Along the paths of Boscogrande, between relaxation and good food: a holiday in Montegrosso d'Asti - Part II.

If the ghost lives in a castle, we're no different: for this week of holiday we chose a beautiful residence, the Locanda del Boscogrande, located in the street of the same name, not far from the main road that we followed from Nizza Monferrato to Montegrosso d'Asti. We leave the car in the convenient car park and as soon as we get out, a very pleasant sense of peace pervades us, due to the beauty of nature and the good air we breathe. This pleasant feeling is reinforced when we settle into our rooms, all spacious, bright, tastefully furnished and equipped with every comfort, including free wifi. The property has seven double rooms, also provided with charming balconies overlooking the surrounding hills. In good weather the gaze can wander very far, and if a mischievous hill didn't cover it, we could even see Monviso.

One of our rooms has a lovely terrace where in the evening we can relax in company and chat until late. If we were still in the warm season, we could also use the pool, available to the guests of the rooms. We'll do that in summer; for now we spend our days between lovely walks along the paths that wind near the inn to reach evocative villages and corners of great charm immersed in nature. We alternate the excursions with a healthy dolce far niente in the garden of the property, which we've already eyed up also for the wedding of a friend of ours: the inn, with its ample spaces, its elegance and its excellent restaurant, is the ideal location for events such as weddings, confirmations, baptisms and parties. After the healthy outings there's nothing better than a succulent dinner in the spirit of traditional flavours at the inn's restaurant.

Welcoming us with great kindness in the room with an elegant yet family atmosphere are the owners Donato Brusco and Daniele Duretto, friends who have run the inn together since 2002 and who willingly tell us a few curiosities about it. "The inn has just turned 120 years old; it dates from 1897. It used to be a farmhouse; two families lived there who devoted themselves to farming, especially the vineyard, and to animals. Where the rooms are today, at the time there was the hayloft. Later the historic building remained empty for some time and was then carefully restored, becoming the inn we know today. The vineyard is gone, but a large garden has remained for the delight of the guests," Donato and Daniele recall the past, taking turns between the kitchen and the dining room.

As per Piedmontese tradition, our dinner begins with a rich starter that includes raw fassone beef chopped by knife, veal round in tuna sauce and Piedmontese-style stuffed pepper, all dishes always present on the menu, which generally changes every two or three months, following the seasonality of the raw ingredients. Depending on the season you can find dishes based on mushrooms, truffles or the cardo gobbo of Nizza, with which flans and fondues are prepared, but there's also always some fish dish, such as the octopus starter with chickpea cream. We continue with exquisite first courses of homemade fresh pasta, enjoying the typical agnolotti gobbi with roast sauce, the potato gnocchi with Castelmagno D.O.P., and the egg tajarin with classic Piedmontese ragù. The seafood souls of the group instead choose the "tuffoli" with squid ragù.

We wash these delicacies down with excellent selected wines from the rich cellar that boasts 500 labels mainly from the area, including sparkling and white wines, as well as the excellent Barbera d'Asti, and bottles of Barolo, Barbaresco and Moscato. We particularly appreciate the availability also of wines by the glass, recommended by the owners to pair with the dishes. Among the main courses we don't forgo tasting the traditional finanziera all'astigiana, but we also very much like the grilled fassone veal tagliata, the rabbit bites with Arneis, while our seafood lovers opt for the steamed salt cod with Marano cornmeal polenta. Our dinner ends among a series of very sweet temptations to which we gladly give in, tasting the house desserts including the zabaione with Moscato d'Asti, the classic bunet, the hazelnut cake and semifreddos with nougat and chocolate sauce.

The territory and the wine-growing landscapes of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, and after this lovely holiday, which we'll certainly repeat as soon as possible, we're sure that anyone can appreciate the value and charm of these places laden with history where, besides the beauty of the landscape and the flavours of good food, it's also the warm hospitality that makes the difference.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Locanda del Boscogrande Via Boscogrande, 47 Montegrosso d'Asti Tel.: 0141/956390 Annual closure: January