The strong attraction of the Gavi flavours.. Trip to Gavi, Piedmont, Italy

content:
photos:
Vote this travel review

The sign indicating the path we must follow, it says Gavi Ligure. It is a mistake, even though we are in the Southern Piedmont, but a name that embodies the features of this territory on the border between Liguria and Piedmont. Gavi is famous for its white wine, Cortese di Gavi DOCG, grown on the surrounding hills that characterize a landscape clearly Monferrato. But in its architecture and its dialect is recognized as clearly the imprint Ligurian six centuries of belonging to the Genoese have left on this city.

After crossing the river Lim, Gavi surprises with its bright colors, much of Liguria, and fascinates with its flowered terraces, with its walls painted in pastel shades that stand in front of the dark green of the hills surrounding the city.
We begin our walk along a road that runs along the old town and admire the old houses that overlook the hills and vineyards. Here the rural atmosphere to mix art and history, present at every corner. First surprise, we come across a nice tower through the arch opens in breathtaking views of the surrounding vegetation: This is the Portino, a thirteenth-century building, the only survivor of the four gates to the village that were once integral parts of a system walls were coming down the fort surrounded the entire town of Gavi.

The Fort is the most impressive monument of Gavi is a large military fort that overlooks the city. Visible from any street, reminds Gavi their history, also studded with numerous battles in which the city has had to defend themselves from the enemy. Its current appearance of genuine military fortress, has acquired during the seventeenth century, after the siege of 1625 by the French and Savoy, which for the first time used by the artillery to understand the Republic of Genoa that the fort, then a castle like the others in the area, needed to be strengthened considerably.

No wonder if a building so special is also able to stimulate the imagination of the people, giving rise to the legends. One of the most well known is that of the ghosts ... And if every self-respecting castle, boasts the presence of at least a ghost, a fortress certainly can not settle for less than a whole army of ghosts is exactly what would be happening to Gavi. Some people swear that they have seen in recent times an army of fierce Roman soldiers marched to the fort, while you could hear the hymns to the god Mars sang by the soldiers.

If today is Gavi wine tourism destination and is chosen by travelers who love good wine and hilly landscapes, centuries early stage instead of pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela. When, after our long walk through the streets of Gavi we sit at the table hungry village in Rovereto, near the restaurant by Mariette, the owner, Mr. Joseph says that the beautiful Church of San Giacomo Maggiore, where we admired the façade pure Romanesque style, was built on the remains of a hospice for pilgrims.

Our "culinary pilgrimage" continue to discover the flavors of the place, so while we taste the appetizers of Mr. Joseph, asking him to tell us something about the history of this place. "In this village, Pessenti Rovereto, there was a tavern known for its cuisine in the nineteenth century. It was typical, simple cooking based on what gave the country and The Hague. Our family continues this tradition by the early sixties, and while conducting a refined cuisine and quality, in the end we did not invent anything, but we have rediscovered the forgotten dishes such as gnocchi square, or enlarged. They look like orecchiette, is a summer dish, is made with only flour and boiling water and seasoned with pesto or with fresh tomatoes. "

After tasting samples of the five starters, including the haunch of veal with tuna sauce, the dumplings with mushrooms, we can not give up the dish for excellence in the region: the ravioli. We follow them from the chicken cacciatore, and for dessert, tasted like a pudding with very good and include: milk, chicken. Each plate is garnished with special care, thanks to the dedication of Mrs. Mee, the Thai wife of Mr. Joseph. "She has the gift of being able to make even the simplest dishes," says the husband.

We washed down our meal with the excellent local white wine, from the cellar of a village Rovereto and wanting to make a joke in fun, after this pleasant day, we are sure of one thing: we'll do like the ghosts of the Fort: back often Gavi, and Rovereto.

Frances Bertha