Typical Products and Specialties
- The Gastronomic Tradition
- Typical Ingredients
- Wines
- The Olive Tree Museum - Arnasco
- The 'Chinotto' from Savona
- Tha Ancient Soap Factory Gavarry, 125 years of soap L'Amande
- Savona specialties
- Loano cuisine
- The Beigua local specialties
- Special Macarons from Sassello
- More about local gastronomy
- The traditional recipe for Troffie with Pesto
- The traditional recipe for Torta Pasqualina
- The traditional recipe for the Seaman's Bread
- Other gastronomic recipes
- Villanova and its Violets
Special Focus on genuine local products
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - The Italian Riviera, the west coast of Liguria is known for its healthy and of course good olive oil, is considered by many to be the best in the world.
- Brigasca Sheep Tomas - The Brigasca sheep is a local breed whose name is linked to the border territory between Liguria, Piedmont and Provence. Descended from the Frabosana breed and likely crossbred with Langhe sheep, the Brigasca is a rustic animal, perfectly adapted to the traditional rearing system of a minimum of six months in alpine pastures. With this milk, three different kinds of cheeses are still produced: Sora, Toma and Brus. All are made with techniques and tools bound to the ancient tradition of transhumance. Production area: Imperia Valleys and mountain pastures near the French border
- Dried Calizzano and Murialdo Chestnuts - The technique of drying chestnuts in tecci, or small stone huts with pine roofs, was once common throughout the Ligurian Apennines and Piedmontese valleys and still survives in the Bormida Valley. The chestnuts are smoked for about two months over low fires fueled by chestnut husks. They are either eaten dried or used as ingredients for biscotti, preserves and ice cream. At Christmas, it is traditional to eat viette, dried chestnuts soaked in water for five hours.
- Albenga Violet Asparagus - This asparagus with large spears and intense violet color is unique to Liguria. Albenga Violet Asparagus is cultivated completely manually and the harvest takes place from mid-March until the beginning of June. Soft and buttery, not fibrous like other varieties, this asparagus is excellent boiled al dente and dipped in extra-virgin Taggiasca olive oil or as an accompaniment to more subtly flavored dishes, such as boiled, steamed or baked fish, white meat or refined sauces. Production area: plain of Albenga (Province of Savona)
- Badalucco, Conio and Pigna Beans - The main differences between these three bean types, cultivated on terraces inland from Imperia, are their shapes and sizes. Pigna beans are kidney-shaped and slightly larger than Conio and Badalucco, while the other two are oval-shaped and smaller. All are fleshy, soft and delicate, excellent fresh or dried. These beans are best boiled and served with extra-virgin olive oil. The most typical local recipe pairs these bean varieties with stewed goat. Production area: Communes of Badalucco, Montalto Ligure, Castel Vittorio, Pigna and the Village of Conio in the Commune of Borgomaro (Province of Imperia)
- Savona Chinotto - This small citrus evergreen plant of Chinese origin has grown on the Savona coast since the 16th century. Its limbs yield an incredible quantity of flowers and fruit for their diminutive size. With time, clusters of Chinotto turn from brilliant green to orange, releasing their own unique, intense perfume. The small, somewhat bitter, thick-skinned Chinotto keeps for a remarkably long time and is eaten either candied or with Maraschino liqueur. Production area: Coastal area from Varazze to Finale Ligure (Province of Savona)
- Noli Anchovies - Called cicciarelli in Italian, these anchovies are known as lussi or lussotti in Noli dialect. These anchovies have always been fished using sweep nets, called sciabica, an exclusively in-shore fishing technique. One boat floats over the fish, while another surrounds them with the net, creating a horseshoe shape. Small, tapered and silver in color, cicciarelli are excellent prepared in carpione and fried. Production area: Communes of Finale Ligure, Noli and Sportorno (Province of Savona)
- Albenga Artichoke - Originally from Provence and introduced by Napoleonic troops passing through Italy, this product resists low temperatures and drought and does not require chemical treatments. It's an artichoke variety distinguished by its spineless purple heads, picked from local plants between May and June in the Albenga area. Production rules control growing methods and guarantee traceability.
- Vessalico Garlic - Vessalico, a tiny village in the High Arroscia Valley, is home to a very ancient variety of garlic. Cultivation is entirely manual and harvested bulbs are woven into long, intricately-laced networks, called reste. Intensely flavored, with a slight spiciness and a delicate aroma, Vessalico Garlic can be easily conserved. This garlic variety is the essential ingredient in one of the area’s most typical dishes: ajè, a mayonnaise made with extra-virgin olive oil and crushed garlic. Production area: Arroscia Valley (Province of Imperia)