Culinary Pursuit: Picinisco, Italy
A COLLECTION OF MEMORIES FROM OUR STAY AT THE IDYLLIC VILLAGE
It would be impossible to choose a favorite moment in our first Culinary Pursuit last fall, we’ve gone through the photographs over and over, yet we can’t pick just one! So many details from our glorious days in the beautiful Italian village of Picinisco are still so vivid in our minds, even many months later.
We arrived in Picinisco a couple of days before our guests. The drive up was gorgeous; the closer we got to the village, the more we felt we were leaving behind the world we came from—one of deadlines, zoom calls and errand runs—to enter the allure of fresh mountain air, a slower pace and long meals with new friends.
By the time our 14 guests arrived in the village, we were well used to our morning caffè e cornetto at the sweet, family-owned Bar Centrale, the same place where we’d have an aperitif to enjoy the sunset and sprawling views from Piazza Capocci before making our way to a decadent dinner somewhere in the village. Bar Centrale became grounding, our meeting spot before and after the day’s adventures.
Guests gathered at Piazza Capocci to watch the sunset
It’s hard not to elaborate on every place we visited and every person we met during our days in Picinisco, every detail made the experience so memorable! The thrill of the first day together, met with an unmatched welcome: a toast inside the extraordinary I Ciacca wine cellar in the middle of the village. Holding a glass across from people we’d just met, then sharing a table for brick oven pizzas and local wine for hours. Friendly, unpretentious, heart-warming; a promise of more magic to be found in the days to follow.
A welcome toast at I Ciacca’s wine cellar
All of us enjoying pizza and wine at Bellavista
Giulia and her father, Mario run Bellavista
We strolled the Sora Market on a sunny morning, some stopped for hand-woven baskets, others for local candy and all of us for a taste of ricotta and fresh bread at the cheese stall, where our host Cesidio and the cheesemonger exchanged Italian pleasantries with a smile as they handed out bites to us all! Oysters were another favorite; we gathered around and watched intently as the vendor chucked oyster after oyster for our group until all the oysters were gone. What a sight, the Sora Market!
We visited I Ciacca, an organic farm and vineyard nestled in the hills of Picinisco, the home of our host Cesidio Di Ciacca and his family. The Di Ciacca family restoring this land is part of the reason we discovered this beautiful village and decided to spend these days exploring its wonders! We learned a little about the history of the estate and how the family came to undertake the massive restoration project, then enjoyed one of the most satisfying lunches ever, complete with a tasting of wine and olive oil made at I Ciacca, as well as local cheeses and meats. It was delightful and it was only the start of a day jam-packed with beautiful moments that included pasta lessons and sunset watching from a dinner table deep in the family’s olive grove.
Guests taking in the views and readying for a tour of I Ciacca
Views from I Ciacca
On our last day of Culinary Pursuit, we went on a hike at the National Park of Abruzzo. Our sweet local guide, Debs, led us on the perfect trail for our group, with a couple of stops along the way to take in the views and admire the gorgeous fall colors around us. We had a casual lunch on the meadow among the mountains, sandwiches and local snacks along with a generous serving of local pecorino Debs hauled in her backpack the whole way.
Festeggiare! (to party) We spent our last evening in Picinisco enjoying wine and a delightful dinner at I Ciacca where local chef, Matteo Marzocchella, who had been making some of the lovely meals for our adventures, treated us to seven courses of thoughtful dishes that highlighted local delicacies. After much joy around the table, we celebrated this unforgettable trip with Frosinone folklore, a group of musicians and dancers made their way to the esplanade and we followed along in cheer. Those moments looking around to find nothing but wide smiles, feeling immense gratitude for this village that welcomed us with open arms and for our guests who trusted us to bring a fresh perspective to the way we travel. Truly, what joy! The evening ended with speeches, thank yous and happy tears before everyone made their way back to Alborgo Sotto Le Stelle for one more night in this idyllic corner of the world.
Table ready for our last dinner in Picinisco
The next morning, Piazza Capocci was bustling as Picinisco held Pastorizia in Festival, an event that promotes the pastoral traditions of Val di Comino by welcoming locals and visitors alike to a day of farm visits and a market full of local food and wine! We sat at the piazza to enjoy the views and the energy of the busy village and we watched our guests slowly depart Picinisco with plans to stay in touch and, given the chance, reunite with this wonderful group that made our very first Culinary Pursuit an outstanding success.
We have so much gratitude for the DiCiacca family, the lovely staff at Sotto Le Stelle, Chef Matteo, Debs, the wonderful family at Bar Centrale and absolutely everyone we came across during our days in Picinisco, we couldn’t have felt a warmer welcome.
The bar was truly set high and we are incredibly excited for what we’ll experience on our upcoming Culinary Pursuits!
A collection of clips from our very first Culinary Pursuit, in Picinisco, Italy.