US Airways - August 2013 - (Page 17)

explore Wine & Dine Taste, Savor, Enjoy Dazzling the Palate Some call Alba the gourmet capital of Italy — and for good reason. By Nick Passmore ★ Photos (from toP): sImE/Estock Photo and courtEsy of tartuflanghE srl It was October in Piemonte, Italy, and that meant truffles. Specifically, the most prized and expensive of these strange, alluring fungi: the white Alba truffle. It was why I had come to this region in northwest Italy, known in English as Piedmont, and my pilgrimage was rewarded the very first evening with a near-religious gastronomic experience. A small group of us dined at Antica Corona Reale, a 158-year-old restaurant in Cervere, near the town of Alba. We were guests of Michele Chiarlo, proprietor of the winery bearing his name, and his winemaker son, Stefano. Our first course was a dish of delicate tagliatelle and porcini in a veal broth, topped with wafer-thin shavings of truffle and accompanied by the Chiarlo Gavi di Gavi Rovereto 2010. Gavi is normally considered nothing more than a pleasant quaffing white, but this version was special. It came from a single vineyard and had more than enough gravitas to stand up to the rich pasta. The high point of the meal, however, was the l’uovo in concotte con tartufo bianco — an egg poached in a sauce of cream and fontina cheese from the Valle d’Aosta, a mountainous region just north of Piemonte. At the table, more truffles were shaved over the concotte. This miraculous concoction was accompanied by the velvety, polished Michele Chiarlo Cerequio Barolo Riserva 2006. True indulgence! So mesmerizing was this culinary magic that it banished all lingering jet lag and reduced the previously chattering table to reverential silence. While these creations were exceptional, the pairing of truffles and wine speaks to the very heart, not to mention the stomach, of Piemonte. And over the last generation, the two are responsible for transforming the region. Demand for Piemonte’s wine and truffles has fueled an influx of cash and tourism. Roads that 50 years ago still carried horse-drawn carts are now clogged with BMWs and Audis. On the morning after our revelatory dinner, the skies were murky and gray. But the dull light From top: vineyards and country house in Italy’s Piemonte region and a white alba truffle usairwaysmag.com auguST 2013 17 http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - August 2013

US Airways - August 2013
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Architectural Attractions
Wine & Dine: Italy's Gourmet Capital
Adventure: Diving for Dinner
Golf: The Wyndham Championship
Adventure: Drive Time at Bondurant
Great Escapes: Riu Resorts
Gear Up: Tools to Stay Cool
Travel Feature: Seattle's Outdoor Delights
US Airways: Staffing the Skies
Health Matters: Rapid Recovery
Special Section: Historically Black Colleges & Universities
Must Read: The Book of Immortality
Great Dates: Euphoria Festival
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Giving: Pulling Together
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - August 2013