Climate change permitting, when the lifeguard closes the last umbrella, we can say that summer is officially behind us. The leaves change colour along with our rhythms, preparing us for a more sleepy and relaxed season, but no less exciting!

Inland, autumn has an intense aroma. The smell of steaming roasted chestnuts and freshly poured Cagnina in the glass, which warms the heart and legs on foggy evenings. From the chestnut fair in Montefiore to the white truffle fair in Sant’Agata Feltria, the stalls at village festivals are a riot of food and wine. Fixed appointments for elderly azdòre and new fans of Romagna cuisine. Among the festivals, the most loved by us Romagnoli is the “fira di becch” (translated “Fair of the cuckolds”), which takes place every year in the splendid setting of Santarcangelo.

This could be an opportunity to sit down in history, in the bastion of the most authentic Romagnolità that we all identify with “La Sangiovesa”. Not just a simple osteria, but a temple of Romagna cuisine where every day you can find autographed piadina and hand-rolled pasta with the love and respect handed down from grandmothers. Underneath the paintings by Cagnacci and drawings by Tonino Guerra, hides the most mysterious place in the restaurant: a cave dug out of the tuff that houses a spring water well and extravagant models of dovecotes from all over the world.

Speaking of caves, November is the month in which the ‘pits’ where the typical ‘Formaggio di Fossa’ cheese is ripened are opened. These underground rooms date back to medieval times, which makes the processing and preservation of this product even more evocative.

From appetizers to desserts, the best place to taste it and enjoy all its nuances is the “Locanda dell’Ambra” in Talamello, a beautiful village perched high in the Marecchia Valley.

The first cold weather invites you to rediscover the historic centre of Rimini, which is becoming increasingly beautiful thanks to the new squares and the Fellini Museum. There are many places offering typical cuisine in the area, but few that manage to give a new interpretation to local products. A couple of years ago, just opposite the Rocca di Sigismondo, Annachiara and Andrea opened Agrofficina, a small rustic-chic bistro that relies on zero-kilometre ingredients and a lot of imagination in combining them.

Their vegetables (from Annachiara’s mother’s garden) are always in tune with the season. The gold of autumn is reflected in a cream of pumpkin and orange, enriched by black cabbage and pecorino mousse.

I don’t think you’re over the summer nostalgia, but I’m sure you’re salivating.