The sepia photos in his butcher's shop remember recall a different time. The most famous product of the zone is ‘vino cotto' or cooked wine, and do buy a bottle from Peppe for to add to your pasta sauce when you get home. When you enter his shop Peppe may also offer you a vino cotto aperitif accompanied with a slice of that other local, regional delicacy 'ciauscolo', not forgetting pork pate or 'terrina di maiale' and 'bresaola marchigiana'. Peppe is also an artist deep at heart and you will be amazed at the creativity behind the food related ornaments decorating his shop. The interior is adorned with candles made of lard; hats, bow ties and aprons from crispy pork, that sort of thing. Special place is given to the Piceno shield or ' scudo piceno' a sort of edible symbol of local, ancient tribal defiance.

Peppe will prepare for us a special dinner inside his little butcher’s shop …