Do you want to discover new places and spend a weekend “out of the path”, away from the usual tourist itineraries?
Welcome to Val Liona, a green territory in the province of Vicenza.
It is an area that extends over the central-southern Berici Mountains and in particular along the valley of the Liona river.On the slopes of the mountains you will find historic villas, old mills, witnesses of the civilization of water and suggestive villages including the ancient village di Campolongo originally chosen by the Benedictines as a locus amoenus of prayer and bliss.
Le ville storiche della Val Liona
- la Torre Cantarella, risalente al secolo XVI;
- Villa Dolfin, eretta nel 1601
- Villa Bollani-Brunello, risalente al ‘700;
Campolongo, Villa Dolfin - Villa Priuli-Lazzarini risalente al ‘500
- Villa Giacometti eretta nel XV secolo;
Le ville storiche della Valle
The precious spontaneous herbs The Liona Valley is an extraordinarily fertile territory, from cherry and pea crops to the renowned wild herbs that have been flavoring rustic popular recipes for years. You will find rapunzel, tamaro, hops, butcher’s broom, dandelion, wild garlic … and then again the “scorzone”, the dark truffle of the Berici and the tasty pumpkin of the upper Valle della Liona, all magnificent gifts of nature that you will find in the colorful weekly markets and in popular festivals.
Local producers and renowned wineries cultivate native vines for fine white and red wines that accompany any refreshment: Garganego, Pinot bianco and grigio, Sauvignon bianco, Prosecco, Tai rosso, Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon and Pinot nero.
MEET CHEF ALBERTO BASSO
Local celebrity is Chef Alberto Basso, at the helm of the renowned TreQuarti Restaurant, recently reopened, thanks to its delightful terrace that can accommodate about twenty tables
Buongiorno Alberto, ritual question, what car do you drive?
I just said goodbye to my 9-seater Volkswagen Transporter. I must say it was convenient for events and for our foraging stops. Now I am in the process of change and I still don’t know which car I will choose.
Let’s talk about visiting your area, any advice?
You will enjoy discovering the Val Liona and the Riviera Berica, the suggestive sources of the Liona river, at the Fontana delle Donne, probably the most spectacular source cave of the Berici. This is a true paradise for those who love trekking, cycling and fishing in the beautiful Lake Fimon.
What ingredients enhance your cooking?
Certainly the products of the territory, but I am not a prisoner of them, in fact my search for the raw material also extends to the entire national territory.
What is the TreQuarti prerogative?
To achieve two objectives: the satisfaction of taste and the search for consistencies and textures that characterize his dishes in which the main elements remain easily recognizable when tasted, albeit wrapped in a game of contrasts and sensations: from hot / cold to sweet /salty
Tradition or innovation?
The ingredient and flavor are elements of tradition, which in my kitchen meets modern cooking techniques that allow me to rethink each dish in a contemporary way.
Want to talk about your recipe?
It is a dish that comes from Puglia and that I wanted to put on the menu in honor of my wife who is precisely from Puglia. I would call it “tiella my way”, a reinterpretation of the traditional recipe “rice, potatoes, mussels”.
A wine to pair with?
I suggest the Savignon Conte della Vipera Villa Antinori Umbria IGT. Its structured and lively taste, freshness and aromatic persistence, would be perfect for fish soups and seafood main courses, a fragrant wine with a moderate acidity that enhances the taste of the potatoes and the flavor of the mussels.
A couple of notes on Chef Basso’s wine choice
Conte della Vipera 2019 has a straw yellow light with greenish and golden hues, intense notes of white flowers that blend with aromas of grapefruits, figs and ginger. On the palate it’s fresh, vibrant and savory with nuances of citron peel, aromatic herbs and elderflower
Alberto Basso’s recipe of “Rice, Potatoes, Mussels”
RISO, PATATE E COZZE
Doses for 4 people
Ingredients
50 clean mussels
5 oysters
00 gr of sea asparagus
For the potato mousse:
750 gr boiled and mashed potatoes
125 gr milk
125 gr melted butter
Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Method:
Cook the potatoes, mash them and put them in a planetary mixer with the leaf; Add the milk cove the butter has been melted and mix.When the mixture is homogeneous pour it into the siphon jug Before using the foam, remember to always immerse it in hot water to ensure that the mixture warms up. For the puffed rice waffle: Cook 250 grams of rice in 1 liter of water for 35/40 minutes When cooked, blend it adding water until it becomes a smooth cream. Season with salt and spread in a silpat. Dry in the oven at 60 ° C When dry, fry them in oil Assembling the plate At the base of the plate put some thinly sliced potato slices (about 1/2 cm) previously blanched in salted water. Place 5 previously opened and shelled mussels on top. Cover everything with the hot potato mousse, sprinkle over it with the mussel powder made by simply drying the mussels and blending them. After that add some chopped sea asparagus and crumbled crusco pepper. Before serving on the table, to give a hint of the sea, grate open and frozen oysters on top.
INFO
Ristorante TreQuarti
Marchese Antinori Wines
Comune Val Liona
Consorzio Colli Berici
