Le Nocciole
Words and Photos by Jürgen Schmücking*
There is no place in the world where such excellent (and numerous) Hazelnuts could grow, except for the Langhe.
The world of the Nocciole can be explored nowhere else in an as authentic and well-tasting way as at the Cascina Barroero, in Cortemilia. It can be reached in as little as 20 minutes of driving through the southern Langhe, and through see mingly endless hazel groves.
Once arrived at the Cascina (it is so isolated, it makes Roddino feel almost urban) we’re welcomed by Isabella, an agile and confident Turinese who was drawn, along with her children (Camilla, Beatrice, Luigi, Maia and Luca) and her husband (Stefano), to the Alta Langa, and started growing Hazelnuts.
Stefano’s father was a pastry chef, and since his earliest years Stefano himself
wanted nothing else than to be a pastry chef himself. But he wanted to go one step further. He wanted to grow his own ingredients.
These days, the family is running an agricultural business (hazelnuts, obviously), alongside with a fantastic Azienda Agricola with a swimming pool and authentic rooms, and a pastry shop where the hazelnuts can be used immediately for production. They are turned into cookies, cakes, and preserved in various ways.
Oh, right: and also into a Crema.
We advise to use extreme caution in the consumption of theCrema di Nocciole Barué Gianduja. Very high risk of getting addicted.
Cascina Barroero
Str. Viarascio, 35, 12074 Cortemiglia CN
www.barroero.it 0039 0173 821250
*Jürgen Schmücking is a photographer and reporter who travels the world in search of fine cuisine and good taste. Always with a notepad in hand and a camera ready to shoot, he collects pictures and stories of extraordinary places and tastes, of winemakers and brandy burners from Dogliani to Ybbs, Arusha to Traverse City.
