Loving Life in La Tavola Marche
Today’s interview is not only inspirational (people doing what they love) but it’s delicious. Delicious to read, delicious to look at. Hell, it’s Italy – what did you expect? Welcome Ashley and Jason. Read on…. 
Can we start with a quick introduction on how you two managed to end up in La Tavola Marche?
We came to Italy for a little over a month for our honeymoon & for some reason just felt at home here.We ate our way through the country & were amazed at home different the dishes were region to region, town to town- everyone we met was absolutely wonderful! We enjoyed most our stays on farms or agriturismo’s & we could feel that connection with Italian people to their land.
Once we returned home I kept thinking – how can we move to Italy!! Something there just spoke to us. It’s hard to describe….We were living in NY at the time where life is crazy & you run at such a fast pace, we wanted to slow down & enjoy our lives together. A life of quality not quantity.
We found our farmhouse with the help of numerous trips to the area at different times of the year, an estate agent & a phenomenal commercialista (italian business manager, tax account, all around savior!)
We went from a vacation here to living in Le Marche in 2 short years.
We knew we wanted to run an agriturimo & cooking school. We had stayed at numerous other agriturismo’s throughout Italy & enjoyed the atmosphere of staing on a working farm. La Tavola Marche is founded on our feelings that food is the most accessible, and one of the most unique and enjoyable ways to get to know a new destination. Culinary experiences not only enhance traveler’s enjoyment through pleasing their taste buds, but also allow for an immediate immersion into the local culture.
Andy’s Note: As anyone who visits here often knows, we’re all BIG fans of doing what you love. That is SO awesome. *clap clap clap*
What’s life really like being a agritourismo/B&B owner?
Life is great! In the busy months we wake up at 6am start the day’s chores. On any given day it could be anything from cleaning apartments or the main kitchen, outside work, tending to the enourmous veggie garden, mowing, grocery shopping, cooking, jarring jam or even butchering gifts from the hunters.
Do you get to travel much?
In the off-season we love jumping in the car either super early in the morning – around 5 am or we’ll get the itch & leave after dinner – we love a good road trip – especially spur of the moment! It’s amazing to drive through France, Germany not to mention all the places in Italy. We have driven to Holland to visit a good friend a few times – stopping in Austria & Switzerland for a night’s stay in the mountains – it’s pretty incredible! I love the freedom!
What are some of the highlights of Le Marche? Any favourites or secrets you care to let us in on?
Porcini & truffle heaven (they can literally be found in our backyard!) We live in the heart of the “truffle valley” famous for both black & the famed white truffle! Hill top towns, roman roads, the adriatic sea & all without the crazy traffic!
We chose Le Marche for many reasons. We wanted to speak Italian being one of them & really live with the locals, find a place that still has a story to share, undiscovered a bit wild. We have the apennine mountains filled with wild game & rich meat to frutta di mare in the Adriatic sea, medieval hill top towns, the beautiful climate & really unspoiled by mass tourism. The locals take the time to chat & share recipes….
You are both members of the Slow Food philosophy. Care to tell us what that means to you?
Slow Food & slow living is huge for us! Here we live it everyday- we have slowed down in all aspects of our food & life here in Italy! For us, Slow Food philosphy translates in celebrating traditional Italian country living by eating locally & seasonally and becoming s self-sufficient as possible. In the winter we make sasuages & salami’s by hand & dry them in the rafters of the house. We jar, jam & preserve fruits & veggies in the summer extending their season -we even make our own homemade liquors! The most full-filling aspect is that we grow our own fruits & vegetables – from apple, cherry & plum trees surrounding the house to our enourmous farm garden with over 600 onions, 400 tomato plants, loads of lettuces, spinach, garlic, cucumber, pepper, eggplant, melons, zucchini, pumpkins, radishes & more!! Our meat comes from a farmer up the road with pigs, cows & fowl. Wild game,funghi & truffles as well as strawberries, blackberries, asparagus, wild dandidlion greens & much more are collected from the woods behind our house!
It is important to us to share this feeling & experience/connection to food with our guests – we specialize in Cucina povera (peasant cooking) with farm to the table cooking classes. Each cooking class starts with a walk through the garden to collect the night’s dinner. Jason is so very proud of what he has created & loves sharing that with our guests – and it seems to be contagious! Many guests return home with a longing to eat locally, start a garden, join a CSA & all around become more connected with the food they are eating & understanding where it comes from! That is one of the best parts of our job – inspiring someone to do the same at home!
In regards to the food we serve - Seasonality is everything at La Tavola Marche, we live by the seasons! We eat & serve the freshest possible ingredients at the height of the season & do the least amount to them – “letting the flavors shine through! Most dishes I make have only a handful of ingredients. It’s the simplicity that drew me to the cooking here.” says Jason.
We try to practice a 0km diet – cheese, meats, fruits & veg all marchigiani (from Le Marche). Not only is this important in the quality & freshness of the food but also to cut down on the energy used for it to arrive on our table. In Italy this is practiced culturally, not as something hip or even difficult (remember they are passionate about their Region & town) it is a way of life in the country…A step back in how it was done before WWII, where the growing population of pesticides, engineered seeds and species of vegetables chosen not for their flavor but durability in transportatio
Here you will eat what your fed, there is no menu options & the guests love it! This gives Jason the freedom to work wtih what is at the height of the season & best looking at the market each day. Guests are surprised by every dish, with whispers of ‘what’s to come next…’ Jason enjoys the time he spends at each table explaining the dish, it’s history & ingredients or where the meat is from. It helps connect them to the food they are about to eat.
As if I weren’t *starving* now, I hate to ask the question. But, being such culinary experts,would you care to tell us what your favourite meal would be? It doesn’t have to be Italian, but come on – we’d be disappointed if it weren’t!
Antipasti
Guanciale di maiale – cured pig’s cheak pan fried with sage & drizzled with red wine vinegar!
Figs, Honey & Aged Pecorino
Farro with cheakpeas, arugala & parmesan
Fried anchoives
Carpacio of zucchiniPrimo
vongole – little clams – with spaghetti
or pumpkin ravioliSecondo
Bistecca Fiorentina
or Rabbit in the style of the hunterContorno
Mixed green salad from the garden with olive oil, salt & vinegar
Dolce
Our tiramisu is incredible! But I really love Jason’s tarts with marscarpone with wild mint & grappa drizzled over fresh berries or peaches.
Any other top tips for sightseeing in other parts of Italy?
- Venice – some think it is the Disneyland of Italy, but I love it & visit it before it’s gone – you cannot take a bad photo in this town – make sure to visit Murano.
- Dolomites – breathtakingly beautiful mountains & alpine meadows – oh yes! the hills are alive!!
- Ischia – I hate to share this tip – but its just wonderful – Ischia is the sister island to Capri, without all the traffic & tourists! A picturesque & sleepy island in the meditarean filled with hot springs & wonderful little family run restaruants serving fresh fish & lemoncello!
- Rome – love the history combined with modern amenties – fantastic
Wow. If people weren’t pulling out their credit cards to book a ticket to Italy, they’re headed directly to their local farmer’s market. Wow. Like I said, that’s one delicious interview.Go visit their website, La Tavola Marche. Thank you. I am humbled by our guests, as always.
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