The Apennine hills, the historic centers of some of our cities, up to the Occitan valleys on the border with France are tinged with yellow these days. The reason is a historic sporting event, which in over a century of life had never touched Italy. This is the 111th edition of the Tour de France, a legendary cycling race that started from our country this year, with three (and a half) stages between Tuscany and Piedmont. While we wait for July 1st, the arrival at Torinoas well as tomorrow’s restart from Pinerololet’s see how chefs, bartenders and pastry chefs have revised their recipes to pay homage, in these hours and even further, to the Big loop.
The Tour de France for the first time in Italy, between Tuscany and Piedmont
It is not the first time that the organizers of the race – whose first start took place in 1903 – decided to start on foreign soil. It happened 25 other times to be precise, with the program, in a two-year period, having already identified Barcelona. This year, however, it’s Italy’s turn, the land of great cyclists to whom, not surprisingly, the local stages are dedicated. Between Florence and Riminion June 29th, Gino Bartali was remembered. In Romagna, however, between Cesenatico and Bologna the streets on the 30th were plastered with posters of the ‘Pirate’ Marco Pantani. We also remember the champion from Alessandria Fausto Coppi during the Piedmontese closing, which takes the athletes from Piacenza in Turinto start again from Pinerolo towards Valloire, across the border. Among kiosks selling sandwiches and fresh beer, in the Savoy capital, as elsewhere, there is no shortage of professionals who pay homage to the event with recipes, drinks, desserts and even coffee-themed ‘cycling performances’.
Specialty coffee itinerante
Those who run by bike need a lot of energy, but also those who jog along the side of the road to cheer. They’ve thought about it Oliviero Alotto e Matteo Rebufforespectively brand ambassador and roaster of the roastery Ialty of Barolo, as well as passionate cyclists. In partnership with La Marzocco, they loaded a super espresso machine onto an equipped cargo bike and followed some stages. They left from Florence and stopped on the Futa Pass, then in Bologna at the excellent Sablé ice cream shop (we talked about it here), to extract and offer the coffee directly on the road. After passing through Modena and Asti, they will arrive in Turin on July 1st for the last tasting with fans in Piazza Carlina. To be precise, at the tables of Maradeiboschi, an ice cream and chocolate shop equally involved in the Ialty project.
Gianduiotti dyed yellow
On the dessert side, some Turin artisans rework a city symbol: the gianduiotto. Luca Dell’Agnese He transforms it at his pastry shop into a single portion of semifreddo with gianduja mousse. Inside, an insert flavored with another great classic, the bonet. A limited edition of 300 pieces for the ‘Piemonte dolce Tour’, served at the arrival of the stage complete with a small mole antonelliana in chocolate. The chocolatier instead bets everything on the color of the Tour Guido Castagnawhich maintains the classic praline – his is called Giuinott – but dyes it all yellow, with cocoa butter.
Drinks inspired by cycling
Luigi Barberis, owner of several cocktail bars and restaurants in Alessandria and the province (including Caffè degli Artisti, Caffè Post, Caffè dei Mercanti and Itaca) thought of the final toast by putting together a cocktail. What colour? Yellow, of course. His ‘La Musette’ is a blend of white bitters with Piedmontese artemisia and gentian, lemon juice, citron and chamomile salted syrup. In his name it recalls the historic bag that the tour cyclists grabbed on the fly, containing drinks and snacks useful for refreshment. Without ever getting off the seat.
The superchef-cyclist and the risotto for the Tour de France
When he’s not in the kitchens of the three-starred restaurant Piazza Duomo Of Albachef Henry Crippa he is traveling around Piedmont and beyond, clocking up kilometers on his bike (he travels more than 5 thousand a year). A tribute to the Tour de France is therefore obligatory, especially on its regional route. The dish will be available for a period on the Seasonal Thing menu, translating the inspiration into the colors and flavors of the competition. Crippa, who was born in Brianza, proposes a risotto flavored with saffron, which keeps in mind the Florentine origin in the seasoning, with the typical liver ragù. The final touch is given by fresh chervil, picked in the garden in Piazza Duomo.
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