Overview
Montelupone Artichoke Festival is a cherished tradition that has been held annually since 1961. This year, the 62nd edition of the festival will take place on May 10–11, 2025. Attracting thousands of visitors from across the region, the festival is known for its rich selection of gastronomic delights and vibrant folkloric atmosphere. Its main goal is to celebrate and promote the Montelupone artichoke, which has been awarded the DE.C.O. (Denominazione Comunale di Origine – RES Tipica) certification as well as recognition from the Slow Food movement. Also known locally as scarciofeno, this artichoke is cultivated in the province of Macerata. It is a late-season variety and comes in two ecotypes: an early variety with smooth-edged leaves (non-serrated), which is more productive and harvested from late March; a serrated-leaf variety, which grows on a smaller plant and has a later harvest. When young, the plant can produce up to ten flower heads (inflorescences), but as it matures, this number decreases to just four. Due to its relatively low yield—only 5.5 tons per hectare compared to the Romanesco artichoke’s 10 tons—the Montelupone artichoke remains a locally known specialty, available in a limited distribution area despite its exceptional quality. Nevertheless, its sweet and flavourful taste makes it the star ingredient of many traditional dishes. During the festival, visitors can savour delicacies such as tagliatelle with artichokes, fried artichokes, and the famous Roman-Jewish-style carciofi alla giudia. Historically, in Montelupone, the largest flower heads are cooked whole in a pan with wild fennel, fresh garlic leaves, local aromatic herbs, olive oil, salt, and white wine, while smaller ones are briefly blanched and preserved in oil. |
62010 Montelupone MC, Italia
