Italy – Morra – Ristorante Bovio, A New Contender?

Just below the 1,000-year-old town of La Morra (means sheep fold) sits the Ristorante Bovio looking out over the valley and vine-covered hills.  We reserved a table  — a good thing as the terrace is filled when we get there at one o’clock.  We can see for miles, though the hills are hazy, and a slight breeze keeps us comfortable on a warm day.

Mark bravely chooses the tasting menu — too much for me.  I’ll stick with an antipasto and a first course.  The host brings us glasses of Barbaresco and Nebiollo made by the owners  from grapes grown on the hillside.

Here’s lunch.

Mark starts with a selection of antipasti:

Veal tartar with black truffles and parmigiano

Tart of porcini mushrooms with cheese fondue

And I order the foie gras

Terrine of duck foie gras with figs and muscato sauce

We both order risotto as a first course

Mark’s risotto with porcini mushrooms and cheese from the Conesi valley

My rissotto cooked in Barolo with sausage from Bra

Mark’s roast baby goat from Alta Lange with polenta and veg

My amazing dessert – warm savarin of hazelnuts on Moscato zabaglione with hazelnut ice cream

Mark’s selection of Piemonte cheeses from . . .

the amazing cheese cart

We are in real need of some activity after this feast and set out to explore Morra.  The town was another of the Falleti family’s holdings. Their castle no longer stands, but several of their villas are still here.  We’re drawn into one of the shops selling local products — a feast for the senses.

Grappas to taste, too

Sauces, honeys, compotes, etc., . . .

. . . .available for tasting

We have a look at the Church of St. Martin (1700s), baroque on baroque. . .

Tomorrow, we head to Cuneo and its weekly market.