Vitello Tonnato

Left the quietness of the pool side, the warm autumn sun, the glasses of Asti vino and the vineyards for the last 150km drive to Torino, but first we need to divert a few km off the highway to have lunch in the small town of Bra.

Bra is where the headquarter of the slow food movement is located. Last year when we meet with the Australian representative there, we had lunch at a great slow food Osteria. I had Vitello Tonnato for the first time and after having it in a few other restaurants since it never came up to scratch with that of the Bra Osteria. 

So I just had to go back ... It was AMAZING, just as I remember.

The thinly cut veal was so moist and the sauce of tuna, capers, boiled egg with a hint of lemon, salt and pepper was just perfect. It is a very typical food of the Piemonte Food Region and as the dish is not seasonal it was great it was still on the menu.

As I'm also becoming a “truffle slut” I had to have the local pasta dish called the Tajarin 40 "yolks" with Alba White Truffle. OMGGG the smell and the freshness of the truffle was truly wonderful. 

The pasta is very fine, a bit like angle hair pasta but with more egg volks.

They say up here that it is a better white truffle region and more expensive than in La Marche, yes it has been more expensive on the menus but … was it better than what I had with Doriano, Nhooooo ... NO WAY ... ours was way better!

To top it all off we both had a glass of 2010 Spumante Brut Metodo Classico from Castello di Neive which is very typical in the region of Asti. So all in all a great way to say goodby to Bra and our last time with Gloria and the black stretched limo.

I could have had a whole bottle but wanted to get the stretch limo back in one piece !!!!

After lunch as we drove with the French Alps off to our left and the snow capped mountains of the Swiss Alps with the first of the seasons snow rising high in front of us we pulled into the Torino airport.

So the driving has come to an end and VERY VERY happy to report "no dints this time" not even a scratch. Didn't want to say that until the car was safe and sound back at the hire company.

Another 4801 km driving on the other side of the road under my belt, perhaps I may just do it again next year!!!!  but won't tell that one to Sands juuuuuust yet.

So it's time to get a cab, sit back and enjoy someone else driving and hit Torino for the slow food convention.