The territory of Trasimeno Lake, is characterized by mild climate and unique soil characteristics that allow to produce high quality wines. In recent years are increasingly spreading “organic” companies that produce a wine of high quality while respecting the local traditions. The wine, in these areas, is produced in large quantities both red and white and is guaranteed by the DOC Colli del Trasimeno.
To introduce in these soils, particularly suitable for growing vines, were the Etruscans. The hilly conformation is ideal in order to expose the screw at sunlight. Wine production in the Trasimeno area is also favored by the abundance of water, the continental climate and soil clay and limestone.
An opportunity to learn about the culinary traditions of this area is “La Strada del Vino Colli del Trasimeno”, a trip through a land of vineyards and wineries in the hills between the Trasimeno Lake and Tevere River, created just to highlight not only its most significant artistic, cultural landscape of this beautiful area, but also its oldest traditions. The underlying theme of this trip is wine, excellent product, while men and women who devote themselves to the cultivation of this plant and the production of wine, welcome visitors with great hospitality.
With the aim of enhancing the wines that are produced in the territories of the Trasimeno, in 1997 was founded the “Consorzio Tutela Vini Colli del Trasimeno”. The Consortium, born thanks to the contribution of the many growers who for years has worked for product qualification, as a trademark shows a detail of a painting by Perugino, particularly reminiscent of the hills surrounding Trasimeno Lake.

www.stradadelvinotrasimeno.it

The Articles of Perugia of 1279 is testimony that this beautiful flower was grown in Umbria, and then also in Castel della Pieve, the ancient name of the village of Città della Pieve, since the thirteenth century. This statute prohibited the planting of the plant by strangers. Saffron production was very important for the economy of the city, the plant at the time was mainly used for dyeing fabrics. Only at the end of the 1970 Città della Pieve’s farmers are also interested at the spice, fascinated by the experience conducted by the agronomist Alberto Viganò, that he planted on his property some bulbs of saffron from Spain.
In 2002, with the collaboration of the Municipality of Città della Pieve, the Mountain Community of Monti del Trasimeno and the University of Agriculture of Perugia, was born Consortium Alberto Viganò ” Il Croco di Pietro Perugino – Zafferano di Città della Pieve”.
Saffron is marketed exclusively in wires, in order to ensure its authenticity.
The village of Citta della Pieve organized an event, dedicated to this product, called “Zafferiamo …” that consists in days aimed at enhancing the saffron market through exhibitions, conferences, tours, workshops and tastings.
www.cittadellapieve.org/zafferano

The presence of Trasimeno Lake has meant that since ancient fish has been an important source of nourishment of local people. The area is a mecca for lovers of freshwater fish that, given the lack of polluting industries in the area, is of excellent quality. Fishing is very practiced, both as a hobby both by professional fishermen, gathered in cooperatives. They fishes mainly carp, eel, tench, pike and perch. The fish most consumed in the Trasimeno area is the “carp in porchetta”, while his precious eggs are used for soups and pasta dishes. Thanks to its firm flesh and consistent, is used in many dishes. In local cuisine we are very used eggs, as a condiment for pasta or croutons.
The eel has a very fine meat, fat and tasty, both fresh and smoked. It’s so widespread that even a traditional dessert from Umbria, the Torciglione, remembers its shape. It is drawn with tofo, the Tofone and skipjack. Tench is instead characterized by a very tasty meat, but was affected by the presence of many bones, is then consumed mainly filleted. It is drawn with nylon nets and tofi.
The Royal Persian is one of the fish most prized for its meat particularly delicate. It is used to prepare rice, skewers and fried; the fishing techniques are the Tofone with wings and trammel. The pike, predator of Trasimeno Lake, is the most sought after among the lake fish species, because of the difficulty of fishing and thanks to the particular quality of meat. Fishing techniques are the tromoglio, simple networks coarse longliners. Latterino is very small (7.8 cm.), with very good and fragrant meat, according to local tradition, they are fried and eaten whole in the classic “Caroccio” paper straw. The techniques of fishing are nets for Latterino, the tofo, the scale and other techniques used for bleak. Typical dish with lake fish is tegamaccio, a delicious soup that owes its name to the earthenware pot in which it is cooked.

The oil is one of the oldest products, typical of Trasimeno areas. How to screw the first to cultivate this plant were the Etruscans. The landscape of this area is characterized by numerous hills groves that provide lots production of excellent extra virgin olive oil. This high standard of quality has been recognized with the award, by the European Union, of the brand DOP (Protected Designation of Origin). The olive trees grown in these areas enjoy particular climatic conditions that allow a maturation of the fruit rather slow; this factor allows to obtain a rate of acidity extremely limited. The oil produced is therefore ideal to be consumed raw.
The typical variety of Trasimeno areas is the “Dolce Agogia”, which gives at the oil a color from green to golden yellow, slightly fruity taste and a bitter and spicy feeling. This type of oil is especially ideal for delicate dishes, goes well with carpaccio of lake fish, noble fish and roasted vegetable soup. In the Trasimeno area is produced high quality oils with other types of olives, from different varieties of olives such as “Franotoio”, the “Moraiolo” and “Leccino”. Based on the percentage of the different varieties used, the DOP of each company, achieves to obtain oils characterized by variability of aromas and flavors.
Strada dell’Olio DOP “Umbria”, which is part Trasimeno areas with the mention “Colli del Trasimeno”, was created to link the oil and its culture to the history and tradition of five sub-areas of Umbria where is produced extra virgin olive oil.

Also called Resin or Bean Horn, the trasimeno’s “fagiolina” is a product of many years, because its cultivation dates back to the Greeks and Etruscans.
The main feature of this legume is the small size of the seed that resembles a grain of rice. In the past has been one of the essential ingredients of the diet of poor farmers that lived in the lake areas, its cultivation was widespread until the ’50s.
Subsequently this precious legume has almost disappeared, probably because its cultivation is to be long, hard and still entirely manual, from sowing to harvest, to the beating.
The typical recipes made with Trasimeno’s “Fagiolina” are tasty and simple: the dried eating boiled with extra virgin olive oil of Trasimeno Lake, while fresh (the croissant) is passed in a pan with tomato and garlic.
In order to protect the production and ensure quality, in 2002 was born the “Consortium Trasimeno Fagiolina”. In addition, since 2000, trasimeno’s “fagiolina” is Slow Food.

The butchery existed in ancient Rome, at the time this term designated the place of slaughter and processing of pork. The meat of the pig is the “Queen of the Table” and this has meant that over the centuries would develop a flourishing business of preserving the meat itself and therefore, the production of sausages.
There are many local companies that produce sausages like salami, “mezzafegati”, hams, pork sausages and wild boar, but also cup, “capocollo” and loin. Accompanied by the traditional “Torta al Testo”, excellent cold cuts produced in this region, represent the typical local appetizer.
Typical of these areas is certainly also “Porchetta”, young pig stuffed with their own entrails and fennel fresh field, garlic, salt, pepper and cooked for hours on the wood stove.