Posted by grazia on September 23rd, 2009 — in Italy, Piedmont
Le Langhe is a historic region of Piedmont and is located between the provinces of Cuneo and Savona. Le Langhe consist of hills with sharp ridges, marked by deep valleys and carved by streams.
The average height is 550 meters, and reaches 950 in Mombarcaro, with variety of crops for the different conformation of the ground.
The Langhe are famous for their high quality products: Langa Barolo, Barbaresco, of Asti, of hazelnuts, woods and pasture, but each valley has its own customs, traditions and different dialects.
The landscape is characterized by alternation of hills and valleys, by different horizons adorned with towers and castles, by the serenity of a silence interrupted only by the bleating of the sheep and the muffled sounds of farm tools.
Every little town has at least a small castle. As the towers of Alba (172 m), the major town of Le Langhe, where the annual Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo and the Palio of the Donkeys take place.
From Alba the road continues to Roddi (284 m), the ancient Roman Castrum Rhaudium, overlooking the hills of Le Langhe on one side and those of the Roero on the other. Also here there is a castle, peeking above the rooftops of the village with its high walls and mighty.
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Posted by grazia on July 30th, 2009 — in Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto
The Tiramisu was so created with the name “the duke’s soup” in honor of Cosimo de Medici who brought the recipe to Florence making it well known in the whole Italy.
The legend also tells that the “the duke’s soup” became the favourite dessert for the nobles who ascribed aphrodisiac and exciting properties: hence the name Tiramisù.
The unofficial version, however, says that Tiramisu was created by a confectioner in Turin in honour of Count Camillo Benso di Cavour with the aim of supporting him in his challenge to unify Italy.
Also Veneto has its own version: it seems that the tiramisu was invented in the restaurant “El Toulà” in Treviso. The restaurant was located close to a brothel, and it was served just for “putting up”.
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Posted by grazia on July 29th, 2009 — in Italy, Piedmont
Truffle is one of the highest expressions of Italian cuisine. Fragrant, heady, involving, for many people even aphrodisiac, the Tartufo Bianco d’Alba (White Truffle) gives a touch of nobility to any dish.
Its use is now universal. A few grams are enough for a portion, they are enough to arouse emotions.
It must be eaten raw, on neutral food, so as to enhance the intense and overwhelming scent.
Raw meat, fried egg and rice are examples of how surprising the scent of truffle can be.
The slices should be small leaves, thick few tenths of a millimetre. For the truffle, scent is everything and this is expressed with greater force if the area exposed is wider. The volatile molecules are so free. It is even better if it comes accompanied to a hot dish.
Where to go to buy it?
The most interesting source of supply are truffle fairs, events filling the calendar for all the towns of the truffle area and attracting each year thousands of visitors. From early October until the end of November, there are splendid examples of truffles elegantly arranged on colourful stalls run by trifolau (people whose job consists in the search of truffle) in person or by dealers. (more…)
Posted by grazia on April 29th, 2009 — in Italy, Piedmont
Castello Dal Pozzo has an ancient history and unique surroundings on Lake Maggiore. It is a charming eighteenth-century palazzo, fully equipped, with SPA and fitness center, conference center, luxurious bedrooms and intimate wine bar.
All the rooms offer magnificent views of Lake Maggiore from the ancient parkland boundary walls, protecting people from the stress of modern city life.
The aristocratic families of the Viscontis, Borromeo, Pallavicino and Dal Pozzo have dominated the area for centuries, and recently the Castello Dal Pozzo, set in exquisite Victorian parklands with a delightful English lawn, has been restored to its original splendour.
The architecture of the Castello Dal Pozzo has been defined by British art experts as “the purest reinterpretations of Neo-Gothic Tudor as a manifestation of Victorian England”.
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Posted by internetauthor on April 29th, 2009 — in Piedmont
During the month of June, one of the most beautiful and lesser known lake communities in Italy hosts a music festival of some renown. The Festival of Ancient Music is held in the latter part of June every year in Orta San Giulio, a small town on the banks of Lake Orta.
Lake Orta is considered by many to be one of the most peaceful and attractive of the subalpine lakes of Italy. Lake Orta lies to the west of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. It is approximately fifty miles northwest of Milan and makes an excellent day trip if you’re not able to spend the night in the beautiful small town.
Orta San Giulio is a treasure trove of architecture with shuttered homes and palaces in pretty pastels lining the streets of the small peninsula. With water on all but one side, Orta San Guilio appears to be floating. In truth, it is the small island community of Isola San Giulio that does float in the lake. (more…)
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