The culture of a people expresses itself through the food they eat, a key element in the life of every population over the centuries. To understand any object whatsoever, modern or ancient, each specific culture must place it within a system of meanings, references and combinations and, in the same way, the food culture needs to be taught, stimulated, passed on and spread.

CHEESE

Ancient methods of craftsmanship, taste and smell. Try ricottine, fresh soft cheeses from sheep and goat’s milk. Particularly noteworthy is the Marzolina, a small cheese that was once produced only in March (hence the name). You can eat it fresh, but according to tradition it should mature for a few days on trellises of wood and then in glass jars for a few months more. The Marzolina of San Donato is a Slow Food Presidium product.

OIL

A healthy, tasty and sought-after product, which has been linked to San Donato and its people since the Middle Ages, when the Benedictine monks organized the cultivation of olive trees around the tower. Today, as then, the quality of the product remains the same, unchanged, with olives that do not require chemical treatment because they are grown above 700 metres and once collected, are completely cold pressed. The slightly opaque green colour, and delicate fruity taste, make our oil an organic product that is genuine and easy to digest.

ORGANIC HONEY

Many varieties of organic honey are produced in this territory because of its rich biodiversity: thyme, chestnut, honeydew, acacia and of course mixed flower.

BREAD and CAKES

There are numerous bakeries in San Donato which produce excellent bread, cakes, fruit tarts and pastries following the ancient recipes passed down through the generations.
 

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

There are numerous herbs and plants that grow wild in the fields and woods, such as thyme, oregano, mint, chicory and chard, but the local favourite is without doubt the Jolapi, a kind of wild spinach that grows in the meadows and mountain pastures. Gathered during the spring, it is excellent with homemade pasta or omelettes, as is wild asparagus which can be picked along the paths winding through the woods in May/June and has a distinctive penetrating and bitter taste. Figs, wild grapes, blackberries and cherries are all found growing wild in the area.

MEAT

The tender meat of baby kidgoat, a typical Easter holiday dish is excellent. Another typical and tasty dish is the lamb produced locally, which is of particularly good quality and delicious when cooked in the traditional way over coals.

COLD MEATS

The salumi (cold meats) are produced from the pigs raised locally on the country people’s own land. Whole families gather and are all fully involved in the processing of the pig. In addition to ham, they produce special dried sausages preserved in oil.

Where to eat

Ciociaria is famed for its food, tasty, healthy and down to earth. There are numerous restaurants and trattorias in the area, many of which use local organic products. We suggest a restaurant just outside San Donato which is listed in the Slow Food directory of typical products found in the Italian parks:

“La Cicala” – Via Selva
Info: 0776 508684

It offers traditional dishes made from organic products, many of which are produced by the restaurant itself, at very reasonable prices, and as our guests you will be offered a discount on your meal.