Le Marche and its rare products: authentic flavours to discover

If you venture into the Marche hinterland, you will soon realise that many flavours are not the result of haste, but of patience. Here, the art of cooking has learned to transform what is available, without waste or artificial methods, using nature in all its forms.

You will discover a unique flavour in visciole, small wild cherries with a taste that is both sweet and tart, little known and often confused with black cherries. In the Marche region, they are rarely eaten fresh: according to tradition, they are placed in glass jars with sugar and left in the sun, which, along with time, is an essential ingredient to help the fruit release its dark, highly fragrant juice. If you happen to try them this way, by the spoonful or on a delicious ice cream, you will understand why this method of preparation has remained a family tradition.

This fruit is also used to make visciole wine, another flavour to savour at your leisure. For a long time, it was a 'home-made' wine: each family had its own proportions and timing, which is why each wine was always slightly different from the next. Even today, production is limited and carried out by small-scale producers. Our advice is simple: if you come across it, try it here, in its natural setting, perhaps at the end of a meal, when you feel like lingering at the table a little longer.

Alongside visciole wine, there is sapa, or 'mosto cotto' (cooked must). This is a thick, dark grape syrup made by cooking the must for a long time, and for years it was the sweetener of choice in country cooking. If you get the chance, try it with a mature cheese or a very simple dessert: it is one of those flavours that needs nothing else.

To round off this little fruity journey, we have lonzino di fico, a traditional Vallesina delicacy. Created to preserve late-summer figs, it is made by combining dried figs, dried fruit and mild spices, all wrapped in fig leaves. If you find it on the table, do yourself a favour: don't be put off by the name, but try it with cheese. It is one of those contrasts that perfectly exemplify the ingenuity of Marche cuisine.

Chiaserna bread is one of those products that is worth seeking out specifically. It originated in Chiaserna, a small hamlet in Cantiano perched on the slopes of Monte Catria, and it tells the story of the area it comes from. It is made with simple ingredients – stoneground wheat flour, mountain water and sourdough – and, above all, with patience: the dough rests for a long time and rises slowly, which is why it is said that this bread 'is born the day before'.

You can recognise it immediately by its elongated, slightly flattened loaves, its golden, fragrant crust and its soft, subtly tangy crumb. However, its true distinguishing feature is the absence of salt, an age-old choice that makes it perfect for pairing with cured meats, strong cheeses, truffles or even jams, without overpowering their flavours. It is a bread that keeps well and is easy to digest, the product of a tradition that still unites fields, bakeries and local communities today. And perhaps it is precisely this simplicity, which is never contrived, that makes it a product of excellence: a modest bread that tells the story of the local area with every bite.

If you enjoy discovering the most authentic parts of the Marche region, away from the beaten track, the inland areas are the place to go. Here, biodiversity is not a buzzword, but a daily practice, and the local cuisine endures thanks to carefully preserved ancient seeds and varieties.

The Cicerchia di Serra de' Conti is one such example. This legume has developed a flatter, more angular shape in this area, with colours ranging from grey to yellow to mottled brown. It has a less leathery skin and a more delicate flavour than other varieties, with less bitterness, making it ideal even if it is your first time trying it. What's more, it's practical to cook: it doesn't require a long soaking time and is ready in about forty minutes. Whether you find it in a soup, in a stew or reduced to a puree with a drizzle of olive oil and a few croutons, don't hesitate to try it: in its simplicity, it will give you great satisfaction.

Alongside the cicerchia, you will also find the Fratte Rosa fava bean, grown in limited quantities and deeply rooted in local farming traditions. Here, you can enjoy it on its own, perhaps accompanied by a little pork loin or a flavourful pecorino cheese: a simple yet satisfying dish. The fava bean also gives rise to one of Fratte Rosa's most iconic dishes: tacconi, a rustic pasta made from broad bean flour. If you come across them in a trattoria or at a village festival, try them served simply or with seasonal sauces: a hearty, nourishing dish deeply rooted in rural life.

Descending towards the Apennines, in the Sibillini Mountains area, you will find one of the region's most delightful surprises: the pink apple. Small, fragrant and slightly tart, this apple ripens slowly and certainly does not prioritise appearance. It was once highly prized for its long shelf life: harvested in early October, it keeps perfectly well until April. In fact, as the months go by, it becomes even better, because the flesh, which is initially firm and compact, gradually softens. If you happen to try it out of season, don't be surprised: it's one of those fruits of nature that teach us how, in these parts, time is often the most important ingredient.

The Marche coast also has a less obvious side, especially if you take a closer look at the Monte Conero headland. Here, paccasassi – a type of sea fennel – grow among the rocks overlooking the sea. Carefully harvested and preserved in oil or vinegar, they have a strong, intense flavour that truly evokes the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean scrub. Try them when you're in the mood for something that truly tastes of nature.

More rare is Conero strawberry tree honey, which has a bitterish, intense flavour. It is not a honey for everyone, but if you like distinct flavours, it is worth seeking out, perhaps as the finale to a meal or paired with cheese. The strawberry tree grows wild among the vegetation on the headland, mingling with holm oaks and Mediterranean scrub. In autumn, it becomes laden with small red fruits, while pale flowers bloom on the same plant: a striking balance that perfectly captures the slow, natural rhythm of these places. It is precisely from this unassuming plant, rooted in a wild and challenging environment, that this highly distinctive honey is produced: less sweet than other honeys, almost disconcerting at first taste, but capable of leaving a lasting impression, just like the Conero landscape.

If you're keen to try something that's not easily found elsewhere, make a note of Cartoceto, in the Pesaro hinterland. Here, the production of Formaggio di Fossa is neither widespread nor a given: the process is carried out by just one farm, which still uses the traditional 'infossamento' method, the same method that has been handed down over the centuries.

The cheese is made in summer and then placed underground, lowered into pits dug into the tuff beneath the village and left to mature away from air and light for several months. This process requires time, care and a thorough knowledge of the area: it cannot be accelerated, nor can it be replicated elsewhere with the same result. When it returns to the surface towards the end of autumn, the cheese has an intense aroma reminiscent of woodland undergrowth, hay and wild herbs. The texture is crumbly, and the flavour evolves slowly, becoming increasingly pronounced as you taste it.

It is not a cheese to be consumed casually, but rather one to be savoured at your leisure, perhaps at the end of a meal, when you have the time to truly pause. If you pass through Cartoceto, seeking out and sampling Formaggio di Fossa is one of those experiences that helps you understand how, in the Marche region, certain excellent products still exist solely because someone has chosen to continue making them as they once were.