Festa Del Bosco

Between the cacophony of the marching band and the shouts of market traders, there stands a man, quiet and proud. A small gathering is starting to form around his table – a humble and simple setup compared to much of the others along the street. Intrigue gets the better of me. I ignore the tempting aroma of hot onions that had drawn me down this side road in the first place and step through the crowd to see what the fuss is all about.

This seasonal celebration in the quaint Umbrian town of Montone is their annual Festa Del Bosco – the Festival of the Woods – bringing together the region’s food producers to sell their wares to swathes of hungry visitors. I am in my element, surrounded by the most authentic Italian cuisine in the heart of the country. As I move along the street I have samples of fresh salami, nuggets of aged cheeses, morsels of biscuits, and countless shots of wines and spirits thrust upon me. Italian conviviality makes me feel very much at home here.

Yet here I find myself drawn away from the loud hawkers and open-armed gesticulations in favour of this quiet, smiling man. His waxed jacket and flat cap give him an appearance of someone very much connected to the local land. The dirt beneath his nails confirms it. As I approach his table it becomes clear why he is so proud. A forager, he has struck gold. Stacks of black and white truffles (that quintessential autumn delicacy) are amassed in front of him. I ask him, in my poor broken Italian, which one is his biggest truffle. He beckons me with a finger, before opening a box and lifting out a white truffle that almost filled his enormous hand. I asked him how much, and he chuckled, “€3,000!” No wonder he was smiling.