Where are we? Still in Piedmont!
Novara: Italia.it tells me that Novara is the easternmost province of Piedmont, bordering Lombardy to its east and south. Enclosed by the Ticino and Sesia Rivers, it is mainly flatland in the south, hills in the center, and mountains to the north, whence surges the Monte Mattarone.
The Province in part is home to Piedmont's grand lakes: most of Lake Orta and the evocative village of Orta San Giulio; and the southern part of Lake Maggiore, with its renowned tourist resorts of Arona and Castelletto-above-Ticino.
Giro Specialties: Surrounded by rice paddies, Novara’s traditional dish can only be rice-based: Paniscia, as a matter of fact, is a risotto with beans, cabbage and salame della duja (a salami preserved in fat) as well as pretty much anything that the vegetable garden offers at any time of the year.
And to end on a sweet note, the city certainly has no shortage of desserts. Novara biscuits are an ancient treat: made only with eggs, sugar and flour, they have been delighting local residents for more than 500 years. During the Patron Saint’s day (22 January), on the other hand, tasting San Gaudenzio bread – a cake with sultanas or chestnuts, enclosed in a shortcrust pastry shell and with dried fruit grains on the surface – is basically a must.
Fossano: Let's visit a castle! Symbol of the city of Fossano, the Castle of the Acaja rises behind the central Via Roma, and is today surrounded by a large square. Its construction marks a turning point in the history of the city. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, the people of Fossano made an act of commitment to the Acaja, the cadet branch of the Savoy family to be protected from the attacks of neighbouring powers. Because of this submission, the prince undertook to building a fortress at his own expense, which was completed in 1332: Four towers with a square plan rose towards the sky, connected by crenelated curtains; a wide moat surrounded the fortress on three sides, which could be crossed with a drawbridge. After the extinction of the Acaja, possessions passed to the Savoy family who, around 1485, promoted the transformation of the castle into a palace; from that moment the building would be used mainly as a residence.
Giro Specialties: Fossano is the capital of Piedmontese Fassona raw meat. Panettone and Fossanesi chocolates, Chiacchere di meliga, Brut and Bun pastries are also a must.
The stage: A straight forward looking sprint stage for our Monday.
But is rarely a truly straight forward stage on the Giro.
We had an early break, a regrouping, further attacks and further regrouping. Plus reports of rain at what would likely be a super hectic finish.
Wet road service, anxious peloton, the nerves were up for both riders and viewers.
A reminder: GC riders are mainly riding until the 3 kilometer to go point in sprint stages. So once they pass that stage, at which they will all be given the same time if there are not significant gaps, it becomes much more focused on the sprinters.
Instead though, as they reached that point, attacks! Pogacar, Thomas and Honore.
Getting head, Pogacar, with only Thomas for company.
They would be caught! It would end in a sprint after all.
Coming in with the win, Merlier.
That was fun indeed. If you can, try to find video of the last few minutes.
The wine: From 2021
2019 Langhe Freisa “alla mia Gioia” Piero Benevelli
I have a soft spot for Freisa and this just sounded fun.
The folks at Kermit Lynch tell me that: Credit goes to Lyle Railsback for noticing a dusty bottle of this beauty above the fireplace in Massimo Benevelli’s tasting room. Massimo wasn’t going to voluntarily tell us that he produced this delicious little sparkling Freisa “for his joy” (and his family’s consumption), but once we noticed and tasted one, we insisted on scoring some, and he caved in. Good eye, Lyle! Pair this zippy red with salami or, really a treat, a bowl of strawberries.
The food: Gorgonzola
The Gorgonzola consortium tells me that: Gorgonzola is a very ancient cheese. Some say Gorgonzola was first produced in the town of Gorgonzola, near Milan, in the year 879 AD. Some other say that it was first produced in Pasturo nella Valsassina, a great cheese-making area for centuries, due to the presence of excellent natural caves where the average temperature is constantly between 6°C and 12°C. Therefore, this allows perfect making of Gorgonzola as well as several other cheeses.
They also say that: Only milk from some provinces of Lombardy and Piedmont can be used; the milk, exclusively pasteurized full fat cow milk, is added with lactic ferments, rennet and penicillium spores. After coagulation, the curd is put in wooden moulds, about 14 kg per wheel, and then left to rest in order to drain the serum. The wheels are then turned over and branded on both sides with the ID number of the cheese factory. Afterwards, they are moved to cells, called “purgatory”, with a temperature of 18/24 °C, where the wheels are manually salted.
After about 3 weeks of ripening, in cold stores at -1 +7 °C, with 85/100% humidity, the wheels are punched with large metal needles to let the air enter in the cheese, develop the cultures inserted in the curdle and hence give birth to the unique blue-greenish and/or grey-light blue veins of Gorgonzola. When the ripening is complete (minimum 50 and maximum 150 days ripening for sweet Gorgonzola; minimum 80 and maximum 270 days ripening for spicy Gorgonzola), the cheeses are cut and each part is wrapped in foil with the unmistakable G in relief of the Consortium.
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