Elisa Sciandini, owner of Agriturismo Cioi Longhi in Montegrosso Pian Latte in Italy’s Liguria region, believes that its modern relevance speaks to the fact that many people are looking for simple dishes without preservatives. The dishes she makes in her agriturismo (farmstay) are made with local products that would always have been available to shepherds. “Most of the ingredients I use are produced right here on site,” she says, “including the vegetables and flour, as well as the cheese and milk from our goats.”
Typical dishes here include raviore of Montegrosso Pian Latte, a filled pasta of wild herbs, olive oil and cheese. “I also make torta di patate,” she says, “which is a savory cake made with potatoes and pepper, and streppa e caccia la’, a simple dough that I make with just flour and water with a brussu (fermented ricotta) sauce.”
Back in La Brigue, Teisseire tells me that La Cuisine Blanche is the epitome of Slow Food. “We want to be part of the fight against climate change by consuming according to the seasons and our territory,” he tells me, “and we know it is healthier for us to eat dishes made from seasonal products that have been prepared in an artisanal and non-industrial way.”
I’m reminded of what Lantéri spoke about, that not only is La Cuisine Blanche tasty, it’s also sustainable: “It’s an economical solution that promotes areas that are difficult to access or otherwise not very useful, and it’s ecological,” he’d said. “With both nomadic shepherding and La Cuisine Blanche, we are following a resource offered by the sun, the rain and the earth.”
