Marche, bordered by Umbria on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other, is partly mountainous, with land sloping from the stunning mountains straight down to the sea. Tourists flock to Marche's straight, smooth, sandy beaches, but the region's interior goes largely ignored.

The Adriatic offers an outstanding variety of blue fish and crustaceans, some of which are rare and can only be found on this coast. Not surprisingly, two of this area's specialties are fish soup, brodetto, and muscioli alla marinara, mussels spread over a pan and cooked over the fire. Second only to fish in popularity is pork, which is the centerpiece of many central Italian meals. The Marchigiani claim to be the originators of Porchetta, a boned, spit-roasted pig flavored with fennel and garlic.

Pasta, notably maccheroncini and tagliatelle, has an important tradition in Marche. Pastificio Latini produces some of the best artisanal pasta in the Marche tradition.

Mushrooms grow in abundance in this area. Three kinds of truffles are also found in Marche; the white ones rival those from Alba. Cauliflowers from the Marches are famous throughout Italy. And the fruit--apples, peaches, figs and cherries-- are rich and luscious, a testament to the fertility of the soil.

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