Casalborgone, a charming picturesque town in the Turin area on the border with the province of Asti, located about 20.0 kilometers from Turin south of the Po river and on the banks of the Leona stream, perched on a gentle, suggestive hillside at the entrance to the Bosc Grand, a wooded area near Chivasso where the Ro Verda is located, a rare tree of very large dimensions defined by botanists as "quercus crenata", sinuous hills and extensive plains alternate as if by magic.
Medieval village born in 999 when the Emperor Otto III confiscated these lands to the Marquis Arduino d'Ivrea delivering them to the Bishop of Vercelli, its original toponym was Trebea or in Latin Treblenum but recorded in a parchment of the thirteenth century with the name Casale Bergonis from which the current name derives.
Historic fiefdom of the Lords of Tribia and later of the Marquises of Cocconato before entering the sphere of influence of the Duchy of Savoy
This Piedmontese center is known for a famous Pea Festival, a product that is used as a filling for the "Gogu" a sort of tortellone is on the other hand famous for the production of an exquisite cheese, a tomino also called Tuma.
I suggest starting the visit from the eastern suburbs bathed by the Leona stream where the Chiesa di Santa Maria di Trebea stands was erected in the cemetery linked to the first inhabited center, all confirmed by various archaeological finds from the Roman era in the surrounding area.
Former parish church in ancient times, in its foundations during a restoration were found bricks dating back to the roman era, also a confirmation of the existence of a well-developed nucleus and is connected to the ancient Treblenum mentioned in a diploma of Emperor Otto III. At the end of the 10th century. The apse retains some Roman characteristics, faint traces of the original construction.
Continue by reaching the picturesque "Leu" name of the charming historic center with its typical alleys, suggestive streets, and squares full of charm with magnificent views of the Turin hills, a village enclosed by eighteenth-century bastions, a splendid corner in which you can breathe in every meter a magical atmosphere of other times.
Taking a small uphill road where, next to a niche containing a statue of San Isidoro, there is a wall of the 1500s at the base of the Castle, then crossing the historic Porta di Passerano which was the entrance to the village in the Middle Ages, later passing along the beautiful Via Lanfranchi that leads to the beating and neuralgic heart of Casalborgone, or Piazza Statuto.
Once you are on the square you can admire the refined Church of Santa Maria Maddalena dating back to 1600, a religious complex with three naves developed on a previous building that was the chapel of the castle with a façade reformed in concrete in 1894.
Inside you can see a statue of the Saint who gives her name to the Church and various burial mounds that contain the remains of aristocrats and religious local figures.
Continuation with the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity with its elliptical brick forms, erected in 1711 in late Baroque style, which was the seat of the Confraternity of the Holy Cross, erected in thanksgiving for the escaped war against the French army.
Near it you will see a building that bears the municipal banner on its frontal with the inscription Municipio since it housed the political bodies of the village in 1600 before being transferred to a building visible a short distance away.
You will be then in front of the Castle which now houses a boutique hotel, a medieval fortress developed with majestic and solid walls and a garden with a path known as the "Path of the Procession" because itis used for religious processions and leads to the Civic Tower.
Passing through Porta di San Siro you will find yourself along Via Roma which corresponds to the medieval soul of Casalborgone characterized by beautiful houses symmetrically aligned with sloping roofs and which in ancient times were occupied by workshops of artisans as well as being an obligatory passage to the fascinating Contrada delle Logge.
I suggest walking along Via Conte Radicati , one of the highlights of the district, the primary axis of transit that was for a long time home to the workshops dedicated to silk processing where you can admire buildings from different eras.
Going down from Via Valfre' in the area that was the Contrada di San Giacomo you will find yourself in front of a circular building occupied in the past by a defensive tower known for having been the home of a well-known figure of Piedmontese folklore "the bella Gigogin" portrayed in the last century in a postcard while spinning silk.
In Casalborgone I recommend visiting a local dairy farm to discover the secrets and goodness of a local cheese, Tomino or Tuma di Casalborgone, a product that for its unique delicacy is placed as a provincial and regional pride, highly appreciated by numerous gourmets in national and foreign territories.
Historically, the production of this delicacy was already active in ancient times, carried out by local farmers who used the Tuma as a bargaining chip or to pay duties and rents to feudal lords.
This Tomino is produced from raw and whole cow's milk just milked which will be subjected to a first phase of heating at temperatures ranging between 35.0 and 40.0 degrees , then adding rennet and waiting for coagulation for about half an hour.
Once this operation is finished , two breaks of the curd, the first rather superficial to extract the whey while the second will be deep or in the mass of the elaborate, eliminating the remaining liquid and then passing everything on molds.
Subsequently, the tile will be turned and turned several times at intervals of about 60 minutes, then with greater frequencies, leaving everything to rest for the next night when it will be aged in moulds, a process that will take place in times calculated between 24 and 48 hours.
This Tomino is produced throughout the year by families of dairy masters who hand down from generation to generation the tradition linked to ancient methods deeply rooted in artisanal techniques.
A finished wheel of this fat cheese has a total absence of rind, the profile is that of a white cylinder with a weight between 250.0 and 350.0 grams, with a diameter between 12.0 and 15.0 centimeters and a heel between 3.0 and 4.0 centimeters.
When cut, the paste appears soft, of a pale white similar to milk, with a tender, uniform and very soft molecular structure, without holes. Its flavor is very delicate, sweet, suave with a resemblance to Milk Cream while the aroma emanates is similar to fresh milk with tendencies to the intensity of lactic acid.
For these characteristics, Tomino di Casalborgone is excellent to spread, ideal for combinations in sauces, excellent with a little salt and a splash of olive oil, excellent in appetizers and sauces with croutons and breadsticks, excellent in mixed courses of cheeses or accompanying cold cuts.
Time for your lunch staying in the typical restaurant I recommend Risotto with Peas from Casalborgone or Agnolotti alla Piemontese as first courses, among the second courses choice between Braised in Barolo with Potato Puree with Rosemary or Mixed Boiled Meat with stewed seasonal vegetables.
A visit to Casalborgone is history, art, beautiful landscapes and delicious gastronomy, a day of splendid tourism that you will surely enjoy and remember with immense pleasure.
Link : https://www.comune.casalborgone.to.it/it-it/home
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation
Castello di Casalborgone
La Civignola
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