Monferrato art, from paintings to taste: A day in Moncalvo. Piedmont region, Italy

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A very pretty medieval town overlooking the valleys and surrounding hills, which begin to chase precisely from this region of Monferrato, until you reach the Ligurian Sea. The many shades of green and yellow-gold of the fields that you cross to get to Moncalvo, seem to be painted by an artist. Strokes that infuse serenity, joy and balance, but also arouse the curiosity of the traveler who is attracted by the desire to discover what lies behind those ancient walls that already are identified from a distance.
After having traveled some curves and some steep and dotted with ancient gates and arches characteristic, we reach the old town and after parking nell'ampissima Piazza Carlo Alberto, we begin our walk to an inspiring display of tourist signs in different parts of the city. Into the heart of the village we notice several interesting buildings erected between the fifteenth and sixteenth century, as the House of the Marquis of Monferrato and Lanfranconi House with the remnants of Gothic facade, but also Manacorda Palace or the eighteenth century Palazzo Fochi Head, built on a previous late-medieval. There are many points where the eye can wander to the beautiful surrounding landscape that opens at the bottom of the alleys and between houses, reminding everyone that Moncalvo is part of Commons of the Divine Hills, union formed in 2000, which includes nine municipalities characterized from wine production, particularly of Barbera, Grignolino and Malvasia, and the "divine" beauty of its landscape.
It was these hills and their colors to inspire one of the most important painters of the Counter-Piedmont, William Hunt, said Moncalvo, who lived between 1568 and 1625. He was born in Montabone, but lived and worked here, and the town's churches are full of valuable evidence of his fruitful career. The Hunt painted the gallery of the Palazzo Reale in Turin and his famous "Descent from the Cross" in the Church of San Gaudenzio in Novara, but his works are also present in many other Italian churches.
Our tour continues to the place that most other preserves the memory of the great painter, the Church of St. Francis. Religious building, built in a beautiful scenic location in the thirteenth century, William Hunt is buried inside and are kept a dozen of his canvases. It was also the founding artist in 1611, the Monastery of St. Ursula, including the Church of St. Joseph, which now houses the Town Hall. The first group of nuns was formed by the daughters of the same William, who followed in Dad's footsteps, becoming good painters. The monastery was suppressed in 1802.
After visiting the Church of St. Anthony, dedicated to the patron saint of the city, we head towards the ruins of the castle, which in medieval times one of the largest fortified complex in the area. Still hints at its grandeur, despite being destroyed at the end of the nineteenth century, leaving to posterity only the mighty ramparts of the twelfth century.
And it is right in front of the ruins of the ancient fortress, Old Castle Steps, which we decide to stop for dinner at the Restaurant Amethyst. We settle in a room whose windows opened a breathtaking view over the surrounding hills. Knowing that the amethyst is a stone which many consider a symbol of moderation and humanity, we ask the owner if the restaurant's name had been chosen for this reason. "No, when twenty-four years ago we began running this restaurant, already named Amethyst, because of the colors of the painting of the time," explains Mr. Vincent, the local guide and his wife Christine and Walter.
We begin our dinner with the flavors Monferrato a rich appetizer made of puff pastry redfish, octopus and pineapple, pineapple-chicken with tuna sauce and the rabbit and rhubarb in pastry with zabaglione. In choosing the former can not miss the traditional ravioli with sausage sauce Monferrato, while some of us choose the pasta carbonara with bacon pear and hazelnut ravioli with herbs and shrimp. We continue our culinary journey with a nice cut of beef with rosemary and lamb chops crusted with herbs and honey, while a couple of our friends opted for the mustard-crusted sea bass with peppers. Let's water these delicacies with wines from Piedmont and national, while the sweet end of the evening saw us enjoy a creamy Barolo Chinato, the Kremlin and the Gianduja hazelnut and pistachio and amaretto bavarian.
An ancient folk art of this city is one of the whistles in the village of terracotta products Patro. After this beautiful day we are sure that the sound of these whistles we will call again and again in Moncalvo.

Frances Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.Moncalvo.at.it
www.ristoranteametista.it
Restaurant Amethyst
Old Castle Square, 15 Moncalvo (AT)
0141/917423