Photo post: White Chestnut and Buckwheat Polenta in Piemonte
- Written by Diana Zahuranec
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- Published in The Entire Pizza
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The Entire Pizza.
What do you get when you pair a small town with deep traditions that are tied to local food and wine? A sagra.
The towns and cities of Piemonte hold sagre, or local festivals, at least a dozen times a year. Sagre keep things exciting, entice the tourists, and encourage mingling with the neighbors (although, being Italian, I'm sure they don't need the excuse!). About 99% of these festivals are focused on food and/or wine, and why shouldn't they be? A good meal is what brings us together.
This past weekend was the White Chestnut and Buckwheat Polenta Fair of Pamparato.
This year, I was already occupied with fighting the crowds for chocolate at Cioccolatò (and completely giving up on the hot chocolate line to go to Turin's unarguably best chocolate shop: Guido Gobino's, for their amazing hot chocolate). While adding events to the Wine Pass Events page, I remembered that two years ago today (or yesterday), I drove through the mountains and forest on the edge of the Langhe wine zone to visit this local fair.
The scenery was familiar, and had me reminiscing about camping trips in Pennsylvania.
The setting was informal. Covered picnic tables were set up inside and out, and the chilly November air was warmed by the sunshine.
There was an incredible light coming around the mountains and burning the morning mists away.
Here's the menu: Traditional buckwheat polenta with leeks, butter and sage, or tomato and sausage; white chestnuts in milk and honey, local wine, a generous hunk of Raschera cheese from Casotto Valley, and the famous cookies of Pamparato.
In the Municipal Building was a market with artisan wines, food products, and other handmade goods.
...outside of which a man was breathing fire. I distinctly remember a child screaming in half-fear, half-delight, "E' un drago!!" "He's a dragon!"
And nearby Pamparato is the Sanctuary of Vicoforte, which has the world's largest elliptical dome ever built.
Diana Zahuranec
I love Piemonte’s food and wine, the city of Turin, and my proximity to the Alps! My goal and challenge is to see as much of the region as possible using public transportation, but if you have a car I’d appreciate the ride. My intro to wine was at the Univ. of Gastronomic Sciences, and I love visiting family wineries, plus discovering Piemonte's craft beer scene. I’m hard-pressed to choose a favorite wine, but Nebbiolo never disappoints (from Barbaresco to Ghemme). As for beer, the Birrificio San Michele makes an incredible beechwood smoked brew.