Eat your way through Abruzzo

   People explore new territory in different ways. Some, prefer walking around, seeing historical sights or spending hours learning about the treasures of the country through a glass montra in museums (not judging at all..). Others, take the easy solution and jump on a red bus with a talkative guide and take blurry pictures while driving around the city. Me, I prefer tasting the new area. Ask me about any country I have been in, and I might not be able to tell you where the most common sights would be, or what the particular trademark for that city is. But I sure can tell you what you should eat when you are in that city! In Berlin you have to taste the currywurst or their big pretzels. In Athens the moussaka and olives are to die for. In Montreal their pulled pork melts in your mouth. In Oslo they make a delicious whale-steak. And if you ever find yourself at the big square in Prague, there is a place with an apple pie that you wouldn't believe. 

   In Abruzzo there is, in particular one place that you have to explore. If you are a vegetarian, this would be your absolute nightmare, but for a carnivore like me, this was f** awesome. High up in the mountains, in a small place called "Zaff", located in the area of San Giovanni Teatino, there is a restaurant which specialize themselves in the art of arrosticini. Lamb meat on a stick. The meat there is the freshest meat you will ever try. And here is why: When you get there and step out of the car, you will hear “baah..baahh” somewhere in the distance, and you think to yourself, "oh they have lambs here". And it is not until twenty minutes later, when you chew into the first bite of juicy barbecued meat that you realize just how fresh the meat is. You just ate the lamb going “baah.”
   It is, by far, the best lamb I have ever tasted. And it is so in my style of eating (no small pretentious portions of no food). First, you get a variation of starters, mainly bread with olive oil, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, eggplant and some other stuff dipped in delicious. And a pitcher of beer to go with it, of course. Let the meat-fest begin! The lamb is served in portions of 50 sticks at a time – so you get a bunch of those, and then some more. If you want to fit in with the locals (and you do) you don’t eat the meat with a fork, you eat the flesh directly off the stick. But not before you have rolled the stick over a slice of bread, to get the juices on the bread. It is nothing less than Abruzzo art.

  The most well known expression of Abruzzeses’ love for food, is the annual festivals called Sagre. They take place during the summer, usually august, and each Sagre have their own food-theme. But the general purpose is: Eat as much as you can. I have been to the big Christmas dinner on the 25th where you already need two stomachs, so when I went to my first Sagre I thought I'd seen it all. Boy, was I wrong! Now I know that, the 25th is for babies. These festivals are for the elite. It is simply heaven if you like to eat Italian food. And come, on who doesn't? A sagre can last for days, and it usually happens outdoors where tables are set up and often there will be a local band performing the dinner music. Needles to say that the atmosphere is absolutely wonderful. Here you will find all of the best specialties from the area - and given, there is a lot of pasta. Personally, my favorite was pasta with pistachio nuts. But you will also find other things. Everything from starters, to main courses and of course desserts. In short – if you want to fall in love with Abruzzo, this is the place to be.

  
   However there is one kind of meal that, to me, beats everything I have ever tried. And this is a simple one. It is the meal you get when you are invited home to an Italian family. The occasion can be anything from a birthday to a football game (the difference being the amount of yelling at the TV) but here you will experience the true essence of Italian dining. The starters of cheese, thin sliced ham, mozzarella made from buffalo milk, tomato salad with fresh basil leaves, things with vinegar and things that you just want to dip your face into. And then comes the pasta, cooked al dente, of course, or a risotto made with mushroom or white wine. But whatever it is, the taste, in combination with the warmth of the Italian family, simply makes one absolutely epic meal, that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. And that is how you should eat your way through Abruzzo.

Next off: Italians and their romantic ideals