Cookie preferences

Choose which cookies to accept. Your choice lasts 6 months, and you can change it at any time. Cookie policy

Technical cookies

Always on

pll_language remembers your language (1 year); sg_consenso stores your cookie choice (6 months). They are needed for the site to work and do not require consent.

Google Analytics 4, provided by Google Ireland Limited, collects data about visits (pages viewed, device, approximate location) for statistics on how the site is used. It sets the _ga and _ga_<code> cookies, which last up to 2 years. It is active only with your consent.

The GetYourGuide calendar, provided by GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, shows dates and prices for experiences and tracks bookings made from this site. It sets the visitor_id cookie (up to 13 months) and a technical Cloudflare cookie (30 minutes), and it loads a font from Google Fonts. Without consent, you see a link to GetYourGuide instead of the calendar.

Cascia local products and shops

Cascia local products and shops

Photo: LigaDue / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Among Cascia local products, the symbol of Cascia is its pure saffron, nicknamed the "red gold of Cascia". It is a spice tied to a documented medieval tradition and is sold in small glass jars with cork stoppers. Alongside saffron there are mountain legumes, cheeses, Norcia-style cured meats and honey.

Cascia is the town of Saint Rita, with a historic center of lanes, stairways and constant ups and downs. Small shops open between the houses. Many of the cured meats on sale come from Norcia, a few kilometers away.

Share

The addresses

9 results

On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

Cascia local products: what to buy

Saffron is the first product to look for. It is bought as threads (stigmas), not powdered in sachets, and it is used for much more than risotto. It goes into soups with farro and potatoes, roasts, pizza, pearl barley side dishes, mousse and gelato. Cascia saffron is also found in some cheeses.

Legumes are the second chapter. Around Cascia, mountain lentils, farro, cicerchia (grass pea) and barley are grown. Roveja is a native wild pea, also known in Castelluccio di Norcia, and in Civita di Cascia it is a Slow Food Presidium. It works well in soups and on crostini. Shops also sell Castelluccio di Norcia lentils, which have IGP (PGI) status, and Monteleone di Spoleto farro, which carries the DOP (PDO) label.

As for cheeses, the valleys around Cascia produce caciotte, fior di latte mozzarella, ricotta salata and pecorino. Sheep's milk ricotta salata is eaten fresh after ten to twelve days of aging. Aged four to six months, it becomes a grating cheese. Pecorino di Norcia comes in very different agings: after about sixty days it is considered fresh, after eight to twelve months it is for grating. The "pecorino del pastore" (shepherd's pecorino) stands out because it can mature in barrels, pits or caves. There are also cheeses with black truffle and with Cascia saffron.

The cured meats follow the Norcia tradition. Prosciutto di Norcia has IGP status. Other products include collarina, the typical Umbrian salami, barbozzo (cured pork jowl, like guanciale), lonza, coppa, ventresca and sausages. There are also wild boar sausage, ciauscolo (a soft spreadable salami) and "cojoni di mulo" (a traditional salami).

For something sweet, there is wildflower honey. Beekeeping has a long tradition in the area, linked to monasteries, convents and castles. The honey recalls the "miracle of the bees" attributed to Saint Rita. Other local products include black truffle and scorzone (the summer truffle), as well as amari and craft beers. Among traditional sweets is rocciata, typical of feast days.

Cascia local products: map of the shops

The map gathers Cascia businesses devoted to local products: food shops, cured meat and cheese stores, farms and producers. They include Antichi Sapori da Armadina, Da Gilberto le Bonta di Cascia, La Bottega del Gusto, Salumi e formaggi, Valpan, Fattoria Di Opagna and Agricola Piconi di Piconi Alessandro & C. The list also includes a listing simply titled Prodotti Tipici.

Some businesses have a clearer profile. Da Gilberto le Bonta di Cascia sells local products, cured meats, cheeses, legumes and truffles. Azienda agricola Persiani Roberto grows legumes, grains and truffles, but is best known for pure Cascia saffron. In the past it was described as selling through its website, by phone or at markets, not in a shop open to the public. Farms and producers may work by appointment, so it is best to contact them before going, using the details on their individual pages.

Anyone planning a day in Cascia can combine shopping with a visit to the town: the list of sights is on the page things to do in Cascia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most typical food souvenir from Cascia?

It is pure saffron in threads, called the "red gold of Cascia". It is sold in small glass jars with cork stoppers and recalls a documented medieval tradition. Other typical choices are mountain legumes, such as lentils and roveja, cheeses and Norcia-style cured meats. Wildflower honey is another option.

What typical cheeses can you find in Cascia?

The valleys around Cascia produce caciotte, fior di latte mozzarella, ricotta salata and pecorino. Sheep's milk ricotta salata is eaten fresh after ten to twelve days of aging. After four to six months it becomes a grating cheese. There are also cheeses with Cascia saffron and with black truffle.

What is roveja and how is it used?

Roveja is a wild pea native to the area, also known in Castelluccio di Norcia. It has recently been rediscovered in Cascia, and in Civita di Cascia it is a Slow Food Presidium. In the kitchen it is used mainly in soups and on crostini. It is sold in shops and farms that sell legumes.

Is Cascia honey linked to Saint Rita?

The area produces wildflower honey, the fruit of an old beekeeping tradition born in monasteries, convents and castles. The honey is linked to the "miracle of the bees", an episode attributed to Saint Rita. It pairs well with local cheeses or can be eaten on its own.