Italy, a country with a thousand cultural and gastronomic beauties.
Liguria is the narrow and long region where the mountains are reflected into the sea and the “Cinque Terre” is a good example.
Cinque Terre, is a string of five villages overlooking the sea that have spectacular views along the paths in the vineyards and also good dishes to taste, perhaps while looking to a wonderful sunset.
When we talk about the Cinque Terre, the most famous picture that comes to mind is the one of terraces, which are vineyards structured on gradoni built by dry walls. Indeed, from these terrains the Cinque Terre D.O.C white wine and the precious Sciacchetrà are born.
Sciacchetrà is a liquor and sweet wine that is made from white grapes of Vermentino, albarola and bosco, and it is allowed to dry on rocks until the autumn, excellent at the end of the meal or with cheese.
This D.O.C white wine is obtained from the same grapes which, being kissed by the salty air, give the wine a particular taste.
However you know that with a good wine you need good food too, such as the classic pesto, made with basil, pine nuts, oil and grated cheese, or an excellent vegetable or rice cake.
As sea villages fish the tables cannot miss, for example the famous Anchovies of Monterosso, cooked in many ways, for example, marinated with oil and lemon, under salt, perhaps with a crostino and a bruschetta, stuffed and then fried or simply in the classic pie with potatoes.
Famous are also the “bianchetti” or “baccalà” pancakes, which can be enjoyed during the many summer festivals or the classic “muscoli ripieni”, the classic mussels, stuffed and cooked with tomato.
The most famous dressing? Oil and lemon obviously
With lemons local people produce “Limoncino“, a beverage obtained by maceration of lemon peels in alcohol.
Therefore, go to the Cinque Terre does not just mean paths, crystal clear water and breathtaking landscapes, but also excellent cuisine, the healthy and genuine cuisine that makes you really feel at home. Those flavours of the past that only in these wild and uncontaminated places surrounded by nature can still be tasted.