Umbria is famous for its black truffles - a speciality of Italian cuisine. Some of the finest come from Norcia, a medieval mountain town that was the birthplace of St Benedict. The Black Truffle (Tartufo) Festival, held on the last weekend in February, is a great time to visit the region and taste the truffles - the festival attracts local and national food producers. Black truffles aren't as highly prized as white truffles by gourmets, but are still delicious and can be lightly cooked or grated and eaten in sauces, in pasta dishes, or in risotto. They grow in the surrounding countryside, beneath oak and walnut trees.
Norcia is a great place to try traditional Italian food and drink. As well as the truffles, it is also noted for its meats, such as prosciutto, salame and salsicce di Cinghiale - a wild boar sausage. Among other regional specialities are the lenticchie di Casteltuccio - green tender lentils that are highly prized and grown in the nearby village of Castelluccio. Then there is tangy pecorino cheese and acacia honey.
Norcia is in the largely unexplored Valnerina area, with stunning mountain scenery, sleepy villages and gushing waterfalls.
For more information see www.norcia.net . If you love truffles, try this recipe for Beef fillet with black truffles.
