DISTILLATES MARRY THE MATERIA PRIMA CUISINE
If until recently the pairing of culinary art and Italian spirits represented an unexplored frontier, today it is a reality known to the general public. Thanks also to " 4 Ristoranti ", the television program hosted by chef Alessandro Borghese , who in the last episode stopped in Monferrato , a hilly Piedmontese area known for its wines and fine cuisine and, from today, also for the unprecedented association between local spirits and gastronomic specialties. The restaurant " Materia Prima " launched these " bold pairings " on the television stage , one of the four establishments selected in the "Monferrato" episode. It opened last year in the restored area of the Mazzetti d’Altavilla headquarters , the oldest grappa factory in the Northwest, dating back to 1846. Here, grappa, brandy, and spirits are at home and meet the cuisine, creating original and pleasant sensorial combinations available to diners who wish to try the optional tasting experience. How does it work? “Upon request , it is possible to taste, at the end of the course, a few drops of a 100% Piedmontese distillate, selected to match the proposed specialty” , explains Sanzio Evangelisti , Master Distiller as well as the face of Materia Prima and creator of the pairings.
culinary. "The goal, for those who wish to undertake the tasting journey, is to educate about the conscious use of Italy's flagship distillate, enhancing its aromatic notes and ," concludes Sanzio Evangelisti, " promoting extremely responsible and careful use , limiting quantities and maximizing quality."
Assisted in describing the scents and aromas of the spirits, one can appreciate the sophisticated principles of sensory enhancement and compensation that inspire the various combinations. Weekends in the UNESCO-listed hills of Monferrato are thus enriched with a new tourism and gastronomic opportunity, deeply rooted in the ancient local art of distilling.
A few examples? Some were seen by the hundreds of thousands of viewers who followed the "Monferrato" episode of "4 Ristoranti": among these, the pairing of suckling pig cooked in the fragrant local pomace, a key specialty of Materia Prima, and the noble Grappa di Barolo Invecchiata capable of creating a refined cleansing of the palate, or a revisited Bonet 7.0, with the floral aromas of Grappa di Ruchè Invecchiata.
this distillate Alessandro watchtower Mazzetti d’Altavilla, enjoying the evocative Monferrato skyline of vineyards and quaint villages that have also convinced the renowned Lonely Planet Guide, which considers Piedmont a top tourist destination in 2019.
In these establishments, autumn (the season in which the episode of "4 Ristoranti" was filmed) has meanwhile seen a marked increase in distillation tourists: the Materia Prima in Mazzetti d’Altavilla has hosted diners from many parts of the planet: from Australia to the United States, from China to Argentina.
And, after the television spotlight on 4 Ristoranti, 's tasting menus Materia Prima continue with the option of booking lunches or dinners every weekend (registration required) at the hilltop venues in Altavilla Monferrato, at Viale Unità d'Italia 2. This option includes the option of combining tours of the Distillery and Barrique Cellar to learn more about the production process and tasting methods, including exhibitions of photographs of the Piedmont region, visual tours dedicated to blending, and numerous testimonials related to distillation.
