Traditional flavors between the enchanted hills: A day in San Salvatore Monferrato
An ancient corner tower, twenty-four meters high, one meter for every hour of the days spent by 1413, when it was built for the Marquis Theodore Palaeologus, lord of Monferrato. This tower, symbol of the city, watch over the inhabitants of San Salvatore Monferrato nearly six hundred years, and will continue to do so until eternity, thanks to the fact that it has been immortalized in paintings of an artist Alexandria Sassi Franco. The Piedmont painter, born in 1912, whose works can be found even at the British Museum in London, it is often inspired by the landscapes Monferrato, portraying them in a dreamlike dimension, suspended between fantasy and reality, as evidenced by his watercolors dedicated to St. Saviour in the 40s-50s, including "Views of Valparolo", "Hills", as well as "The Tower".
Arriving in this charming town nestled in the hills of Monferrato Casale, it is not difficult to note its historical and artistic work, in addition to its beauty and strategic location, which is appreciated by the ancient Romans who called Villa to Vites, while from 1048 was known as Castrum Sancti Saviour. Today, San Salvador, a city in 1894 by royal decree of King Umberto I, is located in the triangle of Alessandria, Valenza and Casale Monferrato, a town craftsman whose influences are very tangible.
During our walk we visit the sixteenth century church of San Martino and San Siro, as well as Villa Genoa, Piedmont Open, part of the Castles, and known especially for his very large garden filled with rhododendrons and azaleas. Not far from the town is the Shrine of Our Lady of the Well. The church, built in the eighteenth century, in memory of a miraculous rescue of a soldier named Martin De Nava, who had fallen into a well, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary venerated in Capurso, in the province of Bari, where in 1705 a priest was miraculously cured after drinking the waters of a sacred well.
After the legendary miracles, let's move to more land and found that along the road from San Salvatore Monferrato in Lu, a short distance from the town, there is a small earthly paradise called The Serignola. A Taste of Trattoria, with a large private parking and a pleasant summer terrace, where you can enjoy the traditional flavors in peace, in an intimate, contact with the wonderful nature of the hills of Monferrato. "The farm was once inhabited by Serignola affittavoli landowners who worked the surrounding land. We bought it in 1990 with my husband Mauro Porzio, restructuring it work, we gradually and in person, to create our home, as well as the Trattoria. At one time this room was a tool shed, "he tells the owner, Mrs. Daniela Camurati while we sit at the table, in the enchanting environment of the small and rustic family room, farmers with old tools hanging on the walls.
Everything is carefully tended to with great attention to the search for raw materials. "We offer food restaurant with a service from the restaurant. Our menu varies from season to season, embracing all the classic dishes of the cuisine Monferrato ", is the philosophy of the owners, and that's why Mr. Mauro buy the best products in their places of origin: the thread of Ponzone kissed, the Raw organic Moncestino, or paddle Coggiola, an ancient mountain ham Biella, made in the oven.
We start with a large cutting board with meats and cheese tasting and a traditional appetizer of the house three-course, spring and continue with the gnocchi sautéed with sun-dried tomatoes and capers, a recipe of the house, and with the borage ravioli and other herbs with extra virgin heart of the Monferrato and egg. We follow this goodness from another traditional dish from Piedmont, Chicken Marengo, prepared according to the basic recipe. Also enjoy a special grilled meats of the highest quality in addition to the fillet of pork, sausages Fraschetta, typical of the place, rustic and kebabs. Washed down with some of the best quality wines from Piedmont and Monferrato, and conclude the dinner tasting homemade pastry with sweet wine, or bent, as well as a slice of homemade cake and chocolate and pear pudding with chocolate and caramel. In conclusion, we taste too Serignola The Elixir of Chamomile, a wonderful low-alcohol liquor, created with the label Trattoria.
A visit to the Serignola also helps the love during the summer it will be possible to spend a romantic evening at the "Niche", a terrace for two, separate from the room, lit only by natural light and immersed in the intimacy of the Monferrato hills . From falling in love at first sight.
Frances Bertha
FOR INFORMATION:
www.ssalvatoreinrete.it
www.laserignola.it
The Serignola - Trattoria del Gusto
Loc Squarzolo, 2 San Salvatore Monferrato (AL)
0131/233406