SWISS_CHEF

I found this: http://www.lacortealbertina.it/ing/hotel.htm

Let us please be fair to Italy. In the context of historical cuisine, Italy has really done her share. In fact, I ask you to name one country in all of Europe (or the world) that has contributed more. It was Catherine de Medici that introduced the whole concept of chefs to France, in fact, France should get on her knees in thanks for the Italian contributions to her kitchen. In the 15th century when the most of the world was poking each other with pointy sticks the Italians were building the Sistine Chapel. Let's also be honest, until recently, what has Spain given the culinary world besides tapas and paella? They have precious little to lose by propagating a fad. Perhaps the Italians are just sitting the current culinary revolution out. Don't worry, even today, when Italy cooks, the whole world watches.

LOL! I laughed so hard that I nearly spilled my Barbera all over my risotto! I have to say there is some truth to this.

Some Italian dishes that I find to be particularly heavy or starchy: Most agnolotti, but especially "d'asino". Vitello e tonnato. Risotto, especially made with salsicca or lots of cheese. Frito misto Gnocchi and polenta, esp. with gorgonzola or other cheeses The all time mother of rich foods has to be pizzocheri. One bowl of this stuff and you are good for two or three days. Face it, Italian food is largely based on starch.

For all of my life I have heard people say that French food is "heavy" and for the life of me I can't understand what they are talking about. I have grown up with French food and cooked it all of my adult life (unfortunately we are talking about a span of nearly half a century). Like Julia, my mother also attended the Cordon Bleu while she was on lay-over in Paris when she was a hostess in the 50's. I grew up with Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon and Poulet au Vin Blanc and the dish most often destroyed nowadays: Vol au Vent. I never thought of any of these dishes as heavy... quite the opposite actually, it was my grandmother's American food that always did me in. Fried Chicken with giblet gravy and mashed potatoes took all day to over-come and Thanksgiving dinner usually put me in bed for 24 hours. Yankee pot roast was another story all together.... add to that, the tremendous amounts of sugar that kept me bouncing off the walls and you really have a cuisine worth bitching about. French food never bothered me nor did I ever consider it heavy or unbalanced in any way. In properly prepared French cuisine the sauces are balanced, so the use of cream is counter-acted by the acidity of the wine or the addition of some lemon juice. Additionally, when you eat French food you should always drink wine with it. It is part of the meal and without it, the food becomes unbalanced, probably unhealthy and certainly less enjoyable. I had an American friend who didn't like wine but professed to love fine food (especially French). He always ordered ice tea or (more often) a coke. I never understood how he could do this. I mention this only because he died at the age of 37 from a heart attack... c'est la vie.

I tried adding this to my name tag but it is so full already that I can't get more on there! Well said anyway!

I serve "Italian American" versions to my Italian friends sometimes for the fun of it. They usually stiffen up at first then they relax and get into it and see the humor of it all. I always tell them this is what Al Capone ate! edit: I wonder if spaghetti and meatballs qualifies as cutting edge in Italy? Maybe I should open up a restaurant!?

I don't believe the argument here is if modern or traditional should exist or not. I believe the argument is: From where do you currently draw the most culinary inspiration or dining pleasure, from traditional preparations and ancient ingredients or from the "cutting edge" modern attempts? It is a personal question and we all have an answer based on our own experiences.

What are you "holding out"? Maybe I'll come over! Of course, I'm neither "cute" nor, in any way, "young." I can run, however. Be well and, in all seriousness, best of luck. This place looks exceptional. Cheers ← I'm cute but I can't run! (knees blew out in the rehab. Notice I ignored the bit about being young)

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that there shouldn't (or won't) be evolution of cooking styles. As cooks and eaters we have options as to which culinary path we choose to take. Mine will be the exploration and rediscovery of traditional or historic cooking methods and ancient ingredients as opposed to the often contrived and experimental methods employed by what I call "cutting edge" chefs. My objective is to cook and eat as well as I can before I die and I place my bets in the past rather than what I think will amount to little more than a fad. It is simply a personal choice and there are many paths out there.

If you have the time and want to take a very beautiful drive: Take the E74 (the Asti/Alba road) north until it ends and head for Portecamaro, then Scurzolengo, Castagnole Monferrato, Montemagno, Grana, Calliano, Moncalvo, Alfiano Natta, Villadeati, Murisengo, Zanco, Tonco, Castel Alfero. If you have a little extra time head north out of Murisengo to Gabiano. The drive will take you about an hour and a half to 2 hours but you will see some of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy. The countryside is very picturesque and particularly so because of the diverse crops. In season you will see vineyards, sunflower fields, lavender fields, fruit orchards, olive groves, hazelnut orchards along side of the conventional crops like corn and wheat, but what makes this area especially beautiful are the ancient hill-top villages usually containing a castle or beautiful church. The land is primarily used for agriculture so there is relatively little industry. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea: Zanco Villadeati edit: I forgot to mention that on a clear day there is a 180° view of the alps as a backdrop to all of this.

Mark, I just have a vacation house here in Zanco. Must be 40 minutes to Mombaruzzo from here. What are you doing way down there?

Hi Mark, Da Maria in my village Zanco will be open both nights. If anyone will have fresh truffles... they will. The dog kennels are kept right in front of the restaurant and you will be hard pressed to find better food for the money! Last year Georgio showed me a local truffle the size of a baseball. Do you know how rare that is???? A restaurant owner drove all the way from Rome to buy it. Seems funny to me that people go to Alba for truffles! My place is just down the street, stop by for a grappa.

Hi David, Next time why don't you come to the Monferrato? It is very lovely, less crowded and less expensive than the Langhe, and because there has been less growth and fewer modern buildings, our villages are better preserved. The country side is a series of rolling hills planted with a mixture of crops, for example, from our 16th century church here in Zanco, we can see vineyards, lavender fields, hazelnut groves, corn and wheat fields and various orchards. As a back drop you have a fantastic view of the Alps on a clear day. Most villages are perched on the hilltops and are virtually untouched by the last century. The food is (of course) fantastic here too and truffles are famous from this region. Moncalvo has a lovely truffle fair and it is far less touristic than Alba. The Castello di Razzano and the Canonica di Corteranzo are both world-class accommodations. Ed

Hi Emily, Sorry for the late reply, I just noticed your post. I am glad you got in touch with Paolo, of the two places I would definitely pick Razzano. They cost about the same but Razzano is really lovely. Tell Augusto and Rita that "Eduardo á Zanco" sent you and when you are in the area contact us, our house is 5 minutes fron Razzano. I would have to agree with you about Switzerland!

Hi Judith, We just had a huge Sunday lunch which included a rather surprising bottle of Italian brut rosé and a shockingly good 6 year old white Château Neuf du Pape, so I hope this makes sense... "Cutting edge" is not what I think of as threatening, I think of it more as contrived for the benefit of notoriety and revenue. On the other hand, traditional foods and ancient ingredients have gotten pushed to the way-side in most modern restaurants and many of us have no idea how complex and layered their flavors and aromas can be. Classical cuisines are based on hundreds, if not thousands of years of method, technique and ingredients and offer us an amazing array of flavors and textures. For me, experimental cuisine means using a rice like Favorito which, even though it has been grown locally for hundreds of years, it is now almost extinct and very hard to find and as you might have guessed, it makes mind-blowing risotto. I will bring you some when we come to Montone. To me, going backwards in time is very experimental.

I can't help wondering if we are not gravitating towards traditional food because we are fleeing something else? In all things artistic there have been revolutions for the simple. In the 18th century formal French gardens were dug up to make the more natural looking English gardens. In art we see how artist’s styles became increasingly looser and more natural over the centuries. In the past 20 years, fine food has become increasingly fussed-over and contrived in order to garner more fame and revenue for the author and I find that the restaurants that serve these “creations” are usually uptight and uncomfortable, even the wait staff propagate this ostentatious funk. To me, traditional food, comfort food and regional food all represent a departure from our modern attempts to glorify food. "Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex." - Oscar Wilde

I agree 100%. I never order melon and prosciutto "a la cart" because there are just too many variables and dishes like this, placed almost obligatorily on a menu, usually spell disaster. So the question is: would I try ordering a tweaked-up version from a starred (or wanna-be starred) chef? My answer is yes, I probably would because it would indicate to me that s/he was focusing on it and doing something special. The next question is... If I had a perfect classic melon and prosciutto on a plate right next to it, which one would I like more?

I have taken some of my comments from the other post and combined them into a sort of new post to express my feelings. I hope no one is offended: I was just wondering if the average gastro tourist coming to Italy is looking for traditional restaurants, or Super Chefs? As I read these forums it seems as though the majority are in pursuit of the latter. I find that the more I pay or the more a chef is written up, the more I expect, but in reality isn't there only so much you can do with food? I find myself at a culinary crossroads. While I am interested in the creative new cutting-edge creations from world renowned chefs, I am also fascinated by the traditional preparations which have evolved over centuries, handed down from generation to generation and continually adjusted and perfected. The aromas emitted from the kitchen windows of my village make my mouth water so overwhelmingly fast, that it is hard for me to imagine how starred chefs can eclipse this. In fact I know they don't. When I dine out nowadays it is usually at the less celebrated restaurants. I have been separated from a small fortune over the last 20 years in celebrated restaurants eating the food of famous chefs and I have to say on reflection, based on a purely emotional point of view, that I have had less satisfaction in these places than in my simple local restaurants. Not only is it more convenient on the pocketbook but more satisfying for the soul. Throw away your guide books and ask the winemakers, butchers and pastry makers: "Who cooks well in the area?". The information you glean will be more accurate, current and passionate than any guide book and they will probably call and make reservations for you! Perhaps I leaving the impression that the starred chefs have nothing to offer but in fact I am very interested in the inventions of all chefs, famous and obscure, cutting edge and traditional. No one who loves food could not be. What I mean to say is that traditionally prepared food is equally as interesting and equally worth pursuing. In fact the type of cooking that I am trying to describe does not really exist in restaurants. I am speaking of preparations requiring hours and hours of hand work and equal time cooking. This type of food is not economical for a restaurant to make but is often practiced in homes, mostly by loving mothers for their family or for a special feast or wedding. In most cases food like this can't be bought and the recipes are either memorized or closely guarded. This is the food I covet and I look for restaurants that try to practice this. Traditional restaurants are everywhere in Italy all you have to do is ask, but really great traditional restaurants are just as rare and Michelin stars. We are very fortunate here in Zanco to have Da Maria which has been open since the 50's and has been continuously run by a mother and her two sons who would rather close the restaurant than alter one of their precious recipes. No fusion, no exotic imported spices just traditional food prepared the same way it has always been. For 7 or 8 antipasti, including carna cruda, a pasta course (usually homemade agnolotti), a roast course (usually rabbit or pork), local artisanal cheeses and dessert you pay 25 euros (tax and tip included). Most of the wines are between 10 and 15 euros. Dinner usually includes a table visit and intense and opinionated food discussion with Georgio (the son that cooks) and a free grappa or two. People regularly come from Milan and Turin to eat at Maria's. I have even run into Italian UN dignitaries in Geneva that habitually stop at Da Maria when they are in the area. In the guide books or on the internet? Yeah right!

Hi Fortedei, Perhaps I left the impression that the starred chefs have nothing to offer but in fact I am very interested in the inventions of all chefs, famous and obscure, cutting edge and traditional. No one who loves food could not be. What I mean to say is that traditionally prepared food is equally as interesting and equally worth pursuing. In fact the type of cooking that I am trying to describe does not really exist in restaurants. I am speaking of preparations requiring hours and hours of hand work and equal time cooking. This type of food is not economical for a restaurant to make but is often practiced in homes, mostly by loving mothers for their family or for a special feast or wedding. In most cases food like this can't be bought and the recipes are either memorized or closely guarded. This is the food I covet and I look for restaurants that try to practice this. As for restaurants outside of Piedmont? Why eat outside of Piedmont? Really though, traditional restaurants are everywhere in Italy all you have to do is ask, but really great traditional restaurants are just as rare and Michelin stars. We are very fortunate here in Zanco to have Da Maria which has been open since the 50's and has been continuously run by a mother and her two sons who would rather close the restaurant than alter one of their precious recipes. No fusion, no exotic imported spices just traditional food prepared the same way it has always been. 7 or 8 antipasties including carna cruda, a pasta course (usually homemade agnolotti), a roast course (usually rabbit or pork), local artisanal cheeses and dessert costs 25 euros. Most of the wines are between 10 and 15 euros. Dinner usually includes a table visit and discussion with Georgio (the son that cooks) and a free grappa or two.

I was just wondering if the average gastro tourist coming to Italy is looking for traditional restaurants, or Super Chefs? As I read these forums it seems as though the majority are in pursuit of the latter. I find that the more I pay or the more a chef is written up, the more I expect, but in reality isn't there only so much you can do with food? I find myself at a culinary crossroads. While I am interested in the creative new cutting-edge creations from world renowned chefs, I am also fascinated by the traditional preparations which have evolved over centuries, handed down from generation to generation and continually adjusted and perfected. The aromas emitted from the kitchen windows of my village make my mouth water so overwhelmingly fast, that it is hard for me to imagine how starred chefs can eclipse this. In fact I know they don't. When I dine out nowadays it is usually at the less celebrated restaurants. I have been separated from a small fortune over the last 20 years in celebrated restaurants eating the food of famous chefs and I have to say on reflection, based on a purely emotional point of view, that I have had less satisfaction in these places than in my simple local restaurants. Not only is it more convenient on the pocketbook but more satisfying for the soul. Throw away your guide books and ask the winemakers, butchers and pastry makers: "Who cooks well in the area?". The information you glean will be more accurate, current and passionate than any guide book and they will probably call and make reservations for you!

Ciao Judith, The pictures look fantastic! You will find that being mobbed is good for the balance sheet and sooner or later your body will developer the necessary muscles to let you cope with the fatigue I am living vicariously through your posts! I can't wait to see it in person. Are there some B&B's in you town? Also, can we see pictures of the food please! Ed

Yes but unfortunately I have returned the book so I can't send you the list. He tells me that the book is available in most of the larger book stores. If you don't see it just ask, I am sure they can order it.

I agree that lists like this are rather miss-leading but they do give the tourists some direction and given that every other day there is a "I'm going to be in XYZ for a week, where should I eat" post I thought this might help all those "star seekers". You are also right, Pompa Magna is great and should be on the list. Haven't gotten to any of the other restaurants you mentioned. We don't go out to eat much, I cook you see. Yesterday I was at my carpenters house and his wife was canning 30 kilos of a ratatouille type concoction of peppers, eggplant, onions and carrots. It smelled so good I wanted to sit down in the workshop and start eating. Thank God he gave us a jar to take home. Great food is EVERYWHERE here in Italy!

Haven't you heard? 13 is the new black!