Gastronomy

ALBERGIAN

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 11:40:37 GMT

Albergian is the name of a mountain in Val Chisone 3043 m high, opposite Pragelato, where in 1908 a story full of taste began, made with recipes and ingredients from the mountains of Piedmont: natural delights to make life better.

For 4 generations, every product and process has been cared for by a family person, from the selection of raw materials to production and packaging. Liqueurs, jams, honey, candies, and other gourmet specialties: everything is produced strictly by hand, with the wisdom and care that give birth to true goodness, using raw materials from small farms to support the local micro-economy and reduce transportation-related pollution.

As Giacomo Tillino, President of Albergian, tells us, "Our company has always followed seasonality and selected the best local products from local producers, with whom we go beyond the economic aspect and maintain personal and friendly relationships. Because knowing the provenance of raw materials means ensuring that the authenticity and goodness that have always been the hallmark of Albergian can be found in the products."

An unavoidable attention to the territory that expands to the importance of traceability, which, Giacomo continues, "we believe in very much. In fact, our entire supply chain is certified with with Italcheck (www.italcheck.it) as 100% Made in Italy, offering our customers all over the world the opportunity to inform themselves about what we produce."

WHERE TO FIND ALBERGIAN PRODUCTS

Albergian's stores are located in Pinerolo, Pragelato, Giaveno, Bardonecchia and Sestriere; the company is listed in the Register of Historical Enterprises of Italy, has received the Gambero Rosso award as Italy's Excellence in Jams and Artisan Excellence from the Piedmont Region, and has been synonymous with quality for more than 100 years.

Not only quality but also sensitivity to current issues: committed for many years to offering products with strong ties to the land, the company has no doubt that this is the right road to contiunate on.

In fact, Giacomo concludes, "All the more so at this delicate moment in history where there is a growing awareness that the loss of biodiversity is a serious ongoing process, we are proud that our corporate philosophy is active in its preservation. A practical example among all is the Rosehip, of which our mountains are rich but which is hardly harvested and processed. Instead, by doing so, we make quality products, contribute to the recognition and cultivation of this specific type of rose and at the same time prevent its oblivion."

Azienda Agricola (Farm) Giovale Manuel

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:58:00 GMT

It recently moved to Borgone, but it is a farm that carries with it the passion and commitment of three generations of farmers. It is run by Manuel and Rachele, who for the past few years have picked up the baton and experience of his family in cheese production between the historic center of Giaveno and Alpe Montebenedetto in Villar Focchiardo.

Two young people who have chosen to pursue an ancient profession together, united by their love and enthusiasm for this activity, which can be felt as soon as one meets them. And if for Manuel this choice was certainly among the possible options, for Rachele it was not at all obvious, after a school career made up of language studies. "I decided to share this experience with my husband," she tells us, "and it was a versa gamble: I loved the mountains and I knew Manuel since we were children, due to the common frequentation of Montebenedetto, but I knew little about farming and cheese, and I had to take a real 'crash course' these years. But now I can say that I am really very satisfied."

Farming is indeed a big commitment, requiring hard work, organization and division of labor: while Manuel takes care of the cows, Rachele thinks about the cheeses, sales, and the courses to be taken to constantly improve the quality of their products.

If in the winter months the cows remain permanently in Borgone, in the summer months (from May to November) they move to the pasture of Montebenedetto: a decidedly shorter transhumance than the one that used to leave from Giaveno. Here the animals are free to graze in the beautiful meadows next to the Carthusian monastery and feed on alpine flowers and grasses, which give the milk and cheeses their classic alpine flavor.

With 30 barà cows, the farm offers high-quality products with authentic aromas and flavors: fresh milk, different types of toma (fresher or more seasoned), tomette flavored with oregano or chili pepper, fresh and "primo sale" type tomini, traditional lait brusc toma, butter.

To these in summer is added a new and mouth-watering product: ice cream. In fact, Montebenedetto at this time turns into an 'Agrigelateria' that is already a success: in the warm season many people go up to the mountain pasture attracted not only by the pure air, the splendid views and the numerous cultural initiatives of the Charterhouse, but also by the desire to enjoy a truly zero-kilometer ice cream, a delicate idea for the snack of children and adults.

During the winter period, the Borgone farm is open with the following hours:

Tuesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. / 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Bicigrill San Michele

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 17:34:00 GMT

Bicigrill San Michele is the perfect place for lovers of two wheels... but not only! The large green space surrounding the facility is ideal for those who want to organize events of all types and sizes, with flexible catering and/or bar service that adapts to the demands and needs of the public.

Open on weekends all day or by request during the week, the Bicigrill is not only a place for refreshments but also a logistics platform and a reference point for sports and outdoor activities.

In addition to free access to beach volleyball, tennis and five-a-side soccer fields (with use of locker rooms and showers), the ferrata and the historic trail leading to the Sacra di San Michele, visible in all its majesty simply by looking up at nearby Mount Pirchiriano, start not far from here.

Very practical the various services that can be found at this business:

Catering and bar service for events (from birthdays to private parties)
Via ferrata harness rental thanks to the collaboration of Giuglar Sport, with the possibility of finding equipment on site
Tourism/trekking e-bike rental thanks to the hiking guide group Duma c'Anduma
Availability of spare parts for the bike
Free use of bike repair tools

An organized and extensive sports hub included in major circuits and events such as La Pellegrina Bike Marathon, La 150-smiles, La Francigena Marathon Val Susa, Alpi 4000 and many others, ready to host athletes and amateurs from all over the world.

In short, sportsmen and women and nonsportsmen, young and old, students, families, and campers (special equipped area is available a few meters away), everyone is welcome at the Bicigrill in Chiusa.

Just a stone's throw from the forest, which is also accessible to the disabled, the facility also has free wi-fi, a play corner and high chairs for children. Therefore, without waiting until it's Giro d'Italia time, it's worth making a real stop in Chiusa San Michele immediately.

The idea of the Bicigrill in the Susa Valley bears the signature of the Caselettese Jacopo Spatola, who already in Rivalta, since September 2017, has successfully proposed this type of activity, widespread in other Italian regions but not yet sufficiently valued in Piedmont.

Birrificio San Michele (brewery)

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:13:00 GMT

San Michele Brewery was born in October 2010 from the passion of its founder, Bruno Gentile, for craft beer, the live and raw kind. The beer that was once drunk and that, for business reasons, has undergone many transformations that have almost entirely changed its original organoleptic characteristics.

Bruno's discovery of craft beer goes back many years through some trips to northern Europe, where this tradition has always been present. In those days, in an Italy dominated by industrial beers, craft beer was practically unknown.Bruno thus began to study, investigate and experiment with what an old master brewer had told him about the secrets of this wonderful food.

Thus was born the Birrificio San Michele , located in an ancient building from 1860 embraced by Mount Pirchiriano, at the foot of the Sacra di San Michele. A habitat that by its nature and purity makes it possible to obtain a beer of excellence that exalts the senses. A craft beer without filtering and without pasteurization, which uses environmentally sustainable and natural raw materials, mountain water, quality products and in part the direct production, absolutely organic, of the basic barley and hops.

Adjacent to St. Michael's Brewery awaits the brewpub, a restaurant where you can taste delicious meat, fish, first and second courses, pizzas, the amazing burgers strictly made of Piedmontese fassona and homemade desserts. Here every week the kitchen is transformed into a real Taste Workshop: to find out what's new and what's on the menu, follow the brewery via its Facebook page.

BEERS

The reasons for the success of San Michele beers are in everything that surrounds them: the streets of an ancient village, the woods of the Susa Valley, the water that springs from the mountains. They are in the care and attention that are put into each bottle and that guarantee a product of excellence that has many stories to tell: stories of taste, of unique places, of unmistakable smells.

Just as music combines notes and pauses to create its symphony, so was born the brewery, which chose to name each of its beers after the protagonist of a musical or literary work. We present them to you one by one:

AIDA (Smoked). Alcohol 5.2% vol, an aftertaste given by the smoking of malts on beech wood, from which the exotic allure and primordial call of the dark skin of the ill-fated princess shines through. Served at 8-10 degrees, it enhances the enveloping flavor as if to reproduce the sumptuous glory of the famous triumphal march.

BUTTERFLY (Kölsch). Slightly fruity craft beer, in which a bitter note is perceived, giving a perfect sensory balance. A delicate blonde, like Puccini's sensitive and dreamy Madama Butterfly, with a light yellow color and a low alcohol content suitable for all occasions (5% vol).

CARMEN (Pale Ale). An American pale ale in perfect harmony between sweet and bitter, like the passionate cigar maker of the same name. High body and alcohol content and the irresistible cocktail of fruit and spice make this craft red ale as sensual and twisting as Bizet's Gypsy. What is striking about Carmen, San Michele's red, is the perfect balance of taste, neither sweet nor bitter, masterfully blending the two opposite sensations (6.2 percent vol). Carmen also bewitched the jury of the 'Beer of the Year' competition, taking third place in 2011.

DESDEMONA (Stout). Craft beer with a distinct roasted malt flavor that evokes hints of coffee, characterized by a fine, creamy foam. Dark color, alcohol 5% vol.

LADY MACHBETH (I.P.A.). Its pleasant, assertive bitterness and abundant hopping make it particularly enticing. An ambitious IPA like the protagonist of the Shakesperian tragedy, it delivers a pleasant thirst-quenching sensation.

LUCIA di Lammermoore (Bitter). San Michele's British homebrew, Lucia, represents the best traditional brassicas from across the Channel, interpreting the classic English style of beer in an Italian key, characterized by a lingering bitterness and spicy, fruity flavors, much like Donizzetti in his opera the atmospheres of Highland legends (5% vol).

MANON (Blanche).A blanche-style craft beer with aggrumate notes tending toward orange and hints of coriander, giving it a freshness and lightness reminiscent of the carefree Manon to whom this beer is dedicated. All its delicacy (5.4% vol) is found on the palate.

NORMA (alle Castagne). Full-bodied, strong-tasting chestnut craft beer with a pronounced roasted malt aroma that well describes the resolute character of Bellini's priestess from the opera of the same name. On the finish, the chestnuts lend an unexpected delicate aftertaste. Awarded first place beer of the year 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. Italy's most awarded chestnut beer, deep red color and 6.8 percent alcohol by volume.

SEMIRAMIDE (Barley Wine). A complex beer with fruity notes of raisin, strawberry and a great intensity of flavors that make it suitable for great occasions. This craft beer for structure and refinement is dedicated to Rossini's legendary Assyro-Babylonian queen (10.5 percent vol).

TOSCA (Pilsner). Bitter Pilsner, like Puccini's dramatic opera, in which hop selection imparts a lingering bitter taste. In this craft beer, inspired by the typical Czechoslovakian style, the "grassy" taste and aroma of Saaz hops prevails. Golden yellow color, alcohol 5% vol.

TRAVIATA (Miele). Honeyed blond craft beer that manages to harmonize sweet and bitter. The honey gives floral scents in which the balsamic note of linden and the ethereal scent of Violetta, like the elusive and suave protagonist of Verdi's opera, stand out (6.2% vol).

TURANDOT (Abbey).A bewitching dark that conceals sensual hints of caramel, licorice, chocolate and a hint of coffee. Multiple aromas harken back to the fairy-tale and enigmatic character of Puccini's Persian princess, all encapsulated in a kick-ass dark abbey craft beer. Dark color, alcohol 8.5% vol.

VALCHIRIA (Weizen).Weizen craft beer with a fruity bouquet and a subtly tart flavor in which banana and clove aromas predominate. Natural veiling due to the presence of grain imparts a straw-yellow hue that together with the impressive foam are reminiscent of the golden locks of Valkyries (5% vol).

Biscotti Dalbon

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 20:34:36 GMT

The Biscotti Dalbôn company produces and distributes products from the Piedmontese tradition and beyond, handcrafting real pastry delights from high-quality ingredients.

Founded in 2020 from the passion of Federico Fossat and raised in the quaint village of San Secondo di Pinerolo, between the Pellice and Chisone valleys, it draws its raw materials and inspiration for its products from the pre-mountain context in which it was born.
The artisanal dimension and manual skill in the production processes allow the cookie factory to produce flavors of other times: the intent is to provide a quality product, cookies steeped in tradition and capable of transmitting the history of the area to the end customer and to companies working in the food and catering sector.

The company is young and constantly growing: a passion for confectionery and cooking have accompanied the company for more than a decade, which aims to innovate by offering a confectionery product capable of meeting new customer needs.

Dalbôn offers delicious specialties of Piedmont's dry pastries and more: eggless paste di meliga, soft macaroons, hazelnut cakes, baci di dama, brutti ma buoni, brownies, chocolate muffins, whole wheat cookies, Krumiri with red pignoletto flour and dark chocolate coating... and many, many other goodies!

"The art of baking is much more than knowing how to execute recipes to perfection: it is a true act of love." (Ernst Knam)

Panificio Pasticceria Marzo

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 17:44:00 GMT

Everything starts with yeast. The secret of the March Pastry Bakery's delicacies is all in the Mother Dough that gives life every day to bread, pizzas, cakes and every other good thing. Behind this ritual, which is renewed daily, is all the passion of the third generation of bakers made in Venaus. Matteo Marzo, in fact, picked up the baton at a very young age from his father, who in turn had gleaned the secrets of good bread from his own. But Matteo went further. He did not stop at bread-making; he chose to train and improve himself all the time. Here with Matteo Marzo, Arte Bianca finds fulfillment. In him is all the passion for a job that generates strong emotions.

Knowing how to knead bread, watching it grow, baking it to perfection, are daily actions that are renewed every day with enthusiasm. Always starting from that Mother yeast that smells of nature, that conveys the deep meaning of life in its simplicity and naturalness. A dough that must remain at the right point of acidity and that only experience, as well as the study of chemistry, can guarantee. The result then engages all the senses, from the inimitable scent to the taste that exudes flavors of yesteryear and brings back with the mind the memories of the elderly, of when bread tasted like bread.

But Mother Dough in March home is also the basic element of pastry making, to make even cakes and croissants natural. And then Easter doves, panettone, flatbreads: processes that take days at a time, but then offer a true spectacle of taste and fragrance. Homemade sweets that become dangerous, as one slice leads to another and there is a risk of falling into addiction.

One thing is certain, there is no stopping here. Matteo Marzo already projects himself beyond, to new frontiers to be reached and surpassed. Always keeping his feet anchored on the ground and respecting tradition, but looking ahead, and seeking new challenges. Such as that of flanking, next to the historic location in Venaus (Via Antica Reale 14), a new place in the center of Susa, at Via Roma 62, to which he has also added a cafeteria.

With the intention of always improving, through continuous comparison with other masters of the white art, as demonstrated by joining the exclusive Richemont Italia club, one of the most famous in Europe. Because a lot of road, starting from Venaus, has already been covered, but ahead there is still a lot left to experiment, bringing as a dowry that Pasta Madre that remains at the center of the whole adventure of this family of bakers made in Valsusa.