Italy – Bra – Birthplace of Slow Food

The Slow Food Movement, founded by Carlo Petrini, was born in Bra in 1986, and has spread across the world from this provincial city.  We had dinner at Osteria del Boccondivino, at Slow Food headquarters, on one of our first nights, and came back there to eat our last lunch in Piemonte.  Both times we sat in the courtyard where two ancient wisteria vines wrap their tendrils around second floor balconies.  Each meal was perfect.

At the next table, four-month-old Gabrielle was dining with his parents.  You can’t start too young in Italy.

 

 

Tajarin are Piemonte’s contribution to the world of pasta.  Rich egg noodles (Boccondivino calls theirs  “40 yolk”) are cut impossibly fine by hand.  Mark’s were dressed simply with butter and sage, mine with black truffles.

 

 

 

 

 

Mark’s second course was beef in barolo.  I ordered a great squid and cuttlefish combination mounded on pureed potatoes.

 

 

 

 

Mark had the best-ever panna cotta for dessert – essence of cream.

 

I opted for semi-freddo crocante with pistachios.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For lunch today we both chose a starter of vitello tonnato – the thinest possible slices of rare roast veal with a perfect tuna sauce.

 

 

 

Mark went for the Tajarin with a ragu of local sausage and I chose the Gnocci al Raschara (local cheese).  Fabulous.  We repeated our dinner dessert selections.

 

The  young woman who served us both meals wants to see Las Vegas after “growing up between the vines” –  and she’s sure she’ll see us again.

We hope so!