Iuly
2002
ALGHERO
Undoubtedly,
Alghero is today one of the most renowned tourist resorts in Sardinia. Situated
in large gulf, cheered by splendid cliffs, the sea and the sky blending together
harmoniously in a unique blue colour, Alghero lies down like a noble lady, waiting
comfortably for her old and new guests who alternate every year within her ancient
walls, enjoying a town "suspended" magically in a natural scenery radiant with
beauty. The old town centre is obviously most interesting from the historical
and artistic point of view for both tourists and scholars. The "Lido" is famous
for the whiteness of its sand and the calm of the sea. Other beaches are spread
all along the coast of the city up to the bordering village of Fertilia. For
tourists, the attractions of Alghero extend to the whole of the coast, to the
lively cliffs of the gulf, with a series of mar
vellous
views hardly to be seen in other places. The Grotta di Nett
uno
(= the Neptune Cave) is surely the major attraction. It is not easy to describe
the beauty of it, however, in such a short presentation, it would not be convenient
either, since we prefer that the tourist discovers by himself this hidden fabulous
world, so that, impressed by the great surprise, he can better recall this place.
The cooking On request one can easily taste (depending on the period) some special
typical dishes, which distinguish themselves by the deliciousness of the ingredients,
rather than by the cooking itself. "Su Ziminu", for example, is a fish soup
made with a variety of local fish; whereas the lobster, cooked in different
ways, is a delicious and sought for dish with an almost aphrodisiac taste. There
are more typical dishes such as "Is Malloreddus", very tasty "gnocchetti" made
from the local wheat and seasoned in tomato sauce. The flavours of cooking re
present
a historical period, a culture, a philosophy of life. The ancient tradition
of wine is not to be forgotten if we want to ac
company
a good dinner: its remarkable versatility and its endless mutability make this
wine both a real pleasure and a basic element of our diet. Wine is the blood
of the earth and we are not surprised that the wine grown in Sardinian vineyards
represents faithfully in its body and its spirit of protean nature the generous
imagination of the Mediterranean island. Through wine, the loving message of
a sincere and unpolluted town is conveyed to all those who truly love nature.
Welcome these messages with trust and pleasure. They are going to become brightening
friends, to help you have a nice holiday, since they will never either betray
or disappoint you.
Fotografie di Claudio
de Tisi www.lamiasardegna.it
TORTOLI' - ARBATAX
On
the occasion of the International Year of the Mountain, the Pro Loco of Tortoĺ-Arbatax,
the municipality and the town library have scheduled a few festivals called
"Mountain's Wednesdays": several mountain villages, the festival's protagonists,
are going to show and promote their handicraft, gastronomy, tradition, territory
and folklore's products. The "Via dei Monti" ( = the mounts' pathway) will officially
open on Wednesday 19th June and Tortoĺ will be the host village. The itineray
continues (every Wednesday) at Baunei, Jerzu, Arzana, Villagrande, Ussassai,
Urzulei, Lanusei, Ilbono, Talana. It will end on Wednesday 11th September with
a great festival for peace and brotherhood, dedicated to America.
Tortoĺ-Arbatax
It is time to say that
this characteristic area,
Ogliastra, is one of the most picturesque historical regions of the island,
although it has been almost ignored by most people up to now. After driving
along a few ponds, and very close to them, one arrives at Tortoĺ. Situated
on a fertile plain, full of orchards and vegetable gardens, this famous little
town is among the most welcoming places, in every respect. The area owes its
reputation as a tourist resort to the seaside hamlet of Arbatax, the only port
of call in Ogliastra. Arbatax is not only a harbour: it has a wide beach, beautiful
among the most beautiful, and is
provided with restaurants and good hotel accomodation (see the sponsor in the
article). The resort can boast picturesque red-porphyry cliffs which, the mirror
of the bluest sea, when seen from the sea, give you the best drawing of an extravagant
nature. All this goes along with genuine cooking, which consists of simple,
heady-tasted dishes. Thanks to the nearby mountain villages which, almost threateningly,
overlook the sea, we can taste mountain hams made from animals fed with berries,
ancient products of nature: everything is then accompanied by strong and savoury
red wines. Cakes, wines, fish, crustaceans, hams and several other dishes are
offered by the area. Out of fairs and festivals, tourists can taste typical
dishes in restaurants, hotel-restaurants and, on request, at the local fish
pond, according to the saying: "From the producer to the consumer". The typical
fish cooking is represented by the famous "Su Ziminu", a special fish soup made
with
a variety of local fish; the typical delicious and sought for lobster, cooked
in different ways; there are also many alternative dishes such as the typical
clams, mussels, oysters, the Sardinian lobster, prawns, squills, little lobsters,
dentexes sprinkled with white wine, gilthead breams, basses and any other genuine
food that an unpolluted sea can offer. Lamb or Goatling, specialities consisting
of tasty and tender meat and th
e
typical roast on the spit, on a low flame until the meat turns golden brown.
The Culurgionis, a kind of ravioli made of bread dough, filled either with ricotta
or fresh cheese mixed with a special vegetable mixture. Su Casu Cottu, fresh
cheese "toasted" on the open fire until it gets brown. Worth mentioning is also
Sardinian bread, for its whiteness and softness but also for its special flavour,
due both to the excellent kneading and the local-wheat flour. A special kind
of bread is Pane Carasau, made of very thin round sheets of bread dough toasted
in the oven. The list would be uninteresting if we forgot Bacco in Sardinia.
On this marvellous island, where the sun hardly ever sets, grapevines are grown
and high-quality (and often vintage) wines are produced. Ogliastra almost belongs
to ancient Sardinia, where Bacco, our silent but faithful guide, makes us appreciate
some more "variations on the theme", wine: a faithful but discreet protagonist.
In the area and in the whole of Barbagia the red wine Cannonau has a strong
taste in all of its forms. In Ogliastra, it is milder, it is a strong sweet
wine with a confidential and friendly mood. Finally, the Bottarga, which is
appreciated all over the world, made from mullets'eggs and finely worked with
mastery, only using vinegar and salt, without any chemicals. Its fragrance attracts
the gods of the mountains, where the wooded slopes and the sky dissolve their
colours, in harmony with the changeable daylight.
