I Primi D’Italia — part 3

Excuse me for my absence and the delay in completing the Primi D’Italia experience but as you may have noted I was focused on insurance exams! Now that I am over and done with I can get back to my blog writing, with a bang!

My last entry of the primi festival in Foligno is all about rice! One of the degustation menu tavernas was catered by chef Gabriele Ferron, the king of risotto! The menus varied depending on the day and seatings required booking and attendance by a fixed time. This was required, as we later discovered, because the rice is cooked there instantly and only preparation is done ahead.

[caption id=”attachment_754" align=”aligncenter” width=”500" caption=”Degustation menu at Ferron’s taverna”]

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As we entered the taverna we realised that it was full to its brim! As we hungrily waited for the food to start being served we heard people whispering to each other positive comments about Ferron and his products. Many said they come to the festival annually but eat only at Ferron, others insisted that the food was amazingly prepared at the moment and everything was so fresh and tasty! Till then our expectations rose sky high so we were anxious to taste the food… menu 1 was being served at our evening and thus we enjoyed the following exquisite dishes. Must also add that this particular taverna served the food in terracotta plates and bowls and used proper cutlery whereas other tavernas had everything disposable. This added a further real touch of mediavality to the degustation event.

So, here’s the food in pictures!

The polenta, although not Dad’s favourite, turned out to be a rich juicy mash topped with creamy salted cod… too tasty to refuse!

[caption id=”attachment_755" align=”aligncenter” width=”500" caption=”Polenta with cod alla vicentina”]

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[caption id=”attachment_756" align=”aligncenter” width=”500" caption=”Risotto with Montello herbs and Casatella Trevigiana”]

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This risotto was very delicate; the casatella trevigiana is a sweet milky cheese which produced an excellently creamy risotto. The herbs from Montello, a region of Verona, added a wild flavour to the dish.

[caption id=”attachment_757" align=”aligncenter” width=”500" caption=”Pilaf rice with chicken and wild mushrooms”]

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The wild mushrooms created a simple yet tangy dish which flavoured the perfectly cooked rice.

This high quality menu was washed down with a sparkling wine from Veneto and concluded with a small square of rice nougat which was just right after this enriching experience!

We wrapped up the Foligno festival very positively and returned home with a delicate aroma, and a couple of products from Ferron which we are trying out in our culinary adventures! Must describe this festival as a cultivating journey through the products and dishes of the various Italian regions and must say Thanks Dad for providing me with such opportunity — it surely spiced up my culinary knowledge in primi piatti!

Just a small note: don’t dare think that we bought only products from Ferron since we checked in a luggage of 5 kilos and boarded our return flight with 30 kilos of food :)