The red potato of Colfiorito is a traditional food product of the area of Colfiorito plains (near the swampland which today is a splendid park) which has contributed to its development.
Between the Marche and Umbria regions (Macerata province) the product had the European awarded recognition PGI, (Protected Geographical Indication-an area that produces quality produce) with effect from 22 April 2015. Therefore, a new PGI in the Marche Region.
The cultivation of the Red Potato of Colfiorito is allowed to an equal or greater to 470 m altitude a.s.l. in the Umbria-Marche mountain area in the east area of the province of Perugia and the western part of the province of Macerata. The area is within the following municipalities in the Marche region: Serravalle di Chienti, Muccia, Pieve Torina, Sefro, Visso and Montecavallo.
The first evidence of red potato cultivation in the highland areas of Colfiorito and Casenove dates back to the second half of the XVIII century. The area was an obligatory stopping point for armies on their way to the Marche region, and the potato was probably introduced by imperial troops journeying through the Papal State and during the subsequent French occupation during the Napoleonic period; in fact potatoes were a substantial part of the armies’ diet.
Colfiorito is in fact a trade name given to a Désirée potato grown in Colfiorito.
Growers there claim that Désirées taste their absolute best when raised in their particular climate zone, on the mountainous Appenine slopes.
The “Patata Rossa of Colfiorito” PGI owes its distinctive qualities to the particular pedoclimatic characteristics of the reference area, where it is grown at an altitude higher than or equal to 470 metres above sea level, characterised by siliceous soil containing stone, which is slightly acidic, permeable and deep. The high ground offers an ideal climate for the cultivation of this potato, as well as a lower risk of contracting diseases or parasitic infections. The product is marketed as “Patata Rossa of Colfiorito” PGI. They can only be sold in sealed labelled packaging, in sacks and bags of various sizes weighing anything from 1.5 to 10 kg. The product cannot be sold loose. Production is managed by the "Cooperativa Colfiorito." The potatoes are often sold on the sides of the roads there, and in local markets where they are called "patate rosse" (red potatoes.)
A good opportunity to enjoy the many ways this potato can be used is at the annual “Patata Rossa of Colfiorito” fair, which takes place every August.