We are in Tuscany, a land of good food, tasty typical products and excellent wines… and the Maremma respects this culinary tradition with typical recipes and genuine ingredients that we are sure will surprise you.
For centuries this territory has experienced a sort of independence compared to the rest of the country, this is profoundly reflected in its cuisine, deeply linked to the territory and its ancient traditions. Influenced by the Aldobrandeschi, the Sienese and the Spanish, traditional Maremma cuisine is exquisitely unique.
Centuries and centuries of food and wine traditions – how to obtain the best wines, cheeses and cured meats for example – have been jealously handed down from generation to generation.
Every year all the villages of the Maremma celebrate their typical products and traditional dishes with parties and festivals. If you are in the area, it will be a special opportunity to savor excellent dishes but also to discover the oldest and most authentic traditions of this area.
Every product grown or worked with one’s own hands is, for every Maremma, a part of himself and of his historical and cultural heritage. Most of the farms, wineries and olive groves of the Maremma still use the old methods of production and transformation, thus keeping alive the relationship with their own traditions.
If you really want to discover the most authentic flavors of the Maremma, we advise you to follow one of the precious Wine Roads, food and wine itineraries that will take you to visit the manufacturing companies and taste excellent wines and delicious typical products. At each company you can savor the traditional Maremma flavors and directly purchase wine, oil, cured meats, cheeses, jams and much more… to bring a memory of the Maremma home too! The Maremma wine routes will not only lead you to the producers, but will make you discover the most beautiful places in the Maremma, medieval villages, restaurants and trattorias, craft shops. 
Truffles
Perhaps few people know it, but Maremma is also a land rich in truffles! These delicacies grow spontaneously in the woods – especially those around Mount Amiata – and are much loved by the Maremma people who usually save them for special occasions to enjoy them with a good plate of pasta or delicious pan-fried eggs. In July in Castell’Azzara – one of the most characteristic villages of Monte Amiata – the Truffle Festival is organized, an ideal occasion to savor this wonderful product of the earth.
Dried ham
In Maremma the production of raw ham is a true belief; the Maremma people usually mature it for many months, until it reaches a certain flavor and consistency. In every self-respecting Maremma house, during lunch or dinner there is never a shortage of a good slice of ham accompanied by a slice of “bland” bread or melon. The best raw ham of the Maremma is produced in Sorano and on Monte Amiata.
Chestnuts
Maremma chestnuts, and precisely from Monte Amiata, are among the best in Italy, awarded with the IGT recognition. Pure chestnuts or transformed into flour are the protagonists of numerous winter recipes – pasta with chestnut flour and castagnaccio, just to name a few -. During the winter many Maremma villages organize festivals dedicated to the chestnut – Scarlino, Santa Fiora and Arcidosso for example -.
and Amiata.
Porcini mushrooms
Porcini mushrooms are another of the excellences of this area, like the most famous truffle. Every good Maremma man has his own secret place “mushroom” where every year he is sure to find his precious porcini mushrooms, and he jealously hides this “miraculous place” from his friends! Mushroom picking concerns the entire Maremma area, from the coast to the mountains, but obviously the greatest concentration is on Monte Amiata, thanks to its terrain and ideal climatic conditions. Right on Monte Amiata, and more precisely in Santa Fiora, the Amiatino Mushroom Festival takes place every year in October. But mushrooms are not just an autumn specialty, in fact in Maremma they are eaten all year round – after being frozen from fresh or dried – in excellent soups, pasta or rice or, simply, fried.
Cheese
For the Maremma, cheese is a topic that is no joke! Obviously everything starts with the milk, which must be top quality, and here is a real obsession: check it out for yourself by visiting one of the many educational farms where the entire milk production and processing process will be explained to you, as well as the attention paid to the breeding and processing techniques. In practically all supermarkets you will find milk produced by Maremma companies. If you want to taste the best cheeses of the Maremma, we recommend you visit the Caseificio Sociale di Manciano, the Caseificio di Sorano, the Caseificio il Fiorino di Roccalbegna, and the Caseificio Agricolo Radichino – this is located in Ischia di Castro, a few minutes from border with Tuscany, in the heart of Tuscia Maremmana -.
Saffron
Saffron is one of the products that the Maremma people are most proud of. Maremma is one of the major producers of Saffron, in fact a particular variety is grown here, characterized by the lively purple color of the flower petals. It is possible to buy this Maremma “gold” in some specialized shops in Massa Marittima, Campagnatico, Castel del Piano and Scansano.
Bottarga
Bottarga is a typical product of the Orbetello Lagoon, obtained by drying the ovarian sacs of the mullet. The Orbetello Fishermen’s Cooperative processes hundreds of kilos of bottarga every year, which is then sold all over the world. The production process involves drying the fish roe, until obtaining a hard loaf with an intense flavor of the sea, a flavor that vaguely resembles that of caviar. In fact, the botargo of Orbetello is also called “the caviar of the poor”. In Maremma it is eaten grated over the pasta. The flavor is intense but we are sure you will appreciate it! If you are in the area at the end of October, you will have the opportunity to taste it and discover all its secrets during Gustatus, one of the most important food festivals in Tuscany, in Orbetello.
Lard
Lard is another of those products particularly loved in Maremma Tuscany, a sort of MUST to absolutely try during a stay in this splendid area. Tradition dictates that it should be savored on a slice of hot bread, which accentuates its flavour. Mainly the lard you will find in Maremma is produced with Cinta Senese raised on Monte Amiata.
Wines
The list of typical Maremma products cannot be concluded without mentioning the extraordinary local wines. Full-bodied reds and fresh whites are the protagonists of many events – mainly cellar festivals – from north to south of the Grosseto province: Manciano, Scansano, Magliano in Toscana, Pitigliano, Isola del Giglio, just to name the main ones.
