Sunday, October 25, 2020

Wine and Food of the Giro 2020: Stage 21 Cernusco sul Naviglio to Milano

Where are we?
Cernusco sul Naviglio is located 16km east of Milan (Lombardy), with about 35,000 inhabitants with an average age of just over 40 years and about 6,500 under 18. There are more than 2,200 companies and about 320 shops. Over time the city has developed according to a harmonious urban design, around two fundamental areas: the large historic center made pedestrian in the 80s where there are more than 100 shops and numerous associative spaces; the monumental axis of the Naviglio, with the section of the 32 km cycle path that connects Milan to Trezzo d’Adda and the large green areas for outdoor sports. 
Cernusco sul Naviglio has been awarded as ‘European City of Sport 2020’ from Aces Europe last December 2019 in Brussels at the European Parliament.

Milano: World capital of fashion and design, Milan lives poised between a centuries-long historical and cultural tradition and a creative stance looking forward to innovation and the world at large. Its destiny is already in its name, Mediolanum, meaning “place in the middle” between different territories and peoples, a hub for trade and commerce from the very beginning. Born as a Celtic village it has been through the centuries the Capital of the Western half of the Roman Empire, a major Renaissance Court at the time of Ludovico il Moro and Leonardo da Vinci, a place of plunder for French, Spaniards, Austrians – finally to be annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.  From the 18th century to the present Milan has never ceased to renew its look, from the Neo-Classical lines of Teatro alla Scala to the sumptuous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and finally to the high-rise of its skyscrapers that, from Gio Ponti to the international archistars, have re-drawn its skyline.

Specialties: Tradition and innovation also co-exist in the Milan of taste, between ancient recipes and contemporary gourmet versions. History is represented by risotto alla milanese, with marrowbone steak and saffron rice, mondeghili (fried meatballs), rostin negàa (roast doused in white wine). The typical Christmas cake is Panettone, now famous throughout the world.
Milan provides cooking for every taste and every budget: 20 Michelin-starred restaurants, countless trattorie, local eateries, vegetarian, romantic, traditional and ethnic. But also bars and pubs to celebrate the rite of aperitivo in the evening, with elaborate cocktails and tasty finger food.




The stage: A final 15.7 kilometer stage time trial with two riders on essentially the same time? Had you told the organizers this is where we would be on stage 21, they would have cheered.
Our early stage leader, Scotson at  17'57”. He would be removed from the hot seat by Campenaerts at: 17'48", and and average speed of52.921 kmph.

Meanwhile, riding his last stage today, one of the most interesting men in the peloton. 
In at 17:16, Ganna. One would expect that to be the winning time, though Dennis was yet to ride.
Dennis in at provisionally third.
On the hot seat, it is snack time:
Meanwhile, back at the start ramp:
Ahead, Almeida was on a good day and was likely moving up the final gc list.
Behind, Geoghegan Hart was looking good. It was not surprising, but Hindley was looking to be heading for second place.
In at 18:14 Tao Geoghegan Hart.

Stage:

Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers17:16:55
2Victor Campenaerts (Bel) NTT Pro Cycling0:00:32
3Rohan Dennis (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers
4Joao Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-Quickstep0:00:41
5Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama-FDJ
6Josef Cerny (Cze) CCC Team0:00:44
7Chad Haga (USA) Team Sunweb
8Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates0:00:46
9Kamil Gradek (Pol) CCC Team0:00:47
10Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain McLaren


Final GC:

The wine: Sorelle Bronca Prosecco Extra Dry
Bubbles to finish things.
From the importer: This organically grown, estate-bottled sparkling wine is made primarily of the Prosecco grape with small amounts of the traditional indigenous varieties Perera, Verdiso and Bianchetta. The 'bulk process,' a secondary fermentation in a pressurized tank rather than in the individual bottle, is used. The vinification is unusual for Prosecco; instead of two seperate fermentations, (grape juice to still wine, then still wine to sparkling wine), the Bronca Sister’s Prosecco grapes are pressed and the juice is held at very low temperatures until it is ready to be made into sparkling wine (done periodically throughout the year to maintain the freshest possible stock) upon which time the must is put into a special fermenter and fermented directly to sparkling wine. This more costly single fermentation process retains more of the classic pear aroma that makes Prosecco distinctive. No sugar is added, all of the sweetness comes from the must. A number of batches are produced during the year to ensure freshness, and we import the wine frequently for the same reason. Prosecco is best drunk as fresh as possible.

Notes: pale straw color with a hint of green; very distinctive classic Prosecco aroma of fresh-cut pear; the pear/apple fruit notes continue on the palate, with the Extra Dry level of sweetness very well balanced by fresh acidity. I drink Sorelle Bronca with some olives and a slice of salami while I am deciding what to make for dinner, but it would also be good with a light lunch or just by itself, unlike most Italian wines.


The food: Panna Cotta
Ending in pink. Panna cotta is one of those so simple desserts that I should make more often. Dissolve gelatin in water and then combine that mixture with warm cream with vanilla and sugar. You can add other flavors, but the simple version is my favorite. For the Giro, we served it with raspberries.
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