Almond blossom in Ogliastra

The almond is the most impatient tree in the Mediterranean: it flowers before it leafs, between mid-January and mid-March, almost always peaking in February. In Ogliastra the groves dot the countryside of Triei, Lotzorai and Baunei and the terraces of the Pardu valley: all you need is an early-morning walk, when the light comes in low, and a little silence. There are no crowds and no tickets — you meet the blossom along country roads, often by chance.

The almond arrived in Sardinia with the Phoenicians and never left. For centuries it was a small family economy: every country house had its trees, and the late-summer harvest — poles, cloths spread on the ground, hands sorting — was a collective rite. Our farmhouse was born in the middle of an almond grove, which is why it is called I Mandorli: those trees are still here, and in February they bloom a few metres from the rooms.

Sardinian almonds are small, sweet and intensely flavoured. They are also one of the most studied foods of the Mediterranean diet: rich in vitamin E and magnesium, in heart-friendly monounsaturated fats, in plant protein and fibre. A daily handful (about 30 grams) is associated with benefits for cholesterol, blood sugar and satiety. No wonder they have always featured in the cooking of the Ogliastra Blue Zone, where people live longer than almost anywhere on earth.

In Sardinia the almond means celebration. Gueffus, almond-paste balls scented with lemon and wrapped like sweets in fringed paper. Sardinian amaretti, soft inside and faintly bitter, made with sweet and bitter almonds together. Tonara nougat, cooked for hours with strawberry-tree honey and egg white, with no added sugar. Then home-made almond milk, the embroidered pistoccheddus of feast days, the marzipan of weddings. Every village has its recipe and defends it with pride.

Lightly toast 300 g of almonds and grind them finely; knead with 200 g of sugar, the grated zest of one lemon and a few spoonfuls of orange-blossom water until you have a compact paste. Shape walnut-sized balls, roll them in caster sugar and wrap them in fringed tissue paper. Let them rest a day: they improve.

Late January and February are Ogliastra's best-kept secret: mild days, empty trails, the winter sea and almond trees in bloom around the farmhouse. It is the perfect time for a slow stay — breakfast with almond sweets, walks among the flowering trees, hikes to Pedra Longa or the Golgo plateau without the summer heat.