Tranquil truffle hunting is an Abruzzo treat

SANTO STEFANO DI SESSANIO, Abruzzo-Watching Ugo work was incredible. The six-year-old Bracco (Italian pointer) was possessed, circling the oak trees, switching directions with the wind, digging profusely and then returning to his owner Andrea, with a black truffle in his mouth and waiting to be paid in sausage.

 A truffle is an edible underground fungus, valued for their intense earthy flavor and aroma. They grow underground on tree routes and are hunted by dogs or pigs rather than harvested. The yield is then shaved over pasta, eggs, or other dishes. They are also used in butters, oils, and creams.

 Andrea has been hunting truffles in Abruzzo for over 40 years and currently has 20 working dogs. He began hunting with his father and uncle when he was very young. As we hiked in the beautiful rolling hills overlooking the hilltop village, he boasted, “This is my office.”  

 He continued, that one of the biggest problems the local truffle hunters face today is the wild boars (“cinghiali” in Italian). “They eat up to 80 percent of the black truffles in the area.” In spite of the cinghiali, we were still able to find a relatively large amount within two hours, thanks to Ugo. Normally the solution would be to hunt the them, but its restricted inside the national park where his “office” is located.

 Our excursion was organized by our hotel, Sextantio Santo Stefano di Sessanio, an “albergo diffuso” (scattered hotel), meaning the guest rooms are spread out around the town. The location in the mountains of Abruzzo 1,250 meters above sea level is considered a fortified medieval village inside the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park.

 “The project, which began in the 1990s, has now reached its highest point. Back then, the village was home to just 20 elderly residents and was on the verge of disappearing,” stated the Hotel Group General Manager, Michele Centonze, when asked about the history of the hotel. “Today, more than 100 people live there permanently, creating a new local economy made up of small shops, restaurants, and B&Bs. It has become a model for sustainable development in the inland areas of southern Italy.”

 The founder and owner of the project, Daniele Kihlgren stated, “The kind of clients who understand what I am trying to do here are deeply interested in history. They consider authenticity to be a real value in today’s world. Italy is becoming more fake. That is why I started the project. I began as if I was setting up a museum. We want a kinder, gentler concept of tourism.” Like many medieval Italian hilltop towns, poverty-stricken inhabitants left in search of work. This abandonment rescued the town from architectural abuse and preserved the historical integrity of the town.

 The owner, coming from a wealthy family in the cement industry, discovered the village during a motorcycle trip and decided to preserve the history but implementing his conservation project. After his success he completed a similar project in Matera and now has a third in Rwanda.

 Returning with our bounty, three medium and two large-sized black truffles, we were welcomed back to the hotel to enjoy them with bruschetta and aperitivo at the Sextantio Cantina. The warm medieval tavern mostly lit by candles made a great spot for fall drinks and doubled as the breakfast area for hotel guests.

 The next morning, I was able to get out early for a run on the humbling Gran Sasso hiking trail out to Rocca Calascio and back to Santo Stefano. The higher the trail climbed, the more amazing the view became. The 10^th century Castle of Rocca Calascio, now mostly in ruins, is considered the highest fortress in the Apennines at 1,460 meters and is well worth the hike. Surprisingly, the trail was empty in the early morning, and I was able to spot a few deer in the distance.

 Returning to the hotel, I found breakfast waiting in the cozy medieval tavern, filled with multiple tarts, quiches, freshly made juices, bread and many other local historic breakfast items. After breakfast, we took a quick walk-through town and discovered several local shops, cafes and restaurants set in atmospheric squares. A few cranes were scattered through the town which are still repairing the damage from the 2009 earthquake that struck the area. The hotel which now occupies 30 percent of the village was able to restore their buildings relatively quickly in 2010.

 Speaking to Michele about what is next for the Hotel Group, he mentioned that they are focused on their newly-opened restaurant in the village, Sextantio Cucina, stating, “Thanks to research carried out with the Museum of the People of Abruzzo, we have recovered more than 70 traditional mountain recipes that were never written down, but passed on orally. Our new chef has reinterpreted them to make them accessible to our guests, creating an experience unlike any other.”

 We were fortunate to get a table on our first night and selected the five-course Roots Menu. The setting was a dark wooden medieval room filled with candles and two large stone arches that supported the ceiling. We started with a local green salad and a rather large piece of traditionally baked warm bread. Next was chickpeas in milk with rosemary followed by the star of the meal, pasta made with water and flour and dressed with lamb ragu. The main dish was poached hen served in broth accompanied by pickled vegetables. For dessert, we had bread and sugar, a sweet soaked bread with a sugary dressing.

 As we drove back with Andrea from the truffle hunt on Saturday, he explained to us that James Taylor was his favorite musician and proudly played Sweet Baby Jane to prove it. On the winding road back to our village, the music added to the tranquility of the weekend and we reflected on how fortunate we were to have had this experience.