Welcome to Life is like a detective novel where I discuss how the human mind has a natural desire to solve the mystery of life. My name is Bailey Alexander and through my stories and interviews in my latest book called Personal Legends of Piemonte, we discover how 12 Northern Italians fulfilled their destiny by letting life unfold or simply celebrating the treasure beneath their feet. Or by rearranging the details until the product is perfect. And Piemonte produces so very many of Italy's finest products.
I interview wine and cheese makers, herbalists, a famous chef, a bar owner, a teacher, a bureaucrat, and a car mechanic named Luigi. Today we meet Fabrizio the cheesemaker. He wants people to appreciate the treasure beneath our feet and he does like to rearrange the details. And often he and his team produce an award winning cheese called Robiola. So, hey, let's get into it.
This is from my book called Personal Legends of Piemonte and this chapter is called Aristaeus. We now enter a galaxy of artisans where we get to meet Fabrizio Garbarino. His team produces an award winning cheese called Robiola. It keeps winning and beating the French quote. We do not know how we do it and they make it look easy. Living amongst them, you bear witness to their technique, forever testing, playing with and rearranging the details. In the same way their Nonna passes down her recipes to future generations, but only after Nonna has tested, played with and rearranged the details.
The Italians and French are often considered cultural cousins. I've lived in both countries and agree. However, the French tend to pledge allegiance to the original recipe. They may deviate a bit less, but both produce exceptional results.
Although it varies in the following way. If you're in Italy, you probably enjoy your coffee a little more during breakfast. While your croissant may taste a bit better in France, and both respect their soil and till it with care. This is critical and Fabrizio's wish is that everyone appreciate the treasure beneath their feet. He knows many things about cheese and he also knows the heart of Piemonte beats in its small towns.
Fabrizio learned early on what took me a lifetime to understand I could be such a snob, assuming the city held all the answers. The only excuse for my lack of imagination is like I grew up in one. I enjoyed the benefits and put them on a pedestal, letting them reign supreme.
But after listening to the call to adventure, I changed what I saw and this nonsense stopped. It was like failing to find awe while watching fireflies create heaven on earth. All I had to do was open the door. During late summer, my body's internal clock had adapted to countryside environs, letting me know the right time to catch their magic. If I didn't, it was like missing Christmas.
At first, my eyes had to adjust to the dark, empty silence until the fireflies begin to fill the space, creating surround sound, floating through the air, cruising above the pool, skating across the bushes and in between the trees. Why insult Mother Nature when I can feel astonished? Although who am I to compare the city to the country? They carry disparate charms. Take the town of Bistagno. The Bistagnesi could never be as stylish or snobbish as the Milanese. Not many can. For instance, when having lunch with the Milanese, I may flick my finger beneath my nose. When discussing their society, they'll just laugh back. They know who they are. Sleek with triumph, they carry their own campanilismo.
Of course, the Canalleesi aren't nearly as world weary as the residents of the Eternal City. They could never be as satirical as a Romana di Roma. Oh no. Few can pull off what I saw on the Vial del Corso on a Saturday afternoon. Romana di Roma. Her fashion is fantastic. A witty and creative response to the Patriarch, the Supreme Pontiff, the Bishop of Rome, or El Santo Padre, otherwise known as Papa. To Italians, I certainly wouldn't imply the Piemontese are as academic as the Bolognese. Few still read as many books as those residing in the food capital of Italy. It's doubtful their hearts open as wide as a Neapolitans. They can't offer that cosmopolitan flair found among the Venetians.
And I doubt they pine for previous grandeur. Like the nostalgic Genoese. They aren't Florentine, those who gave us the writer Dante Alighieri, who then gave us the modern language we call Italian.
But few regions people are as industrious as the Piemontese. After traveling to almost all I can say, they probably produce and offer more award winning and world renowned products than any other. By appreciating the treasure beneath their feet. This is what they do. They play with the details and then rearrange them. In the heart of Piemonte, in their small towns, in the same way those fireflies produce midsummer night's dreams.
In this tale we travel to a town right above Cessole, just beyond the forest Teodoro Negro roamed in search of an elixir. And next door to Anna's secret garden full of superheroes, a town called Roccoverano. Sitting atop the Bormida Valley, a popular place and destination established around flocks of sheep, goats and hazelnut groves.
The scent of wisteria guides us along a windy road, layers of lavender decorating a fence on either side. Steering Audrey, my vespa, leaning to the left, then right. All my senses exposed, surrounded by the treasure beneath my feet, without windows. In between me and the wisteria, I can smell the wild herbs gathered by Teodoro long ago and Anna's superheroes of today.
If you assume fine rustic food is right around the final corner, you'll be right and richly rewarded. Cruising to Rocco Verano, we pass green fields full of bright white cows, an endless landscape of woods and pastures, A bucolic scene conducting us to Osteria del Bramante. In Osteria, as opposed to, say, a trattoria or a Taverno Calda, Pizzeria, Enoteca, Pescaria, Paninoteche or ristorante. What a grand choice of eating establishments we have to choose from while sitting inside a modest environment, eating tagliatelle prepared in truffles and butter. If you prefer, you can order delicate slices of veal and a soft tuna sauce. I like that too. Italian use sauces so rarely, for they have nothing to hide. If they do, a warm dip made with garlic, anchovies and olives will satisfy without making you feel full. They want to taste and celebrate every single item. Each will love you back.
The piece de resistance is the robiola cheese found within many dishes listed on a diverse menu. It might accompany pasta or find its way inside a torte. Maybe it's mixed in with vegetables or placed atop the final dish filled with sweet dessert. Entering this orbit, this galaxy of talent, where everything tastes delightfully mild, they don't care how you pair your wine. The overall effect matches the desired temperament. They don't seem to overindulge, snack or drink too much. I don't see them eating while they walk. Maybe they're too busy talking on the phone. Why dilute the performance?
The English have a favorite phrase I've heard and often served with a slice of envy. "Even if the barn burns down, they just take the party outside"
This is how they cultivate and export their culture with immense success.
Even their gelato central purpose is to make people happy.
Fabrizio is a major player in managing and maintaining the magic in Rocco Verano. Every day he conjures up whatever minor details are required to keep his cheese internationally competitive. If a pandemic arrives periodically to knock the world to its knees, the Piemontese ask their communities to assist. Fabrizio and his team rearrange the details by shortening the supply chain, increasing the need Italians produce artisans up and down the boot, yet a well worn phrase comes to mind, you live down south and you work up north. I think this underlines the benefits of small towns. There are few distractions. Torino is grand, Fiat is legendary and fine products are found all over Italy. However, Fabrizio understands that God, not the devil, is in the details and the heart of Piemonte's success exists in its small towns.
So hey, thank you so much for stopping by for a listen. I have a book signing for Personal Legends of Piemonte in Rome, in the eternal city on April 10th at the almost Corner Bookshop and the book is in both English and Italian. The first half is in English, the second in Italian. So if you're getting ready to visit Italy you can brush up on your Italian and additional information can be found on my
[email protected] Ciao for now. arrivederci
