Restaurateur
Saveliy Libkin

When I developed the program for gastronomic trip, I applied to several local travel agencies. But I got only silent from all of them, and that is why I provided myself with patience and enthusiasm thought over the entire program personally. Especially I was confused with the answer from the employee of the magazine Simple, who is responsible for eno- and gastro tourism: she said that this is commercial project, so you should search by yourself. However, as a favour I was recommended to visit Ceretto Company, taking into account that when I bother her with my mails they prepared new issue with the story about exactly this company in particular and about Piedmont altogether. And I always look thought the magazine Simple carefully, because the attitude of other employees of this company to the magazine is careful and serious. And the magazine raises the topic interesting for restaurateurs and travelers.

Arrival to Bergamo was late at night and directly in the hotel restaurant was excellent foodа: Caprino cheese — by its consistence it is young goat cheese, but without goat touch and as it turned out it is made from sheep milk — then local vareniki or ravioli, the local name «Casoncelli». Саsoncelli is cooked in the form of long vareniki  and served with sage, butter and cracklings from pancetta. The correct name: Il casoncello alla Bergamasca con e pancetta crocante — it is delicious. The filling consists of few types of meat, pears, raisins and local pastry. (I mentioned this dish several times earlier because I liked its taste very much)

Caprino Cheese

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca

Salame Bergamasco

The main Bergamo impressions: showcase with sweet polenta and fresh pasta with local names are everywhere. Then two small towns near the lake d`Iseo Sarnico and Lovere. Then endless mountain road  to the restaurant Ferdi Agriturismo in Scalvia and dinner with warm polenta and local cheese and chops from greens and spinach. Some more sorts of cheese and salami plus modest and warmed up pasta and pancakes with the same grass. After Ferdi the desire to visit venues with prefix agritourism didn’t disappeared at all but the crack was formed. Everything was too primitive and not really. Even food was doubtful, I’m not talking about the nuances and estimation on one-time tourists and on that in Italian village «that will do».

In the morning we reached Branzi, to the north of Bergamo in the mountains. Beforhand we made an appointment with the owner of the cheese dairy Mr. Norberto Midali. About 2 hours they showed us in details the production of several types of cheese. In our very presence they warmed the ferment for Branzi cheese. In our presence they also separated, cut and packaged butter. At this small plant they make from milk from local mountain pastures famous cheese Formai de Mut. This cheese is produced only in summer, and this  question is controlled firmly by the association of producers of this cheese. In the rest seasond they produce Rozetta, Straccino Valligiano and Straccino. The basic product of the cheese dairy  is Branzi FTB and Formai de Mut DOP.

Pastures to the north of Bergamo

Butter Branzi Burro

Butter is packed manually

Production of cheese

Branzi FTB cheeze

Then we went to town Taleggio. We visited one of the producers of cheese of the same name, but the process of production has been finished already and everything came to nothing more than  mini tasting of very delicious Taleggio,  it is difficult to meet this cheese in the supplier’s offers. Then was a lanch in the Osteria Il Forno, in Brembilla and trip to Gorgonzola.

Many years ago the town was the forefather of famous cheese, but now it turned into solely one of transport interchanges near Milan. For dinner was reserved restaurant Osteria di Via Solata in the old part of Bergamo. It was impossible to park our car plus narrow streets and small squares with a half of car parks for transport of disabled persons and municipal services… The excitement to get there and not to be late was present.  Probably all north Italians are taught merchandising from childhood. Only they can lay out all essential and important things for precise perception of every bar, shop, simple sausage store and restaurant so sensationally and delicately, somewhat pretentiously and at once unconstrainedly. We also swallowed  this visual bait  in the Osteria at the beginning. Tablecloths-toppers, candles,different furniture and old but polished silver intensify the expectations of the main action, service and food always.

The role of hostess, waiter and chef performed the owner of the restaurant. We came at eight o’clock sharp evidently that is why he still was dressed in trainers, jeans and sweater. Nevertheless the owner’s behaviour  is taken as indicative one in the restaurant. After other guests came also, the owner after all put on cook’s uniform over the same jeans. The menu is very short: altogether 20-25 dishs. And there are no more then ten main, basic dishes.

We decided to order two tasting sets, taking into account that it was our last dinner in Bergamo. The food didn’t stay in our memory. Standard expensive tableware plus underplates and portions of 50 grams, including dressing and decoration. Hand-written check and loftily slighting farewell – exactly these things we kept in mind in the result. Such restaurants are forgotten fast…  It is pleasant that they are in the minority.

Further according to the plan is small town Pavia…

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