Marsican Truffle Gastronomic Evening

An evening dedicated to the Marsica truffle

Every summer, the village of Santa Jona, a small hamlet in the municipality of Ovindoli in the province of L'Aquila, celebrates one of its territory's most precious products: the Marsican truffle. The Marsican Truffle Gastronomic Evening, organized by the Pro Loco of Santa Jona, is a July event that combines high-altitude culinary tradition with the promotion of an excellence harvested in the plateau's forests.

The truffle, treasure of the plateau

Marsica has always been a land rich in truffles. The forests surrounding Ovindoli and the Altopiano delle Rocche, at an altitude of over 1,300 meters, offer an ideal habitat for the scorzone, the summer truffle that ripens during the warmer months. Throughout the evening, Marsican dishes are enhanced by the intense aroma of the tuber: from fresh handmade pasta to meat courses, and even simpler preparations that allow the truffle to take center stage.

A community of truffle hunters

Behind the event lies the passion of an entire community. In Santa Jona, the Marsica Truffle Hunters Association, chaired by Vittorio Letta, has been promoting land conservation, biodiversity, and the culture of truffle hunting for years. The village hosts the evocative blessing of the truffle dogs, the faithful companions of the hunters, and a truffle-producing tree has been planted in the park in memory of the local hunters. The gastronomic evening is the natural summer culmination of this deep connection to the land.

The village of Santa Jona

As one of the most charming hamlets in the L'Aquila area, Santa Jona preserves the intimate atmosphere of Abruzzese mountain villages. During the event, the streets come alive with stalls featuring local products, the conviviality of outdoor dining, and the cool air of the high-altitude evenings, all set against the backdrop of the Marsican peaks.

A traditional appointment

Now in its many editions, the Marsican Truffle Gastronomic Evening has become a permanent fixture in Ovindoli's summer calendar, among the events that enliven the area in July and August. It represents an ideal opportunity for tourists visiting this well-known ski resort in the summer to discover an authentic product of inland Abruzzo, far from the more crowded tourist circuits.