Gathering Great Things for Future Posts

We have been remiss with posts but we are on a “technical” journey gathering oodles of fun information and tidbits as well as a few insightful observations and ideas. Drifting around Germany and Trento has provided us with some marvelous material for upcoming posts so, stay tuned and hold your knickers on because we have lots to say! Now Snow White must run off to the woods to gather mughi to flavor a small bottle of Grappa Moscato. ;-)

La Meridiana a Domodossola, What a Gem!!

Oh my god, yesterday’s stumble into this unbelievable restaurant restored my faith in off-the-beaten-path places to eat. This was a find of monumental proportions and anyone who can or is able, head to Domodossola for a fabulous meal. They specialize in fish courses but also propose perfect Spanish fare. This is of course family-owned and operated, which means the clan of ultra dedicated and proud owners will serve you. Situated close to the Swiss border this town boasts a lively atmosphere. There is a fun Jazz Club hidden off of the main street, nicely frescoed palazzini all framed with the majestic mountains of the Val Dossola. The family recently restored an old building from the very early 1700’s into a casa-vacanza in the locale of Cadarese, the Valley of Antigorio. The area will soon host thermal baths as well as sport complexes and recreational activities summer and winter.

For information regarding the vacation lodging, contact info@ristorantelameridiana.it or follow the link latter in this post.



The restaurant is one of a kind serving courses that would cost upwards 20€ per plate. Many of the risotto fish dishes or paella must be ordered for a minimum of two bodies, which would tell any food fanatic your dishes are prepared to order! They do not have precooked this or that. Saturday is their busiest day at lunch and trust me, the tables turned not twice but three times during the lunching hour. The place is small; the tables are barren, wooden and simple. As a restaurant classification one might expect tablecloths or linen napkins; probably for dinner they set up in that manner as in the photos on the website, but for lunch it was nice and bare and simple. They put out paper placemats, a knife and fork serving the wine in big generous glasses and that is it folks. A very simple but stunningly divine repast. La Meridiana

The courses are presented without too much fanfare (lord with that crowd how can they do anything else but get the food to the tables) and the food was piping hot. They offer Spanish prosciutto hand cut per order rivaling any Italian prosciutto to date. Tending to lean towards Speck, this female became a convert since stopping in at this locale, ordering pearls or melon balls in a tortilla cup served with ultra thin slices of Spanish prosciutto and large shredded Parmigiano (not shaved). The bread was ultra fresh in nice thick generous slices and upon requesting a refill, they were more than happy to fulfill, which makes any Italian very happy. ;-)

It was hideously hot outside and the desire to eat a heavy meal was not on Snow White's planner but luckily she did order three courses, all of them small amounts of perfectly prepared dishes. She had tortelloni of Astice with julienned zucchini in a sauce neither she or Golden Piglet could figure out; utterly divine and only four of these things on the plate, a perfect, perfect amount of food! While taking this meal in a very slow manner (due to the number of patrons in the place), she was able to spy other dishes whizzing by the table and most of them made her realize, this is going to have to be a regular watering hole for them and begin their exploration of the fabulous fish fare proffered.

Granted, living in the area would help but a trip from Milan to this restaurant is worth it and if you really want to soak up the scenery, get a room so you can not only eat a great meal but explore their wonderful cellar as well. Beware of the desserts or she should say, save room for at least one. Difficult not to overhear the table next to her as the Italian/Swiss/French creature expounded on the delights of a semifreddo with amaretti of course all made by the chefs. If a meal is not in your budget, then go in for a glass of wine at the bar and a slice or two of prosciutto, this is truly a hidden gem and with a little bit of time to spare, Snow White will translate the story of the cooks and family from their brochure, another impressive story (they boast fantastic chef training).

Ciao for now!

Burnt by the Sun of Napoli

Yes, yes I know we were to keep this to food wine and such but you must mosey over to Burnt by the Tuscan Sun and read this post inshallah.

Despite Italy's seemingly unorganized world and way of doing things, the country does manage to limp along however the times of frustration, chaos and inability to plan things do tend to outweigh the rest of it's beauty. Take a peek at the link and have a good laugh.

Pasticceria Biffi of Milano

A step down memory lane to Biffi's of Milano is definitely a treat. This coffee and pastry house is as much a part of the foundations of the city as the Castello Sforzesco. The prices may kill you but the experience is one of a kind.

Taking a little morning refreshment here is something your eyes and taste buds will remember and if you do this seated, which is really the only way to go to get the “full” Biffi experience, the weight of your wallet will be quickly lightened. ;-) The waiters are impeccably dressed; the service is flawless with tables done in the typical Milanese fancy cloths with upholstered chairs and matching cushions and back upholstery on the benches. The colors are relaxing, happy, cozy, and the din from the bar helps add to the ambiance. Upon entering besides the magnificent bar in polished brass and dark wood and Murano chandeliers, there is a nice little freestanding croissant case to grab your attention full of mini croissants filled with jam, cream, chocolate and other wicked things.

Once seated, she could explore the room and delight in the little flat ceramic sugar tray at the table (ceramic fanatic here) as well as, take in the sounds of the patrons; many regulars chatting with the waiters and the bartenders. We ordered cappuccino and two of the little brioche as well as 250ml of water. The cappuccinos were liquid cream on the tongue, the kind you want to take your spoon and scrape the sides! The croissant/brioche were morsels of divinity, fresh and flavorful. The water was brought to the table in the bottle, opened and poured for us into the glasses, such a luxury.

Unfortunately, we had to worry about the car since we did it Italian style by parking in pay for park area but you know how it is, we are just stopping for coffee so why pay? ;-) That meant, we could not spend a nice amount of time seated and at the prices they charge, you really should camp in for a while. When we asked for the bill she thought his face was going to fall off; 14,50 Euros for all that fanfare! We laughed while walking to the car and talked about how things have changed over the years (like the prices) knowing that a trip back there would have to be standing at the bar and even then, maybe not for a little while (gotta save up our pennies).

Food Frolic Adventures - La Speranza - Tieni Forte il Portafoglio!

English translation below

Ci eravamo proposti di parlare solamente di ristoranti dove fare delle vere e proprie esperienze eno-gastronomiche, quindi di parlare solamente di esperienze positive; bene, è il momento di contraddirci subito! :-)
Ricordandomi di un ottimo pranzo presso il ristorante Hostaria La Speranza di Solcio in provincia di Novara sul Lago Maggiore cui partecipai una decina di anni fa, e visto che il nostro peregrinare per il nord Italia ci ha portato nei pressi di detto ristorante, approfittai dell'ora di cena ormai superata da un po, per proporre a Snow White una sosta "tecnica" presso l'Hostaria. Questo ristorante qualche anno fa, godeva di una discreta fama per gli antipasti alla piemontese che serviva e per una discreta cantina.
Vi confesso che non ho faticato molto a convincere Snow White a rifocillarsi con un po di antipasti misti e con del buon vino... ma ahimè, temo di avere perso qualche punto nei suoi confronti quella sera!
Dunque, il locale è molto ben arredato, finemente e in maniera ricercata. Bene, si trattava di vedere se oltre alla forma, la "sostanza" era migliorata o almeno era rimasta quella di qualche anno fa. Le cameriere sono giovani e cortesi, ma assolutamente non professionali; danno proprio l'impressione di avere imparato a memoria tutto quello che dicono, ma senza sapere di cosa stanno parlando. Gli antipasti sono solo discreti, nulla di eccezionale e per di più in numero assolutamente inadeguato: una volta da loro si mangiavano solo quelli, ora invece ci si alza da tavola con più fame di prima.
La sorpresa però non è il cibo. Appena ordinata la cena, la padrona del locale, si avvicina al tavolo e butta li la frase innocente: "Vi porto un po' di vino?" Ma come, sarò anche un Piglet, ma non del tipo che ha pensato la ristoratrice! Alla mia richiesta di poter guardare la Carta dei Vini, la signora in questione, è sparita ed ha mandato una camerierina a presentarci detta carta. Ad una prima occhiata ho pensato si trattasse della versione con i prezzi espressi in Rupie e non in Euro, ma ad un più attento esame, il simbolo dell'Euro era riportato in molte parti, e della valuta indiana non c'era traccia... I vini avevano prezzi assolutamente demenziali: quello che costava meno era proposto a 120 Euro la bottiglia (roba che si paga 25 Euro massimo in qualunque altro ristorante, quello che costava di più era un Franciacorta Brut per il quale chiedevano 1,290 Euro!!! Dopo avere rifiutato di farmi depredare, la camerierina arrossendo ha annuito accennando a voce bassa un: "già, capisco..."
Mentre con Snow White mi stavo ancora chiedendo in che razza di posto eravamo capitati, la padrona si avvicina e con la faccia di chi vuole fare la generosa con dei poveracci, ci dice: "Se volete posso offrirvi un bicchiere di vino". E' stato solo un piccolo calcio ricevuto da Snow White sotto il tavolo per fermarmi ed evitare di dicessi alla tizia cosa poteva farsene del suo vino e dove poteva metterselo! (Grazie Snow White!)
Morale: pagato il conto salato, cenato male e senza vino, presi in giro ed insultati.

La Speranza - Hold on Tight to your Wallet!

I know we had promised to only discuss good wine and dinning experiences, speaking only of positive experiences at that but the time has quickly come to veer away from that promise if only briefly.

Remembering a superb lunch at a place called Hostaria La Speranza situated in Solcio on Lago Maggiore about ten years ago, and seeing as how our pilgrimage in northern Italy took us near to this still-functioning “joint,” I decided to take advantage of the fact that we were late with our dinner decision so I proposed a little “technical” stop to Snow White. The restaurant a few years ago carried a discrete fame for its antipasti alla Piemontese, which they served along with a robust cellar to accompany the feast. I must admit, I had no difficulty whatsoever convincing Snow White to take refreshment (with the promise of some mixed antipasti and good wine…) but alas, I fear I lost a few points in her eyes that evening!

Let’s see, the locale was very nicely decorated, done with taste and maintaining a certain time period for style with well-chosen pieces and accessories. “Great” I thought to myself, besides excellent presentation and ambiance it was time to see if the substance had improved or at least, remained that of a few years ago. The waitresses were all dressed in uniforms of an era gone-by, all were very young, courteous but completely unprofessional; they gave the impression they were speaking from a script not having a clue what they were really saying.

The antipasti were only discrete, nothing exceptional and furthermore, the number of different types of these minuscule tastes was totally out of line; it was almost like a Sunday Brunch smorgasbord, lots of stuff but nothing great or too much and unable to appreciate any of it. Once upon a time in this “joint,” one could eat just those now, one leaves the table hungrier than prior to being seated.

The surprise however was not the food. As soon as dinner was ordered the owner of the “joint” (big female chowhound herself) approaches the table in her apron and in a little innocent voice, tosses the wine question: “Shall I bring you some wine?” “What, are you kidding?” I say to myself. I may be a chowhound too but not the kind she thought I was. Upon my request to bring me the wine list, this questionable female disappeared and sent one of the girls with the list to the table. At first glance, I thought to myself this must be the version with prices in Rupees and not Euros, but upon closer examination, I saw the Euro symbol here and there finding not a trace of the Indian currency.

The wine prices were insane!!!! The least expensive wine was a bottle for 120 Euros (stuff one would pay 25 Euros max in any other restaurant) and then there was a bottle of Franciacorta Brut (mind you just Brut, not a bottle of non dosato) to the tune of 1,290 Euro!! After refusing to be pillaged, the waitress blushed and knowingly acknowledged in a low voice “ah yes, of course…” While Snow White was still asking me what kind of racket for a restaurant I had brought her to, the big female chowhound approached us and had the brazen nuts to play Ms. Generous and offer us wine by the glass. It was only a tiny whack in the ankle that Snow White launched in my direction to help prevent me from telling that creature what and where she could put that glass of wine (Thank you Snow White)! Then after paying the horrendous bill for not eating, the little waitress comes back and sheepishly offers us a glass of grappa, on the house. Good God, I refused that as well; was not going to put myself at her mercy, no way!

Moral: paid the sticky bill, ate poorly without wine, was insulted and had my leg pulled from here to Timbuktu…you do the math.

Dinning at Grinzane Cavour Castle

Dinning at the Castello Grinzane is a must for anyone who would like to re-live a little bit of history in modern elegance. Reservations are a smart thing and required to even get near the place in October and part of November (white truffle season). The auction for the largest of these beauties usually occurs at the castle annually and hosts a multitude of VIPs who populate the town of Alba as well. There is a quaint and convenient hotel, Casa Pavesi just meters from the castle offering unique room décor, breakfast on the terrace, bar and cozy reading rooms.

The dinning room at Grinzane Castello is not only an elegant atmosphere but the service is professional and discrete. High heels beware walking up to the castle, if one parks below it can be a wicked challenge on the rounded rock road as well as, taking the path towards the entrance and the uneven floors and steps once inside. This place was meant for climbing and sensible shoes plus, getting to the bathroom or better said, navigating the steps to the bathroom after a few glasses of wine can be an issue, especially when you really need to go. ;-)

While gazing up and through the windows from inside, over the expanse of the vineyard-clad hills beyond, she could not help but breathe a little bit of the history within these walls.


Dinner consisted of tagliolini with sausage ragù (sausage from the Roero region) a bottle of lively Barbera, hand-rolled bread sticks and a main course of Brasato al Barolo. Brasato is one of the ultra famous dishes from this area and is truly a must-try. The meat is soaked in Barolo wine, cloves, juniper berries and garlic for 12-24 hours then removed from that marinade and slow baked for 1½ in fresh Barolo but not before performing a sauté of carrot, celery and onions, browning the meat and then bathing it in Barolo.

After all that food no one needed dessert but they insisted with a few complimentary cookies and of course we did have to imbibe in an outstanding grappa! The waiter brought the bottle to the table after we told him a little bit about our taste preferences; he suggested this one and poured two generous glasses offering us, on his wallet, a second. God, a second glass would have done this little lady in, she would have needed a stretcher to get down the stairs.

While seated outside on the benches in the gardens encircling the castle, the night air was cool (blissfully) and the night birds extremely busy. Something came whizzing by her head at a speed so fast her hair flew up and her ears were buzzing from the speed with which this creature flew. Who knows what it was, certainly not an owl of any sort and not a bat. The lights across the valley to the other hill town were mesmerizing and suggestive, music floated up from the tent party near the hotel, laughter and the clink of glasses while toasting; all elements adding to the ambience rendering the experience even more suggestive for a creative mind. The past oozed around us with the pride of the people of the town for the place they live and for the traditions they protect. Romance, romantic dinning, sensuous, warm, sexy, suggestive, hot, steamy, languid, escorts, red roses, venetian mask, antiquity

Food Frolicking & Travel at Singing Nella's - Wine Country Barolo

La Cantinella (Canti – Nella i.e., singing Nella) was the Osteria just across the way from the old café behind and below the Barolo castle. This fun little place allowed the option of eating inside with AC or outside in the heat but in the shade of the buildings above the restaurant as well as their huge umbrellas.

Seated outside her eyes roamed from the bright yellow-orange of the Marchesi di Barolo cellars to the wine-covered hills above, the Barolo Castle and the barren parking lot in front. Melting in the heat but reveling in the scenery her mind floated from the suggestions of modern times to visions of the past. In some ways things have changed so much yet when immersed in these towns, one sees how little life really has changed, at least here drifting between the vineyards.

Lunch offered typical Piedmont dishes such as, raw hand cut and pounded Piemontese beef as an appetizer (do not shy away from this, raw meat is excellent for the body). A plate of mixed appetizers displayed Russian salad, raw meat, zucchini frittata with fondue alla Piemontese (the original fondue from Val D’Osta) and, bagna cauda, which was a big slice of blanched red pepper with green garlic sauce floating inside. Bagna cauda is famous in this region and the sauce is something you want to be sure to eat together if you are going home with your dinner partner because the garlic breath could kill a horse! (laughing, think I killed the Piglet)

The sauce is made from mashed garlic, lots of it, anchovies and olive oil (of course); the whole mix heated over a double boiler or at times served over a candle with raw veggies or served as it was that day on the pepper slices although not raw but just blanched. The fondue is another thing in and of itself!
This original fondue is prepared with Fontina, eggs, butter and milk and is a dense liquid (the cheese soaks in the milk for at least 8 hours if not longer). The milk is then tossed and the cheese is melted with fresh milk and a ton of butter and once it begins to thicken, an egg yolk or two is tossed in. Of course, this is best consumed with white truffles but hey, eating it by the spoonfuls is still a thrill and in the winter, this is a dish that outshines any cold day! So, while you all are putting kirsch in your fondues, just know that until you have tried the original here in northern Italy, you are missing out. ;-)

The rest of the meal consisted of agnolotti in butter and sage and risotto al Barolo, which is truly a local dish (just onions and wine)! They also served fresh homemade, hot bread infused with tons of oregano in a bread loaf form as well as a focaccia so her goal of limiting the bread intake that day went to the dogs! In that heat, no wine was ordered with lunch but then again, with all the little wine tasting who needed it (giggling)? To finish off the meal, a stop at the Antico Panettiere furnished a bag of local cookies or little fragile flat hazelnut “pancakes.” These contain the locally grown Piemontese hazelnuts and nice soft Amaretti cookies as well. ;-)

How can she emphasize enough the extent of excitement and depth of smiles this area can produce? To breathe-in this wine country one realizes this is not just about wine but about the substantial amount of history surrounding these great wines through the centuries. The vast amount of neat, well-cured vineyards will tantalize the dreams and emotions of any countryside lover; an unadulterated lullaby for all the senses. These hills undulate with history and passion at every turn and everywhere the eye might rest; one cannot help but get caught up in the spell. Speaking of spells, dinner at the Grinzane Cavour Castle is worth a separate post. To be continued…. ;-)

Alba & La Piola - Food & Wine Adventure

Wandering the infamous town of white truffles and fabulous wines, she realized she had a one-way ticket to paradise, Alba in the province of Cuneo. In the historic center, exists a great eatery called la Piola.

Across from the Chiesa di S. Giovanni or, il Duomo there is this simple and elegant little place to eat under the old portico. They have also placed a permanent “greenhouse” for dinning right on the piazza; this little glass house is fully enclosed with air conditioning and in the summer heat, it is a blessing to sit there and enjoy the view, eat and stay cool. The tables are set up with huge, fun and colorful charger plates with ultra comfortable chairs to rest in (such a rarity in Italy, and a change from the classic Osteria chair).

The menu offers excellent dishes typical to the region with nice, courteous waitresses and waiters serving everything very promptly. For starters, an assorted cheese plate was a must just to sample the local cheese creations as well as a fabulous insalata russa. Tagliolini with an oil and garlic or “white” sauce of ground rabbit dressed this homemade pasta, which was out of this world! There were also agnolotti made with a mix from a roast of various meats and these were dressed in the sauce of the roast, something Snow White had never tasted before in all her days in Italy. The sauce was limpid gravy per se, light in weight and exquisite in flavor. The agnolotti are a type of tortellini except the ends are brought together at the center of the “cushion” and pressed together. Some other versions of these wonderful homemade agnolotti are with the ends pulled together similar to a sack as if tied with string at the top. All this fare was accompanied by a nice chilled white Roero Arneis another great white wine produced in the Roero hills above the river Tanaro; and since this was gastronomic play-time, dessert was a must, which was accompanied with a wonderful Moscato d’Asti by, none other than the Piglet’s favorite, I Vignaioli di S. Stefano. Dessert was the classic Bunet; a type of chocolate pudding with crushed amaretti.

Now these little pigs will be off for some other adventure shortly so stay tuned...

Vignaioli Santo Stefano Wine Travel Adventure

Beneath the shadow of the Barolo Castle, lunch awaited. After a nice espresso at the Old Café next to the Osteria where we eventually had lunch (in 86 degree heat and a nice 60% humidity), we made a not-so-quick stop in the regional wine shop to peruse the Barolos of the area. This lovely little wine haven is under the Castello di Barolo offering tasting and education. That day there were three types of Barolo to be sipped the first coming from different soil than the classic Barolo and this one was very light in color and depth as well as flavor. The second one was a finely blended version of Barolo, one of the modernists versions and very warm and soft on the tongue. This was a nicely balanced wine (very ready for consumption). The last one was a classic or traditionalist Barolo and was very dark in color and of course, had deeper tannins thus not as smooth to the palate.

For these two “pigs”, the balanced modernist version was destined for their wine cellar (costing, mind you, a lot more than the classic version), this wine was from Bergera Pezzole, labeled as Le Strette 2004, estate bottled. Happy as a clam with two bottles in her possession, they pointed their toes towards Belbo on a hunt for i Vignaioli di Santo Stefano. With a few stops here and there to ask directions, they wound up falling into the large cellars of Vallebelbo and while there, decided to stock up on the classics; Asti, Moscato and Brachetto (gotta LOVE that cherry red color with frizz)! While there, directions to “the boys” (i Vignaioli) were obtained and as heavily loaded as the mini mouse car was, they headed to the hills!

I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano are in a locale of Santo Stefano Belbo; way, way up top to the crown of the hills. Numerous switchbacks greet you on a road big enough for one car or a tractor as it winds up, up and away. Vineyards on steep slopes covered both sides of the old mule road; “Good lord” she thought, “How in the world do they harvest on these slopes, let alone work the vineyards daily without losing it?” Just as that thought crosses her mind while approaching the cellar drive, a weary, sweat-drenched soul pops out of the brush with his weed whacker and mask, leaving behind him a steep hill of vines. She does not want to know the cost of the wine because she realizes the price no matter what it is, is worth it; what kind of crazy fool works on slopes so steep their legs at the end of the day must ache from the effort to stay upright? Watching the scene before her she realizes few wineries in Napa Valley are anything close to the difficulty of these vineyards.

This stop was for a Moscato Golden Piglet had been searching out for, for quite a while. He quickly purchased a case (the heat was killing us all) of their elegant, long-necked bottles of frizzy, sweet, golden colored Moscato d’Asti. Looking at these bottles she realized this was a first, she had never before seen a wine with bubbles in anything but the classic champagne-type bottle. Moscato runs at 5.5% vol making this an easy aperitif or desert wine. While packing the box into the “mouse on wheels,” the young wine keeper gave them a bottle of their more expensive Moscato Passito 2002, labeled “Il” to test out. Next trip they can go back during the cooler weather and buy up a few of the Passito and really enjoy the heady pleasures of Moscato.

There was also a stop to the Mango Castello and wine shop to test out the Moscato on display. As it turned out a case of another wonderful delectable sweet/dry wine headed to their cellars. This was from the hills of Mango known for its Moscato. This one was labeled Tintero Moscato d’Asti, D.O.C.G., Sori’ Gramella 2007, 5% vol. and this ones goes down like silk! ;-)

Lastly but definitely not least, she must mention the grappa purchased at Grinzane. Never before had she tasted anything in the grappa department as divine as this amber colored ambrosia! This was called “Elisì” from the wonderful distillery, Berta, check out the link regarding the history of this four generation family in the distillation business!

This particular grappa is made up of 50% Barbera 1996, 25% Nebbiolo da Barolo 1999, 25% Cabernet 2001. The French Barriques are 225 liters of Troncais d’Allier, with a finished product at 43% vol. with a beautiful amber color.
Elisì is the result of careful selection of the best grappa products, refined for the last 10 years in those French barriques. Assembly of the different years and various grape varieties, bestow the elegance, complexity of aromas and emotions to this grappa that only the great, distilled liquors of the world can transmit.

“Erba Luce” come on down!

Who can pass up an invitation to pass a few hours chilling at Isola dei Pescatori on a summer afternoon? Certainly, not this creature! The weather was humid with cloud cover tingeing the lake a dead, gray hue nonetheless, the lake is always beautiful; so peaceful watching the sail boats, the birds and hearing the water lap against the rocks. Having scoped out the island, we realized the far side is always the least traveled and so we chose a little wine bar with a terrace, La Malghera to help us pass the time. Golden Piglet presented lil’ Miss White a nice refreshing white wine that would be perfect to offer at parties as cocktail wine. This white was called Erbaluce (err-bah-loo-chay) and originates north of Torino part of the Piemontese region, and needs to be consumed within three years from harvest; in other words, drink up and do not age. ;-)

This wine packs a whopping 13% vol. so make sure when drinking you are eating as well, something we managed to do quite well. Ordering a "cutting board" of cheese and sliced meats we cleverly whiled away a few hours; how much better can it get? There were samples of prosciutto della Val Vigezzo, Bresaola, Pancetta Coppata, a dark prosciutto like bresaola seasoned with porcini mushrooms and spices, little tiny cacciatore salami, various cheeses, toma, and one type encrusted with fennel and other herbs. So who said we were taking the ferry back to the mainland? Nope we were going to have to swim after that feast!

Historic Barolo Wine

Barolo is produced from the Nebbiolo grapes although the Lampia, Michet and Rosé types are authorized for this wine as well. Barolo matures at the end of September (well as long as our weather and climate does not change much more), and the clusters are a dark blue/grayish color covered with their own wax. Barolo typically smells of tar and roses, and is capable of taking on an unusual orange tinge with age; the initial nose of a Barolo is often that of a pine tree. When subjected to aging of at least five years, the wine can then be labeled as a Reserve and for connoisseurs, it is Italy's most collected wine; for beginners it is a difficult one to understand.

In the past all Barolos used to be very tannic and they took more than 10 years to soften up. The fermenting wine usually stayed on the skins for at least three weeks, extracting huge amounts of tannins; then it was aged in large, wooden casks for years.

In order to meet the international taste, which preferred fruitier, more accessible styles, the "modernists" cut fermentation times to a maximum of ten days and put the wine in new French barriques. The results, according to traditionalists, were not even recognizable as Barolo and tasted more of new oak than of wine. Thus, the Barolo wars began between traditionalists and modernists.

Today, the war has subsided although outspoken modernists are still committed to new oak and there are many producers who are now choosing the middle ground, often using a combination of barriques and large casks. The more prestigious houses still reject barriques and insist on patience for their wines (considering them far superior). As such, these have become auction staples, sought after by wine aficionados in Italy, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United States.

For those of you who are interested, here is a list of the wineries producing in the traditional methods as well as, the modernists (note from previous post on Barolo Chinato, we purchased one from Ceretto, loving the balanced flavors of that liquid luxury).

Traditionalist producers include: Giuseppe Rinaldi, Marcarini, Bartolo Mascarello, Brovia, Giuseppe Mascarello, Cavallotto, Giacomo Conterno, Giacomo Borgogno, Paolo Conterno, Comm. Burlotto, Oddero, Barale, Cavallotto, Cappellano, Massolino, Bruno "the Maestro" Giacosa, Luigi Pira, Vietti (especially the Riserva Villero), Vajra.

Modernist producers include: Azelia, Scavino, Gigi Rosso, Rivetti, Ceretto, Aldo Conterno (from 1996 onwards), Boglietti, Mauro Veglio, Altare, Sandrone, Domenico Clerico, E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis), Einaudi, Icardi, Parusso, Prunotto, Ceretto, Corino, Alessandria, Grimaldi, Silvio Grasso, Seghesio (Aldo e Ricardo).

Gaia was not mentioned because this ultra famous winery deserves a separate post.

Wine Country Piemontese - Definitely a Wine Frolic

A trip through the Piemontese wine country, le Lange e Roero is a sight to behold. The stops for this tour were Grinzane Cavour castle and regional wine store, Mango (hills of Moscato) and their regional wine store, Barolo and it’s regional wine shop with an off the track stop at i Vignaioli di S. Stefano and the cantine di Vallebelbo.
Grinzane offers a great little self guided tour of the castle, which includes the history of Le Langhe and after that there is a cute little bar for coffee and a book, a restaurant for suggestive dinners and a super-duper wine shop!

The storekeeper was wonderful allowing us to taste (without paying) three types of Barolo Chinato, and various grappa. Of the two Chinato, we preferred the drier one so on that note, she gave us a taste of one by Ceretto and what a great suggestion that was! Barolo Chinato is a splendid, unique digestive and dessert wine.

This little known beauty goes back close to the end of the 1800’s to the heart of the Barolo territory. The drink stems from an ancient recipe, which has been carefully preserved through the centuries. The infusion of China Calissaya bark and several aromatic alpine herbs with aged Barolo wine has long been considered a remedy for several diseases. Aged for quite a long time in oak barrels, this aromatic wine becomes a low-alcoholic "elixir", amber-colored and with ruby-red reflections. The spicy, intense and persistent nose coupled with the bittersweet taste of the China bark make it a lovely and inviting wine. A rare specialty for connoisseurs!

Granted, Barolo Chinato debuted as a medicinal wine but quickly found popularity for reasons other than medicinal. Production of this wine comprises a natural infusion of China Calissaja bark, rhubarb root, and about ten other aromatic herbs where the alcoholic content is deliberately kept low in order to highlight the wine’s Barolo component,

Colour: Deep garnet red. Bouquet: Full, rich, heady, and opulent, exuding spices and aromatic herbs. Palate: Sweet, full-bodied, velvet-smooth, pleasantly bitterish in the finish.
Grape variety: 100% nebbiolo Alcohol: 16.5 % vol. Residual sugar: 18% Serving temperature: 18 – 20° C.

Cesare Pavese’s book “Il Diavolo sulle Colline” was chosen to represent the wine’s magnificent sensory complexity, its power, its aromatic pleasures, as well as its profound relationship to the land from which it originated. The Barolo base wine for the “Il Diavolo sulle Colline” Chinato is produced from grapes from the comuni of Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, and Monforte d’Alba, which yield Barolos of pronounced character and structure, to which are added others from the areas of Barolo, La Morra and Verduno, rendering wines of greater fragrance and elegance. After a 20-day, 30oC maceration, the wine goes into the traditional oak casks where it matures for at least two years.

There are diverse and excellent ways to serve this wine: mixed with mineral water and ice, as an aperitif; neat, as a delicate after-dinner liqueur; or warmed up and served with orange peel, becoming the ideal drink for frosty winter evenings. Barolo Chinato is a fantastic companion with chocolate desserts expressing its diversity as something more than a meditation wine. Barolo Chinato is best served in a long-stemmed wine glass.


To be continued…;-) so much more to come!

Cherry Soup!

Dinning at Antico Ristorante agli Schioppi, this creature just had to try the angel hair with black truffle from the mountains surrounding Vicenza (Monte Berici). She hesitated to order them not sure when black truffle season was (a fanatic about white truffles from Alba, season Oct – Jan), but she had a hankering for them and thus, threw her thoughts of doubt to the wind. This dish of heaven was the best pasta she had had in such a long time in fact, Golden Piglet just about fell over telling her how outstanding the flavor of the truffle really was. This restaurant served lots of polenta with the various dishes, not in quantity but just the fact that it accompanied many of the dishes (no kidding, polenta is synonymous with Vicenza)!

They brought an antipasto of baccalà mousse with white grilled polenta that was incredible, sort of reminded her of the fish mousse served on the terrace on the lake at Isola Madre. There was the classic Vincentian veal liver with glazed onions on a bed of polenta and sauce that was worth every bite particularly for liver lovers and for those who are not (moi), it was fantastic; She was so sure she would have hated it, ha! Veal liver is divine; tender and light in flavor and not as dense as beef liver and definitely lacking the heady heavy liver flavor. If anyone hates the taste of beef liver, then you should give this a try just to put your taste buds right with the world. ;-)

Finishing off the meal with a dessert, which she truly had no room for, was definitely one of the smarter choices made in her life one she would not soon forget. This simple and light little offering was called “cherry soup.” These were hand-pitted local grown cherries (Marostica, and Vicenza are famous for their cherries) swimming in their own cherry juice with a dash of a secret spice topped with a tiny ball of spearmint green gelato and cherry liqueur. The soup was served cold with giant soup spoons to ensure you did not miss a drop of the luscious juice. She dreams of picking some cherries from those trees in the garden or buying some in Marostica and making up her own batch of this mix to save and serve on those hot lazy summer evenings…guess she needs to figure out how they made the mint gelato; did they mash and “Cuisinart” the leaves or did they make a very concentrated tisane?

A bottle of Amarone, one of the other famous wines from the Veneto region accompanied this meal and, never having tasted a good glass of it, this little angel was impressed even with 15% alcohol. After a bottle she was far from tipsy because good wine (not that cheap 2-buck Chuck) does not give you headaches, does not turn you tipsy even after a bottle and it is usually consumed over a longer period of time and slowly (slow meals, slow eating). Unfortunately, the Amarone expert Golden Piglet will have to fill you in on the beauty of this wine, this is truly out of Snow White’s league

Rosa Solis

The other night at Antico Ristorante agli Schioppi (ski-yop-pi) she finished off her meal with a rosolio never having heard of it before she let them recommend this little sweet after dinner drink. Rosolio, also known as Rosoli used to be made from the herb called "sundew" (Drosera rotundifolia), or "Rosa Solis" and, it was made completely from the juice of this herb. The Sundew plant (carnivorous, Lat. Drosera rotundifolia L.) was used to make a bright yellow cordial water that was somewhat strong in alcohol content. This water seems to have originated in Renaissance Turin and was redeemed as a medicine and an aphrodisiac before becoming a popular drink.


The very first arrival of these waters to England in the late 1400’s, was strictly for medicinal use as alcoholic medicinals, which were prescribed in small doses to lift the spirits and strengthen the heart. By 1700, these precursors to modern liqueurs were used for their intoxicating effects as well as supposed medicinal virtues, most of them becoming recreational drinks. Many cordials were made with precious ingredients such as, gold and pearls thought to renew the natural heat, recreate and revive the spirits and free the body from the bad diseases. Some of these forgotten concoctions were Royal Usquebaugh, a spicy liqueur laced with flakes of gold leaf, which actually had an origin from the Aureum potabile or drinkable gold of the alchemists. Many early varieties of “waters” were flavored with spices and herbs thought to settle the stomach after excessive eating, which lead to the name of surfeit waters.

The fact that many cordials were considered aphrodisiacs, contributed to the consumption in social settings instead of in a medical context and this is how we believe Rosa Solis originated. This was distilled over large quantities of the sundew plant while including hot provocative spices like cubebs, grains of paradise and galingale. Supposedly, the sundew plant stirred up lust and when distilled, reflected a glittering yellow color like gold and silver rendering the whole concoction “golden” thus imparting it’s golden warmth within once ingested. During the time of Salmon, rosa solis was used in England at the end of a banquet to wash down other revered food items such as, kissing comfits and candied eryngo roots (sounds truly wicked if you ask me). Today, rosolio is produced in Italy and Spain although no longer a distillate of the sundew plant.


Today, Rosolio is a generic name for any sweet, syrupy, aromatic cordial or liqueur (with low alcohol content) frequently homemade. When rosolio is made from a fruit, the syrupy liquid is extracted then mixed with grain alcohol and in some instances, the addition of specific herbs and or spices occurs. When the drink is made from fresh red rose petals, it is usually called Rosolio di Rose. This version is red or pink in color and has an alcohol content between 22% and 24%.

Take of the hearbe Rosa-Solis, gathered in Iulie one gallon, pick out all the black moats from the leaues, dates halfe a pound, Cinamon, Ginger, Cloues of each one ounce, grains halfe an ounce, fine sugar a pound and a halfe, red rose leaues, greene or dried foure handfuls, steepe all these in a gallon of good Aqua Composita in a glasse close stopped with wax, during twenty dayes, shake it well together once euerie two dayes. Your sugar mutt be powdred, your spices brused onely or grosselie beaten, your dates cut in long slices the stones taken away. If you add two or three graines of Ambergreece, and as much muske in your glasse amongst the rest of the Ingredients , it will have a pleasant smell. Some adde the gum amber with coral and pearle finely poudred , and fine leafe golde. Some vse to boyle Ferdinando bucke in Rosewater, till they haue purchased a faire deepe crimson colour, and when the same is cold, they colour their Rosa solis and Aqua Rubea therewith.

From Sir Hugh Platt, Delightes for Ladies (London: 1600)

Great Italian Bordeaux

Her mood ever since she left the Veneto region and her favorite red wine, Venegazzù! (grrrrrr...)


There exists no myth about eating and drinking well in the province of Veneto; the region oozes simplicity paired with the utmost taste and elegance but then, what is to be expected from a wealthy province laden with luscious history, art and architecture? She sits back in the chair watching the passing parade, the trams, the pretty people, the locals, (and yokels) briskly walking the sidewalks (somewhere in some city in Italy) while she ponders returning to Vicenza, to see if the city affects her the same as it did the first time.

Inviting, leisurely in spirit, rich in history and unbelievable eye candy (yes, of course you are all thinking the other kind of eye candy), but this is about architecture (as her ears pick up chuckles from her readers). She finds herself truly dreaming of another glass of that stupendous Venegazzù and an afternoon on the square with a spritz and an evening dining outside with centuries before her eyes. Lord, that Venegazzù was such a luxury on the palette; paired with super, stinky aged cheese from the region, Puzzone di Moena, sliced tart green apples and limpid honey from the mountains around Asiago, life could not get any better.

This fabulous cheese is made from cow’s milk using a semi-cooked mixture. The salting of the cheese is done in a brine solution lasting two days. Starting at 15 to 20 days of age, the forms are bathed weekly with tepid water, which creates a perfect impermeable patina allowing the forms optimal fermentation within the milk mixture protected by this patina. Aging occurs in cool environments with a high level of humidity where the cheese is placed on wooden shelves and turned twice weekly. The average aging is two months minimum with eight months the maximum. A nibble of this and a sip of that red and she is in serious heaven.

Venegazzù is a Bordeaux blend using 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 5% Malbech. The origins of this wine spring from a historic vineyard called Hundred-vines with vines that are 50 years old and also in part from the Falconera vineyard. This prestigious wine is produced in Montello on the infamous iron rich soil of the area. This high mineral and iron content determines the structure of the wine as well as, bestowing it a long life. The vines are planted in a density of about 3,000 plants/hectare yielding on the average 5,800 kilos/hectare. This stunning wine ferments for about twenty days in oak fermentation tubs, (fifteen of those twenty days are on the skins) at a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Once the malolactic fermentation has ceased, the wine is put to rest in barrels of French oak (of different weights) for 18 to 24 months and then refined in the bottle for one year.

Of the two versions of this lovely red liquid, is Capo di Stato I.G.T. Colli Trevigiani by Villa Spineda Loredan a Venegazzù. This supreme blend has been listed by a French publication; “100 vins de légende” or, among the hundred wines in the world for either their history and top quality can be considered legendary by all standards. This Venegazzù Capo di Stato is the first true Italian Bordeaux blend. The other one, is Venegazzù della Casa, I.G.T. Colli Trevigiani, another historic wine from Loredan Gasparini. This other important Bordeaux blend displays right out of the starting gate, true magnificence and luxury. This is made with the same grapes using the same composition as the main wine of the winery but with one big difference; the yield per hectare is higher and the aging time in the oak barrels is shorter, eighteen months or less. Nonetheless, the wine is still a perfect display of that ultra special character of the plant varieties, the rich soil where it is grown as well as combining the distinctive personality of the Bordeaux blend. This wine presents and maintains the elegance and balance of the greatest Italian wines and this creature needs to grab her car and head straight to the winery on a buying trip!

Yes, now she is smiling (once again, angel)!