Tuesday, May 22, 2018

ITT Time: Wine and Food of the Giro 2018: Stage 16: Trento to Rovereto

Where are we?
Trento: The local tourist site tells me that: Trento is a city rooted in art and history, where the Italian and Mitteleuropean cultures meet. Unique amongst the Alpine cities, the City of the Council (1545 - 1563) still keeps its precious monuments as tokens of its rich artistic and historic heritage.
Built in the elegant Renaissance style, they have been enhanced by recent refurbishing works. Special mention goes to the Castello del Buonconsiglio (for several centuries residence of the Prince Bishops of Trento), the Duomo, its splendid piazza and fountain dedicated to Neptune, the frescoed houses and Council Churches as well as the museums and exhibitions which make Trento a true landmark of Alpine arts, culture and traditions. The "imperial" tour starts at Castello del Buonconsiglio and takes visitors across the historical city-centre up to the piazza Duomo, along Via San Marco, via Manci and via Belenzani, running past some of the most beautiful palaces of the city and their surrounding network of roads, alleyways and squares - where other historical buildings can be discovered, such as Via Suffragio's characteristic arcades and the city's ancient towers and battlements. Trento offers visitors its richly historical and artistic heritage all year around. Visitors can admire its beauties while strolling around the city-centre's alleys, enjoying shopping or visiting the city's museums (Museo del Castello del Buonconsiglio, the MUSE Museo delle Scienze and the Museo Caproni themed around aviation).
Trento  is home to one of the most prestigious Universities in Italy. It is also a playing host to several all-important cultural events planned throughout the year, such as the Economics Festival, which draws experts and researchers from all over the world.
In December, don't miss the Christmas Market, which is one of the best in Italy!

 Giro regional specialties:
Trentino’s cuisine is a melting pot of ingredients and methods, since it is at the junction between two climates and several culinary traditions. A rich local food & wine tradition which pays particular attention to quality and ensures both the purity and authenticity of the raw ingredients.
Autenthic products like trout and char from mountain streams, Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Garda Trentino, organic vegetables, berries, Trentino’s cheese, milk product excellences and cured meat.

 Rovereto: Trentino.com tells me that:  Including some 35,000 inhabitants, Rovereto is the second largest city in Trentino, right after the city of Trento.
Still today you can see how strong the Venetians influenced the inner city of Rovereto, with its ancient buildings and memorials.
Rovereto is a popular town especially with those interested in modern arts, as a number of modern artists were born right here in this city. One of them was the Italian futurist painter Fortunato Depero. Rovereto, furthermore, features the main seat of the so-called MART, the museum of modern and contemporary art. Within shortest time the museum has become one of the main European venues for art and culture.

To remember the atrocities of war - this is the main aim of the military memorial “Ossario Castel Dante”, where you will find the mortal remains of more than 20,000 victims of World War 1, such as Fabio Filzi or Damiano Chiesa. Another evidence of the past is the Peace Bell on the hill of Miravalle, ringing out every night to remember those lost in times of war. A historical war museum is found at the castle of Rovereto.

 Giro regional specialties: 
Casonzei (stuffed pasta), cheese from local alpine huts, honey, freshwater fish (charr and trout).

 The stage:


 
Time to find out how much time Dumoulin can take back on Yates and if it will be enough to make this last week of the race even more exciting. But first, a long line of time trialists, some motivated, some resting.

 Tony Martin! Very exciting to see him in the hot seat with a time of 40:14. As his fantasy team owner, I'm delighted.


Rain early and then it looked to be drying out, but as it got closer to the start times of the gc riders, it grew heavier. Maybe good news for Tony Martin in the hot seat? 
One of the favorites for the day:


Indeed, Dennis was in great shape at the first checkpoint--15 seconds up on Tony Martin. Speaking of wow, Aru, who has looked like he was done several times in this race, came in at a provisional third. A bit moto-aided, but still.
And then we had everyone on course. How much time could Dumoulin take? Would Tony Martin win the stage? How would Foome do? We would know very soon.
Dennis at at exactly 40, 14 seconds ahead of Martin.
First split and Yates was down 21 seconds to Dumoulin. It was looking good for him to stay in pink today. Nice ride by Froome, with a negative split to come in provisionally fourth. Meanwhile both Pinot and Pozzovivo were struggling.


It can be hard to tell mid-stage, but Dumoulin looked tired. Poor Pinot meanwhile finished 3:19 down to Dennis. Yikes. Dumoulin in at thrid, with 40:22. 
Yates in at 41:37. He'll stay in pink tonight. It may be a race for the sother steps on the podium at this point.






The wine: Weingut Carlotto Lagrein
I couldn't resist this one.
From the importer:
Feruccio Carlotto and his daughter Michela farm a tiny estate of several hectares in the Alto-Adige town of Ora, south of Bolzano. The special of this village is Lagrein, a red grape that is native to the region, and these folks have it down. They chose to produce only one Lagrein Riserva that is aged in large oak casks. The vines are planted in a complex mélange of soil types dominated by igneous porphyry rock and complemented by limestone subsoil and a wide range of alluvial sediments and stones deposited here over millennia. You have never tasted Lagrein with this much finesse. It is a powerhouse of a wine with a very light touch—inky black, loaded with fruit, with a distinctive personality, and silky tannins. They also make a small amount of Pinot Nero that is made in a very fine, elegant style, with a feathery touch. It is from one of the best terroirs in the Alto Adige for Pinot Nero, the cru of Mazzon.



The food:  Casonzie, from the local website. 

Casonzei of rye stuffed with goat ricotta-cheese from Gresta-Valley sautéed with flowered-butter


 Ingredients for 8 people
For the “pasta”:
• 600 gr. “00” flour
• 400 gr. Rye flour
• 10 organic eggs
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

 For the stuffing:
• 500 gr. goat ricotta-cheese
• 100 gr. grated Trentingrana (parmesan cheese)
• fresh aromatic herbs (chive, basil, dill)
• salt and pepper
• bread crumbs
• for seasoning: 50 gr. butter from Trentino
• mixed dry flowers from Monte Baldo
Preparation
  1. For the “pasta” mix all the ingredients together and work everything until you get a smooth dough and let it rest in the fridge covered with food foil for at least an hour.
  2. For the stuffing, mix the ricotta-cheese with the Trentingrana-cheese and the herbs. Add salt and pepper and a little bit of breadcrumbs, if the dough is too soft.
  3. At this point, roll the dough with the thickness of 2/3 mm.
  4. Put a tablespoon of ricotta every 6 cm, brush the dough with the beaten egg to make the dough stick.
  5. Close with a second sheet of dough and cut the “Casonzei” with a rounded cup, shaping half-moons.
  6. After cooking the “Casonzei” in boiling water, drain and season with some fried butter with mixed dry flowers and sprinkle as desired with Trentingrana-cheese.
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Wine and Food of the Giro 2018 Stage 15: Tolmezzo to Sappada

Where are we? 
Tolmezzo: the regional tourist site tells me that "is the historical capital of Carnia, strategically located at the mouth of the Canale di S. Pietro in the middle valley of the Tagliamento River.
The city was initially under the control of the Patriarchs of Aquileia; it then forged an alliance with Venetian dominion until it finally became an Italian city in 1866. In the XVIII century it became an industrial centre, earning fame overseas for its weaving activity.
Significant pieces of the town's ancient walls can still be found in Borgàt, the old town centre, with buildings and porticoed streets. The St. Martin's Cathedral is not to be missed nor is the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions of Carnia, home to the vast heritage of ethnographic pieces collected by Michele Gortani. Only a few traces, however, can be found of the ancient mountain castle."

Interesting article on the origin of tiramisu, which may or not have been in Tolmezzo.

 Giro regional specialties: Cjarsons (sweet or savoury filled pasta), Frico with polenta, Salame al musèt, Brovada (sour turnips), apples, Pastorut (blue cheese), fruit preserves.

Sappada:The local tourist site tells me that: Surrounded by the Dolomites, Sappada (Plodn in the local dialect) is a well-known winter and summer tourist destination. Its origin is from the early medieval period and is attributed to the Patriarch of Aquileia who is supposed to have invited  a group of families from Bavaria to live in this area, then uninhabited. An ancient German dialect is spoken in Sappada even to this day.
Apart from its landscape beauty, Sappada also boasts a particular rural architecture of wooden houses built using the ancient blockbau technique. The best-known of all the old traditions is the Plodar Vosenòcht, the carnival of Sappada, in which people from the entire countryside are involved for three Sundays, and where the typical mask of Rollate plays the leading role.

 Giro regional specialties: Knödel, Gepicta Kropfen (ravioli with a lesser-calamint filling), wild game dishes (served with radicchio, polenta or mushrooms), Mogn Kropfn (Carnival fritters). 

The stage:


 
 Ah the Dolomites. Every year when the Giro traverses the Dolomites, I say that I will visit. Maybe this year?
The break of the day is large.


Happy birthday Chris Froome. He is 33 today. After his performance yesterday, it will be interesting to see if he has another go today.
Eighty kilometers to go and the gap was around 2:09. 


 
Education First at the front of the peloton was clearly determined to chase down the the break. They were working very hard, but not really making progress. With seventy kilometers to go, the gap was around 1:30 and the break was splintering. Sixty nine kilometers to go and Woods attacked, which was the reason for all of the work from the team. 


 
Excitement for me as Bernie Esisel is back in the commentary box. He questions the EF tactics on the day. Dear Eurosport, if he does not heal enough to ride the Tour, perhaps you could bring him on for more commentary?
Eventually, Woods and his group would sit up, as it became clear they were not going to get across the gap.
Despite the wet weather, it was still so gorgeous.



 Up ahead at the front of the race Quintana, Denz and Cherel with a first chase group of Ciccone and Visconti. Those groups would come together around with under forty kilometers to go and a gap of 2:18. Dayer would yo-yo from that small group. Speaking of yo-yo-ing. Aru in trouble again in the main group. Perhaps he is ill?


Ciccone is having a great Giro. Thirty kilometers and that gap was down to thirty seconds. The pink jersey group was down to around twenty two riders.


And just after that update, trouble for Froome. Yates! Wow. Following him Lopez, with Dumoulin in a small group not far behind. Those groups would come together, distancing Froome behind. Yates again! Jumping from that group with just over seventeen kilometers to go. I'd say too early, but he looks quite fresh. One could even say "dancing on the pedals."


Putting in some major time on Froome behind.


Eight kilometers to go and Yates had about thirty seconds on that chasing group. Nice riding by Pinot in that group, but they were not working well together with only Dumoulin and Pinot working.



 Yikes. Dumoulin dropped from that chase group as Carapaz pushed the pace.
Meanwhile, no one would come close to Yates. This is how one wins a Giro.
Nice work behind from Dumoulin to catch the four ahead. They would have an ugly sprint for second. 



The wine: Keber Collio 
From the importer:  Edi Keber, viticulturalist of Zegla in the area of Collio, a few meters from Brda, Slovenia, is one of the mavericks of this territory. The excellent quality of his wines runs parallel with the volcanic character of this farmer, dedicated to forging new ideas for the development and valorisation of his land. In the vineyard, Keber has continued the work of his parents and his uncles, with the same passion, fervor and love for the simple life in close harmony with nature. The farm covers ten hectares of vineyards, all in Zegla, that thrive on the cold north bora winds and the breeze from the Adriatic Sea, all the while benefitting from ideal southern exposure.
The year 2008 marked a momentous milestone for Keber as the azienda decided to commit to the production of a single white grape ine, the Collio, a blend of three varieties: Friulano for structure, Malvasia Istriana for its aromatic qualities, and Ribolla Gialla for acidity. The varietals express themselves to their greatest potential in this area cormonese, cultivated on “Ponka”, a soil composed of
marl and sandstone that naturally stresses the vines, lending to the production of a wine with remarkable weight, body and a distinctive minerality typical of the region. Today the wines of the Keber estate, run by Edi with the help of his son Kristian, are intense, long-lived, and synonymous with the great terroir that is Collio.


The food:  Brovada
From the regional wesbite: When the wine has been made, the pomace which remains can be used to produce grappa, or an ancient procedure can also be used which uses field turnips (Brassica rapa).

Although there are many descriptions, the one that stands out the most is the one by Giuseppe Ferdinando del Torre, a pharmacist in the Austrian Friuli who wrote the “Il Contadinel” (1856-1895), where he described a method for preserving the turnips. “Stratify them in a container with the pomace and add the given amount of water. When they are arranged in this way, they become completely acidified and are then called bruàda or sbrùada. They are then cooked and seasoned and can either be eaten like this or mixed with sauterkraut in a bean soap, and this is called "jota".

This is the brovada, which is eaten with musetto, an undisputed treasure of Friulian cuisine. It is also prepared by the Slovenians in the Karst Plateau under the name repa. It is a healthy product which is low in calories, high in fibre and calcium, and has prompted some producers to join the Association in order to protect and promote this traditional recipe.

Since 2011, brovada has been protected by the DOP mark which guarantees both the quality and the origin of the product.
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Wine and Food of the Giro 2018: Stage 14: San Vito al Tagliamento to Monte Zoncolan


Where are we?
San Vito al Tagliamento: The regional tourist site tells me that it is: A charming and elegant medieval town with a richly frescoed castle , San Vito al Tagliamento still preserves the medieval moat and the three access towers.
Worthy of note are the beautiful buildings of elegant architecture and religious monuments including the Duomo, a real art gallery for the richness of paintings and frescoes, the Church of Santa Maria dei Battuti, a jewel of the Friulian Renaissance that inside splendid frescoes by Pomponio Amalteo , and the Chiesa dell'Annunciata with a cycle of frescoes from the second half of the fourteenth century.
Finally, do not miss the delightful little Italian theater "Giangiacomo Arrigoni" , which is influenced by the eighteenth century Venetian influence.

 Giro regional specialties: Zuf (pumpkin soup), Pitina sausage with cornmeal stock, polenta dumplings with cheese, Musèt e brovada (cotechino with sour turnips), pork chops with Savoy cabbage.

Monte Zoncolan: is a mountain in the Carnic Alps. We've seen it before in the Giro. You can read a lot more at Inrng. It may also be time to take a second look at Will's Mountain Preview.



The stage: While the world watches the royal wedding, the riders are facing a day of climbing and more climbing. Be sure to check out the links above for a lot more info about the climb because it is a showstopper.






Sky sure is visible on the front of the peloton. Protecting Froome on wettish roads or is there a plan for the day? Or maybe they really just wanted to reach the feed zone first?
Might as we read the paper while waiting:


 
Fifty five kilometers to go and the gap was 6:17.
Sam Bennett with a wheelie on the way up.


 
Chaves looking to be in trouble again. He was off the front of the pink jersey early today. Forty kilometers to go and the gap to the break was under four minutes. 


Thirty kilometers and the gap was 3:15. Spare a thought for the grupetto behind. Note to race organizers, someday please, a grupetto cam. Twenty kilometers to go and the gap was around one minute. Still lots of very difficult climbing to come. 



 Word, by the way, that they are expecting 100,000 people on top of the mountain today. Here they go.



 The last rider from the break, Conti. Behind him, Anton had attacked from the group, trying to relive his glory days.  Behind, the main group was rapidly shrinking. One of the many questions of the day: could Yates but in some additional time on Dumoulin? Dumoulin apparently had a cheat sheet with showed exactly how much power he should be putting out during each kilometer of the stage. Ten or so riders only left in that group, as they were halfway up the mountain. Yates was looking very strong. Off the back, Aru with company.
Froome attack! Behind him Lopez, Yates and Pozzovivo. Not far back from them, Dumoulin and Pinot, grinding along.
Three kilometers to go and there went Yates, chasing Froome, and putting more time between himself and Dumoulin. Two kilometers to go and Froome had about 12 seconds over Yates, with the others spread out behind. One kilometer, eight seconds and Yates looked to be closing rapidly. But Froome would hold on. What a day for him. All in all though, a good day for Dumoulin, who kept close enough.



The wine:  Ronchi de Cialla Ribolla Gialla 2011
Really, I was kind of curious how this would be after hanging out in my home for longer than I had meant it to.
From the producer:  Roncs, in the dialect of Friuli, means vinery cultivated hills. Cialla is a small valley facing from North-East to South-West, surrounded by woods with chestnut, oak and wild cherry trees, in the d.o.c. (controlled wine) Colli Orientali del Friuli area, and it is officially recognised – with a Ministerial Decree dated 30.10.95 – as cru CIALLA only for the cultivation of native vines from Friuli (white wines: Verduzzo, Picolit and Ribolla Gialla; red wines: Refosco dal Peduncolo rosso and Schioppettino) and the production of vintage wines.
Cialla has remained intact because it is a bit distant from other settlements, as it was in ancient times when it was called #ela. #ela, in the Slavic language that was spoken there, which means “Riviera”; it was given this name because it had such an exclusive and good micro-climate that even now olives grow there. The step terraces, carved out of the hills, perfectly located in terms of the directions they face for wine cultivation, go back to the times of the Patriarchate of Aquileia and the Republic of Venice, and according to deeply rooted local folklore, they were developed by Turkish prisoners.
To confirm that Cialla wines were already appreciated back then there are documents dating back to 1496 that state that the Honourable Cathedral Chapter used to purchase some of this wine every year. In 1970 a family run agricultural company was founded here – which was the passion of Paolo and Dina Rapuzzi and now continues with their sons Pierpaolo and Ivan – aiming to valorise ancient vineries of Friuli origin in accordance with a philosophy aimed at a selected production of extremely high quality wines.


 Food: With some fine help from Google Translate, a recipe for
Musèt e brovada
Which Academia Barilla tells me translates to: Muset, a sausage made from pork shin, snout and skin, pairs well with the sweet-sour taste of horseradish or brovada, a pickled turnip dish, similar to sauerkraut. 

• 1 kg of brovade
• 2 musèt or cotechini
• 50 g of lard
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 white onion
• salt
• pepper

Reduce the lard to a very well beaten, put it in a pan and flavor the onion cut into very thin slices and the crushed garlic clove. After a few minutes, remove the garlic, add the brovadas, the bay leaf, salt and pepper, cook for about 40 minutes or more.
In another saucepan boil the cotechini pierced with a needle for about 1 hour, then drain them and add them to the brovadas, leave to flavor for a few minutes, withdraw and serve.
Posted by at 1 comment:

Friday, May 18, 2018

Wine and Food of the Giro 2018 Stage 13: Ferrara to Nervesa Della Battaglia

Where are we?
Ferrara: Discover Italy tells me that: Ferrara, city on the low Emilian plain surrounding the ford of the Po River, is an enchanting result of Medieval and Renaissance art and architecture. 

 During the Renaissance, some of the most important Italian maestros, in the service of the Estense Court, realized structures and monuments of exceptional value for Ferrara. The city's history is profoundly tied to that of the d'Este Family, who rendered  Ferrara (between the 13th and 16th Centuries) the magnificent place it is today. 

 The very first thing visitors to Ferrara should do, in fact, is roam the charming city streets for a bit. Admire the unique network of roads, because Ferrara is one of the few big Italian cities whose urban structure is not Roman. After all, it was the House of Este to give their own imprint to Ferrara, with an ambitious city plan that later, along with other aspects, led to Ferrara's meriting a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1995). 
Giro regional specialties:
Coppia ferrarese IGP (bread), Caplit (cappelletti soup), Cappellacci di Zucca ferraresi IGP (pumpkin stuffed pasta); Salama da sugo IGP (pork sausage), marinated smelt, watermelon, Torta Tenerina (chocolate cake), Pampepato di Ferrara IGP (traditional sweet cake).

 Nervesa Della Battaglia: To the Veneto we go! Apparently we should visit an amusement park.  Atlas Obscura tells me that " Nestled in a lush green Italian forest, the Ai Pioppi Playground began as a hobby meant to promote a small restaurant has evolved over 40 years of creation into a stunning home-brewed amusement park full of one-of-a-kind rides, all built by one man. "

 Giro regional specialties: 
Patata del Montello (local potato variety); mushroom, asparagus and radicchio dishes, salt cod specialties.

 The stage: Another sprint day! Speaking of sprints, the competition for the sprint jersey has gotten tight, so perhaps some excitement there.



 
Bernie Eisel on Eurosport bringing some joy to the day. I still miss you, Breakfast wtih Bernie. "I realised it was serious when there were 10 doctors around the screen.' Yikes! Fingers crossed his recovery continues to go well and we can see him back on his bike soon. 


 
Thirty five kilometers to go and the gap was around 1:30 with rain predicted ahead. Thirty kilometers to go and they had a sneak preview of the finish line with the gap under one minute.  It looked like a bunch sprint was very very likely. 
Hey, Tony Martin! Probably doomed, but it would bring me joy. Indeed, doomed.


 
Fifteen kilometers to go and the break was still hanging onto twenty three seconds. Ten kilometers and twenty seconds. Juts under seven kilometers to go and they would finally be caught. Time to watch the sprint trains.
With ease, Viviani.



 


 
 
General classification after stage 13
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott  
2Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb0:47:00 
3Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ1:04:00 
4Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Bahrain-Merida1:18:00 
5Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Movistar Team1:56:00 
6George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo2:09:00 
7Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team2:36:00 
8Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team2:54:00 
9Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe2:55:00 
10Fabio Aru (Ita) UAE Team Emirates3:10:00


The wine: Casa Coste Piane Valdobbiadene Prosecco
From the importer: Loris Follador is from a long line of farmers in Valdobbiadene. His family had vines on the steep hillsides when the flat areas of the valley were still pastureland and turnip fields and the main local industry was the nearby pottery and tile factories. Now those flatlands are full of vines, and commercial prosecco with a capital " P" -that insipid, slightly cloying, and frankly disgusting wine- is the main economy of the region.
Thanks to his father and grandfather, Loris and his two sons have never had to plant a vine. This is a good thing because their vineyards are absurdly steep and the soil is very shallow, hitting solid limestone or sandstone rock in a few centimeters. As a result, they have only 60 years or older vines, planted in high pergola on steep hillsides. In high season, the vineyards give the impression of a primaeval vine forest. The Folladors are well aware of this fortunate legacy and treat it with the reverence and respect it deserves. No herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers are used.


Food: Pampepato di Ferrara IGP, from the Splendid Table
Pampepato was created at the Monastery of Corpus Domini during the 15th century. A century later the monastery achieved further distinction by becoming the burial place of one of Ferrara's most illustrious duchesses, Lucrezia Borgia d'Este. Some believe the cake's original name was pan del pape, or bread of the pope, while others say it was pan pepato, or peppered bread.
Pampepato was first cloaked in chocolate in the late 19th century. The crisp coating not only singles out Pampepato from the Christmas cakes of Emilia and Romagna, but also seals the cake, keeping it moist through the entire holiday season. Ferrarese Riccardo Rimondi shared this recipe with me. He tells of Christmas in Ferrara when every pasticceria makes its own Pampepato, packing it in golden cellophane or gilded boxes. On Christmas Eve, every shop has platters of sliced Pampepato. Shoppers are invited to share the Christmas tradition as they collect the last-minute supplies for the next two days of feasting.

 The regional website offers a simple recipe:

Pampepato- spice cake
Ingredients: 200 gr. flour, 100 gr. almonds, 100 gr. sugar (or better honey), 100 gr. powdered cocoa, 100 gr. chopped candied fruit, 2 gr. cinnamon, 2 gr. Crushed cloves, 80 gr. semi-sweet chocolate for the icing.
Work the above ingredients with lukewarm water or milk, mixing at length to obtain a rather solid compound.
Shape the pampepato, giving it the characteristic domed shape of a skullcap. Bake it in the oven taking great care for if it burns it becomes bitter. Let it rest in a cool, damp place for ten days. After this time, ice it melted semisweet chocolate.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)