Of Witches and Mushrooms (Ristorante Ca' Mea) for Another Day Trip to Italy...

Well, I went to Nice to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but I would not have gone if I hadn't met so many delightful people!

Graziella invited Lana, Joanna, and me to go with her to the little medieval village of Triora, Italy, "past living in art and nature", which the brochure says. It is especially famous for a witch hunt between 1587 and 1589, when these women were accused of causing a famine.

L to R: Lana, Joanna, Graziella

But first we stopped for lunch at, which the TI in Ventimiglia on our earlier trip had told us about. OH, MY!!!!! This was an amazing FIFTEEN course meal, centered around mushrooms!!!

Menu at Ristorante Ca' Mea 

• Cheese bread sticks and bread basket

•  Salad of Carpaccio (raw beef), sliced raw artichokes, and finely sliced parmesan cheese

• Mushrooms in oil

• Ricotta with spring onions

• Quiche with cheese (gooey and delicious)

• HUGE plate of raw vegetables: red and yellow peppers, celery, scallion, carrots

• Mushroom omelet

• Potatoes and mushrooms gratin

• Bagna cauda veggies with anchovies creamy fondue 

• Tagliatelle or risotto with  mushrooms

• Choice of Lamb chops or steak(only Joanna ordered the chops; they brought three!)

• Deep-fried mushroom slices and artichokes in batter with main course (called Mushroom and artichokes beignet)

• Tiramisu in what looked a chamber pot (really an enamel soup pot?) or lemon ice cream with berries

• Limoncello

• Wine with meal

 

Next table. I was so amazed (overwhelmed?) by all the food, I FORGOT to take pix!

Lemon ice cream=PERFECT ending for such a "pig-out"!

Interesting building

NEVER have I been served such a feast, and all for 35 euros!!! I, of a not petite appetite, did not even order any meat for that course, as I was "STUFFED TO THE GILLS"!! The restaurant was quite full, so it is very popular for tourists and locals! (Not sure when I will eat mushrooms again!)

And then we were off to explore Triora. The center of the town has a "regional museum of ethnography and witchcraft".

Museum entry

Witch in a back-to-school dress?

NOW I wish I had visited that, but none of us did, as we really felt we needed to walk around after that Gargantuan meal! It had more information than just about the witch hunt.But it was a delightful town and a wonderful day with three of my new friends!! Thanks!!!