mezzogiorno, the south of Italy, is that you must sta attenti (watch out) and be always on your guard because “Basilicata is the land of brigands”. Yeah, whatever! We always passed off such derogatory comments as uninformed.
It turns out, there are brigands in Basilicata, and they put on one helluva performance. Every weekend from the end of July through mid-September the era of i briganti comes to life at La Grancia outside tiny Brinidisi di Montagna.
In a huge open-air, natural amphitheatre below townis Il Parco Storico La Grancia, a multi-venue historical theme park with six areas for education, theatre, music and art. There is Il Borgo, a sort of Lucanian frontier-town where artisans in period costumes demonstrate traditional crafts, and -this being Italy-there are several stands and restaurants where you can eat locally-produced delicacies that would have been served during the brigantaggio years, the late 1800s. Music and dance performances are designed to reflect the area’s particular history and culture.
 Brindisi Montagna as the backdrop to the show. But the main event of this park is La Storia Bandita, a grand production dubbed as a “cinespettacolo”. It is a beautiful blending of impassioned live performance, dramatically-devised video projection, and astounding special effects, utilizing the bare cliff wall opposite and the ruins of the 11th century castle perched above Brindisi. Seriously, this is one amazing show.
Interestingly, La Storia Bandita means “the history of the bandits” but could also be translated as “banned history”. It is a clever word play for the period when many Lucani felt that their culture and history had been marginalized, trivialized and tyrannized. Tired of invasions and overly dominating landowners that kept them poor, oppressed and disillusioned, the period of the Risorgimento (the unification of Italy) proved to be a flashpoint for many southern peasants who joined together and formed a band of bandits. They became known as i briganti.
 The Briganti leader Crocco La Storia Bandita tells a dramatized version of this period, focusing on the charismatic leader of the pack, Carmine Crocco, who was called the ‘General of the Briganti’. From events in his childhood and disillusionment with the unification forces, the story shows how and why the briganti took things into their own hands to protect their lands and traditions.
The production is astounding, with hundreds of participants in an all-volunteer cast and crew. Dance and music reflect the rural Lucanian life at the time. Crocco authored an autobiography and some of his rousing prose is movingly recited. But the effects! When the forces invade, the castle is set aflame. Gunfire echoes loudly in the canyon and the flashes illuminate the mountain formations. Images are projected behind the set on the rock. A waterwall shoots up in a stirring finale.
 The Finale You don’t have to understand much Italian to follow the show. The performances play it all out before your eyes, unfolding in the peasant village, as well as tents and caves, representing how the briganti had to hide out in the hills. This is a show worth seeing.
WHAT: La Storia Bandita, a live performance utilizing special effects, the hundreds of people who comprise the cast and crew are all volunteers.
 The cast at La Grancia WHERE: Il Parco Storico La Grancia, Brindisi di Montagna (Potenza Province). It is located just off the Basentana superstrada.
WHEN: Every weekend from the end of July through mid-September
COST: 18 euro
Ferie in Italia
August is the traditional month for Italians to go on vacation, leaving the cities and towns in droves for beach and mountain destinations. The vacation season peaks in the middle of the month on the 15th with Ferragosto, the major summer holiday for Italy. Why this particular day? It is an old-age festa day, based on an ancient Roman festival as well as the Catholic holiday Assunzione S. Vergine, or the Feast of the Assumption. Many businesses of all types will close around this date, some for as long as three weeks.
You will spot businesses with signs on their doors “Chuiso per ferie” with various start and ending dates. You may also encounter reduced hours for businesses and government offices.
 Closed fo Ferie sign Many of the towns and cities in Italy seem like ghost towns as the locals head to the beach or the mountains for some fresh air and relaxation. This can mean that you will find minimal services available in some areas, but excessive crowds along the beach and in the mountains. The weekends around Ferragosto will also mean heavily delayed traffic and congestion on the motorways.
There are, however, plenty of events taking place in Italy during this period to make up for the hassles, from sagre to concerts to historic palio events…and many of these are free.
 Ripatransone Ripatransone, Marche
Everyone has visions of narrow streets paved with stone or brick winding through a pretty hilltop hamlet, but there is one town that boasts the narrowest.
 Only 43 cm wide! Ripatransone is situated on a ridge above the Tesino Valley, just 12 kilometers from the Adriatic Sea. It has incomparable views unfurling from Mount Conero to the Grand Sasso. Ripatransone is known locally as “il Belvedere del Piceno.” As you walk through the town you will notice a sign for the narrowest alley in Italy, Vicolo Stretto, a passageway that connects two pretty pedestrian streets and is no more than two feet wide.
We have been to two other towns trying to stake their claim on this same fame, but careful examination, and a measuring tape, proves that the Vicolo Stretto is the real deal, the narrowest alley in Italy.
 Shoulder to shoulder with the walls. Ripatransone is one of the oldest centers of the province of Ascoli Piceno. Walking through its streets you will note the numerous plaques attached to houses giving details of the important historic person orartist who once lived there, such as Luigi Mercantini, who penned the national anthem.
The town is crowned by Piazza XX Settembre where you will find the Tourist Information office as well as the opulent Opera House, the stoic Palazzo del Podesta and the municipal offices. A park on the very peak of the town offers stunning views, especially magical at sunrise.
Ripatransone has been awarded the Italian Touring Club Orange Flag due to its outstanding beauty and the facilities that it offers. The town has also been awarded the Green Flag for its agriculture. Situated in the heart of one of the most important D.O.C wine and extra virgin olive oil-producing areas of Le Marche, agriculture remains important to the town. Excursions to nearby wine cellars and olive mills are enjoyable experiences.
 View from Ripatransone
 La Quintana! Medieval Sights and Sounds
Every year Ascoli Piceno transforms back into the important and bustling Middle Ages city it once was. La Quintana, Ascoli’s high-energy medieval jousting match, rivals the excitement of Siena’s Palio but without the crushing crowds. The beautiful centro storico fills with colorful banners and resplendent costumes as the city pays homage to its storied past.
Carried on since the early 1300s, the thrilling, historical events take place over a month-long period, starting with the flag-throwers competition. Forget any image you may have of a majorette with a baton. These guys, called sbandieratori, are athletes with great balance, strength, coordination, stamina and a touch of showmanship. They launch the heavy flags in a show of artistry filling the space above the piazza with a blaze of unfurling color, some working as many five flags at a time, deftly using their feet as well as their hands to fling the banners skyward in an explosion of waving glory.
 Groups Sbandieratore competition The most amazing sbandieratore event is the large-group competitions, whose choreography incorporat the movements and intermingling of the musicians, making American marching bands look positively bland. Drummers twirled in formation while long wooden-handled flags whipped past their heads. Without flinching. Slender elongated brass trumpets blast while their players weave among the host of characters. The entire scene looks like an elaborate, beautiful dance. Oh yes, and all of this is performed while wearing heavy brocade and velvet costumes.
Preceding the jousting match is the mother of all pageants, the corteo storico, in which 1400 participants in costume parade through the travertine-paved piazzas and streets in a grand procession. Knights in actual armor and women in glorious gowns are accompanied by citizens representing old-world themes, such as archers, falconers, mountaineers, and more, and is fascinating to watch.
It’s a step back to the Middle Ages when the noble families and their courtiers, along with the valiant cavaliers who defended the city amassed before the common folk to show their power, prestige, skill and beauty.
 The colors of the costumes and banners The events of La Quintana culminate in the high-energy and highly heated jousting match where the sestieri (districts) inhabitants root loudly for their neighborhood’s horse and cavalier to win the cherished Palio.
The joust utilizes a unique figure 8-shaped track; in the middle is a target called the Saracen or the Moor. (No, political correctness hasn’t invaded medieval traditions.) The cavalieri must ride the horse around the perimeter of the track, enter the figure 8 and skillfully maneuver the horse on the tight turns while grasping a long, heavy wooden lance that he uses to pound the target, all at full speed.
 On Target! It is an exciting and heart-pounding event played out before thousands of spectators, all of whom have strong affiliation with their sestieri. The preliminary joust in July serves to rile people up so that when the August edition rolls around the fans scream curses about the opposing cavaliers’ mothers, the other districts’ intelligence levels, and other epithets. No wonder city-state wars broke out so frequently in the Middle Ages.
Following the competition, the winner is announced, the Palio is awarded, and the teams parade out of the stadium in the order of placement, a long tradition which allows the citizens to see how their teams fared. With rhythmic drumbeats they march home, accompanied by their neighbors, to celebrate or mourn the day’s wins and losses.
 Citta della Quintana
 Welcome! Trattoria da Middio
Ascoli Piceno, Marche Province
This unobtrusive eatery is easy to miss; at first pass it looks like an ordinary shop window. Those fortunate enough to find it – and find an open table – will be amply rewarded. You may be seated at an already-occupied table in communal fashion in order to fit you in.
This trattoria started life as a coffee bar run by the lovable Middio, and turned into a full-fledged eatery. Middio passed away, but his legacy is carried on, run by an all-female family staff.
Unabashedly Communist, the owners have the sickle and hammer prominently featured on their receipts and shirts, cutely replacing the hammer with a fork, and pride themselves in serving delicious regional fare at egalitarian prices.
This is a good choice for vegetarians as they always have a couple vegetable-based pasta plates and will happily serve their insalata di farro (cold spelt salad) as a main dish upon request.
Reservations are recommended if you don’t want to risk being turned away. At dinner there is an ample spread of antipasti, as many as eight different items will appear; tell them when you’ve had enough and are ready to move on to the primi.
The menu changes constantly and is recited, though a sampling of what may possibly be among the offerings is posted on the door. The penne with zucchini is noteworthy, as is the orrechiette with peppery broccoletti. Secondi (main dishes) usually feature lamb, veal and/or pork in some form, but also sometimes chicken and fish dishes. Contorni are basic, normally tending toward potatoes, salad and sautéed greens, or peas with prosciutto.
There is a fair selection of regional wines, including some nice organic samplings. We’ve never been offered dessert but nor have we inquired; we are always too full by the end of every meal.
 If you aren't careful, you might walk past it. Via delle Canterine. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Trattoria da Middio is a member of Slow Food.
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