Abruzzo’s Autumn Walking Colours via La Mascionara

Driving to Lago Campotosto

 

Autumn in Abruzzo begins in earnest in mid-October, down on its wine-growing hills, valleys and Adriatic beaches it’s still a temperate 16C.  Toasted autumnal coats clad the ploughed fields, their furrows contrasting with the laden olive trees that are nearly ripe for harvest, purples bruising black, and the shrinking, yellowing vine leaves.  It is a mellow time to go walking in the Abruzzo lowlands, or even better to take to the highlands with a ramble in the Gran Sasso National Park.

With a slight wind chill the mountain air is crisper in temperature than its coastal cousin still a frost-free 10C, you’ll be treated to a spectacle that simply looks like a glass of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo has been poured from a great height over the mountain tops, staining its ancient forest leaves garnet as it descends, finally gently burnishing a shrubby shawl around the sheep’s pastures the colour of the local persimmon (cachi) fruit.

Cheese Trail

A great morning’s walking and an excuse to buy sublime cheese can be had in the national park up around Lago Campotosto.  The cheese and salami shop, La Mascionara win’s the region’s title for the most off-the-beaten-track cheese shop and is owned by Signor Alessio Rinaldo, who like all great Abruzzo cheesemakers is a large bear of a man.  Despite its remote, location you can be guaranteed that you will never be the only customer here as Italians come from far and wide to buy the farm’s exquisite cheeses.

For a snack on your walk, grab some bread and some “Lucifero”, a young Gran Sasso pecorino cheese flavoured with sweet peperoncini strands, Squacquerone, hay clad or his award-winning  mature pecorino. The sheep, goats and cows feast on pastures filled with dandelions, thyme and chives which is what gives La Mascionara cheeses their unique flavour.   For vegetarians highly recommended is their Cacio Fiore Aquilano which is made with artichokes rather than rennet. Signor Rinaldo makes one of Italy’s oldest salami types that is local to this area, Mortadella di Campotosto which was first recorded 500 years ago.  Don’t forget to buy some of his aromatic guanciale to make proper Amatriciana pasta sauce (nearby Amatrice was part of Abruzzo until 1927).

Drive back down the  SS80 road to Montorio Val Vomano and the coast and try any of the roadside restaurants to see if they are serving local wild mushrooms that are served at this time of the year with polenta.  If you are lucky you may end up with some roasted chestnuts straight from the fire.

Further Reading

View La Mascionara on Facebook

Tel: +39 0862 904774 | GPS  SS 577 Km 3.00 67013, Mascioni di Campotosto AQ

 

 

 

Sam Dunham
Author: Sam Dunham

Sam is a very lucky midlife 'mamma' to A who is 12 and juggles her work as a self-employed freelance SEO food and travel copywriter and EFL teacher. She is the founder of the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, co-founder of Let's Blog Abruzzo. she is the founder of the 'English in the Woods' initiative, teaching English outdoors in a forest style school.


0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
All about Abruzzo in a slow travel & food blog
A co-operative travel + food blog guide & thriving marketplace keeping you connected to Abruzzo – Italy’s rocky heart!

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish! Accept Read More

Tradurre »