In the kitchen as well as in nature, Abruzzo is a a rich and generous land.

The great variety of flavours and fragrances, products which come from unspoilt areas in the mountains, the agricultural and shepherding tradition of its mountains and hills, as well as the abundant variety of fish available in the Adriatic Sea make it a unique region from the point of view of cuisine.

One only needs to consider extra virgin olive oil.

Olive groves define the landscape of the entire territory: it is a historic cultivation not only in the food tradition, but also in the culture and experience of the people of Abruzzo. A number of producers are involved in wisely exploiting local varieties considered among the best among Italian varieties, such as the “Dritta” from Loreto Aprutino, the “Gentile” from Chieti, and then the “Toccolana”, “Carboncella”, “Tortiglione” and “Castiglionese” which are present together with the more widespread “Leccino”.
These varieties give rise to three DOP Controlled Designations of Origin: the Aprutino-Pescarese, the Colline Teatine and the most recent one, the Pretuziano Colline Teramane.

Abruzzo stands out for cultivating one of the most precious spices in the world: saffron. It is cultivated on the Navelli plain, between the Gran Sasso and the Sirente massif, and it has recently obtained the DOP designation. A product which is unique in the whole of Italy is red garlic, which has been cultivated for centuries in the town of Sulmona. Its uniqueness stems from its red colour, from its abundance of essential oils (which give it a wonderful flavour and well-known healing properties) and from the fact that it is the only ecotype in Italy that produces an incipient flower spike.

Thanks to the temperate climate and the favourable environmental conditions, in Abruzzo there are many varieties of grains and pulses which are cultivated, such as beans, chicklings and mountain lentils, in particular the ones from Santo Stefano di Sessanio. Spelt is cultivated in the mountains in the province of L'Aquila, as well as on the hills of Corvara, di Guardiagrele and in the northern part of the province of Teramo.

How can one forget one of the Italian capitals for the production of pasta: in Fara San Martino, a little village at the foot of the Eastern side of the Maiella, where the purest water from the Verde river flows, there is a flourishing pasta-making industry which works following the ancient craftsmanship tradition and distributes its products on worldwide markets.

Moreover, the woods in the mountainous areas and at the foot of the mountains are rich in excellent varieties of mushrooms and truffles, which places Abruzzo among the most important regions from this point of view, even though it is unknown to most people.

Among the many vegetables which grow spontaneously and are used for cooking, we should mention the òrapi from the Marsica region, tasty wild asparagus which are used for pasta dishes and omelettes, and the Cupello artichoke.

The rich variety of foods from Abruzzo is completed by fruit, among which Raiano and Giuliano Teatino cherries and grapes from Tollo and Ortona stand out.

An excellent and fragrant honey is produced almost everywhere in Abruzzo.

The agricultural and shepherding tradition has always guaranteed a flourishing economy ensuring the preservation of wholesome products. Starting from meats.

Abruzzo lamb is famous for its flavour combined with an unmistakable tenderness and is widely used in numerous dishes from the regional tradition: agnello cacio e uova (lamb with egg and cheese), stuffed lamb, arrosticini di pecora (tasty meat skewers). Pork is equally important, and is considered the true farmer's treasure, from which numerous specialities are obtained, such as porchetta arrosto (roast pork, present in all village fiestas in Abruzzo), hams and a wide variety of luncheon meats. Apart from salami and sausages, among the most typical ones are mortadella from Campotosto in the province of l'Aquila and ventricina from the town of Vasto, produced on the mountains in Chieti.

Cheese production has always played an important role in the gastronomy of the region. Among the most widespread specialities are the sheep's cheese pecorino, fresh or mature, which, in Farindola, is produced in a unique and original way with pig rennet; sheep's ricotta, that you can also buy directly from shepherds; the fresh and fragrant giuncata, typical of the mountains in the Teramo area. At the foot of the Gran Sasso you can also try cacio (or pecorino) marcetto. Traditional cheeses which are prepared with cow's milk are the traditional scamorze which can be eaten raw or cooked (either grilled or baked). On the main plateaux, in particular in the area surrounding Rivisondoli e Pescocostanzo, you can find excellent caciocavalli and dairy products such as trecce, bocconcini and fiordilatte (which are very similar to mozzarella cheese). And finally, especially in the province of Chieti, you can find burrelle or manteche.

Fresh fish from the Adriatic is by all means in the same league from the point of view of quality as the region's meats, and brodetto is by far the best example of regional fish cuisine.

And finally, we cannot forget traditional cakes. The most famous ones are ferratelle or neole, waffles cooked in a hot, grooved plate; cicerchiata, a ring-shaped cake made of little balls of fried dough, held together with honey; pepatelli from the province of Teramo, spicy biscuits made with bran flour, almonds and honey; a characteristic cake from Guardiagrele is sise delle monache, made with soft sponge cake and crème patissière; bocconotti from the area surrounding Lanciano, made with almonds and chocolate. Confetti from Sulmona, soft torrone nougat with chocolate from l'Aquila and croccante, a type of nougat made with almonds and caramelised sugar, flavoured with lemon, are among the most sold cakes , together with Parrozzo. The latter is undoubtedly the most characteristic cake from Abruzzo.

Among typical liqueurs from Abruzzo, the best known is undoubtedly Centerba, a very strong infusion (70°) based on spontaneaus herbs from the area surrounding Tocco da Casauria. Other characteristic alcoholic beverages are vino cotto, genzianella, nocino and ratafià, which is based on sour cherries fermented in the sun.