SwitzerlandThe canton of Ticino has many bars and restaurants in caves, where Swiss people used to store food.
On a summer afternoon, a boat carrying a group of tourists sailed on Lake Lugano, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Local guide Gabriella Monfredini Rigian takes visitors to caves along the lake, among the rocks at the foot of the Alpine Mountains.
Boat docked, people walk on a bumpy road leading into the village. Their stop was the Grotto Descanso, a cavernous bistro with a terrace overlooking the lake. The owner greets guests at the entrance. Inside, a blast of cold air made the guests shiver slightly. In front of them was a long wooden table covered with checkered towels and a wall-mounted wine rack.
The entrance to a bar located in a cave in Ticino, Switzerland. Image: Shikha Shah/BBC
In the 17th century, when there was no refrigerator, local people preserved food in caves because of the low natural temperature and good air circulation. They store sausages, cheese, fruits, vegetables and wine in the cave.
These natural “refrigerators” exist all over the state. The temperature difference in winter and summer in many caves is only one degree Celsius. Therefore, people often come to sit in front of the entrance to enjoy the cool air blowing out from inside. They ate hot dogs, chatted or shared their sorrows over glasses of wine. In the beginning, only men in the village gathered in front of the cave every day. Then the women also came. Gradually, the caves became a place where villagers talked, danced, and sang for entertainment and food.
Over time, people began to make more use of the caves. To enjoy the cool air in summer, they build houses or dig tunnels in caves, with vaulted ceilings. Today, it is converted into a pub serving the people and attracting tourists from all over the world. The cave can add stone tables, chairs, or a kitchen… to become a restaurant, bar or simply a place where people sell local products.
Inside the Grotto Descanso. Image: Shikha Shah/BBC
People love going to these caves because of the friendly atmosphere, delicious food and drink, and live music. Although the bars are a popular destination, the owners still try to keep the idyllic feeling of the past, when the dishes are prepared according to traditional recipes. “The food in these places is reminiscent of grandma’s cooking. And this alone is enough to make a difference,” a local shared.
Visitors here can enjoy local specialties such as nocino (wine brewed from green walnuts), gazzosa (sweet fizzy drink made from Sfusato lemons grown on the Amalfi coast and Lurisian mineral water). Other dishes are pepe della Valle Maggia (pepper from the Maggia Valley), minestrone alla Ticinese (soup with beans and vegetables), Spezzatino (Italian-style beef stew), busecca alla Ticinese (triple soup served with bread only), torta di pane (Swiss-style pastry made with leftover bread and dried fruit)…
The dishes served in the restaurant are all cooked by the chef from the family recipe, from generation to generation. Image: Tourism Ticino
To get to Ticino, visitors fly to major Swiss cities such as Zurich, then take the train (45 minutes) and car (60 minutes) to Lucerne. Then take the Gotthard Panorama Express train. The reason is that the roads can be congested, in many cases waiting up to 4 hours. Traveling by train is both convenient and can see the beautiful scenery of Switzerland.
Mr. Minh (Follow BBC)
at Blogtuan.info – Source: vnexpress.net – Read the original article here
