At Caffè
Converso,
a good breakfast can make your day
Bra,
Italy
By Silvia Monasterolo
The Italians have a
reputation for not being able to do a thing before having their espresso coffee
in the morning. Being Italian, I can say that this is
not just a generalization. My
coffee-addiction drives me every morning to Caffè Converso in the historical
center of Bra, a small town located in the hills south of Piedmont in Northern
Italy.
Without a doubt, Bra still holds a hint of yesteryear, with its aged two-storied
houses and its narrow
paved streets. Time often seems to stand still in this country town of 30,000.
As far as I know, all the people here come from peasant families, and many are
content to leave things as they have always been. As a consequence, the town has
been left behind by the progress experienced by bigger cities in the region. But
as strange as it may seem, this has its advantages: not only have the historical
buildings maintained their original charm, but local cuisine and eating habits
have remained much the same over the last hundred years.
Dating back to 1902, Caffè
Converso is a good example of how this food tradition has been preserved. The
founder, Felice Converso,
came from a dynasty of pasticcieri,
or confectioners. Brothers Federico and Alessandro Boglione, Converso’s current
owners, carry on that treasured tradition today. They have carefully restored
much of the original furnishings, from mirrors and
boiseries to the marble tables and
wooden counter, yet the atmosphere has not changed much since the café opened
over a century ago.
Caffè Converso is a cozy
place, with one room for the patisserie,
and the other room for the bar. Every time I go in, I have the impression of stepping
back in time. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see an elegant couple of a century
ago, dressed up for the opening night at the local theater, sipping their
coffees from china cups.
The aroma of coffee is
omnipresent throughout the day in the café. My favorite breakfast features
coffee and a croissant, which
confectioner Alessandro makes himself. It's a buttery jam-filled confection glazed
with a veil of honey. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to face the day without this
treat, now so essential to me and most of the other people who daily crowd the
café for a cup of coffee or a delicious small pastry. Others are drawn by the
hot chocolate or bicerin, made up
of coffee, and melted chocolate and cream.
It is during the summer
season when Caffè Converso truly comes into its own. In a feast for all senses,
tantalizing cakes topped with fresh fruits, and
chantilly pastries are on show on
the counter in the patisserie
room. My favorites are the small pastries resembling miniature tarts, filled
with sweet custard and topped with redcurrants. I always feel guilty when eating
them because they are so tiny that it is almost a shame to ruin their perfection.
Winter is the perfect season
for panettone, a typical
Piedmontese Christmas cake filled with raisins and candied peel. Converso has
changed the traditional recipe a bit, adding Moscato wine to the ingredients.
The result has become so popular that Bra locals and visitors must reserve their
annual panettone well before
Christmas if they want to share Converso’s masterpiece with all their family and
friends, accompanying it, of course, with rich hot chocolate.
Some photos courtesy Ente
Turismo Alba Bra Langhe E Roero; others photos by Sivia Monasterolo
IF YOU GO:
Caffè Converso
Via Vittorio Emanuele II 199
Tel: +39 0172 413626
Accommodation tips:
Bed and Breakfast l’Ombra
della Collina
Via della Mendicità Istruita
47, Bra – Cn
Tel: +39 0172 44884
Where to shop:
Sardo&Quaglia (spices and
herbal infusions)
Via Audisio 33, Bra – Cn
Pochettino (delicatessen)
Via Vittorio Emanuele II 176,
Bra – Cn
For information on Bra, Italy contact
http://www.langhe.com/bra/default.
htm (info about Bra in English)
http://www.holidaysol.it/
(accommodation info on the area)
http://www.turismodoc.it/default.a
sp?language=uk (general info on the area
in English)
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