A Town on a Human Scale: A Trip Among the Hills of Parodi Ligure

The brilliant whiteness of an enormous white cross that floods with its mysterious light the hills covered by fields, vineyards and thick woods, still almost uncontaminated and populated by wild animals such as roe deer, wild boar, foxes and martens. The dark blue that the mountains of Upper Monferrato put on in the evening, which contrasts with this divine white: these were exactly the evocative images that attracted us for the first time to Parodi Ligure, one evening last summer, after a day spent at the seaside. This time we returned during the day, so as to be able to visit all the beauties of the village, starting right from the “Crocione”, placed on the highest point of the municipality. Since 1929 it has watched over the War Memorial, but a large wooden cross had already been present in the same place for many years before, as can be seen in early twentieth-century photos.

The feeling of being part of a sacred moment is heightened by the breathtaking panorama in which even Monviso can be made out. A little further on we visit the remains of the Castle, fought over already nine hundred years ago between the marquises of Parodi and Genoa, then destroyed in 1625, in the conflict between the Franco-Savoyards and Genoa. And it is always this broad panoramic view that provides a key to reading what Parodi Ligure is today: although the number of residents has decreased over the years, and the territory, once bordering even Pegli, is now much more contained, the cultural and artistic horizon of the municipality has always remained very broad.

This is also due to the desire to keep alive the memories of the past, as shown by the Festival of Ancient Crafts, which takes place every year in August and allows you to relive the atmospheres of the past, making a stop at the barber who for that day receives in his ancient shop, as well as at the blacksmith, the scribe, or the cobbler. Parodi Ligure gave birth to more than one doge, among them Nicolò Guarco, doge of Genoa towards the end of the fourteenth century. Although the large spaces of Palazzo Guarco, which belonged to Nicolò's family, are currently unused, its splendid sentry box and also a balcony where the doge once appeared can be admired. We thus arrive at the most important monument of the village, the Parish Church of Saints Roch and Sebastian.

Although the parish history of Parodi has its roots back in 1143, the year the Monastery of San Remigio was founded, the erection of the present parish church dates back to 1845, and came about through the will of the faithful, who often struggled to reach San Remigio, in a somewhat isolated position. Inside the church of S.S. Roch and Sebastian, recently renovated, numerous precious works of art are admired, starting with the fresco depicting the return of the Parodi soldiers from the First Crusade, who brought a relic of the Holy Cross to the village. From the marble statue of the Madonna with the baby Jesus, placed on the altar, to the wooden statue of Saint Roch and the paintings, the church is full of wonders.

After this lovely walk, we reach the Ristorante Agriturismo Al Ghiottone, and, to the delight of the children, we immediately go to visit the animals: some friendly cabannina cows, native to the Capanne di Marcarolo, very lively hens that approach us curiously, and a beautiful white horse. “This place was born twenty years ago, thanks to our parents, mum Luciana and dad Giancarlo, who fulfilled the dream of grandfather Savino, who wanted to open an inn in the Genoese hinterland, but a few days before opening, he had invited some friends who finished off all the wine. So the inn never came to anything”, Simona tells us, who runs the place together with her parents, her sister Paola and her husband Tony.

We begin our dinner in the spirit of the flavours of Parodi with a salad with truffle dressed with the yoghurt made by Simona, a selection of cheeses with chestnut honey and leek and dolcetto jam. We also taste a chicken galantine with fresh tomato and a nettle flan with crescenza fondue. We continue with the typical truffle ravioli and with the home-made tagliolini with mushrooms. We follow these delicacies with a pork fillet with mushrooms and a chicken breast with cheese and truffle cream. Having booked in advance, we also have the pleasure of tasting a very tempting dish for true gourmets: veal in a crust, which is cooked in a wood-fired oven, wrapped in a bread dough. We wash it all down with Cortese di Gavi and Dolcetto di Ovada, produced by local companies.

We crown this very pleasant day with a trio of home-made desserts: panna cotta with a citrus caramel, the bavarois with yoghurt and a woodland berry sauce, and the malaga, an invention of Paola, similar to trifle, but made with Moscato instead of liqueur.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Al Ghiottone Località Cadegualchi 0143/681213