Friday 17 December 2010

Buon Appetito

One of the joys of skiing in Italy is the opportunity to take in a long, relaxing pranzo (lunch). The slopes become deserted for an hour or two as the Italians combine their two favourite pastimes, families and eating. Bardonecchia is no exception and the restaurants on the slopes offer a great range of traditional Italian fayre to satisfy every taste.  

If you merely want to grab a sandwich then you will need to check out the selection of panini (rolls) or piadine (Italian flatbread) which you can eat cold or toasted.  Confusingly, there are three types of ham on offer, prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), prosciutto crudo or speck (cured hams).  All are delicious, especially the combination of speck and brie.  Another favourite to watch out for is scamorza affumicata (like smoked mozzarella) which is wonderful in a toasted sandwich. 

However, your Italian ski break will not be complete unless you take the plunge and go for the multiple course lunch experience. It can be quite daunting at first to discover that most Italian restaurants do not see the need for a written menu, the waiter will simply reel off a list of the dishes of the day, but armed with a modicum of food vocabulary and a bit of perseverance you will be well rewarded. 

Start with antipasti, a range of small appetising dishes before the pasta course. The region’s most famous antipasto dish, bagna cauda (vegetables dipped fondue-style into a "hot bath" of oil, anchovies, and garlic), combines both the Piemontese passion for garlic and their love of vegetables but may prove too much of an acquired taste for the average British lunch-time palate. An alternative would be to sample a range of Italian cold meats so select affettati misti (mixed slices) for a generous platter of salami, meats and pickles which is perfect to share.

Options for the pasta course will prove more familiar with spaghetti and ravioli always on the menu. A speciality to listen out for is agnolotti, pasta stuffed with beef, pork or rabbit, flavoured with sausage, parmesan cheese, eggs and herbs.

The main course gives you the opportunity to learn to love polenta, golden-yellow Italian cornmeal made from dried, ground maize.  Just as the British incorporate mashed potato into the most wholesome meals Italians heap cinghiale (wild boar), cervo (deer), salsicce (sausages) or formaggio (cheese) onto mounds of fluffy polenta. If you’ve previously been “polenta-ed out” then opt for gnocchi (small potato dumplings) or canederli similar to gnocchi but made with stale bread which are both particularly delicious served in burro e salvia (butter and sage).

Most Italian dolci are already firm favourites on British dessert menus and so need little explanation.  One that may be less familiar is bonet a chocolate creation which bears some resemblance in consistency to a spongy crème caramel.

Complete your meal with a caffè. Unless you specify otherwise you will be brought an espresso as this is caffè normale in Italy.  Order an americano (long black), macchiato (splash of milk) or caffè latte if you prefer a more dilute caffeine fix.  If you are being strictly Italian then confine your selection of a cappuccino to breakfast time although coffee customs have relaxed somewhat in recent years and this will no longer be so frowned upon.

Now replete your only problem will be contemplating an immediate return to the slopes.  So, again, follow the Italians in seeking out a sdraio (deckchair) on the nearest sun-drenched terrazza to steal a few more minutes of la dolce vita.

Friday 10 December 2010

SAFARI IN THE PIEMONTE SNOW!

Hallelujah the lifts are open! From the 4th December the season in Bardonecchia officially started and we were there to check out how the resort is shaping up this year.  It’s always great after several months of “heads down” renovation of the chalet to realise that other local businesses have been similarly employed making sure that their season also gets off to a flying start.  So our pleasure at being out on the slopes again is increased by spotting the differences everyone has been making to keep Bardonecchia at the forefront of Italian skiing and especially attractive to the family market.

In recent years much effort has been put into creating fun to suit all tastes both on and off the slopes.  Above the main ski area at Campo Smith a free “ski through” animal discovery park has sprung up with life-size realistic sculptures of an array of mountain creatures such as deer, chamois, wolves, cinghiale and, oddly, polar bears and penguins! This not only provides great photo opportunities and a pleasant fifteen minute distraction from the serious business of skiing but also encourages parents to brush up on their David Attenborough impersonations as they educate their offspring in the finer points of Alpine/Arctic/Antarctic wildlife before continuing their descent with renewed enthusiasm.

The advent of the animal trail has led the Skipass Office to come up with the enterprising idea of making the slopes more accessible to skiers and non-skiers alike by introducing evening Snowcat Safaris.  Everyday from 5.30pm onwards trips of one to three hours head up the mountain in a specially adapted, caterpillar tracked “Gatto delle Nevi”. Taking in the delights of the mountain sculptures the safari also offers the opportunity for you to experience a memorable dinner at one of several mountain restaurants before making the return journey back to Campo Smith. Our favourite is "Romanello" at Punta Colomion run by Aldo Romanello and his English wife, Rachel +39 335 5424747 where you are always assured a warm welcome and typical Piemonte food.
Prices range from 10 euros for children and 15 euros for adults for the Snowcat. Book your places in advance at the Skipass Office +39345 0351861 or alternatively contact us at Sempre Ski www.sempreski.com and we’ll help you make all the arrangements to ensure that your snowy safari experience is a roaring success.