Le Occare -More Delights

We decided to take a walk down the lane by the house before dinner and were greeted by Cristina’s husband, before he left for a walk with three of their dogs. J. commented that maybe they were off to hunt for truffles and I laughed and thought “I wish…”. We sat on the patio, had a drink and then went and changed for dinner after watching the sunset from our bedroom window. In the distance we could hear a train go by and wondered where the nearest stop to this idyllic place might be.

The dining room is a beautiful room with only four tables. The tables were set with crisply pressed vintage linens and silver and I immediately was reminded of my wonderful friend L. who has a real flair for setting a table with all of her incredible collection of dishes, flatware and glassware. There was one other couple staying at the inn and they joined us along with a group of three who made the drive to this charming spot. Cristina was our waiter, along with being the chef. Before taking our order she came to the table with a plate displaying truffles! Yes, J. was right. Earlier her husband had gone out with their dogs and found these in the woods. Of course this find definitely had an impact on what we would order. The menu is not long-probably three or four choices in each category.

We started with a plate chosen by Crisitina-a few bites of fried fish and a boiled potato-not something I would order-but it was good. I decided to jump in and try the truffles right away! My menu for the evening:
Oven Poached Egg with Truffles
Cappellacci Stuffed with Pumpkin
Turkey Scallop with Fontina Cheese (served with sauteed broccoli rabe, sauteed cabbage and another green, I think swiss chard)
Mixed greens and Fresh Fennel in Vinaigrette (greens from their garden)
Celery Salad topped with Shaved Truffle (sent out by the chef)
On the table was a basket of breads, traditional to the area, made by Crisitina. Unfortunately I didn’t have room for even a bite of dessert, but knew that I would sample some of the inn’s baked goods at breakfast, as Cristina had shown us a beautiful tart and a cake when we toured her kitchen earlier in the afternoon. It was an unforgettable evening. Classical music played in the background. Every morsel we ate was delicious and prepared by a woman who takes real pride in her food and the atmosphere in which she hosts her guests. As I laid down to sleep I gave thanks for being led to this incredible place and started thinking about how soon I could return!

Le Occare
Via Quartiere 156
Runco 44010
39 6532 329100