Drawing on the Marsican tradition of pork butchery, a workshop has been established that transforms cheeses and cured meats into original culinary creations. Carlo Donzelli and Tiziana Spera reinterpret high-quality ingredients with creativity and skill, without losing touch with their roots.
I had met him during the presentation of The Essential Guide to Italian Wines 2026 In Rome, it was one of the sponsors of the event held on October 11. The room was packed with people, and I hadn’t been able to taste any of the cheeses and cold cuts presented by Carlo Donzelli of Le Direzioni del Gusto. But I could hear people commenting: “That’s so good,” “Did you taste that cheese?”, “Go try the wild boar salami”…
And there I was, already with my mouth watering, on my way to Avezzano.
Carlo Donzelli and Tiziana Spera’s Le Direzioni del Gusto is located in Avezzano, in the heart of Marsica. A small workshop where cheeses and cured meats break free from their usual forms to become gastronomic creations. “The smallest workshop in the world” Carlo begins by welcoming us to his kingdom. Not just a simple gourmet shop, but a place where Craftsmanship meets creative flair, with results that often surprise you at first glance.
The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic
Idea originated in 2015 from Carlo’s experience; he comes from a family of pork butchers with ties to this craft dating back to 1890, and from the aesthetic and compositional sensibility of Tiziana Spera. The real turning point, however, came in 2020, during the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Orders declined, the pace of work suddenly changed, and it became necessary to reinvent ourselves.
It was at that moment that Carlo and Tiziana decided to focus more decisively on the creating new products, transforming cheeses and cured meats into small journeys of flavor. Each one is handcrafted individually and designed to bring extraordinary colors, shapes, and flavor pairings to the table. The cheese thus becomes a small architectural masterpiece of flavor, and the cured meats, a highlight of the tasting experience.
Cheeses That Tell a Story
Carlo overwhelms us with his boastful way of speaking. Mind you, not “Abruzzese” but “Marsicano.” A true connoisseur of his region. There are blue-veined cheeses, soft cheeses, pecorino, goat cheese, creamy and aged cheeses—all reimagined through fillings, toppings, reductions, fruit, spices, liqueurs, cocoa, and edible flowers. These aren’t just simple flavorings, but true gastronomic compositions. Crafted to alternate between sweetness, savory notes, creaminess, acidity, and lingering aftertaste.
Must-See Highlights
Don’t miss the Blu Infinito, a double-mold cow’s-milk cheese. Blue on the inside and white on the outside, with a soft texture and a striking appearance. Enchanted Forest features a blue-veined cheese with drops of wild berries, cocoa on top, and a pipette of Abruzzo Ratafia to accompany the tasting. L’Abate takes a more delicate approach, featuring a creamy sheep’s-milk cheese, pear, edible flowers, and dried pear.
I could go on and on. The possibilities are endless. Particularly striking is the Flavor 8, a cheese that brings together eight different flavors. It’s almost a statement piece, because it expresses the desire to move beyond the simplicity of a single flavor and create a journey within a single taste.
The butcher shop also follows the same philosophy
In addition to cheeses, Le Direzioni del Gusto continues its line of cured meats. Here, too, the approach is not that of an anonymous off-the-shelf product, but rather a carefully curated selection designed to Add some character to the cutting board. The menu features both classic cured meats and more unique offerings. La Casareccia, an Abruzzo sausage with a straightforward, down-to-earth flavor; the Salame di Cervo, with a stronger flavor. The Culaccia di Cervo, lean and full-flavored, the Wild Boar Ham…
A path worth following
The merit of Carlo Donzelli and Tiziana Spera lies precisely in this ability to give familiar flavors a new twist. Their work doesn’t erase the identity of cheeses and cured meats, but rather shifts it into a more contemporary, visual, and convivial dimension. Each creation seems to stem from a simple question: What happens if we look at this product from a different angle?
The answer is a lively selection, at times daring but always spot-on.
Le Direzioni del Gusto is a small Marsican business that has chosen not to limit itself to simply curating selections, but to transform them into something imaginative. And at a time when charcuterie boards often risk becoming repetitive, this is already an interesting direction to pursue.
Oh, I almost forgot – you can buy all the products online, or you can come try them at DoctorWine events.
PHOTO GALLERY.
