This eating experience deserved a special mention...On arrival in Settimo Vittone we stopped at a restaurant for coffee to prepare us for the climb to the castle which would be our rest place for the night. The owner, Signor Antonella greet us and we looked at photos of him on the wall - he turned out to be the conductor of the local band. We looked at the menu and said we would return for supper. Osteria La Sosta was well worth the 2km round trip. When we arrived in the evening the daughter greeted us and handed a postcard from the owner. He had written a personal message to us:
" Ladies - from the "Ospitality Il Castello" Dear Ladies, Unfortunately (for me, at least) I won't be there when you're coming tonight. I just want to give you some information about the way to have good food and not to spend too much. The PRIMI PIATTI and also the SECONDI are portioned for two people. The antipasti can be shared as well. The Spontine del Viandante is the Pilgrims Dish. Have a Good time and good luck for your trip."
Accompanying the postcard was a brochure and menu with the family history and a Dolci recipe. I collect menu's and this will become part of my collection.
Syl chose the grill di zucchine, melanzane - a selection of grilled vegetables. Kathy insisted on the ravioli cooked in the copper pan and said the sauces was delicious and spicy - she didn't offer a tasting - Kathy says she doesn't share!!
Val, Rayna and Marion decided to try the Proposte Di Menu De Gerstazione (E18) each. We had no idea what we were getting into.
Antipasti was served in two courses.
Sausage - red, could have been blood but we told ourselves it was beetroot.
Lard - literally strips of bacon lard - it tasted good but was spoiled by the voice in my head which was that of Chef Michelle of the Christina Martin School of Cookery lecturing us on the reasons NOT to cook with duck fat or lard..."it goes straight to the heart and arteries!" she would say.
Dried beef - Biltong?
Bowl of Salsa...which reminded us of Chakalka.
Second course of Antipasti
Carpaccio - delicious
Eggs on bruschetta - like eggs benedict without the spinach
Spicy sausage in yellow peppers
PRIMO
Ravioli meat
Risotto - cheese
Gnochi verde
DOLCI
Panna cotta al caffee con salsina alla branda (disappointing - too much gelantine?)
Sorbetto al limone - lemon sorbet - excellent
Tiramisu - because you have to! It is one of those disches that became fashionable and few of us probably would recognise the real thing. We went on to taste a Tiramisu made in heaven at the Hostel in Berceto - but remain unsure if it was the real thing. I need to look it up in Elizabeth Davids diaries of Northern Italy.
" Ladies - from the "Ospitality Il Castello" Dear Ladies, Unfortunately (for me, at least) I won't be there when you're coming tonight. I just want to give you some information about the way to have good food and not to spend too much. The PRIMI PIATTI and also the SECONDI are portioned for two people. The antipasti can be shared as well. The Spontine del Viandante is the Pilgrims Dish. Have a Good time and good luck for your trip."
Accompanying the postcard was a brochure and menu with the family history and a Dolci recipe. I collect menu's and this will become part of my collection.
Syl chose the grill di zucchine, melanzane - a selection of grilled vegetables. Kathy insisted on the ravioli cooked in the copper pan and said the sauces was delicious and spicy - she didn't offer a tasting - Kathy says she doesn't share!!
Val, Rayna and Marion decided to try the Proposte Di Menu De Gerstazione (E18) each. We had no idea what we were getting into.
Antipasti was served in two courses.
Sausage - red, could have been blood but we told ourselves it was beetroot.
Lard - literally strips of bacon lard - it tasted good but was spoiled by the voice in my head which was that of Chef Michelle of the Christina Martin School of Cookery lecturing us on the reasons NOT to cook with duck fat or lard..."it goes straight to the heart and arteries!" she would say.
Dried beef - Biltong?
Bowl of Salsa...which reminded us of Chakalka.
Second course of Antipasti
Carpaccio - delicious
Eggs on bruschetta - like eggs benedict without the spinach
Spicy sausage in yellow peppers
PRIMO
Ravioli meat
Risotto - cheese
Gnochi verde
DOLCI
Panna cotta al caffee con salsina alla branda (disappointing - too much gelantine?)
Sorbetto al limone - lemon sorbet - excellent
Tiramisu - because you have to! It is one of those disches that became fashionable and few of us probably would recognise the real thing. We went on to taste a Tiramisu made in heaven at the Hostel in Berceto - but remain unsure if it was the real thing. I need to look it up in Elizabeth Davids diaries of Northern Italy.
3 comments:
Well we are enjoying your trip with various people downloading and pasting the latest episode to an email and then forwarding it to all interested. It seems amazing that this is possible.
We will book Kathy and Rayna for the prize giving for 1000k challenge which is just after you arrive in the real world.
Of course I loose a few hours of work just reading through you trip.It certainly sounds like you are having an experience of a life time. We also get the sms's forwarded to everybody. I especially like to read all about the food you are eating.
Love Dave and Antoinette
Glad to hear you are all having a good time and that despite all the walking the stomach and food intake is not suffering! (or the wine consumption for that matter)
Keep in touch Robbie and Liane
val hope you all ok and no blisters could you please text me as wiped out your number good luck ALAN X
Post a Comment