Between starting a new job, finding an apartment and getting settled, I have not been on top of this writing business lately. Plus my mom was in town for a couple of weeks and we were busy every evening after work going here and there to make our new apartment a home. Mission accomplished.
Of course her visit was not all household projects and trips to IKEA (just 3 or 4 in the span of 12 days). This was her first time to visit the Piemonte region, and so there was much to be seen, eaten and drunk. I lived in the Piemonte town of Bra two years ago when I worked for my former university and Slow Food, and so had a list of special places I wanted to share with her.
Top of the list? Serralunga D'Alba. The name just sounds rather romantic and magical, don't you think? Now the key thing to understand about this part of Italy is that this is where some of the country's top wines come from; Barolos and Barbarescos find their roots here, and that of course means mile after mile of rolling, take your breath away hillsides.
Whenever I visit the medieval village of Serralunga, I wind my way up through the few narrow streets, tiptoe past the open windows if it is a quiet hour, and make my way to the castle, perched on the top of the hill in the center of this tiny town. It's the perfect spot to just stop and stare out over the vineyards, and there there is a little apartment tucked away in this centuries' old building, where I like to imagine, just for a moment, that it is my home. Thick ivy climbs along the brick wall, up to the old wooden balcony, where cheery geraniums give a splash of color. Antique, dainty lace curtains peak through the windows, and I think with each visit that I could be very happy living there.
But generally it's about at this point that my stomach begins to grumble, as it often does, and I make my way down the winding road a mile or two to La Rosa dei Vini. I always wonder how the family who owns it got their hands on the property; if it was passed down through their own family or one day they happened upon the land for sale and thought, "oh boy, oh boy have we hit the jackpot."
The view alone is enough to write home about, especially at sundown. The outdoor terrace faces west, so as you linger over your aperitivo, the sun gently begins its descent, finally ducking out behind the castles of medieval villages a hill or two away.
But as I mentioned La Rosa dei Vini is much more than just what nature handed it - the food is also worth a letter or two. All the classic Piemonte dishes make an appearance on the menu, and they are all rightly done with enough simplicity and goodness that even though a restaurant in this setting makes you feel like it should be a special occasion spot, the food begs otherwise.
We all opted for an ample tasting menu during mom's visit, including her first plate of carne cruda - hand chopped raw beef - which she bravely opened her palate to, as well as stuffed zucchini blossoms, traditional tajarin pasta, and veal slow cooked in local wine. Plus dessert and of course a very bold Barolo from a vineyard just over the way.
La Rosa dei Vini
Loc. Parafada, 4
12050 Serralunga D'Alba
+39 0173 613219
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