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Taste
some of Tuscany's secret caviar - bottarga from
Orbetello.
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go to Orbetello in the south of Tuscany and discover
a local luxury that is in risk of dying out. |
 Built
on a tiny strip of land stretching into the Tyrrhenian
Sea, Orbetello is famous for its two resident species
- mosquitoes and mullets (the fish - not the hairstyle,
although the latter is also in vogue with many of
the local males). Orbetello is one of the few remaining
areas in Italy where bottarga - salted mullet
roe - is produced. Bottarga, one of the country's
best-kept culinary secrets, is removed from the
fish and then salted and air-dried into tongue-like
shapes. It's a skilful process as the sacs containing
the eggs must remain intact in order to keep the
bottarga's distinctive briny yet spicy flavour.
It is excellent grated over spaghetti, vegetable
dishes and salads or served in thin flakes with
olive oil on warm bread.
All of Orbetello's bottarga is produced by the local
fishing co-op, Orbetello
Pesca Lagunare.
Most of the final product is exported but some is
kept for the local market and you can taste the
real thing in the town's restaurants and osterias.
While it is easy enough to buy Sardinian
bottarga online (which is delicious and costs
on average 7-8 Euros for 4 ounces) you'll have to
pay a visit to Orbetello
itself in order to taste the local speciality. If
you're in the area we recommend "I Pescatori" restaurant,
which is run by the fishing co-op and is just off
Spagnola Square.
After lunch, if you've managed not to overindulge,
you can go for a constitutional around Orbetello.
The town's main attraction is the Duomo with its
Spanish-style walls. From there you can walk up
to the Garrison and then join the locals on their
evening stroll along Corso Italia.
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| by
M. CARLA GLOTIER |
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Feb.
27th, 2002
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
