The plants that shape the image of the Ligurian Riviera and French Cote d 'Azur today are clearly the palm trees. However, these were not built until the mid-19th century. In the 19th century, naturalized here. Their ancestors come largely from North Africa. The agaves, oranges, magnolias, as well as the most diverse cactus varieties, were also imported everywhere.

The German agronomist, landscape designer and gardener Ludwig Winter played an important role in this. He planted for it in the sixties of the 19th century. In the 19th century, exotic seedlings from all over the world were commissioned by Sir Thomas Hanbury in England.

In doing so, he laid the foundation for the design of numerous public gardens and subsequently private gardens.

Knowing well about these fundamental changes in the landscape of the Riviera, the then highly regarded German botanist Eduard Strasburger, in his book "Forays on the Riviera" around 1890, gave his thoughts on the former appearance of this area:

' What might the Riviera have looked like before the cultivation of the oil tree began, when palm trees and cypresses were still missing and the Agrumi's smell of smell didn't fill the air? She was covered in evergreen shrubs, while dense coniferous forest capped the heights. The image of vegetation had to be quite different; For its appearance was determined by the growth of the species, while the character of the landscape that we now consider to be the Italian is based on the effective emergence of individual distinct plant forms and their plastic manifestation.

How characteristic of this soil more than two thousand years of culture that those plants that conjure the image of Italy so vividly before the soul are not rustic to this country. They came from the Orient, and … unfolded and refined on this floor.

The citrons and oranges received the classical lands from the Semites, which had taken over the same ones from the Indians. The oil and fig tree, the vine and the palm tree were in care at the Semites long before they made victorious forceful forwards to the west. The Cultus of the laurel and the myrtle crossed the Mediterranean from the east. The Cypress does not have its Heimath in Italy, but on the Greek islands and Lebanon; Yes, even from the umbrella-shaped pine tree, which serves as a model for the plume of the plume of Mount Vesuvius, one has, this time wrongly, doubted that it is a real Italian plant.

And when, on the other hand, the great cultural impulse that emanated from the discovery of the new world was to be embodied on Italian soil in typical plant forms, it brought it the agaves, the prickly, pale green opuntia that are so good to the rocky The beach of Italy fit as if they had always been destined for him, were only arrived of the same in the fourteenth century of America. "

Forays on the Riviera

from 

Eduard Strasburger

Publisher Paetel

Copyright free issue

Reprint of the botanical professor's travelogue, first published in 1895, which includes not only the description of land and people, but also an inventory of the local fauna, 

Available from Amazon Kindle.

Above quote is from this book. (P. 140 ff)

 

Today, the bricklayers had moved the last battlements to the wall ring of his roof terrace. Work on his new palace had finally finished.

The rich patrician Antonello proudly looked high over the rooftops of the city. So he had done it again. His gender finally possessed the city's tallest building again – after long years of humiliation by the hated neighbouring family –. Even higher than the cathedral! More than a Canna * higher! What should actually be stopped!

Antonello proudly rubbed his fists whether his ingenious idea of subverting the building regulations. But he had shown it to the priests!

It was the case that the clergy had had influence the height of new city palaces, since the churches disappeared behind the towers of the secular palaces. That's blasphemy! 

Ridiculous!! But what should you do! Officially, no one in the city wanted to get on with the clergy. All the influential families of the place had therefore – teeth crunching – obliged to accept a cap on future residential towers in the city. No residential tower should therefore have more than 5 storeys. These were the new building regulations!
Antonello grinned once more while his gaze fell down the alleyways of his city. He had stuck to the collusion! His new palace had only 5 floors!

But had the bullet height been prescribed! Ha! Just not!

And so he had every floor built a little higher than usual by his cunning builder: The regulations were complied with, but his palace was higher than anyone else in the city! No one could expect such a cunning!

His family's reputation was assured for years!

So – or even a little different – have been in the 12th century. And 13. In the 19th century many rich nobles and merchants thought: They rebuilt old defensive towers intended for defense or built new buildings. At that time, however, these were usually no longer used for the defense, but more and more often for the demonstration of one's own power.

It was true that the higher the tower, the greater the reputation of the family.

Particularly well known are the gender towers of Bologna and, of course, those of the Tuscan village of San Gimignano, which is therefore also called "Manhattan of the Middle Ages."

But if you visit the old town of Albenga, you will have to admit that the attribute "Little Manhattan" also applies to this beautiful, Ligurian city.

* A canna equals 2.5 passeti = 5 bracci = 2.91 meters

And that certainly didn't happen 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 transshipment point for Oriental goods, which were brought over the Indian Ocean and the Asian caravan routes. They wanted to exchange them for European products such as cloth.

On that trip, the ships got into a violent storm. Because of the roaring waves and the fierce winds, the ships came in extreme distress. Chaos raged on our galley, too. The ship was lifted to wave mountains. And fell back into the foaming spray. The rain whipped sails, the planks creaked and growled under the swell, The sailors aboard – used to the rough sea-prayed and hoping for the abating of the primal powers.

Inside the ship, too, it went under and over it. In the provider room, barrels, boxes and bags swirled. Much fractured, tore, so grain, oil, salt and the legumes were swirled in their barrels. Seawater penetrated the storage room and mingled with the scarce food on board. But that didn't matter in those moments of supreme need. Now the crew struggled to survive naked.

After days of great effort and fear, weather and sea calm down. Slowly order came into the daily routine. The most serious damage has been repaired. But by no means was the danger to survival averted.

 First, it was necessary to determine one's position. This was not so easy in these times, because the technique of the compass was not yet mature and an exact determination of the degrees of length unknown.

Thus, one had to gain time – and provide enough food for the men on the ship. With a detailed inventory of the Proviantraume, the disaster was then recognized: Many of the food carried were spoiled and poured up by seawater. Some things could be saved and were also edible. Only that would not be enough! But then there were front ships this thick, disgusting porridge! With a detailed assessment of this mass by the Proviant Master, it was recognized that they were well-bruised chickpeas – also called ceci –. ' Not very appetizing to look at, but better than nothing ' have probably been said to each other by our sailors. And so there was this porridge from then on for lunch and dinner. In the days that followed, someone probably came up with the idea – sure the ship's chef – to let the porridge dry on deck in the sun to enhance the flavour. So he was shaped into small flats and distributed on the deck in the sun. At that moment, the Italian pancake – the Farinata (farina = flour) was – invented. Clearly, the court created at the time had been able to save the lives of the sailors on their return journey to the Riviera. Otherwise, there would not be this delicious speciality today. That's how some still tell it today!

In any case, our galley was able to return to its home port. What has become of the other merchant ships, we don't know. But presumably they too have been able to continue their journey and possibly similar life-saving events have occurred in their cargo holds.

Our ship's chef was – like all survivors – very happy about his rescue, but was fed up with seafaring and from now on just wanted to do what he felt called to do: KNOW.

Preferably, of course, in his own eatery. But there were already a lot of them in Genoa. And so had to be a good business idea! Why not benefit from the experienced suffering? So he continued to develop his chickpea poodials. And since even on the Riviera the sun doesn't always shine, he came up with the idea of drying and baking the flakes not only in the sun, but also in the wood-fired oven. Business was going well!

But the story continues!

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

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

It was clear to our chef that he would not tell this legend any further, already because of the jeopardy of the exclusivity of his invention. But the idea of sign-baking led to him now preparing his chickpea porridge in the wood-fired oven on a sheet metal. Since this recipe was a great success, he soon opened another Farinata trattoria in the port of Genoa. And that's how the world's first Flad chain came into being.

The Farinate di ceci is probably one of the oldest dishes in Liguria and traditionally belongs to the army of people's cuisine. In fact, it has been 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. Quite simply made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil and a little salt you can enjoy it as a side dish or even better as a snack – fresh – with a glass of red wine. Traditionally, of course, it should be baked in a wood-fired 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 litre of water, a tablespoon of olive oil, some pepper and salt.

Mix water, oil and chickpeas without lump-forming. Season with salt and pepper. Leave to stand at room temperature for at least two hours. Skim off the resulting foam. Pour on an oiled baking tray, about 1 centimeter tall. Bake for 25 minutes at 240 degrees until golden and crispy.

Enjoy your meal!

The many posters on the side of the road announce it: Summer is here! Because summer is the time of the festivities. Feasts with such wonderful names as "Festa del Fungo," "Musica in Piazza" or "Sagra dei Fagiolini."

"That's exactly what we're going to do," I tell the man who always wants to teach me "La dolce vita."

Said, done! But, of course, it all starts with a big mess. Daring and angly waving with the pilot's trowel, we are led into a roadside parking lot – felt 20km from the village. But you can hear and smell – the festival place: Sometimes the village piazza under ancient plane trees, but also simply the local football pitch – is not far away.

And anticipation is rising: There will be good food and good wine. By the way, mostly by the members of the local cooperative "Pro Loco."

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

Importantly looking and concentrating, the honoraries sell tokens, the "marche," which one exchanges at various stations for delicious, mostly locally typical specialties – conveniently served on plastic plates and in plastic cups.
And already during the meal begins the actual highlight of the festival: il ballo – the dance! And so the village's piazza transforms into a giant dance hall and the gray tarmac into gleaming 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 social dance – a must for most! A must that can make you happy! Everyone dances happily but nonetheless amazingly disciplined according to the instructor's instructions.

And then he comes: Rudolfo Valentino – just aged a bit! I will never forget the sparkle in the eyes of the old man, who dances in a suit, with plugged cloth and polished shoes, along with many others the perfect formation, having previously sat alone and somewhat lost on a bench.