Il Comm. Ensale

We, along with owners Walter and his wife Gisella, are celebrating ten years of the renewal of the one plus century old FLIPOT
We are in Torre Pellice, the focal point of the valley western Turin, named Valli Valdesi.
The cooking is driven from the seasons and from what the mountains of this valley can offer to the local people who have lovingly learned from over the years.
And, no doubt, Walter and Gisella love their valley and their mountains.
Meats and the local cheeses only coming from these mountains are very particular and therefore do not miss in summer the cheese called Seiras del Fen. Also the honey is local and its quality is excellent.
In this period their smart proposal is the menù degustazione della Tradizione delle Valli Valdesi.
It is outstanding ! Listen !
LA TROTA DELLA VAL PELLICE ALLE DIVERSE COTTURE
and TARTRA’ TRADIZIONALE PIEMONTESE IN SALSA DI ACCIUGHE are the two antipasti.
GNOCCHETTI DI GIUNCA’ ALLE PICCOLE VERDURE AL PROFUMO DI TIMO SERPILLO is the delicious first course.
Then you go on with CARRE’ DI AGNELLO NOSTRANO COTTO NEL FIENO MAGGENGO with PATATE ALLA CENERE and, not yet finished, you go on with FORMAGGI VALLIGIANI.
The dessert is CROSTATINA DI RABARBARO DEI PILON.
The full cost of this gorgeous offering, exclusive of wine is 80 euro.
What Walter and Gisella opened few years ago is very smart: they created a branch of FLIPOT at a very short distance from the main restaurant; its name is La Crota dl’Ours, whose meaning is “The Cellar of the Bear”.
At La Crota d’Ours it is possible to dine in a nice casual (and less expensive) way and almost always as it is open also for grogeous take away solutions.
The quality is the same of the main restaurant and it is very high.
The Bed part is very charming and it is very sweet and comfortable to rest in such a quiet place.

D&B FLIPOT
Corso Antonio Gramsci, 17
TORRE PELLICE (TO)
Tel 012 191236
www.flipot.com

Bed price 100 € double room including breakfast
Dinner price 90 € per person, not including wine

I came back from a guided wine tour in the province of Salerno, the Southern province of Campania and I discovered a great red wine and now I’d like to share with you my report about this excellent wine.
The location of the vineyard is close to Paradise. Oh, yes !
We are in a very small hamlet, its name is Capitignano of Tramonti the small hilltown up Maiori, one of the small towns of Amalfi Coast.
The view from here is, in my honest opinion, unique in the world.
The winery is GIUSEPPE APICELLA and the wine that I tasted is ‘A SCIPPATA 2004.
‘A SCIPPATA is a blend of two local grapes: Tintore (80%) and Piedirosso (20%).
Tintore grapes are male and strong; if alone it could be even rude, so that it needs a sweet stroke from a gentle hand, and this is the role of the female partner, Piedirosso.
Its aging process is in large oaks but also in barriques.
The color is a strong red. My nose smelled the cherries.
My mouth told me “thank you” as I finished the first glass sip by sip.
Its best match is with red meats and aged cheese.

Azienda Agricola Giuseppe Apicella
Frazione Capitignano
Tramonti
tel 089 856209
http://www.giuseppeapicella.it/

This time, in Liguria, we are not talking about a D&B but about a traditional B&B.
We are in the western part of Liguria, close to France.
The coast is very fine and very sweet are the hills.
Fruit and vegetable production is top quality.
We are in Albenga and the B&B is Artemisia.
Albenga is a medieval town and her towers make its historical center very charateristic.
In the middle of the sea, alone and unique, there is the small uninhabited island named Gallinara.
The small and very interesting Museo Navale Romano deserves a visit.
B&B Artemisia is located in the heart of the historical center of Albenga: only three rooms.
No dinner at B&B Artemisia, yes we know; and so ?
No problem because we go to BABETTE.
The chef is Fabio Bonavia, the menu is focused on the local products, the wine list is well-done and wide-ranging, the choices of dessert are . . . . oh, my God ! and for every dessert there is the correct sweet wine.

B&B ARTEMISIA
Via E.R. Ricci, 12 (P.zza S. Francesco)
Albenga (SV)
tel 389 9914076
Double room 80 €
http://www.artemisiaalbenga.com/

RISTORANTE BABETTE
Viale Pontelungo, 26
Albenga (SV)
tel 0182 544556
cell 339 545506
Dinner price 35€ per person, exclusive of wine.
www.ristorantebabette.com

I know, I do know that our Italian longest river, by the way with the smallest name: Po, is a bit more than a secondary bayou of Mississippi; nevertheless, the charm of Po and of its surrounding area, named Polesine, is great and unique.
Rather than to sail on it, we drive along its right coast and we arrive in the small town Polesine Parmense.
We are in the land where the great Maestro Giuseppe Verdi was born and lived. His music is great and well known everywhere. Can you ignore “Va pensiero” ?!? It is also the land of an important Italian writer, Giovannino Guareschi, the author of the serial books with the priest Don Camillo and the major of the left party Peppone. These stories became famous movies.
We are along the road of the Culatello di Zibello, and Zibello is the next town after Polesine Parmense.
Culatello di Zibello is the best part of the pork, aged in the best place. In other words, a true masterpiece to taste at least once in the life.
The D&B is Antica Corte Pallavicina.
An ancient palace build more than six centuries ago.
In the cellars there are more or less five thousands culatello waiting. That is the only key factor, the flow of the time which enables them to become ready to eat.
And it means at least two years.
Upstairs 4 very comfortable and charming rooms and 2 suites, and I do not have words enough to describe them: two dreams !
We sleep in a very ancient palace with the comforts of this century.
The breakfast is the masterpiece of the morning.
The very kind and very clever Valerio cares about it.
Unbelieveable how much food and how high quality it is!
Having a rich breakfast, believe me, the next time we eat in the day is the dinner.
And, by the way of dinner, the Dinner part is the linked restaurant Al Cavallino Bianco, whose chef is Massimo Spigaroli, the patron of Antica Corte Pallavicina, your guide to visit the cellars with Culatello and your teacher, if you choose, for useful cooking lessons.
To listen to your desires and to care for you is the brother of Massimo, Luciano.
The menu is excellent and you cannot miss the “verticale” of culatello, meaning culatello at its different ages. Also please consider the fish from the river, the storione.
The experience at Spigaroli’s house is unique and unforgettable.
Look at the photogallery of its website to begin to understand better what you are missing until you will stay there for some days.

UPDATE

During 21-22-23 October, you may attend a day-long course to learn to make salumi.
For further information or to sign up, send an e-mail to Valerio

D&B ANTICA CORTE PALLAVICINA
Strada del Palazzo Due Torri, 3
Polesine Parmense (PR)
tel 0524 936539
http://www.acpallavicina.com/

Bed 130€ per double room including breakfast
Dinner 45€ per person, exclusive of wine