Osteria del Castello in Cengio Alto dal 1906

again Osteria di Cengio Alto whose toviamo traces since 1906 in the municipal archives. established tradition, but new form. The dining experience will bind to an ambitious cultural program. The project stems from research carried out in the food sector of the Laboratory Liquors Valbormida Origin and activity cultural association The Stars, both located in the ancient village of Cengio Alto.

 The idea is to put together the new proposal of a simple cooking, linked to the territory and traditional work practices, with events of cultural nature: reading passages from the screening of films, from exhibitions and shows in the evenings dedicated to music. Explains in this regard, Alessandro Pancini, founder Luca Graffo of origin and president of The Star: "The focus of our interest will be the culture of food and drink, of conviviality as a moment of socialization, exchange and mutual growth; and that's why we started to recover from the kitchen of the area, indeed the cuisine right in this room, starting with quality products and culinary knowledge of those who for years have experienced in their own techniques and preparations, and now wants to share " .

In the kitchen and hall, in fact, will place both the experience of Franca, who for years headed the restaurant, both of Bruna (mothers of Alexander and Luke) who will cut the road, but most of some young girls like Linda , Monica, Valentina and still Valentina. Clearly there will be Luca. Enrico and Alessandro. All have been willing to take up the baton and bring the craft back: "for us - they say - it is not just a job, but it is also a way to hold together the generations, to maintain, through food, a continuity made of knowledge and people. "

The recipes will express a border territory, which is the Bormida Valley, and thus take the best Liguria and Piedmont, but there are also theme nights, where will dominate a dish, an ingredient or preparation, maybe recovering forgotten recipes or that by now you do not make nearly as. It can also say that the most intimate and private assets of the kitchen, the cooking is done in the home, on special occasions, will find a public share in the new locale. Hence the "family" adjective is not a mere label, but responds in full to the vocation of those who think a really home-made cooking, which is precisely why family belongs to us and we recognize it, but also because it made in the usual ways, as we've seen it precisely in our home kitchens. And there is no better place for a kitchen to discover us similar to others, even to find the opportunity to meet other cultures and sensibilities.

On the other hand, even before linked to a few events, the culture is inherent in the food itself. "You can pretty much talk about food culture - we said Davide Montino, a researcher and professor at the University of Genoa and animator of various initiatives of the Stars - and primarily the Osteria with the help of the Stars will develop a speech in this direction: the food as awareness of what is a plate, on time and nature of production; food as a testament to the culture that produced it and that was handed down, while also changing profoundly, until today.

Still quoting quoting our Montino "then we would not limit ourselves to nostalgia for the times that there are no more, but to propose a culinary recovery that is also the recovery of practices as being together, sharing knowledge and learn more about what we eat and of how we eat. The food that is served there is just the culmination of a chain that has seen action practices and knowledge in space and time, and that are in a pot synthesis that we face. "

Here, we would like to eat with us meant primarily an experience of this kind. Obviously, then, there will also be specific cultural events, from the presentation of books in conversations with experts and scholars, exhibitions and various festivals not only food, but with the kitchen the possibility to adapt the spaces to different activities. Eating will be part of the most complex and enriching, but not least will be the relationship with the local productions: "around the proposal of the dishes that have characterized the restaurant in previous years - from stuffed vegetables to meats, homemade ravioli strictly to fried bread, roasted by the classic "brick" sweet there will be a special focus on local products, their quality, - adds Luca Graffo - recovering the Origin model once again will be the quality that makes the difference " . He concludes Enrico Battaglia "Driving along an old road with new rushes forward together"