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About the Food and Wine! It might sound bold to say, but we think that when you leave the Cinque Terre you will have a new favorite cuisine. The ingredients in Ligurian food and the bounty of the Mediterranean Ocean create dishes that are not quite like anything you've had in any other region of Italy-or in Italian restaurants in the States, for that matter. Buon appetito!
Pasta In the evenings, Protect Cinque Terre will introduce you to the foods of this region, including--of course--pasta. You'll taste new kinds, many of which have origins in this very land. Did you know that pesto has Ligurian roots? Just like pizza from Napoli, traditional basil pesto comes from our land of plenty. We typically serve it over trenette, a pasta that has just the right surface to pick up all the flavours. In other pasta dishes we use local tomatoes, aromatic sweet herbs (oregano, sage), and seafood. Vegetable-stuffed ravioli drenched in seafood sauce is a favorite. Another original pasta called "troffie," made with wheat or chestnut flour, is something you won't find anywhere but here. The taste is of another era: one before cuisine became processed. It is deliciously hearty and flavourful. Anchovies  Yes, anchovies. They are mostly found in American markets salted and canned. Here, these little gorgeous fish come fresh from the sea and prepared in a variety of ways.
Anchovies are absolutely unique: their shiny silver colour is unmistakable. They are caught using trawls with lamps at night, along the sea bottom, not very far from Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. In the morning, in the little squares of the villages, women sell fish arranged in stalls surrounded by lively, cheerful chatting. Our participants have raved about fresh anchovies cooked in lemon sauce and our anchovy salad seasoned with delicate Ligurian olive oil and wild oregano. Other incredible dishes include anchovies stuffed with bread, Parmesan, and aromatic herbs, or the most traditional of all, which is anchovies baked with potatoes, tomatoes, oregano and olive oil.  Ancient, traditional dishes of the Cinque Terre now beckon you. You cannot make a reservation at Spago in LA or Le Cirque in New York to try them. But they can be a part of your exquisite journey with us.
Other delectables Mussels ("Cozze") a la Marinara and Stuffed Mussels are sure to please. A la Marinara is simple and pleasing: just a few drops of lemon juice and a sprig of parsley. Vegetable tarts filled with ancient herbs, artichokes, zucchini, potatoes and leeks are something you'll write home about. The filling is held together with egg and ricotta (or with bread soaked in milk or with white sauce, depending on the family tradition), with grated Parmesan, parsley, and marjoram. If the above isn't enough to convince you, I'll talk my 83-year-old mother Margherita into preparing a rice salad tart that is an unbelievable jewel of our ancient culture and history. Wine and more  We'll serve you all the above with local white wines, both dry and sweet. After a working the terraces of the Cinque Terre, you'll appreciate ending the day with a taste of these gems!
The famous sweet white wine is called Sciacchetrà and is obtained from terraced-ripened Vermentino, Bosco and Albarola grapes. The grapes are literally left to wither in cool conditions on special grates until late autumn before beginning the fermenting process - a "raisin" wine. And, due to the delicate process these grapes undergo, the yield is very low (around 25%). So you can understand the reason for its rarity! Because of the grapes' very high concentration of sugar, the wine is high in alcohol content and has a beautiful, big structure. Sciacchetrà was so precious at one time that it was guarded jealously: it was only used to cure the sick (a few swigs did the trick) or for big occasions such as weddings or the birth of a child. (By the way, "Sciacchetrà," not a typical local word, is "Vin dòse" in our dialect, but don't worry, I can help you with all of this when you get here.) Sciacchetrà has been labelled DOC since 1973, as is the Cinque Terre white, obtained from the same grapes. The Cinque Terre white marries pleasantly with all our seafood dishes. The production of these indescribable white and raisin wines is of fundamental social relevance for this region, since hundreds of grape growers are members of the wine cooperative "Gruppo Cooperativo di Riomaggiore." Wait 'til you get here: you won't believe the terraces from which these wines were born. A truly unique environment for vines. We encourage you to invite your wine connoisseur friends! It'll be an experience they'll never forget. Recipes To start with, I include a recipe from my mother for Trenette al Pesto that I'm sure will bring you here wanting more….
Trenette al Pesto
Serves 4 Ingredients  2 bunches of basil
A handful of pine nuts 1 clove of garlic 1 t salt 50 grams grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces) 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil 1 t butter .5 kilo (about 1 lb) trenette pasta, or linguine, if you must substitute Preparation Boil water for pasta. Remove the leaves of the basil from the stems and wash in cold water. Crush the basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle and drizzle-in the oil until you have the density you prefer. Last, add the grated Parmesan cheese and mix well. Before marrying the pasta and sauce, put a dab of butter in the pasta-serving dish and follow that with pesto sauce and let this combination warm over the pot where you are boiling the pasta. When the pasta is ready, combine the drained pasta with this warm mixture and serve hot. Notes Trenette noodles, or any type of large-grooved noodles, go well with pesto sauce. Do not use noodles such as spaghetti, bucatini or penne. Copyright © 2005-2006 Protect the Cinque Terre Program. All rights reserved. |
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