Nibbiano, historic “borgo” located in the picturesque middle Val Tidone, a hamlet of the municipality of Alta Val Tidone since 2017 situated in a hilly area of the province of Piacenza on the border with the Oltrepò Pavese and at the confluence of the Tidone river with the Tidoncello stream.
This geographical area was a remarkable crossroads of trade, cultural exchanges and strong influences of Kingdoms, Duchies as well as powerful Feudal Lordships, an area is on the other hand well known for its excellent gastronomy with exquisite products as the iconic Coppa Piacentina DOP.
This place was historically already famous during the era of the Roman Empire when it was known by the name Curte Neblani was considered since then as a strategic passage connecting this territory of northern Emilia Romagna to the nearby, current regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria.
Nibbiano, in spite of its small territorial size, has a cultural and folkloristic heritage of importance, home to an old Fair with noble traditions, home of the well-known Apennine Fife, a musical instrument protagonist with the Fisamornica and the Bagpipe in various folk music performances and well known for the production of some elite sausages that have long attracted gourmets and people with a very fine palate.
I recommend starting the visit in Trebecco where the Molato Dam is located, a great work of civil architecture with an impressive height of 55.0 meters and a length of 322.0 meters including the side sections, a masterpiece of its kind.
This dam, consisting of multiple arches developed in concrete in the 20s, was created for purposes linked to the territorial irrigation system and to act as a water reserve, producing about 30 million KWh.
The dam forms a sort of artificial lake with an approximate length of 2.5 kilometers and a width of about 750 meters.
Continuation with the Castle of Nibbiano also called Torre, a historic bastion that represented the defensive bulwark of the medieval village, a massive structure erected on a quadrangular plan.
The building was documented in 1029 and historically was part of the cultural heritage of San Colombano until the 14th century and then entered the influences of the Marquises Malvicini Fontana in 1335. Starting from 1765 it became the residence of the Azzara family and in the 19th century it underwent several transformations becoming a residential palace with only the surviving part of the tower.
Afterwards you can see the Church of St. Peter the Apostle built between the 16th and 18th centuries on the remains of a pre-existing church with a bell tower dating back to the 17th century restored with the façade in the years 2005 and 2006.
The façade is marked by two overlapping orders of pilasters separated by a worldly frame crowned in the central part by a triangular pediment.
The church has a plan with a basilica scheme with three naves marked by Doric pilasters in four bays, the main nave is covered with barrels while the two smaller naves are cross vaulted.
The red marble presbytery is raised two steps above the church floor and opens towards the nave with an arch. The interior decoration was made in the 20th century by Umberto Giunti, a painter from Siena.
Not far away you can reach the Fortress of Trevozzo located in the hamlet of the same name, a fortified building developed in the Middle Ages which was one of the fiefdoms of the Duchy of Milan with the Visconti dynasty and later a possession of the aristocratic Malvicini - Fontana family.
Mentioned for the first time in 1514, it was transformed over time becoming a residential residence although preserving two towers in the corners and the remains of a drawbridge at the entrance.
In Strà Nibbiano, a small village you can visit the Sanctuary dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the People built in 1958 where inside there is an animated nativity scene with a mechanical-electronic system absolutely unique in its kind as it is activated by 25 movements generated in sequence that animate the characters present in the scenario.
Then I recommend visiting a cured meat manufacturer to get to know the flagship of the area, the famous Coppa Piacentina DOP, pride of the sausage industry in Emilia Romagna, well known for its quality, freshness, flavor and characterized by a superlative, unique taste.
The choice of the selected animals belong to the "heavy pig" type, pig that has already reached 9 months of age and reached an approximate weight of 160.0 kilograms from Emilian and Lombard farms and processing processes that must take place at over 900.0 meters above sea level.
This product is obtained by cutting the cervical muscle at the fourth rib of the mature pig head taken to the slaughterhouse, a fleshy section that must normally weigh not less than 2.5 kilograms.
Everything will then move on to the phases of massage, squeezing of the blood vessels, trimming and mixing which takes place by adding doses of salt, pepper, sugar and some spices including cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and bay leaves.
The piece will then be moved to a space at cold temperatures to allow the mentioned components to penetrate the carnic tissues.
The future cup is wrapped in casing called "suet skin" obtained from the pig skin tissue.
At the end of this operation, the piece will be specially tied and dried in suitable rooms at temperatures ranging between 15.0 and 25.0 degrees with humidity values strictly between 40% and 90%.
The product will then be left for a period varying between ten and fifteen days and then continue in the following, fundamental stage, the seasoning which, depending on the size of the piece, will last between six months and a year at a temperature between 10.0 and 20.0 degrees with humidity indices between 70/90%.
The finished Coppa has a cylindrical shape, weighing not less than 1.5 kilograms, registered, branded and classified as a PDO product, a title that protects origin, processing, defense of the producer and any attempt at falsification that may damage the image of the veracity of the product.
Obviously, with this brand, the cured meat acquires fame and reputation on the market for the guarantee of a genuine, tested and prep product
For the optimal preservation of the PDO Coppa, the most famous consists in wrapping the food for a few hours in a cloth soaked in dry wine and the properties of its taste which normally reaches its qualitative peak when it is sliced and consumed at room temperature.
When cutting a seasoned coppa, the Carnic mass is very homogeneous, compact, bright red in color with the marbled parts with typically white-pink tones, giving off a sweet, sweetish and delicate taste.
Time for your lunch, I recommend starting with an appetizer based on mixed Emilian cold cuts accompanied by Gnocco Fritto, first courses to choose between Pisarei and Beans or Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Pumpkin, second courses to choose between Wild Boar Stew or Rib Eye Steak with grilled vegetables.
A visit to Nibbiano is recommended for all those who love history, art and gastronomy, and enjoy the pleasant landscapes of Emilia, a splendid destination for a very complete day of tourism.
Link: https://www.comune.altavaltidone.pc.it/it
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation
Casa Piantone
Mulino del Lentino
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks a lot to read and note.