1 00:00:06,136 --> 00:00:08,182 [bright music] 2 00:00:08,225 --> 00:00:10,575 - Umbria, 3 00:00:10,619 --> 00:00:14,579 il cuore verde d'Italia. 4 00:00:14,623 --> 00:00:18,148 It means it's the green heart of Italy. 5 00:00:18,192 --> 00:00:21,804 Not a jealous heart but a fertile one. 6 00:00:21,847 --> 00:00:23,762 ♪ 7 00:00:23,806 --> 00:00:26,243 Arriving in early fall, I chart a course 8 00:00:26,287 --> 00:00:29,855 through Umbria's ancient forests and misty mountains. 9 00:00:29,899 --> 00:00:32,641 This is Italy before the Romans, 10 00:00:32,684 --> 00:00:35,122 a place where families live close to the land, 11 00:00:35,165 --> 00:00:37,776 a land of saintly legends, 12 00:00:37,820 --> 00:00:39,822 impossibly perched hilltop towns, 13 00:00:39,865 --> 00:00:41,389 and rustic cuisine. 14 00:00:41,432 --> 00:00:42,520 Wow. 15 00:00:42,564 --> 00:00:44,261 Stop filming and just eat it. 16 00:00:44,305 --> 00:00:45,610 Cheers. 17 00:00:45,654 --> 00:00:46,785 I'm Stanley Tucci. 18 00:00:46,829 --> 00:00:47,917 I'm Italian on both sides, 19 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,440 and I'm traveling across Italy 20 00:00:49,484 --> 00:00:51,181 to discover how the food 21 00:00:51,225 --> 00:00:53,749 in each of this country's 20 regions 22 00:00:53,792 --> 00:00:57,100 is as unique as the people and their past. 23 00:00:57,144 --> 00:01:00,625 - [speaking Italian] 24 00:01:00,669 --> 00:01:03,454 - Umbrian food isn't about expensive restaurants 25 00:01:03,498 --> 00:01:05,413 or tricky techniques. 26 00:01:05,456 --> 00:01:07,850 It's all about the skill and hard work 27 00:01:07,893 --> 00:01:10,809 that goes into producing its precious raw ingredients, 28 00:01:10,853 --> 00:01:13,029 from innovative farmers... 29 00:01:13,073 --> 00:01:14,509 [gunshots] 30 00:01:14,552 --> 00:01:16,685 To noble hunters. 31 00:01:16,728 --> 00:01:19,122 And let's not forget the chefs and butchers preserving 32 00:01:19,166 --> 00:01:22,430 the traditional ways to cook these treasures of the land. 33 00:01:22,473 --> 00:01:24,649 - [speaking Italian] - Si. 34 00:01:24,693 --> 00:01:26,825 And a note for any vegetarians watching: 35 00:01:26,869 --> 00:01:30,786 Umbrians eat a lot of meat, particularly pork-- 36 00:01:30,829 --> 00:01:34,006 like, a lot of it, huge amounts of it. 37 00:01:34,050 --> 00:01:36,531 - Mmm! 38 00:01:36,574 --> 00:01:40,056 - I surrender...to the pork. 39 00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:43,015 [upbeat music] 40 00:01:43,059 --> 00:01:49,848 ♪ 41 00:01:53,025 --> 00:01:55,854 Umbria is named after the Umbri, 42 00:01:55,898 --> 00:01:58,379 one of Italy's most ancient peoples. 43 00:01:58,422 --> 00:02:00,163 Their landlocked homeland 44 00:02:00,207 --> 00:02:02,513 is right in the middle of the country. 45 00:02:02,557 --> 00:02:04,950 Bordered on the west by its more glamorous neighbor, 46 00:02:04,994 --> 00:02:07,823 Tuscany, it's often overlooked. 47 00:02:07,866 --> 00:02:10,173 But while the landscape here is similar, 48 00:02:10,217 --> 00:02:11,609 the culture is very different-- 49 00:02:11,653 --> 00:02:14,177 less fancy, if you will. 50 00:02:14,221 --> 00:02:16,527 And I hear the locals like it that way. 51 00:02:16,571 --> 00:02:18,834 [jazz music] 52 00:02:18,877 --> 00:02:20,792 They're like flames, aren't they? 53 00:02:22,359 --> 00:02:23,926 I'm heading deep into the heart 54 00:02:23,969 --> 00:02:26,102 of Sagrantino territory, 55 00:02:26,146 --> 00:02:29,279 Umbria's luscious, world-renowned red wine, 56 00:02:29,323 --> 00:02:31,542 to meet a man who fell in love with this rustic region 57 00:02:31,586 --> 00:02:33,196 over 25 years ago. 58 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,025 We're going to meet Big George, 59 00:02:36,068 --> 00:02:38,375 in Italian, known as Giorgione. 60 00:02:38,419 --> 00:02:40,856 He's a chef and restauranteur 61 00:02:40,899 --> 00:02:42,510 who lives at one with nature 62 00:02:42,553 --> 00:02:45,252 on a secluded farm outside Montefalco 63 00:02:45,295 --> 00:02:47,123 with an assortment of animals, 64 00:02:47,167 --> 00:02:49,952 including the porcine pride of Umbria. 65 00:02:51,997 --> 00:02:53,173 - Good morning! 66 00:02:55,958 --> 00:02:57,873 [both speaking Italian] 67 00:02:58,308 --> 00:03:00,092 - Oh, look, wine grapes. 68 00:03:00,136 --> 00:03:02,094 Only the best for pigs around here. 69 00:03:03,661 --> 00:03:04,575 [whistles] 70 00:03:23,246 --> 00:03:24,421 - Ow! 71 00:03:31,298 --> 00:03:33,648 - In addition to wearing all his other hats, 72 00:03:33,691 --> 00:03:37,695 this rural Renaissance man also, somehow, finds time 73 00:03:37,739 --> 00:03:41,917 to host one of Italy's best-loved cookery shows. 74 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,224 "E Cucina" takes in all aspects 75 00:03:44,267 --> 00:03:46,443 of Giorgione's life on the farm. 76 00:03:46,487 --> 00:03:48,532 But the heart of the action takes place here, 77 00:03:48,576 --> 00:03:49,620 in this very kitchen. 78 00:03:52,623 --> 00:03:57,628 - On the menu ismaialino cooked in porchetta style. 79 00:03:57,672 --> 00:04:00,065 But instead of the rolled loin of pork, 80 00:04:00,109 --> 00:04:02,851 we have a whole piglet, and nothing goes to waste. 81 00:04:02,894 --> 00:04:05,070 ♪ 82 00:04:13,818 --> 00:04:14,993 - Mm-hmm. 83 00:04:22,871 --> 00:04:23,828 - Yeah. 84 00:04:36,537 --> 00:04:37,799 - Okay. 85 00:04:40,584 --> 00:04:42,238 - Oh, nice. Yeah. 86 00:04:44,022 --> 00:04:46,982 - So this is the lining that's inside, 87 00:04:47,025 --> 00:04:48,505 that's lining all the organs? 88 00:04:53,554 --> 00:04:56,296 - I'm beginning to feel like a guest on Giorgione's show, 89 00:04:56,339 --> 00:04:58,080 not the other way around. 90 00:05:00,909 --> 00:05:03,520 The piglet goes into this giant wood-fired oven 91 00:05:03,564 --> 00:05:04,869 for 2 1/2 hours. 92 00:05:10,266 --> 00:05:11,789 - Per favore. 93 00:05:12,790 --> 00:05:15,358 - The beauty of slow cooking in a sealed oven 94 00:05:15,402 --> 00:05:17,360 is, once that door is shut, 95 00:05:17,404 --> 00:05:18,927 there's not really much more you can do 96 00:05:18,970 --> 00:05:20,145 but sit back... 97 00:05:20,189 --> 00:05:22,583 [cork pops] - Eh? 98 00:05:22,626 --> 00:05:23,714 - And wait. 99 00:05:33,942 --> 00:05:35,900 [both speaking Italian] 100 00:05:35,944 --> 00:05:38,338 - Cheers. 101 00:05:38,381 --> 00:05:40,601 As the lovely Sagrantino opens up, 102 00:05:40,644 --> 00:05:41,819 so does my new friend. 103 00:05:53,570 --> 00:05:54,789 - Si, si. 104 00:05:55,790 --> 00:05:56,704 - Si. 105 00:05:58,053 --> 00:05:59,141 - Yeah. 106 00:06:07,367 --> 00:06:08,759 Stanley, look there. - Yes. 107 00:06:08,803 --> 00:06:10,413 Two hours have flown by, 108 00:06:10,457 --> 00:06:12,633 and the moment we've been waiting for is upon us. 109 00:06:12,676 --> 00:06:13,982 - Et voilà. 110 00:06:14,025 --> 00:06:16,637 - Maialino alla Giorgione. 111 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,597 It's pork with pork inside and pork on top and pork-- 112 00:06:20,641 --> 00:06:21,555 it's a lot of pork. 113 00:06:22,599 --> 00:06:24,166 Whoa. 114 00:06:24,209 --> 00:06:25,297 - And a moment. 115 00:06:27,343 --> 00:06:28,300 - Okay. 116 00:06:29,737 --> 00:06:30,738 - Oh, yeah. 117 00:06:34,437 --> 00:06:36,004 - Okay. 118 00:06:40,008 --> 00:06:42,053 - Mm. - That's too much. 119 00:06:46,188 --> 00:06:48,495 - Eh? 120 00:06:48,538 --> 00:06:49,931 - [snickers] - This is-- 121 00:06:53,543 --> 00:06:55,545 Giorgione's loving preparation 122 00:06:55,589 --> 00:06:58,026 of the very best fresh ingredients 123 00:06:58,069 --> 00:07:01,203 and the alchemy of the slow cook of the wood fire 124 00:07:01,246 --> 00:07:02,639 have turned this dish 125 00:07:02,683 --> 00:07:04,946 into something really quite spectacular. 126 00:07:12,083 --> 00:07:13,824 - Mmm. - [chuckles] 127 00:07:13,868 --> 00:07:16,000 - My God. Oh, my God. 128 00:07:19,569 --> 00:07:21,049 - Nom, nom, nom! 129 00:07:22,529 --> 00:07:24,095 - It's so good. 130 00:07:24,139 --> 00:07:25,140 - Mmm! 131 00:07:28,709 --> 00:07:29,753 - Si, perfetto. 132 00:07:33,975 --> 00:07:36,847 You should stop filming and just eat it. 133 00:07:39,459 --> 00:07:41,417 I surrender. 134 00:07:41,461 --> 00:07:44,942 Literally, I surrender... to the pork. 135 00:07:53,734 --> 00:07:57,215 [dramatic string music] 136 00:07:57,259 --> 00:08:00,175 - Like 5 million others who come here each year, 137 00:08:00,218 --> 00:08:01,916 my journey has brought me to the mecca 138 00:08:01,959 --> 00:08:03,439 that is Assisi 139 00:08:03,483 --> 00:08:06,181 to pay homage to Umbria's most famous 140 00:08:06,224 --> 00:08:08,749 and still vitally relevant saint, Francis. 141 00:08:10,968 --> 00:08:13,841 Approaching the stunning 13th-century basilica, 142 00:08:13,884 --> 00:08:15,407 I remember the first time 143 00:08:15,451 --> 00:08:17,192 I came here as a young kid with my parents. 144 00:08:17,235 --> 00:08:22,414 ♪ 145 00:08:23,415 --> 00:08:26,027 Being an art teacher, my dad wanted our family 146 00:08:26,070 --> 00:08:28,420 to see the 28 frescoes inside 147 00:08:28,464 --> 00:08:30,771 that tell the legend of Saint Francis. 148 00:08:30,814 --> 00:08:34,514 And to help me, quietly, navigate the story today 149 00:08:34,557 --> 00:08:37,429 is local historian Matteo Grandi. 150 00:08:37,473 --> 00:08:40,955 - Probably, this is the most iconic one, the most famous. 151 00:08:40,998 --> 00:08:44,698 You know, he had an incredible connection with the nature. 152 00:08:44,741 --> 00:08:48,353 Probably he was the first environmentalist 153 00:08:48,397 --> 00:08:50,791 of the history of the church. 154 00:08:50,834 --> 00:08:53,794 - But I remember the first time I came here, I was 12, 155 00:08:53,837 --> 00:08:57,449 but we didn't have this opportunity 156 00:08:57,493 --> 00:08:59,843 to have it just to ourselves, I mean-- 157 00:08:59,887 --> 00:09:01,758 - Just for us. - Yeah, it's incredible. 158 00:09:01,802 --> 00:09:04,456 I feel very lucky. 159 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:06,328 Legend has it that Saint Francis 160 00:09:06,371 --> 00:09:08,722 renounced his privileged life 161 00:09:08,765 --> 00:09:10,071 to instead walking penniless 162 00:09:10,114 --> 00:09:12,595 among the poor folk of rural Umbria. 163 00:09:12,639 --> 00:09:15,076 He was devoted to all God's creatures. 164 00:09:15,119 --> 00:09:16,947 And where better to preach his message 165 00:09:16,991 --> 00:09:19,907 than in the green heart of Italy? 166 00:09:19,950 --> 00:09:22,083 Because of his connection with nature, 167 00:09:22,126 --> 00:09:25,652 is he, like, the quintessential saint of Umbria? 168 00:09:25,695 --> 00:09:29,220 - Yes, Umbria is really connected to nature, you know? 169 00:09:29,264 --> 00:09:30,613 - Yeah. - Umbria is nature. 170 00:09:30,657 --> 00:09:33,573 And that's why he's so representative of Umbria. 171 00:09:33,616 --> 00:09:36,532 [ecclesiastical singing] 172 00:09:36,576 --> 00:09:38,012 ♪ 173 00:09:38,055 --> 00:09:39,666 - I could stay in here all day, 174 00:09:39,709 --> 00:09:43,539 but it seems Matteo's mind has wandered. 175 00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:45,802 - Which is your favorite food? 176 00:09:45,846 --> 00:09:47,935 - Mm, it's hard to say. 177 00:09:47,978 --> 00:09:50,328 I do like salami. 178 00:09:50,372 --> 00:09:53,418 [bells tolling] 179 00:09:53,462 --> 00:09:55,159 In Italy, it's never long 180 00:09:55,203 --> 00:09:57,205 until someone talks about food. 181 00:09:57,248 --> 00:10:00,948 But here in Umbria, everything comes back to pork. 182 00:10:00,991 --> 00:10:03,037 You could say it's like a religion, 183 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,300 not with its roots in the saints of Assisi 184 00:10:05,343 --> 00:10:06,910 but out here 185 00:10:06,954 --> 00:10:08,216 in the forest primeval. 186 00:10:13,917 --> 00:10:15,702 Today is hunt day, 187 00:10:15,745 --> 00:10:18,835 and I've been invited to tag along by Claudia Ferracchiato. 188 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:20,750 - [speaking Italian] 189 00:10:21,490 --> 00:10:22,839 Wow. 190 00:10:24,232 --> 00:10:25,625 - [speaking Italian] 191 00:10:35,504 --> 00:10:38,507 We're hunting boar, but looking at this spread, 192 00:10:38,550 --> 00:10:40,161 it's a wonder there are any left out there. 193 00:10:41,902 --> 00:10:43,773 Claudia's hunting group 194 00:10:43,817 --> 00:10:46,820 is the first all-female huntingsquadra in Italy. 195 00:10:46,863 --> 00:10:48,604 But they're letting me and a few other fellows 196 00:10:48,648 --> 00:10:50,258 in on the action today. 197 00:10:52,564 --> 00:10:53,827 We have to be very quiet. 198 00:10:57,047 --> 00:11:00,398 I guess because the boars 199 00:11:00,442 --> 00:11:02,052 must have really good hearing. 200 00:11:04,881 --> 00:11:08,232 And we're just waiting for the okay to go down... 201 00:11:08,276 --> 00:11:09,494 to try to kill them. 202 00:11:12,062 --> 00:11:14,238 People are starting to move forward. 203 00:11:14,282 --> 00:11:16,719 I think we're on the way. Can you hear me? 204 00:11:19,287 --> 00:11:20,592 The boar can't. 205 00:11:26,903 --> 00:11:28,731 The hunters set out in groups 206 00:11:28,775 --> 00:11:31,603 and take up positions in the valley below. 207 00:11:31,647 --> 00:11:34,171 Claudia, who is six months pregnant, by the way, 208 00:11:34,215 --> 00:11:36,217 and I will oversee the proceedings 209 00:11:36,260 --> 00:11:37,871 from a suitable vantage point. 210 00:11:40,787 --> 00:11:41,831 - [speaking Italian] 211 00:11:50,666 --> 00:11:53,408 - Wild boar have roamed the Umbrian forests 212 00:11:53,451 --> 00:11:55,149 and been a core part of the diet here 213 00:11:55,192 --> 00:11:57,325 for thousands of years. 214 00:11:57,368 --> 00:11:59,806 Long both revered and feared, 215 00:11:59,849 --> 00:12:01,764 today they have no natural predators, 216 00:12:01,808 --> 00:12:04,027 and the population has to be controlled. 217 00:12:20,827 --> 00:12:22,002 [gunshot] 218 00:12:22,045 --> 00:12:24,265 [dogs barking] 219 00:12:24,308 --> 00:12:25,396 [gunshot] 220 00:12:29,923 --> 00:12:31,228 - My God. 221 00:12:31,272 --> 00:12:32,577 [gunshots] 222 00:12:36,843 --> 00:12:38,845 - Now, I'm under no illusion 223 00:12:38,888 --> 00:12:40,585 where all that salami comes from. 224 00:12:44,546 --> 00:12:47,331 - But witnessing that shot firsthand 225 00:12:47,375 --> 00:12:50,595 really brings home the reality of our carnivorous ways. 226 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,782 - This boar will have to be hung for 28 days 227 00:13:02,825 --> 00:13:04,609 before it's ready for the pot. 228 00:13:04,653 --> 00:13:07,134 But luckily for us, Giuseppina, Claudia's mom, 229 00:13:07,177 --> 00:13:09,005 and her brigade 230 00:13:09,049 --> 00:13:11,007 have been working away on another beast, 231 00:13:11,051 --> 00:13:14,532 following a family recipe for wild boar ragu. 232 00:13:16,578 --> 00:13:18,275 The local boar is full of flavor 233 00:13:18,319 --> 00:13:21,017 thanks to its foraged diet of roots, acorns, 234 00:13:21,061 --> 00:13:22,453 and even truffles. 235 00:13:22,497 --> 00:13:24,281 But to be at its best, 236 00:13:24,325 --> 00:13:26,718 the meat first needs a slow cook 237 00:13:26,762 --> 00:13:29,025 with herbs, lemon, and vinegar. 238 00:13:29,069 --> 00:13:32,550 [bright music] 239 00:13:32,594 --> 00:13:35,684 Then Giuseppina whizzes it up in a blender 240 00:13:35,727 --> 00:13:37,947 before adding it to a tomato sauce 241 00:13:37,991 --> 00:13:39,862 with salty green olives, 242 00:13:39,906 --> 00:13:41,429 which is the perfect complement 243 00:13:41,472 --> 00:13:42,734 to the boar's richness. 244 00:13:46,738 --> 00:13:49,611 - [speaking Italian] 245 00:14:15,071 --> 00:14:16,116 - Si. 246 00:14:16,159 --> 00:14:17,857 Thanks to Claudia's hunting 247 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:19,467 and the traditional culinary skills 248 00:14:19,510 --> 00:14:21,730 that Giuseppina will soon be passing down 249 00:14:21,773 --> 00:14:23,036 to her grandchild, 250 00:14:23,079 --> 00:14:25,603 no one is going hungry today. 251 00:14:29,085 --> 00:14:30,260 - That's perfect. 252 00:14:34,656 --> 00:14:36,788 - These two generations of Umbrian women 253 00:14:36,832 --> 00:14:38,660 are a force of nature. 254 00:14:38,703 --> 00:14:41,924 And they do their ancestors and the boar proud. 255 00:14:41,968 --> 00:14:44,535 I'd like to make a toast. 256 00:14:44,579 --> 00:14:46,755 Stop. I'm gonna make a toast to you. 257 00:14:46,798 --> 00:14:48,539 [laughter] 258 00:14:48,583 --> 00:14:51,760 Thank you so much, Claudia, for taking us-- 259 00:14:51,803 --> 00:14:52,892 I'm not gonna say it in Italian. 260 00:14:52,935 --> 00:14:54,415 Inglese,okay? 261 00:14:54,458 --> 00:14:56,591 Thank you so much for taking us on the hunt today 262 00:14:56,634 --> 00:14:59,681 and all of you, for it was a great experience. 263 00:14:59,724 --> 00:15:01,901 And congratulations, yeah. 264 00:15:01,944 --> 00:15:03,250 - Grazie. - Cheers. 265 00:15:03,293 --> 00:15:04,729 Thank you, thank you. Thank you. 266 00:15:04,773 --> 00:15:07,428 - Thank you so much. - Thank you. Cheers. 267 00:15:07,471 --> 00:15:11,736 ♪ 268 00:15:11,780 --> 00:15:14,043 The ragu is rich and comforting 269 00:15:14,087 --> 00:15:16,916 and tastes all the better after a day out in the woods. 270 00:15:18,656 --> 00:15:21,746 I think if Umbria itself had a flavor, 271 00:15:21,790 --> 00:15:23,270 this dish would be it. 272 00:15:23,313 --> 00:15:26,926 [indistinct chatter] 273 00:15:26,969 --> 00:15:27,883 - Thank you. 274 00:15:31,191 --> 00:15:33,889 [laughter] 275 00:15:41,070 --> 00:15:43,333 [spirited music] 276 00:15:43,377 --> 00:15:45,770 - I'm swapping Umbria's majestic forests 277 00:15:45,814 --> 00:15:47,598 for the achingly beautiful 278 00:15:47,642 --> 00:15:50,384 mountainous backdrop of Norcia. 279 00:15:50,427 --> 00:15:52,125 This medieval city is blessed 280 00:15:52,168 --> 00:15:54,779 with panoramic views of snowcapped peaks. 281 00:15:55,998 --> 00:15:58,914 But it's a place torn apart by the volatile fault line 282 00:15:58,958 --> 00:16:00,133 that runs beneath it. 283 00:16:04,180 --> 00:16:06,574 A series of disastrous earthquakes 284 00:16:06,617 --> 00:16:08,358 have battered Norcia. 285 00:16:08,402 --> 00:16:11,579 The most recent, in 2016, demolished the city center. 286 00:16:16,976 --> 00:16:21,241 Six years on, locals are still debating how best to rebuild 287 00:16:21,284 --> 00:16:23,678 without changing the town's historic character. 288 00:16:27,377 --> 00:16:29,553 Still standing amongst the rubble, however, 289 00:16:29,597 --> 00:16:31,294 is one tradition 290 00:16:31,338 --> 00:16:33,296 that's been synonymous with Norcia for centuries. 291 00:16:33,340 --> 00:16:36,256 [upbeat piano music] 292 00:16:36,299 --> 00:16:37,909 ♪ 293 00:16:37,953 --> 00:16:40,303 And of all the pork joints in all the towns, 294 00:16:40,347 --> 00:16:42,001 this one reigns supreme. 295 00:16:44,394 --> 00:16:47,049 Last night, I thought I was all porked out, 296 00:16:47,093 --> 00:16:49,182 but my mouth is watering already. 297 00:16:51,184 --> 00:16:53,099 Oh, oh, oh. Okay. 298 00:16:56,798 --> 00:16:58,626 Mmm. That's so good. 299 00:17:09,115 --> 00:17:10,246 - Si. 300 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,423 - Mmm. Mmm. 301 00:17:15,382 --> 00:17:18,646 - Literally some of the best-- wow. 302 00:17:26,567 --> 00:17:29,874 - [laughs] 303 00:17:29,918 --> 00:17:33,704 So you can see why they would be called donkey's balls. 304 00:17:33,748 --> 00:17:35,228 You have to use your imagination 305 00:17:35,271 --> 00:17:38,492 for the rest of the-- 306 00:17:38,535 --> 00:17:40,320 rest of the package. 307 00:17:40,363 --> 00:17:42,322 Putting innuendo to one side, 308 00:17:42,365 --> 00:17:45,499 the salami here really is incredible. 309 00:17:45,542 --> 00:17:48,458 The combination of wild herbs from the forest 310 00:17:48,502 --> 00:17:51,809 and the fresh mountain air takes it all to another level. 311 00:17:51,853 --> 00:17:53,855 I've got to meet the maker. 312 00:17:57,163 --> 00:17:59,382 Maestro Pepe-- that's him on the sign 313 00:17:59,426 --> 00:18:01,645 manning the sausage machine-- 314 00:18:01,689 --> 00:18:03,908 is the last truenorcino standing. 315 00:18:22,101 --> 00:18:24,929 - Legend has it that during the Renaissance, 316 00:18:24,973 --> 00:18:27,932 the master porksmiths of Norcia were so skilled 317 00:18:27,976 --> 00:18:29,717 with the knife that on occasion, 318 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,850 they were even called upon to operate on humans. 319 00:18:32,894 --> 00:18:36,158 And they've been revered ever since for their craft 320 00:18:36,202 --> 00:18:38,247 and warrior-like work ethic. 321 00:18:38,291 --> 00:18:39,857 But today the butchers here 322 00:18:39,901 --> 00:18:42,077 are struggling to recruit futurenorcini. 323 00:18:56,004 --> 00:18:56,918 - Mm. 324 00:19:08,886 --> 00:19:10,845 - No? No, no, no. 325 00:19:12,412 --> 00:19:14,370 I leave Pepe to get back to work. 326 00:19:14,414 --> 00:19:16,416 Mind you, he never actually stopped the whole time 327 00:19:16,459 --> 00:19:18,374 I've been here. 328 00:19:18,418 --> 00:19:20,855 And I'm left hoping he finds a worthy apprentice. 329 00:19:24,554 --> 00:19:27,992 Maestro Pepe's dilemma is echoed throughout the forests 330 00:19:28,036 --> 00:19:30,647 and vales of Umbria. 331 00:19:30,691 --> 00:19:32,693 And it seems as if the whole region 332 00:19:32,736 --> 00:19:36,392 is at a crossroads between its proud ancient traditions 333 00:19:36,436 --> 00:19:38,351 and the pressures of the modern world. 334 00:19:38,394 --> 00:19:41,310 [car dinging] 335 00:19:42,311 --> 00:19:43,530 What's that? 336 00:19:45,575 --> 00:19:47,621 Everything dings these days, doesn't it? 337 00:19:47,664 --> 00:19:48,970 Everything. 338 00:19:49,013 --> 00:19:50,754 Everything has to have a bell. 339 00:19:50,798 --> 00:19:52,713 [bell tolling] 340 00:19:52,756 --> 00:19:54,236 - Nice to meet you. I'm Carlo. 341 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:55,194 - Nice to meet you too. 342 00:19:56,456 --> 00:19:57,979 - [speaking Italian] 343 00:19:58,022 --> 00:19:59,154 - Please. - Thank you. 344 00:19:59,198 --> 00:20:01,287 - I want to show you my valley. 345 00:20:01,330 --> 00:20:04,942 - But some Umbrians, like farmer Carlo Caporicci, 346 00:20:04,986 --> 00:20:06,770 believe there is a way 347 00:20:06,814 --> 00:20:09,251 to combine this region's past with the present, 348 00:20:09,295 --> 00:20:12,689 to fuse the best of the old with the best of the new. 349 00:20:17,259 --> 00:20:18,521 This place is incredibly beautiful. 350 00:20:18,565 --> 00:20:20,523 - Eh. 351 00:20:20,567 --> 00:20:22,177 - So this is all the trees you planted? 352 00:20:22,221 --> 00:20:23,526 'Cause you have, like-- - Yeah. 353 00:20:23,570 --> 00:20:26,268 These are 20, 21 years old. 354 00:20:26,312 --> 00:20:29,184 - Each of these trees holds a secret. 355 00:20:29,228 --> 00:20:31,447 What you see here laid out in a perfect grid 356 00:20:31,491 --> 00:20:33,797 is a truffle plantation. 357 00:20:33,841 --> 00:20:37,497 Yes, black truffles that are farmed, not foraged. 358 00:20:51,337 --> 00:20:53,861 - 30 or so years ago, not many people 359 00:20:53,904 --> 00:20:56,603 had ever really heard of this Umbrian ingredient. 360 00:20:56,646 --> 00:20:59,214 But now Carlo can barely keep up with the demand, 361 00:20:59,258 --> 00:21:01,172 and neither can Mother Nature. 362 00:21:01,216 --> 00:21:02,913 So he's come up with a solution. 363 00:21:13,402 --> 00:21:15,186 - Let's go. 364 00:21:15,230 --> 00:21:18,364 To create the ideal conditions for truffles to grow, 365 00:21:18,407 --> 00:21:20,409 Carlo has a special technique 366 00:21:20,453 --> 00:21:23,020 for treating each acorn he plants. 367 00:21:23,064 --> 00:21:25,458 You take the nut, a little bit of the truffle... 368 00:21:28,243 --> 00:21:30,289 - Right. With this? 369 00:21:37,731 --> 00:21:39,428 - [speaking Italian] 370 00:21:41,343 --> 00:21:44,215 - Okay. - We put inside the ground. 371 00:21:44,259 --> 00:21:45,739 - A year in the pot, 372 00:21:45,782 --> 00:21:47,480 in the ground it goes, 373 00:21:47,523 --> 00:21:49,699 five years of Umbrian sunshine 374 00:21:49,743 --> 00:21:52,528 and some rain, and there you are. 375 00:21:52,572 --> 00:21:54,530 Truffles on tap. 376 00:21:54,574 --> 00:21:56,750 I wonder if this would work in my backyard. 377 00:22:00,623 --> 00:22:03,234 - To showcase the flavor of all these truffles, 378 00:22:03,278 --> 00:22:05,628 Carlo and his daughter Alice opened a restaurant 379 00:22:05,672 --> 00:22:07,456 right here on the farm. 380 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:10,372 It's her skill and innovation in the kitchen 381 00:22:10,416 --> 00:22:12,766 that brings out the best of each season's bounty. 382 00:22:14,071 --> 00:22:15,290 - [laughs] 383 00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:16,596 [speaking Italian] 384 00:23:10,476 --> 00:23:11,564 - Mmm, mmm. 385 00:23:11,607 --> 00:23:13,348 Like most young Umbrians, 386 00:23:13,392 --> 00:23:15,306 Alice moved away in her 20s 387 00:23:15,350 --> 00:23:17,439 in search of opportunity and new ideas, 388 00:23:17,483 --> 00:23:19,572 first going to London, then Rome. 389 00:23:26,405 --> 00:23:28,102 - Si,yeah. 390 00:23:33,803 --> 00:23:35,326 - Alice combines 391 00:23:35,370 --> 00:23:37,633 the distinctly Umbrian food tradition 392 00:23:37,677 --> 00:23:39,505 with a more modern sensibility. 393 00:23:47,034 --> 00:23:48,252 - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 394 00:23:49,515 --> 00:23:50,429 - Si. 395 00:23:53,214 --> 00:23:55,825 - Earthy and sweet, yeah. 396 00:23:55,869 --> 00:23:58,349 The addition of beetroot is inspired, 397 00:23:58,393 --> 00:24:00,482 but nothing upstages the true star of the show... 398 00:24:02,963 --> 00:24:05,444 A mountain of truffle. 399 00:24:08,272 --> 00:24:11,014 [sauntering music] 400 00:24:11,058 --> 00:24:12,494 And now here it comes, 401 00:24:12,538 --> 00:24:13,887 a fitting finale 402 00:24:13,930 --> 00:24:16,324 in celebration of Carlo, Alice, 403 00:24:16,367 --> 00:24:17,804 the future of the truffle, 404 00:24:17,847 --> 00:24:20,720 and possibly the future of Umbrian cuisine. 405 00:24:28,162 --> 00:24:29,293 - Yeah. 406 00:24:32,949 --> 00:24:34,342 [laughter] 407 00:24:38,738 --> 00:24:40,087 - Wait. 408 00:24:40,130 --> 00:24:42,481 Wow. Yeah. 409 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:46,833 - Mm. - Si. 410 00:24:46,876 --> 00:24:48,704 - As for Carlo's black truffle, 411 00:24:48,748 --> 00:24:52,186 it tastes woody, nutty, and luxurious. 412 00:24:52,229 --> 00:24:54,493 You'd never know it was farmed, not foraged. 413 00:25:04,590 --> 00:25:05,504 - Wow. 414 00:25:17,603 --> 00:25:20,475 [relaxed music] 415 00:25:20,519 --> 00:25:24,827 ♪ 416 00:25:24,871 --> 00:25:26,960 - Hello. 417 00:25:27,003 --> 00:25:29,528 - How are you? - Good. Nice to see you. 418 00:25:29,571 --> 00:25:32,052 - Ah, chocolate. - For the kids. 419 00:25:32,095 --> 00:25:33,270 - Everybody say it's for the kids. 420 00:25:33,314 --> 00:25:35,664 [laughter] 421 00:25:35,708 --> 00:25:38,493 - We know we can buy these Baci chocolates everywhere 422 00:25:38,537 --> 00:25:40,408 and anywhere these days, 423 00:25:40,451 --> 00:25:43,237 but this is their hometown, Perugia. 424 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,065 It also happens to be where Matteo, 425 00:25:45,108 --> 00:25:47,633 my friendly historian, hails from. 426 00:25:47,676 --> 00:25:51,288 So who better to show me around Umbria's capital city? 427 00:25:51,332 --> 00:25:55,815 - This is my city, Perugia. Perugia is a young city. 428 00:25:55,858 --> 00:25:59,296 It's a city where we have two universities, 429 00:25:59,340 --> 00:26:01,255 one for Italian people and one for foreigners. 430 00:26:01,298 --> 00:26:04,084 And it's a city which is known for jazz. 431 00:26:04,127 --> 00:26:07,914 We have an incredible jazz festival during the summer. 432 00:26:07,957 --> 00:26:11,613 - This vibrant city is famous for its independent spirit. 433 00:26:11,657 --> 00:26:14,355 If Umbrians like to do things their own way, 434 00:26:14,398 --> 00:26:18,533 then Perugians multiply that by the power of ten. 435 00:26:18,577 --> 00:26:22,015 Long, long ago, when Perugia was ruled by the pope, 436 00:26:22,058 --> 00:26:24,713 things came to a head, shall we say. 437 00:26:24,757 --> 00:26:26,672 - What you can notice on this square 438 00:26:26,715 --> 00:26:30,371 is that the church is facing 439 00:26:30,414 --> 00:26:33,287 the building of the mayor, 440 00:26:33,330 --> 00:26:35,028 and it's not by chance, that. 441 00:26:36,682 --> 00:26:40,511 - And this facing the government offices... 442 00:26:40,555 --> 00:26:42,775 - Exactly. - And his hand is on... 443 00:26:42,818 --> 00:26:44,254 - The griffin, which is-- - The griffin. 444 00:26:44,298 --> 00:26:46,474 - Yeah, which is the symbol of the city. 445 00:26:46,517 --> 00:26:48,998 And that is a message that the pope want to send 446 00:26:49,042 --> 00:26:51,740 to the people of Perugia, "Be careful, because"-- 447 00:26:51,784 --> 00:26:53,481 - He's silencing. - That's it. 448 00:26:53,524 --> 00:26:56,005 - We are silencing. - Hmm. 449 00:26:56,049 --> 00:26:59,748 This standoff reached a breaking point in 1540 450 00:26:59,792 --> 00:27:03,796 when Pope Paul III hit Perugia where it really hurt. 451 00:27:10,585 --> 00:27:12,805 - You have to know that one of the most popular food 452 00:27:12,848 --> 00:27:14,937 in Umbria and in Perugia are the salumi. 453 00:27:14,981 --> 00:27:16,896 - Yes. - Prosciutto, salami, 454 00:27:16,939 --> 00:27:18,637 all those things, you use the salt. 455 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,204 - Yeah. - What did the pope do? 456 00:27:21,248 --> 00:27:23,642 He said, "Okay, in Umbria, they use the salt. 457 00:27:23,685 --> 00:27:26,253 Now I will put a tax on the salt." 458 00:27:26,296 --> 00:27:28,690 - It's crazy. - It's crazy. 459 00:27:28,734 --> 00:27:30,823 - The salt tax was the last straw. 460 00:27:30,866 --> 00:27:32,999 Perugia declared war on the pope, 461 00:27:33,042 --> 00:27:35,305 but the papal army crushed the insurgents 462 00:27:35,349 --> 00:27:38,526 in these very streets, and the pope built a fortress 463 00:27:38,569 --> 00:27:40,571 smack in the middle of the town 464 00:27:40,615 --> 00:27:42,835 to show the people who was boss. 465 00:27:42,878 --> 00:27:45,359 But that didn't stop the Perugians. 466 00:27:45,402 --> 00:27:47,709 Their spirit of resistance lived on 467 00:27:47,753 --> 00:27:50,059 with a cunning culinary plan 468 00:27:50,103 --> 00:27:52,453 to rebel against their oppressor. 469 00:27:55,456 --> 00:27:58,807 Matteo's taking me to one of his favorite hangouts, 470 00:27:58,851 --> 00:28:00,853 La Prosciutteria. 471 00:28:00,896 --> 00:28:03,899 It's a new take on the tradition bottega. 472 00:28:03,943 --> 00:28:05,248 And amongst their bounty 473 00:28:05,292 --> 00:28:07,729 of Umbria's finest meats and cheeses 474 00:28:07,773 --> 00:28:10,123 is Perugia's secret weapon in the battle 475 00:28:10,166 --> 00:28:11,690 against the salt tax. 476 00:28:11,733 --> 00:28:13,256 Really? - [laughs] 477 00:28:13,300 --> 00:28:14,736 - Nice. - Wow. 478 00:28:14,780 --> 00:28:16,738 - [speaking Italian] 479 00:28:16,782 --> 00:28:17,739 - Si. 480 00:28:25,965 --> 00:28:27,053 - Mm-hmm. 481 00:28:41,328 --> 00:28:42,329 Buon appetito. 482 00:28:45,767 --> 00:28:47,464 - The nice thing, if you notice, 483 00:28:47,508 --> 00:28:50,337 is that we have a lot of salt in this plate, 484 00:28:50,380 --> 00:28:53,383 you know, because we have salami, we have prosciutto, 485 00:28:53,427 --> 00:28:55,037 everything very salty. 486 00:28:55,081 --> 00:28:58,127 And now this kind of bread is perfect to eat. 487 00:28:58,171 --> 00:29:00,303 - Yeah, 'cause it doesn't get in the way. 488 00:29:00,347 --> 00:29:02,523 - Exactly. - It accepts the flavors. 489 00:29:02,566 --> 00:29:04,743 - The little appetizers, yes, they're delicious. 490 00:29:07,963 --> 00:29:09,138 - That's really rich. 491 00:29:09,182 --> 00:29:10,574 - Yeah, it is. 492 00:29:10,618 --> 00:29:11,924 - Also, there's the poppy seeds on it. 493 00:29:11,967 --> 00:29:13,142 - Yeah. - I like that. 494 00:29:13,186 --> 00:29:14,230 - Yeah. 495 00:29:14,274 --> 00:29:15,884 - Cheers. - Cheers. 496 00:29:15,928 --> 00:29:17,407 - The food is as good and authentic 497 00:29:17,451 --> 00:29:19,105 as I've had anywhere in Umbria. 498 00:29:19,148 --> 00:29:22,412 But the service and setting is just a bit cooler. 499 00:29:22,456 --> 00:29:24,632 So how old are you guys? 500 00:29:24,675 --> 00:29:25,981 - [speaking Italian] 501 00:29:26,025 --> 00:29:28,375 - Why did you end up working here? 502 00:29:30,856 --> 00:29:32,161 - Ah. 503 00:29:37,036 --> 00:29:37,993 - Yeah. 504 00:29:45,479 --> 00:29:46,828 - Grazie. - Grazie. 505 00:29:46,872 --> 00:29:48,047 - Thank you very much, thank you. 506 00:29:48,090 --> 00:29:49,309 - Grazie mille. - And thank you. 507 00:29:50,397 --> 00:29:52,529 Having made a good dent 508 00:29:52,573 --> 00:29:54,749 in yet another mound ofsalumi, 509 00:29:54,793 --> 00:29:57,273 it's time to move on from the hustle and bustle 510 00:29:57,317 --> 00:30:00,494 of modern Umbria and head back to its ancient heart. 511 00:30:00,537 --> 00:30:03,410 [upbeat music] 512 00:30:13,246 --> 00:30:16,162 [upbeat piano music] 513 00:30:16,205 --> 00:30:19,165 ♪ 514 00:30:19,208 --> 00:30:20,731 - Of all the fairy-tale landscapes 515 00:30:20,775 --> 00:30:22,516 I've seen in Umbria, 516 00:30:22,559 --> 00:30:24,692 this one may be the most breathtaking. 517 00:30:26,650 --> 00:30:29,871 Perched atop a cliff of volcanic rock, 518 00:30:29,915 --> 00:30:32,787 Orvieto is visible for miles in every direction. 519 00:30:35,094 --> 00:30:37,836 Its ornate cathedral reaching up to the heavens 520 00:30:37,879 --> 00:30:39,925 is one of the finest in Italy. 521 00:30:41,578 --> 00:30:43,972 And beneath its dazzling duomo, 522 00:30:44,016 --> 00:30:46,279 Orvieto has even more stories to tell. 523 00:30:50,587 --> 00:30:53,895 Local chef Valentina Santanicchio 524 00:30:53,939 --> 00:30:55,897 is on her way to give me the grand tour, 525 00:30:55,941 --> 00:30:58,813 but I've got time to try a local delicacy 526 00:30:58,857 --> 00:31:02,425 charmingly calledil baffo, meaning mustache, 527 00:31:02,469 --> 00:31:04,645 because the strips of succulent guanciale 528 00:31:04,688 --> 00:31:06,255 resemble one. 529 00:31:06,299 --> 00:31:08,344 Sort of. 530 00:31:08,388 --> 00:31:09,824 - Hi. - Hi. 531 00:31:09,868 --> 00:31:10,956 - Hello. - Hi. 532 00:31:10,999 --> 00:31:12,348 - Nice to meet you. 533 00:31:12,392 --> 00:31:13,393 - Nice to meet you too. - How are you? 534 00:31:13,436 --> 00:31:14,698 - I'm very well. 535 00:31:14,742 --> 00:31:16,265 - It's a pleasure to see you here. 536 00:31:16,309 --> 00:31:18,006 - Well, it's a pleasure to be here. Thank you. 537 00:31:18,050 --> 00:31:19,355 Sorry, my mouth is full. 538 00:31:19,399 --> 00:31:20,661 - Good. 539 00:31:20,704 --> 00:31:21,880 - That's delicious. 540 00:31:21,923 --> 00:31:23,533 - Yeah, it's traditional recipe. 541 00:31:23,577 --> 00:31:25,100 It's done with vinegar and sage. 542 00:31:25,144 --> 00:31:26,710 It's very easy. 543 00:31:26,754 --> 00:31:28,930 It was my grandfather's breakfast when I was young. 544 00:31:28,974 --> 00:31:30,758 - Really? - At 9:00. 545 00:31:30,801 --> 00:31:32,673 - Thank you. 546 00:31:32,716 --> 00:31:35,458 And just like that, Valentina whisks me away, 547 00:31:35,502 --> 00:31:38,940 leading me downwards like Alice in Wonderland 548 00:31:38,984 --> 00:31:41,769 into a labyrinth of tunnels and caves. 549 00:31:41,812 --> 00:31:44,424 - We have to go down. - Down? 550 00:31:44,467 --> 00:31:45,468 - Down, down. 551 00:31:45,512 --> 00:31:47,253 - Down, down, down. 552 00:31:47,296 --> 00:31:49,820 But unlike Alice, it's not a rabbit we've come to meet 553 00:31:49,864 --> 00:31:51,561 but another small animal 554 00:31:51,605 --> 00:31:54,564 that the people here have dined on for centuries. 555 00:31:56,349 --> 00:31:57,524 - Here we are. 556 00:31:57,567 --> 00:31:59,830 - Incredible. - Yes. 557 00:31:59,874 --> 00:32:03,182 This is the house of pigeon, my favorite pigeon, you know? 558 00:32:03,225 --> 00:32:05,488 - Your favorite pigeon? - After, you'll know why. 559 00:32:05,532 --> 00:32:07,882 - Yes, yes. We're gonna taste it, yeah. 560 00:32:07,926 --> 00:32:09,536 - Yeah. - Yeah. 561 00:32:09,579 --> 00:32:12,365 What we're looking at here are, in fact, dovecotes 562 00:32:12,408 --> 00:32:14,715 carved into the walls by the Etruscans 563 00:32:14,758 --> 00:32:17,761 who founded Orvieto over 2,000 years ago. 564 00:32:17,805 --> 00:32:19,154 Wow. 565 00:32:19,198 --> 00:32:21,678 Encouraging pigeons to nest here 566 00:32:21,722 --> 00:32:24,681 gave the early townsfolk a source of nutritious meat 567 00:32:24,725 --> 00:32:28,207 without having to stray outside the city walls. 568 00:32:28,250 --> 00:32:29,773 They could just come and go, 569 00:32:29,817 --> 00:32:30,818 but this is where they would roost? 570 00:32:30,861 --> 00:32:32,167 - Yes. 571 00:32:32,211 --> 00:32:33,473 - Well, when would they eat the pigeon? 572 00:32:33,516 --> 00:32:36,650 What stage in the pigeon's life? 573 00:32:36,693 --> 00:32:40,045 - Usually when they are ready to fly, when they were-- 574 00:32:40,088 --> 00:32:41,307 - When they're babies. 575 00:32:41,350 --> 00:32:44,223 - Yeah, babies. The babies are for food. 576 00:32:44,266 --> 00:32:45,572 - For food. Right. 577 00:32:45,615 --> 00:32:48,575 [jazz music] 578 00:32:48,618 --> 00:32:52,709 ♪ 579 00:32:52,753 --> 00:32:56,017 Today pigeon is still an Orvietan staple. 580 00:32:56,061 --> 00:32:58,977 Braised, it's one of the town's signature dishes, 581 00:32:59,020 --> 00:33:00,804 and any self-respecting local 582 00:33:00,848 --> 00:33:02,937 can recite the recipe backwards. 583 00:33:02,981 --> 00:33:06,375 But at the restaurant Valentina's run since 2016, 584 00:33:06,419 --> 00:33:08,943 she's pioneered a new approach. 585 00:33:08,987 --> 00:33:11,728 - We are here with a pigeon. - Yes. 586 00:33:11,772 --> 00:33:13,948 - Poor pigeon. That is so nice. - Yeah. 587 00:33:13,992 --> 00:33:16,429 - Cut in this way. 588 00:33:16,472 --> 00:33:18,518 - Because pigeon can be tough, 589 00:33:18,561 --> 00:33:21,260 Valentina cooks the bird two ways, 590 00:33:21,303 --> 00:33:24,045 ensuring it's moist and flavorful. 591 00:33:24,089 --> 00:33:26,221 Half the pigeon is braised traditionally, 592 00:33:26,265 --> 00:33:29,311 and the other borrows from far and wide. 593 00:33:29,355 --> 00:33:31,270 So you never trained as a chef? 594 00:33:31,313 --> 00:33:34,186 - Never. It's something that is my blood, I think. 595 00:33:34,229 --> 00:33:36,449 I studied for--as accountant. 596 00:33:36,492 --> 00:33:39,147 That is very useful for my job but not for cooking. 597 00:33:39,191 --> 00:33:41,541 - Yeah. 598 00:33:41,584 --> 00:33:44,326 - This is the breast. - Beautiful. 599 00:33:44,370 --> 00:33:46,546 - And I put in the soya sauce marinade. 600 00:33:46,589 --> 00:33:48,113 Marinade? 601 00:33:48,156 --> 00:33:49,723 - Yeah, marinade. You put it in the soy sauce. 602 00:33:49,766 --> 00:33:52,639 - Yeah. And then to cook in sous vide, 603 00:33:52,682 --> 00:33:55,120 that is modern technique to cooking. 604 00:33:55,163 --> 00:33:57,687 - Yes, to make it moist. 605 00:33:57,731 --> 00:34:00,212 - And it's just easy. This is the easy part. 606 00:34:00,255 --> 00:34:01,300 For the legs... 607 00:34:01,343 --> 00:34:04,346 [speaking Italian] 608 00:34:06,827 --> 00:34:08,568 - Nice. 609 00:34:08,611 --> 00:34:10,744 Just like most time-honored dishes, 610 00:34:10,787 --> 00:34:13,051 no part of the pigeon goes to waste. 611 00:34:13,094 --> 00:34:14,922 - This is--has to cook all together 612 00:34:14,965 --> 00:34:17,838 in this pan with olive oil, and then-- 613 00:34:17,881 --> 00:34:21,102 - The heart and the liver. - Yeah, it's very bloody. 614 00:34:21,146 --> 00:34:22,973 - Tutto. - Yeah, tutto. 615 00:34:23,017 --> 00:34:24,410 - Everything. And go down. 616 00:34:24,453 --> 00:34:27,282 - The kidneys, the liver, the heart, everything. 617 00:34:27,326 --> 00:34:28,849 - Yeah. - [laughs] 618 00:34:28,892 --> 00:34:30,111 It's like you killed someone, yes. 619 00:34:30,155 --> 00:34:31,808 - Yeah, someone. 620 00:34:31,852 --> 00:34:34,550 - Carrots, onion, thyme, and celery go into the pot. 621 00:34:34,594 --> 00:34:37,597 Then it all needs to cook low and slow for up to four hours 622 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:40,469 to make it meltingly tender. 623 00:34:40,513 --> 00:34:42,689 Luckily, Valentina was up with the lark today 624 00:34:42,732 --> 00:34:44,734 and started this one earlier. 625 00:34:48,869 --> 00:34:49,826 - Okay. 626 00:34:51,001 --> 00:34:51,959 - Wow. 627 00:34:54,135 --> 00:34:56,137 Thank God for the Etruscans. 628 00:34:56,181 --> 00:34:58,618 - [laughs] 629 00:34:58,661 --> 00:35:00,315 - I've always said that, yeah. - Right, right. 630 00:35:00,359 --> 00:35:02,448 - I mean, come on. That's so good. 631 00:35:02,491 --> 00:35:04,363 - Thank you. - Thank you. 632 00:35:04,406 --> 00:35:07,844 The sous vide breast now gets what they call a reverse sear 633 00:35:07,888 --> 00:35:11,065 in a little butter to crisp up the skin. 634 00:35:17,376 --> 00:35:18,333 - Yes. 635 00:35:24,513 --> 00:35:25,471 - Oh! 636 00:35:27,212 --> 00:35:28,126 Wow. 637 00:35:30,737 --> 00:35:31,651 - Okay. 638 00:35:34,044 --> 00:35:35,742 Come on. - [laughs] 639 00:35:35,785 --> 00:35:37,613 - Oh, I love that. 640 00:35:38,571 --> 00:35:42,444 Wow. Grazie.Thank you so much. 641 00:35:42,488 --> 00:35:45,795 Incredible amount of history in that little bowl right there. 642 00:35:45,839 --> 00:35:48,189 And then a piece of it with something new. 643 00:35:48,233 --> 00:35:51,323 You know, it's so delicious and nutritious. 644 00:35:51,366 --> 00:35:52,802 - Thank you. - It's really good. 645 00:35:52,846 --> 00:35:54,152 - Thank you. 646 00:36:01,289 --> 00:36:03,291 [upbeat music] 647 00:36:03,335 --> 00:36:06,120 - It's incredibly rich soil here. 648 00:36:07,817 --> 00:36:09,167 It's really beautiful. 649 00:36:09,210 --> 00:36:11,212 It's a perfect example right here. 650 00:36:11,256 --> 00:36:14,259 We can see all that gorgeous soil that they've just tilled. 651 00:36:15,912 --> 00:36:18,219 My time in Umbria is almost over, 652 00:36:18,263 --> 00:36:20,830 but I can't leave without visiting a certain farm 653 00:36:20,874 --> 00:36:22,658 on the Tuscan border. 654 00:36:22,702 --> 00:36:25,835 My friends Colin and Livia Firth have a home here, 655 00:36:25,879 --> 00:36:27,315 and Livia's twin brothers 656 00:36:27,359 --> 00:36:30,231 have had a Saint Francis-like epiphany, 657 00:36:30,275 --> 00:36:32,712 leaving their old careers behind to do something 658 00:36:32,755 --> 00:36:35,105 very special with a plot of land next door. 659 00:36:35,149 --> 00:36:38,761 ♪ 660 00:36:42,156 --> 00:36:44,637 both: Stanley. [laughter] 661 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:45,942 - Together, the twins. 662 00:36:45,986 --> 00:36:48,815 Ciao. Ciao. Welcome. 663 00:36:48,858 --> 00:36:50,120 - Come through, come through. 664 00:36:50,164 --> 00:36:52,384 - How beautiful. So I haven't seen you guys. 665 00:36:52,427 --> 00:36:54,429 Last time, it was, like, 3 1/2 years ago. 666 00:36:54,473 --> 00:36:56,126 - We changed our life, basically. 667 00:36:56,170 --> 00:36:57,563 - You totally changed your life. 668 00:36:57,606 --> 00:36:59,129 - Ah, totally. I was doing your job, actually. 669 00:36:59,173 --> 00:37:02,263 - I know! And you were living-- were you living in Rome? 670 00:37:02,307 --> 00:37:03,830 - Yes. - You were living in Rome. 671 00:37:03,873 --> 00:37:05,658 And you were living in-- 672 00:37:05,701 --> 00:37:07,877 - Between London and Milan, kind of fashion entrepreneur, 673 00:37:07,921 --> 00:37:09,488 playing the big manager... - Yes. 674 00:37:09,531 --> 00:37:12,317 - And now became a farmer. 675 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:14,493 - This is no run-of-the-mill farm, though. 676 00:37:14,536 --> 00:37:16,669 The twins have a passion for sustainability 677 00:37:16,712 --> 00:37:18,192 and love to experiment 678 00:37:18,236 --> 00:37:21,195 by cross-pollinating long-forgotten varieties 679 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,981 to create supercharged new vegetables. 680 00:37:25,025 --> 00:37:28,811 - So taking a flower from a tomato, which is good, 681 00:37:28,855 --> 00:37:31,292 but it's not really resistant to climate change, 682 00:37:31,336 --> 00:37:33,294 to the summer, it was 45 degrees... 683 00:37:33,338 --> 00:37:35,470 - Yeah, yeah. - And just go to another plant 684 00:37:35,514 --> 00:37:36,906 who's got these tomatoes 685 00:37:36,950 --> 00:37:39,300 which are really resistant and crossed them. 686 00:37:39,344 --> 00:37:42,172 And as an example, this is what came out. 687 00:37:42,216 --> 00:37:43,739 - Oh, my God, look at that color. 688 00:37:43,783 --> 00:37:46,133 - This is a mix between a black one 689 00:37:46,176 --> 00:37:48,440 and, actually, this one. 690 00:37:48,483 --> 00:37:50,920 And this one is much more resistant 691 00:37:50,964 --> 00:37:52,879 than this one, and it's sweeter. 692 00:37:52,922 --> 00:37:54,620 - To the heat. - To the heat. 693 00:37:59,494 --> 00:38:01,757 - That's good. 694 00:38:01,801 --> 00:38:04,238 What began as a childhood dream 695 00:38:04,282 --> 00:38:07,154 has evolved into a very real 60-acre farm 696 00:38:07,197 --> 00:38:10,157 and extensive seed library. 697 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:12,028 - We start cultivating 698 00:38:12,072 --> 00:38:16,772 all these wild kind of mustard, wasabi, edible flowers. 699 00:38:16,816 --> 00:38:18,687 - Oh, wow, yeah. 700 00:38:18,731 --> 00:38:21,342 I love that you can eat that. - [laughs] 701 00:38:21,386 --> 00:38:23,388 - And you guys eat meat. I mean, you're not-- 702 00:38:23,431 --> 00:38:26,391 - Of course. We didn't turn vegetarian for this. 703 00:38:26,434 --> 00:38:28,349 You know, in Umbria, it's-- - Well, in Umbria, 704 00:38:28,393 --> 00:38:30,046 if you don't love your meat, you better move. 705 00:38:30,090 --> 00:38:31,396 - Exactly, you better move. 706 00:38:31,439 --> 00:38:33,180 - I have to stand up. My knees are killing me. 707 00:38:33,223 --> 00:38:35,225 - Yeah, me too. I mean, we squat a lot. 708 00:38:35,269 --> 00:38:37,663 - Yeah, I know, I know. - But we're getting much older. 709 00:38:37,706 --> 00:38:39,882 - If I were 40, I could squat a little longer. 710 00:38:41,797 --> 00:38:45,105 Alessandro and Nicola's inventory now extends 711 00:38:45,148 --> 00:38:48,543 to over 1,000 varieties of fruit and vegetables. 712 00:38:48,587 --> 00:38:50,763 But keeping this many different plants healthy 713 00:38:50,806 --> 00:38:53,374 without using any pesticides is no easy feat. 714 00:38:55,811 --> 00:38:58,771 What was the word before that-- you developed a word. 715 00:38:58,814 --> 00:39:02,035 - "Agriconcura," which come from agricultura, 716 00:39:02,078 --> 00:39:04,167 which is agriculture... - Right. 717 00:39:04,211 --> 00:39:06,909 - But curais that using of care. 718 00:39:06,953 --> 00:39:10,783 So it's agri with care. 719 00:39:10,826 --> 00:39:13,612 That actually then pays you back with that taste, 720 00:39:13,655 --> 00:39:15,875 with those colors, with those consistency. 721 00:39:15,918 --> 00:39:17,267 - Yeah. 722 00:39:17,311 --> 00:39:19,357 The twins' nurturing philosophy 723 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,621 doesn't just apply to plants but to people too. 724 00:39:22,664 --> 00:39:27,147 There's a sense of community and a family feel on the farm. 725 00:39:27,190 --> 00:39:28,801 - Stanley, we're gonna start picking up some ingredients 726 00:39:28,844 --> 00:39:30,019 for our lunch. 727 00:39:30,063 --> 00:39:32,674 We're gonna get some aubergine. 728 00:39:32,718 --> 00:39:34,720 - Lookit, it's an ostrich egg. 729 00:39:34,763 --> 00:39:36,461 - It's called dragon egg, actually, 730 00:39:36,504 --> 00:39:38,332 and we got this 731 00:39:38,376 --> 00:39:41,857 because they've got a very special, special taste. 732 00:39:41,901 --> 00:39:43,468 They don't get soggy. 733 00:39:43,511 --> 00:39:45,513 I put them on the fire like that, burn them a bit, 734 00:39:45,557 --> 00:39:47,907 then cut them in half, and with a spoon. 735 00:39:47,950 --> 00:39:49,256 Like a little dessert. 736 00:39:49,299 --> 00:39:52,259 [elegant music] 737 00:39:52,302 --> 00:39:57,699 ♪ 738 00:39:57,743 --> 00:40:01,181 - Farm in-house chef Davide is fanning the flames 739 00:40:01,224 --> 00:40:02,922 to make one of the specials of the day, 740 00:40:02,965 --> 00:40:05,751 eggplant caviar. 741 00:40:05,794 --> 00:40:07,143 Pulled straight from the ground 742 00:40:07,187 --> 00:40:09,145 and simply pricked with a knife, 743 00:40:09,189 --> 00:40:12,192 these are going to be delicious. 744 00:40:12,235 --> 00:40:15,804 While they roast, it's time to start the pasta course. 745 00:40:15,848 --> 00:40:17,415 This is aglione? 746 00:40:17,458 --> 00:40:19,155 - This is one of my favorite things. 747 00:40:19,199 --> 00:40:21,157 - Agliois garlic, right? - Yes. 748 00:40:21,201 --> 00:40:22,942 - Aglione,big garlic. 749 00:40:24,552 --> 00:40:25,727 And that's that. 750 00:40:25,771 --> 00:40:26,815 All right, go ahead, put it in. 751 00:40:29,078 --> 00:40:31,341 The Tuscans next door like to claim 752 00:40:31,385 --> 00:40:34,823 this mellow-tasting garlic as their own. 753 00:40:34,867 --> 00:40:36,608 But don't tell that to the Umbrians. 754 00:40:36,651 --> 00:40:39,654 Its classic partner is a simplepassata 755 00:40:39,698 --> 00:40:43,397 made from tomatoes harvested just a few weeks ago. 756 00:40:43,441 --> 00:40:45,486 Thick enough to hang on to the sauce, 757 00:40:45,530 --> 00:40:48,010 these pici are the perfect pasta to go with it. 758 00:40:49,621 --> 00:40:51,666 Oh, look at that. Oh, gorgeous. 759 00:40:53,929 --> 00:40:58,238 - Now you see why they call it eggplant caviar. 760 00:40:58,281 --> 00:41:00,632 - What is that, tarragon? - Tarragon. 761 00:41:00,675 --> 00:41:03,286 The secret ingredient is a bit of Davide's fingers. 762 00:41:03,330 --> 00:41:05,680 - A little touch of humanity in there, yes. 763 00:41:05,724 --> 00:41:07,769 - If you happen to have a bruschetta-- 764 00:41:07,813 --> 00:41:09,728 - Oddly enough, we do. 765 00:41:09,771 --> 00:41:15,734 ♪ 766 00:41:15,777 --> 00:41:17,083 More salt. 767 00:41:17,126 --> 00:41:18,214 [laughter] 768 00:41:18,258 --> 00:41:20,129 - More salt? - No. 769 00:41:20,173 --> 00:41:21,522 - Stanley, would you mind helping me? 770 00:41:21,566 --> 00:41:22,654 - Of course, yes. 771 00:41:25,831 --> 00:41:27,485 Go, eat, eat, eat, eat. 772 00:41:27,528 --> 00:41:29,443 Mangia, mangia. Pass those down. 773 00:41:29,487 --> 00:41:31,401 This rustic open-air feast... 774 00:41:31,445 --> 00:41:33,055 Wait, I need a fork. 775 00:41:33,099 --> 00:41:35,188 Umbria's answer to fine dining. 776 00:41:35,231 --> 00:41:36,972 Guys, this is incredible. 777 00:41:37,016 --> 00:41:39,061 The twins and this farm... 778 00:41:39,105 --> 00:41:40,410 - Buon appetito. 779 00:41:40,454 --> 00:41:41,890 all: Buon appetito. 780 00:41:41,934 --> 00:41:44,937 - Really encapsulate Italy's green heart 781 00:41:44,980 --> 00:41:47,592 and its strong independent culture, 782 00:41:47,635 --> 00:41:51,160 cherishing the past while embracing the future, 783 00:41:51,204 --> 00:41:53,119 always on their own terms. 784 00:41:53,162 --> 00:41:55,904 [laughter, indistinct chatter] 785 00:41:55,948 --> 00:41:57,340 And given that, 786 00:41:57,384 --> 00:42:00,256 you have to agree with Big George: 787 00:42:00,300 --> 00:42:01,823 viva l'Umbria, 788 00:42:01,867 --> 00:42:04,434 viva la cucina Italiana, 789 00:42:04,478 --> 00:42:05,914 e viva noi. 790 00:42:05,958 --> 00:42:09,527 ♪