Antica Spezieria Bavicchi: Stepping Back in Time at Perugia’s Oldest Spice Shop

Byvdv

Nestled among the ancient facades of Perugia’s historic center, the Antica Spezieria e Drogheria Bavicchi is a spice shop and neighborhood store that’s been in continuous operation since 1897. Stepping inside this noble, little shop will transport you back in time and take you on a journey to discover centuries-old traditions from the hidden corners of Umbria and well beyond.

Baskets of assorted items greet you outside the door. Striped canvas sacks filled with lentils from Castelluccio, wild chickpeas, Roveja peas, Fagiolina del Trasimeno, and other unusual legumes—many from small, organic farms, line the perimeter of the floor inside. Beneath the vaulted ceilings, antique wooden shelves with hand-made signage overflow with products that cater not only to a local clientele but to the many foreign students and international residents who call Perugia home.

If you are lucky enough to visit, the first thing you should do is breathe in deeply. Liqueurs and bitters, teas, infusions, and coffees, assorted preserves and honey, famous and lesser-known chocolates, bottles of oil and vinegar, dried and candied fruits, seeds, nuts, and, barks, all mingle together to create an intoxicating aroma. But the appeal of shopping here is not only these aromas. It’s the feeling that washes over you of simpler times. It’s the sound of the bronze scoop measuring out the ingredients, the tinkling of beans against the old-school metal scale, the crinkling of cellophane and of little paper sacks.

Presiding over this wonderful cornucopia is Antonio Galli, who began working here as a clerk when he was only 18-years old. He finally bought the place in 2005. You’ll find him here on most days, chatting with customers he knows by name. He’s usually standing in front of his shop’s crowning glory—an astounding array of ingredients stored in nostalgic glass jars on a floor-to-ceiling display behind the time-worn wooden counter. On these venerable shelves, tried and true seasonings—basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, share the space with Madras curry, toasted cacao beans, and cardamom pods—to name just some of what’s on offer here.

Antonio is always willing to share his knowledge, along with his personal recipes. He keeps them in a little red box on one of the lower shelves. And not only that. There are opened bottles on hand for samplings of Umbrian chocolate liqueur in a variety of flavors, aged balsamic vinegar, and his own special amaro, made from a proprietary blend of botanicals with just a touch of sweetness.

One special item you may want to seek out is Antonio’s Porchetta Seasoning. This mix of fennel seeds and coriander can be added to a meatball or sausage recipe, sprinkled on pork chops, or used to make a simple boneless pork roast. The recipe below gives you the flavor of porchetta (a savory, herb-packed Umbrian pork roast) in a fraction of the time. All it takes is three easy steps.

Ingredients:
4 lb boneless pork roast
3 TBSP porchetta seasoning mix (more if desired)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
Rub the roast with porchetta seasoning mix and place in a 10 x 15-inch roasting pan
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until internal pork temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C)

Read our blog posts