Restaurateur
Saveliy Libkin

Pavia

In the morning we visited the enterprise Giovanni Colombo in small town Cava Manara. Madam Marcia with whom we made an appointment by phone, count money at work so many and so often that that she never has time for elementary hospitality. The owner of the enterprise, Mr. Giorgio Colombo (there are also such big names), dropped in and said hello, but when he understood that we aren’t the buyers from Moscow disappeared fast. Carlo Milani, production director has spent all the time with us. He showed us the workshop where they produce Grana Padano and Gorgonzola. The company is big, they have a few factories, but exactly this one in Pavia produces several types of Gorgonzola and Grana. I don’t have the impressions as everything was formally, fast and standard.

Pavia. Giovanni Colombo

Pavia. Giovanni Colombo

Pavia. Giovanni Colombo

Then we moved to town Mortara near Pavia and visited salumeria Corte dell`Oka di Palestro Gioachino, which was recommended to us by the owner of lateria from Branzi. Absolutely by accident during the lunch in the restaurant «Il Cuuc» we paid attention to logo of a goose and asked is there anything common in salumeria and restaurant. It turned out that the restaurant is managed by one of the sons David, and another son and Gioachino Palestro are occupied themselves with production of salami and other different delicacies from goose. Besides, the menu of the restaurant offers all production of salumeria in the dishes.

Il Cuuc

Salumeria Corte dell`Oka di Palestro Gioachino

The shop and the production impressed me… Only a few people were noticed at the production and e few tens of types of delicate products: sausages and a lot of other options of food from different parts of a goose, a few types of pate and terrines and of course foie gras. I would like to make special mention of ravioli with filling from goose and breast marinated and then boiled in goose fat. I don’t know who thought of the legend about that only in France people are able to farm gooses. White, beautiful and absolutely identical birds that have very healthy appearance, they rather resemble the swans then their Ukrainian fellows.

In the shop next to salumeria Corte dell`Oka di Palestro Gioachino

On the other hand our village fellow citizens differ more striking from provincial Italians from Mortara. That food which aborigines of Mortara eat every day, our  нашим fellow citizens, and at that only from capital or very well-to-do, can have only in the version of feature film  or when they watch TV program «Eat at home» at  Konchalovsky place and sometimes in the section Living of Vogue magazine. All the rest have the opportunity to choose from average supermarket range and possibility to eat rice with freezing under the name sushi on high days and holidays. I would like to make a reservation; the social implications are not the subject of my gastronomic investigation.

Corte dell`Oka

After Lombardia we moved to Piedmont, and to very Alba. We settled, or rather tried to settle at Casa Scaparone in the village Scaparone, 5km away from Alba. The owner of this business, some half Muscovite – half Italian Alesandra was rather courteous and careful within our correspondence. We were promised wonders which in actuality turned out to be rather untidy and unadapted for living of tourist place. Lift, apparently was made by the owner, as only she can use it. As personnel was one more girl, but she disappeared from time to time for 30 minutes, and even if she appeared she spoke only in Italian and didn’t hear unknown for her language and gestures on principle. I won’t describe super Spartan conditions because this place is a mistake in principle.

We moved, in the result to decent hotel, refusing from idea of agritourism in the given case. In the morning we had an appointment with other sausage makers at Luiset Аgrisalumeria in the small town Ferrere d’Asti, 20 km away from Alba. Earlier pig farm was situated directly near the production, but Chiara, owner of the salumeria explained that they have been forced to move pigs to another place. At production works the family, Chiara and her brother Mauro, father Gino and hired Pino.  This salumeria produces only 18 types of delicacies. Several types of salami and salsiccia, lardo, pancetta, lonza and prosciutto.

Luiset Аgrisalumeria

Luiset Аgrisalumeria

The tasting took place directly at mini shop next to salumeria and was combined with serving of fellow villagers. Everything was very delicious and with loving care. With that loving care which one can’t see in our sausage businesses. And business is presented here also, but only how can be compared home production of 100-200 kg per day with factory mega volumes where sometimes cuttings and skin, and more often protein hydrolysate is pushed into synthetic or starch cover and after steam cooker goes directly to supermarkets for people, for breakfast-lunch-dinner. Social implication again. I can’t not to compare. And comparison always impels to gastronomic emigration. And it doesn’t matter where from, the main thing is here.

The main product in Alba and in neighborhoods is not salami of course. Everything is dedicated to the truffles here… white, black, small and very large, smelling mysteriously always and very expensive. Even in season, in the end of October, the smallest white truffles cost from 2000 Euro per kilogram. The price for big patterns begins from 4000 Euro and ends at auctions on weekend by five digit figures. You can choose a restaurant not particularly because tartufo bianco is served in each restaurant here. To each dish form egg tajarin, you will offered 4-5 grams at a price about 30 Euros.

We had lunch and dinner at absolutely not tourist restaurant La Libera . There are local businessmen and simple Italians in the dinning area. The owner of the restaurant Marco Forneris, he is also the chef, serves the guest by himself together with two ladies. There are 4 people in the kitchen. The restaurant is full. The service is ordinary, without excess of false smiles and in general without capital-village affectation, but food is excellent. Ravioli with ricotta, spinach and eggs, covered by truffle, I could hardly dissuade myself from repeating. There is firm aroma of truffles in the hall and the dish with them is at every table. I recommend neglecting everything and coming here for breathtaking gluttony and at the same time ruin of stashes and another savings. And also 7-8 sort of local cheeses and crazy panna cotta with pear for dessert. I understand that my fellow citizens associated this kind of dessert with Ukrainian milk jelly, because of the efforts of some too business-oriented and – educated by halves chef…

LaLibera

For dinner Marco offered pork legs, fried with dried crusts and salad with chicken and foie gras. Minimal quantity of embellishment and décor in general, but it was delicious again. Again full restaurant of particular and know about Barolo and tartufo guests. Tomorrow we will have dinner here.

LaLibera

If to remember everything that was recommended or tasted in different shops and restaurants of Alba, then I can mention basic local specialties, like cheese Castelmano from province Cuneo and Gorgonzola, Taleggio and Roccaverano goat cheese, Monferrato salami, white truffles and apples San Marzano. And of course meat from Bue Grasso — Piedmont fat bull, the basis of the dish Bollito misto and Saffron yellow tajarin — Piedmont thin noodles, like Tagliolini which is served with local sweetish butter and white truffles.

The next day began from Ceretto.

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