An old proverb in the dialect of Offida says: “in Offida, you spend little and eat well”. As well as being one of Italy’s most attractive small towns thanks to its architectural beauty and wealth of historical, artistic and archaeological treasures, Offida also boasts a longstanding wine and food tradition with many unique products and speciality dishes.
Particularly renowned are its bakery products, associated primarily with the town’s historical carnival season. A time of unbridled celebration with strong ties to pagan ritual (the hunt for “Lu Bov Fint” – the fake bull – on the Friday, for instance, and the closing procession of the “Vlurd” on the Tuesday), Offida carnival is one of the best times to visit the town).
As well as castagnole, frappe (or sfrappe), and ravioli filled with ricotta and chestnut, Offida’s bakeries are famous for their funghetti, crispy mushroom-shaped biscuits similar to comfits, made from water, flour, sugar and anise, whose origins are lost in the mists of time.
Another Offida speciality is filled chichì (a child’s dialect word for pizza), a type of focaccia madefrom bread-like dough and filled with tuna, anchovies, capers, green olives, and peppers, probably of Ottoman origins. Filled chichì, which goes particularly well with an aperitif and local hors d’oeuvres, is the main theme of the “Sagra del chichì ripieno”, an event organized by the local culture and tourism association, held on the first Sunday of August. The festival is the ideal time to taste this unique and flavoursome speciality, found only in Offida.
With over 1,100 hectares of vineyards, Offida is the area’s biggest winegrowing districtterritory and its wines were awarded the DOC label in 2001. There are four different Offida DOC wines: ‘Offida Rosso’, a full-bodied red which goes well with red meat and game; ‘Offida Pecorino’, ideal for shellfish and seafood dishes; ‘Offida Passerina’, the perfect companion for simple dishes and white meats; ‘Offida Passerina Passito’, a contemplative wine that goes well with seasoned cheeses and Italian biscuits.
The Enoteca Regionale (one of only two in the Marche, in the other being in Jesi) is in a Franciscan convent and is the best place to sample Offida wines. It is managed by VINEA, the winegrowers association for the province of Ascoli Piceno.
The Enoteca is not simply a wine museum: it is a vibrant hub for gatherings and wine-tasting events for discovering traditions, art, culture, aromas, and flavours of local products.
An important appointment for your diary, Ciborghi is a festival dedicated to the wine and food traditions of Italy’s most beautiful small towns and regional cuisines. The next edition, 11–20 July 2014, will be held in Offida!
Piceno recipes
Offida “funghetti” recipe
Serves 4
700g flour; 600g of sugar; aniseed; water.
Preparation
Knead the flour with the sugar, add the aniseed then add water to make a firm dough. Shape into small balls and leave to dry for 2 days. Place the balls in metal rings so give them a mushroom shape. Bake at 200 °C for 30 minutes.
Travel tips
Accommodation
Casa Carducci (B&B)
Piazza Forlini, 4; 0736887132; casacarduccioffida@libero.it; www.casacarduccioffida.eu
Eating out
Enoteca Regionale – Vinea
Via Garibaldi, 75; 0736880005; info@vinea191.it; www.vineamarche.it
Il Nascondiglio di Bacco
Contrada Ciafone, 97; 0736889537; www.vinoffida.it
What to see
Polo museale civico, Palazzo De Castellotti, Via Roma, 17
October – May 10 am–12.30 pm; 3 pm–7 pm (Sat–Sun and public holidays)
June – September 10 am–12.30 pm; 3.30 pm–7.30 pm (Mon–Sun); 9 pm–midnight (Fri)
Entrance fee €3.50 (full); €2.50 (reduced); €5.00 (municipal museum complex); €10.00 (museum network ticket)
Teatro Serpente Aureo, Piazza del Popolo
June – September and public holidays 10 am–12.30 pm; 3.30 pm–7.30pm (Mon–Sun)
October – May By prior booking
Entrance fee € 2.00
Santa Maria della Rocca
June – September and public holidays 10 am–12.30 pm; 3.30 pm –7.30pm (Mon–Sun)
October – May By prior booking
Entrance fee € 2.00
Museo “A. Sergiacomi”, Via Ischia, 24
All year round By prior booking
Entrance fee Free of charge
Centro di Educazione Ambientale “Giano”, Via Roma 17
0736888609; info.oikos@libero.it; www.museipiceni.it; www.ambiente.marche.it
What to buy
Azienda agricola Aurora – typical wines
Contrada Ciafone, 98 – zona S. Carro; 0736810007; www.viniaurora.it
Azienda agricola Ciù Ciù – typical wines
Via Ciafone, 106; 0736 810001; info@ciuciu.com
Panificio Pandol – typical confectionery and bakery products
Via Giuseppe Ciabattoni, 16; 0736.889761
Maria Grazia Pasqualini – pillow lace
Viale della Repubblica, 77; 0736880200; info@pizziatombolo.it; www.pizziatombolo.it
Moretti Arturo – pottery
Via Lava 145, 0736 889661
L’Occhio di Horus, di Gasparrini Marilina – goldsmith
Via Lava 51, 0736 889854
Events
11-20 July 2014
