COOKING

What else is very important on vacation??

Good food and drink!!

There are countless restaurants in Liguria – in all flavours and price ranges.
The corresponding pages of the portal “Tripadvisor” offer an initial orientation.
In this issue of the „ Riviera-Posts“, we tried to weight this orientation again:

– only restaurants in the category ” low-priced“restaurants”
– only in coastal towns
– in the province of Imperia
– only with “outdoor seats”

VENTIMIGLIA

1. Consani Osteria
Via Teatro 4

2. La Trattoria dei Pani
Via Roma 16

3. Sir Thomas
Via Hanbury 5

4. Enoteca Consani
Via Cavour 39/B

5. Centrale 2000
Piazza Cesare Battista 32

6. Bar Canada
Via Aprosio 25/A

7. Piazza Caffè’
Via Camillo Cavour 51

CAMPOROSSO MARE

1. La Fazenda
Corso Vittorio Emanuele ll

2. Trattoria dal Mat
Via Braie Nr. 111

3. Pizzeria del Ponte- Da Alfio
Corso Repubblica 106

VALLECROSIA

1. Trattoria Lo Cherippo
Via Colonello Aprosio 407

2. Jado Lunch & Wine
Via Colonello Aprosio 282

BORDIGHERA

1. Café’ Monet
Piazza Eroi della Libertà 9

2. Ristorante Valdisogno
Via Parini 7

3. Pizzeria da Vincenzino
Via Guglielmo Marconi 26

4. Graffiti
Via Vittorio Emanuele 122

OSPEDALETTI

1. Pizzeria Baixarico’
Via XX Settembre 17

2. Pizzeria Pappabuona
Via XX Settembre 61

3. Cactus Cafe’
Via XX Settembre 3

4. Bar La Bussola
Piazza Quattro Novembre 1

SANREMO

1. Sottocoperta Lounge Bar
Piazza Bresca 7

2. Soul Burger & More
Corso Mombello 41

3. La Vesca
Pista ciclabile

4. Il Mulattiere
Via Palma 11

5. La Tavernetta
Via Palazzo 129

6. DiligENZO Pub
Via al Mare, Susana di Sanremo

7. Sandy Ristobar
Corso Nazario Sauro 29

8. La Bodeguita
via Gaudio 16

9. White Pony
Strada Solaro 4

10. Pizzeria Pinocchio
Via Palazzo 111

11. Enea Sardenaira
Via Alfonso Lamarmora 243

12. 21 Bistro
Piazza Brescia 21

13. Futura S.N.C.- Bar Max
Corso Nazario Sauro 21

14. Dolcenove
Piazza Eroi Sanremisi 23

15. Moloakka
Via del Castillo 17

16. Portovecchio
Corso Nazario Sauro 33/36

17. Sud Est
Via Salvo d’Acquisto 20

18. Insomnia Café
Corsi Imperatrice 17

19. Agora Café
Piazza San Siro 40

20. Pizzeria Graziella
Piazza Eroi Sanremesi 48-50

21. Bar Siri
Piazza Eroi Sanremesi 25

ARMA DI TAGGIA

1. La Fortezza di Manin
Via Queirolo 88

2. Elisabeth Bar
Via Lungomare 203

3. Bagni Fiori
Via al mare 28 Bussana
4.Crudo & Cotto
Vicolo Vivaldi 10

5. Piccolo Lido
Via Lungo Mare 70

6. L’idea anche di scalzi e Pirelli
Via Lungomare 165

RIVA LIGURE

1. Ristorante Chicco & Rosa
Via Gaudio 42,Sanremo

2. Dalla Padella alla Brace
Via Martiri delle Libertà’ 67

3. Ristorante Roberto
Via della Libertà’ 29

SANTO STEFANO

1. Il Torrione
Via Privata Seve 16

2. Rifornimento Bistrot
Via Pisa 8

3. Ristorante La Cucina
Pizza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour 7

4. Scalo 4
Via Cardinale Meglia 4

SAN LORENZO

1. Spaghetteria Il Gabbiano
Via Roma 33

2. Agriturismo Cascina Rio Rocca
Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini 1

3. Ristorante Antica Piazzetta
Via Varlo Sclavi 32

IMPERIA

1. Antica Taverna
Via Giosue’ Carducci 63

2. Amelia Pizzeria Ristorante
Arlt 6, LOC.Piani

3. Madamadore
Piazza Andrea Doria 16

4. Pizzeria da Bully
Via Augusto Armelio 2

5. Pizzeria Agora’
Piazza Goito 8

6. U Papa
Piazza Andrea Doria 13 D

7. U Tecciu de Ma
Via Angelo Silvio Novaro 31

8. Laboratorio
Calata Giovanni Battista Cuneo 3

9. Caffe‘ Cico‘
Vico Monti 1

10. Stra
Via Gustavo Stafforello 24

11. Giropizza Infinity
Calata Cuneo 45

12. Il Pituti breaktime
Via Scarincipo 130

13. Il Chioschetto
Banchina Madaglie d‘Oro

14. Bar Tapas
Via Nino Lamboglia 1

15. Preve
Via della Repubblica 41

DIANO MARINA

1. O4 Null Vier
Corso Roma 59

2. La Briciola
Via Cavour 62

3. Spaghetteria Macaroni
Via Giuseppe Verdi 2

SAN BARTOLOMEO

1. La Pinta
Via Elba 15

2. Focacceria Dai Ninin
Lungomare Delle Nazioni 66

3. Ristobar G&G
Via Lungomare Delle Nazioni

CERVO

1. Le Nereidi
Via Alla Foce 21

2. Porteghetto
Via Aurelia 9/11

3. Ristorante Sarafino
Via Giacomo Matteotti 8

(Ohne Gewähr und ohne Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit. Stand: 5.7.24)

Una Festa Italiana

A special pleasure for all friends of good, regional food and entertainment is the visit to a so-called SAGRA.

Here is the impression of an employee!

UNA FESTA ITALIANA

Text by ANETTE BOWMANN

The many posters on the roadside announce it: summer is here! Because summer is the time of festivals. Festivals with such wonderful names as Festa del Fungo, Musica in Piazza or Sagra dei Fagiolini.

“That’s exactly where we’re going,” I tell the man who always wants to teach me “La dolce vita.”

Said, done! But of course everything starts with a big mess. Wildly gesticulating and waving strictly with the pilot trowel, we are guided into a parking space on the roadside – felt 20 km from the village. But you can hear and smell – the fairground: sometimes the village plaza under ancient plane trees, but also simply the local football field – is not far away.

And the anticipation is rising: there will be good food and good wine. By the way, usually served by the members of the local cooperative Pro Loco.

But do it! If you want to eat and drink, you must first buy tokens. The proceeds will later be used to support a village project.

Looking importantly and concentrated, the honorees sell tokens, the “marche”, which are exchanged at various stations for delicious, usually local-typical specialties – conveniently served on plastic plates and in plastic cups. And already during the meal, the real highlight of the festival begins: il ballo – the dance! And so the piazza of the village turns into a huge dance hall and the gray asphalt into shiny parquet. The whole village is on its feet, young and old, locals and tourists swing the dance leg, to live music and always classic: discofox, waltz, foxtrot, rumba, cha-cha-cha, tango and formation!!! A ballroom dance – a must for most people! A must that can make you happy! Everyone dances cheerfully, but still surprisingly disciplined according to the instructions of the singer.

And then he comes: Rudolfo Valentino – just aged a little! I will never forget the shine in the eyes of the old man who dances the perfect formation in a suit, with pocket square and polished shoes, together with many others, after sitting alone and lost on a bench.

&Nbsp;

(Ulli Breor)

A recipe in a different form!

The invention of the Farinata: And this happened – certainly not exactly – in 1284, when a Genoese galley set out to accompany some merchant ships on their way to the Levant. Even then, this coastal area was an important hub for oriental goods that were taken across the Indian Ocean and the Asian caravan paths. They wanted to exchange them here for European products such as cloths.

On this trip, the ships got into a violent storm. Because of the roaring waves and the strong winds, the ships got into extreme distress. Chaos also raged on our galley. The ship was lifted to Wellenberge. And fell back into the foaming spray. The rain whipped the sails, the planks creaked and groaned under the swell, The sailors on board – accustomed to the rough sea – prayed and hoped for the weakening of primal forces.

It also went under and over inside the ship. Barrels, boxes and bags swirled up in the provisions room. Much broke, torn, so that cereals, oil, salt and legumes were mixed up in their barrels. Sea water entered the storage room and mixed with the scarce food on board. But this did not matter in these moments of greatest need. Now the crew fought for bare survival.

After days of great effort and fear, the weather and swell calmed down. Slowly, order came into the daily routine. The most serious damage was repaired. However, the risk of survival was far from being averted.

First, the own position had to be determined. This was not so easy in these times, because the technique of the compass was not yet mature and an exact determination of the longitudes unknown.

So you had to gain time – and provide enough food for the men on the ship. Upon a detailed inventory of the provisions, the disaster was then recognized: many of the food carried was spoiled and swollen by seawater. Some things could be saved and were also edible. But that wouldn’t be enough! But then there was the front ship of this thick, disgusting porridge! Upon careful examination of this mass by the provisions master, it was recognized that they were probably squeezed chickpeas swollen in seawater – also called ceci. Our sailors probably said to themselves ‘Not very appetizing to look at, but better than nothing’. And so there was this porridge from then on for lunch and dinner. In the following days, someone probably came up with the idea – it was certainly the ship’s chef – to let the porridge dry on deck in the sun to improve the taste. So it was formed into small flatbreads and distributed on the deck in the sun. At that moment, the Italian pancake – the Farinata (Farina = flour) – was invented. Obviously, the court created at that time had been able to save the lives of sailors on their way back to the Riviera. Because otherwise there wouldn’t be this delicious specialty today. This is how some still tell it today!

In any case, our galley was able to return safely to its home port. We do not know what has become of the other merchant ships. But probably they were also able to continue their journey and possibly similar life-saving events have also occurred in their cargo compartments.

Our ship cook – like all survivors – was very happy about his rescue, but was fed up with seafaring and from now on only wanted to do what he felt called to do: COOKING.

Preferably, of course, in his own restaurant. However, there have already been many of them in Genoa. And so a good business idea had to be created! Why not benefit from the experienced suffering? So he further developed the preparation of his chickpea flatbreads. And since even on the Riviera the sun does not always shine, he came up with the idea of drying and baking the flatbreads not only in the sun, but also in the wood oven. Business went well!

But the story continues!

One evening, our gourmet master waited for guests in his harbor pub in Porto Marina. Then an old fisherman joined him and they talked about God and the world over a bottle of Rosso. Of course, our ship’s chef also talked about his adventures at sea and the happy rescue by the Farinata. Then the old fisherman laughed and told him an old legend that also revolved around the ceci.

Basically, his story is an old hat. Because the Farinata would actually have invented the ancient Romans. They would have baked the porridge of chickpeas on their shields in the sun in order to be able to prepare a simple meal without interrupting their campaigns.

For our cook, it was clear that he would not continue to tell this legend, if only because of the danger to the exclusivity of his invention. But the idea of shield baking meant that he now prepared his chickpea porridge in a wood oven on a sheet. Since this recipe was a great success, he soon opened another Farinata trattoria in the port of Genoa. And this is how the first flatbread chain in the world was created.

The Farinate di ceci is probably one of the oldest dishes in Liguria and traditionally belongs to poor people’s cuisine. In fact, it is said that this dish was already known in the Middle Ages. It is said to have really originated in Genoa.

The Farinata – an unexpected and unusual treat. Simply made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil and a little salt, you can enjoy them as a side dish or even better as a snack – very fresh – with a glass of red wine. Traditionally, of course, it should be baked in a wood oven.

You can try it yourself. The Farinata also succeeds in the home oven.

For 4 people:

You need: 125 grams of chickpea flour, a quarter of a liter of water, a tablespoon of olive oil, some pepper and salt.

Mix water, oil and chickpeas without lump formation. Season with salt and pepper. Leave at room temperature for at least two hours. Skim off the resulting foam. Pour onto an oiled baking sheet, about 1 centimeter high. Bake for 25 minutes at 240 degrees until golden brown and crispy.

Enjoy your meal!