Torino, Italia
Good Evening. We met Damilia outside our apartment at 08:30. We walked to Torteria 40 on Via Giuseppe Mazzini for a cappuccino and brioche. Then we walked over to Mercato di Piazza Madama Cristina, the open-air market. We stopped in at the Panificio Ficini Valter at Via Claudio Luigi Berthollet, 30, first to pick up some bread and Mary & I.
The it was back to Mercato di Piazza Madama Cristina to pick up vegetables for dinner. We got Bok Choi, sweet potatoes (which they call American Potatoes), some fresh figs (for me), and a few other things. Then we headed back to the apartment. Along the way we stopped for window shopping which made the trip rather long.
We got back to the apartment about mid-day. Had a little lunch. Damilia went back to her place to pack as she is leaving for Switzerland in the morning. Then the three musketeers took off to have “The Bicerin”.
The Bicerin is Torino’s iconic beverage, made of layers of chocolate, coffee and cream. It is said to be as rich and elegant as Torino’s Royal history. Of course, the only place to have it is at Caffè al Bicerin. Tucked away in the quiet and intimately small Piazza della Consolata, just a few blocks away from Via Garibaldi os where you will find the original home of The Bicerin. Bicerin (bee-chair-EEN), means “small glass” in the Piedmont dialect.
The story of Caffè al Bicerin began back in 1763, when the acquacedratario (citron drink-maker) Giuseppe Dentis opened a small shop in the building facing the entrance to the Sanctuary of the Consolata. At the time, the place was modestly furnished with wooden tables and benches. The current building was designed by the architect Carlo Promis and constructed in 1856. It is where the coffeehouse took on its modern-day elegant demeanour: the walls were embellished with wooden panelling decorated with mirrors and lamps and the characteristic small round white marble tables, the wooden and marble counter and the shelves for the confetti jars appeared. At the end of the nineteenth century came the front window with its metal frame, glass side windows and cast iron columns and capitals. It is where the confectionery and coffeehouse business took place.
The success of the café was without doubt founded on the invention of the bicerin, however, rather than an invention, it was an evolution of the eighteenth-century bavareisa, a fashionable drink at the time that was served in large glasses and made using coffee, chocolate, milk and syrup. In the beginning, the ritual of the bicerin saw the three ingredients served separately, but as early as the nineteenth century they were poured into a single glass and were available in three variations: “pur e fiur”(similar to today’s cappuccino), “pur e barba” (coffee and chocolate) and “’n poc ‘d tut” (“a little bit of everything”), with all three ingredients. The latter variation was the most successful and ended up overshadowing the others and making it, unaltered, even today, taking the name from the small glasses without handles in which it was served (the bicerin). The drink also became popular in other coffee bars in the city, even becoming one of the symbols of Turin.
The history of the Bicerin, which was how the Turinese came to call the café thanks to the success of its drink, became closely interwoven with that of the “Consolà” with the passing of time. Indeed, the new mixture was the ideal pick-me-up for the faithful who, having fasted to prepare for Holy Communion, needed energy as soon as they came out of the church. Likewise, it was very popular during Lent because hot chocolate was not considered “food”, so it could be consumed with a clean conscience when fasting.
The café was also involved in the Risorgimento and the Unity of Italy, thanks to Camillo Benso di Cavour. It is said that the Count, who was liberal, secular and anti-clerical, would wait for for the royal family to leave the sanctuary, instead of accompanying them, sat comfortably at the table under the clock, checking the entrance of the Consolata from behind the curtains.
At one time, the cafés were run the exclusive preserve of men: men would meet there to drink, smoke and chat. “Respectable” women could not go to places that were so unsuited to them. The Bicerin soon proved to be a unique in this regard, too: it had been opened by a man, but its management soon fell into the hands of ladies. Its unique position facing the Sanctuary of the Consolata made it a favourite destination for female customers, who felt safe and at ease in its particular environment, the specialties served were typical of a chocolate-confectionery establishment and the alcohol served was just vermouth, rosolio and ratafià. For many years, it was one of the few places in which women could be seen on their own in public; they would dip butter biscuits in a bicerin to break the fast after the services at the sanctuary. The fact that it was run by women made it suitable for ladies.
This characteristic gave the place a gentle and delicate feel that is true to this day. From 1917 to 1971, the coffee bar was run by Mrs Ida Cavalli, with the help of her sister and daughter Olga, then, from 1972 to 1977 it was run by Mrs Silvia Cavallera. The Cavalli ladies were much loved and well-known throughout the city: more ladies of the house than coffee bar owners, they lovingly looked after all the penniless intellectuals who took shelter from the bitter cold in the Caffè Al Bicerin.
Great care has been taken by the management of Caffè al Bicerin to maintain traditional methods of production and course of quality ingredients. No corners are cut here. The chocolate is carefully selected for its low acidity and simmered for hours in large copper pots and even the coffee is made using traditional methods.
Although the Bicerin is served with a spoon, you shall not be tempted to swirl the layers together. The secret to savoring the true Bicerin is to avoid mixing it, thereby allowing the various ingredients to some together directly on the palate, with their different densities, temperatures and tastes. The contrast of the strong flavors and delicate textures is said to be a timeless delight on the palate. And, it was and for ever shall be. Very enjoyable.
After our wonderful Bicerin we walked the three blocks to Piazza della Repubblica and the Antica Tettoia dell'Orologio di Porta Palazzo to get the meat for tonight’s dinner. Finding a pork loin roast, or Longa Maiale, is difficult in Italy. In Italy, usually, the pork loin is called Porchetta. Porchetta is a pork loin. Most butcher shops, who sell pork, will have porchetta ready for you to put into the oven. What you will be buying, generally, is a pork loin which has been butterflied, and then a mixture of herbs, usually garlic (surprise), rosemary, fennel, citrus and other herbs then rolled so the herbs are in the inside. Hey, it is good, especially near to Roma where they wrap this in a pork belly. More fat equals more flavor. Kind-of like wrapping your pork loin in bacon before you cook it.
Tonight though we are interest in a traditional American pork loin roast. Mary is going to make apple sauce! After this we head back to the apartment. Damilia to hers and us to ours to pick up our groceries from earlier this morning. We head over to Lulu’s about 17:00 to prepare dinner. We work as a team. Mary makes the apple sauce, Damilia prepares the sweet potatoes to go around the roast, and I prepare the roast.
The best pork roast recipe can be found at https://recipeteacher.com/best-damn-oven-roasted-pork-loin/ . I used this one with a few variations as powered ingredients aren’t available in Italy. I did use a pestle and mortar to grind down the garlic and onion pieces (dried), but I didn’t grind the rosemary. I put it on last.
We had a beautiful dinner with the five of us. Lulu and Amedea went to bed before dinner. Yes, at is 20:00 and we are just sitting down to dinner. It is hard for us old people to eat this late, but it was nice to sit together and talk.
A beautiful day. A new drink enjoyed and a fine home cooked meal.
Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico e Maria
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