The towers, the arms and the Moor: the taste of the history of Capriata d'Orba
A peaceful, hardworking and pleasant that has its roots in a long, troubled and fascinating past that has seen centuries of history of Orba Capriata contention between the powers that have taken place in the area. The area where the country is crossed by several paths that the mountain passes of Gavi down to the sea, was inhabited in prehistoric times, and numerous archeological evidence of the presence in Rome, including perhaps the most important was the discovery, In 1926, the great pillar of S. Agatha, the first century.
Orba arrive in Capri after ten minutes exiting the highway at Novi Ligure, but the country is just about the same time also for those coming from Genoa, exiting at Ovada. We are in the Alto Monferrato, in a village less than two hundred feet high, from which in a few minutes drive you can get between the highest hills on the outskirts of Gavi. In good weather, looking Ovada, stand well above the horizon the blue of the Ligurian Apennines mountain ranges.
Entering the village, parked the car in the main square, flanked on one side by the arcades of the parish church dedicated to St. Peter and Paul and Our Lady of the Rosary. Our curiosity was immediately struck by the bell tower of the church stands to the sky high, imposing, and given the small square appears even higher. A star in the framing of the photos do not even think about it, as if to say, nothing but pictures, to admire, you have come here in person. A landmark, a monument that has seen centuries of history in direct capriatese scroll at his feet: the church, it is a beautiful Doric building of which the first news dates back to 1200.
We continue our walk along the characteristic streets of Capri, under the balconies surrounded by the flowers and the houses painted in various bright colors, creating a bridge with Ligurian tradition of the place. We come to the remains of the tower of the Castel Vecchio, a fortress already existed in the Middle Ages, in fact, this tower was the latest in a chain of towers by Parodi Ligure get here. While we are walking up the Via Mazzini, we meet a man and a woman, seeing that poke in the center, invite us to see the crests of the families that have held up truss in past centuries. Mr. Carlo Protti, an engineer with a passion for heraldry and local history invites us to his house, a historic building site in the way and shows us a spectacular collection of coats of arms. "This is Home Paleari, I'm writing a book on the history of this building. It seems that existed in 1300-1400, "reports Mr. Protti, while leading us in the building. The walls of the hallway are all fully decorated by the colorful crests of the families who ruled the country, reflecting the fact that there really every corner is steeped in history.
Crowned this long walk through the centuries capriatese with an exquisite dinner in the summer outdoor area of the restaurant Il Moro, also a local historian. "This restaurant has been around before 1900, we ran it from 1999," he told Simon and Claudio, the owners. "Let the dishes of our grandmothers, the homemade pasta, all fresh and freshly prepared ingredients with zero kilometer. Flour, for example, comes from a mill here in the country, eggs and vegetables from our farm, meat from our butcher, "says Simon, and his story reveals a world authentic and traditional, like that of a Sometimes, when supermarkets were hesitant, but there was quality. Then we dive into the world of taste with pleasure, starting with dinner and joke with the raw meat of tuna and rabbit. As a starter, take the dumplings green Roccaverano, we do follow the cut of Fassone, while our friends choose the traditional top. Next time we will have to taste the fish and the rabbit bone filling a summer dish to be delicious. To close, a pear tart with chocolate sauce and stuffed peaches with ice cream. Let's water all good things with this excellent Gavi in the area, and the Dolcetto d'Ovada. The pleasant surprises are not finished yet, however: here comes the legendary sweet wine made with Cortese grapes by a renowned local producer, Alvio Pestano.
Next time we will definitely make an appointment to visit the cellar of Mr Pestano, but now can not resist the urge to buy some bottles of wine from the well stocked cellar of Il Moro. We bring home the bottle even for problems that we could end up driving, so once back in town, we will continue to enjoy the delicious aromas of the history of Capri d'Orba.
Frances Bertha
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.comune.capriatadorba.al.it
www.ristoranteilmoro.it
Ristorante Enoteca il Moro
Piazza Garibaldi, 7 Capriata d'Orba (AL)
0143/46157