Mmmmm sweet marjoram, I may grow it on my terrace and the old ladies in the village in their orto but the pull of one of Abruzzo’s  fav aromatic herbs  is outdone by  that of the scrubby wild patch  of wild marjoram, actually more commonly known as oregano, which  grows  just outside Bascianella in nearby hedgerows.   Its beautiful flowers are always heavy with winged life.

Sweet marjoram may be delicate with citrus and pine notes that even in the winter perk up soups and sauces and meat, but in the height of summer it’s the zesty pepperiness of oregano that has the pulling power and it’s easy to see why the Greeks called it oros ganos – joy-of-the-mountain.