Sunday morning in Norcia
by Silvia Matricardi
by Silvia Matricardi
Norcia is renowned for the local production of pork meats and for being the birthplace of San Bendetto.
Even us, Umbrians, who have been led to this small town many times by our parents since we were children, enjoy coming here once in a while, again and again. Maybe beacuse we like watching familiar places, feeling the same atmosphere, the same smell, which have been here for decades, without having changed much. And yet, every time we come back for another visit we discover something new and we make interesting encounters.
Last time we came here it was a Sunday morning of a snowy weekend of February. Norcia was getting ready for the “Nero Norcia 2010”, the International market show of the precious black truffle of Norcia and of typical products, which takes place every year between the end of February and the beginning of March. We felt a certain swarming, an healthy atmosphere of lively projects and plans for the future. We passed under the main door, Porta Romana, where the poster of Nero Norcia welcomed us. The stone door is made of 3 entrances and on top of it the bell tolls every hour.
You could see people walking slowly, browsing round the many shops that sell local products, mostly families with children and couples, probably visitors like us, but also several locals. The atmosphere was very relaxing: it’s the typical easy Sunday morning, when you wander around, maybe after having attended the Mass, before the big lunch or before leaving for another destination along the Valnerina.
Even us, Umbrians, who have been led to this small town many times by our parents since we were children, enjoy coming here once in a while, again and again. Maybe beacuse we like watching familiar places, feeling the same atmosphere, the same smell, which have been here for decades, without having changed much. And yet, every time we come back for another visit we discover something new and we make interesting encounters.
Last time we came here it was a Sunday morning of a snowy weekend of February. Norcia was getting ready for the “Nero Norcia 2010”, the International market show of the precious black truffle of Norcia and of typical products, which takes place every year between the end of February and the beginning of March. We felt a certain swarming, an healthy atmosphere of lively projects and plans for the future. We passed under the main door, Porta Romana, where the poster of Nero Norcia welcomed us. The stone door is made of 3 entrances and on top of it the bell tolls every hour.
You could see people walking slowly, browsing round the many shops that sell local products, mostly families with children and couples, probably visitors like us, but also several locals. The atmosphere was very relaxing: it’s the typical easy Sunday morning, when you wander around, maybe after having attended the Mass, before the big lunch or before leaving for another destination along the Valnerina.
We stopped in a norcineria, a place were you can taste and buy all sorts of cold meats and salami: salame, prosciutto, guanciale, ciauscolo, salsicce and kinds of meat coming from other parts of the pork, having weird names.
You can also find all sorts of cheeses, the famous Pecorino and also ricotta, caciotta, prepared in different ways.
All of these products are made here, of course, in the many family run salumifici and caseifici.
All of these products are made here, of course, in the many family run salumifici and caseifici.
Some of them have names that you would associate with other kind of activities and pleasures....
(end of Part 1)
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