The good: Sardinian Agriturismos
Last night I tweeted: “Haven’t eaten in 24 hrs in preparation for tonight’s 13 course #Agriturismo dinner in T-1 hour”. In case you haven’t heard me speak of agriturismos before allow me to give you a brief overview.
For my Canadian counterparts it’s the equivalent of AYCE sushi at its extreme. It’s a 3-hr ordeal that consists of 13 courses (minimum) with unlimited wine and after dinner liquors. Here are a few things you need to know prior to going:
- It consists of a rich variety of traditional Sardinian fare, which is all home-grown and homemade and is definitely something everyone should try at least once in their lifetime
- It’s not for the faint of heart
- It requires advanced preparation, hence the 24 hr starvation tactic
- Due to the abundance of delicious meat products it’s not exactly vegetarian friendly. We happened to go to one that had a vegetarian (and gluten-free!) option but the real experience is fully appreciated by meat lovers
- Typical dishes include:
Starters
-Various cheeses such as smoked Pecorino cheese and smoked ricotta cheese
-Various Sardinian sausages
-Zuppa Gallurese (a bread and cheese dish from the Gallura region of Sardinia…really yummy, extremely caloric)
First course
-Handmade ravioli (i.e. Ricotta ravioli with tomato and basil sauce)
-“Culurgione” pasta with tomato and basil sauce
-Sardinian gnocchetti with tomato and sausage sauce
Second course
-Porcetto (skewered suckling pig)
-Roast sausage
Vegetables
-Marinated vegetables in “pinzimonio” sauce
Dessert
-Seadas (A pastry filled with ricotta and drizzled with honey….SO GOOD!!!)
-Coffee and various digestivos…MIRTO, LIMONCELLA, FIL’E FERRU
And so many other dishes that I know I’m forgetting…
Here are some tips for surviving an Agriturismo:
- Dress in extremely comfortable and baggy clothing
- Resist the temptation of over-indulging in every dish that’s served to you because you need to make sure you’ve got enough room for dessert..it’s a must have!!
- Enjoy the meal and take it all in…it’s an unforgettable experience!!!
With that, I leave you now. Guess who’s going for her second Agriturismo dinner in T-1 hour? Yes, that’s right. Yours truly. That’s how much of a champ I am! Before I could only take one of those meals a year…now I can do it twice in a row!!!
A dopo,
Hazel