SHARRYLAND
Luchin - Osteria with kitchen since 1907
A straightforward place, an authentic stronghold of Ligurian cuisine
Where is
What it is and where it is
In the words of Mario Soldati, the Turin-born but longtime Ligurian writer: "Suddenly excited, tickled by appetite and summer and festive happiness, we then began to wander the medieval chessboard of low ogives, the famous 'black arcades,' among the massive slate pillars, in search of Luchin a popular old 'farinotto,' poor and straightforward, specializing in 'fainà ,' chickpea porridge, but where good-naturedly, on the marble tables of two small rooms, and outside, under the formidable arcades, they served all the traditional and local dishes."
Why it is special
Luchin is formidable for the atmosphere, which has remained unchanged over time, but especially for what is offered, starting with the farinata, baked continuously, always hot, crispy on the outside and soft inside. And then for the moving array of Ligurian specialties: the savory pies and stuffed vegetables; minestrone alla genovese, baked in a wood-burning oven, and the "pansoti," a kind of homemade tortelli topped with walnut sauce; moving on to cima alla genovese, traditional stuffed meat, or to fish, from stockfish to stewed squid; dulcis in fundo, the Luchin cake, made with chestnut flour raisins and pine nuts.
Not to be missed
One of the symbols of Liguria is the focaccia, thin, crispy and persuasive with oil, whose wide diffusion is, moreover, a fairly recent phenomenon. In ancient times, in fact, white flour, obtained from wheat, was a product for the cuisine of the rich; far more widespread were dark flours, made from minor grains and legumes. Here, then, we come to talk about farinata, to be prepared with chickpea flour, an ingredient of remote Mediterranean history, then cooked over a wood fire in large copper pans, plain or garnished with herbs and vegetables, as it is precisely prepared by Luchin, in strict deference to tradition.
A bit of history
The Osteria da Luchin has happily passed the buoy of its first century of activity: the year 1907, in fact, runs when Gio Batta Luca Bonino, known to his friends as Luchin, a baker's apprentice, takes the big step of setting up on his own by opening an osteria under the arcades of Chiavari. Chickpea porridge and Tigullio wine form the starting pair of an establishment that four generations of the same family have raised to the presidium of certain flavors of yesteryear. In addition to the oven, which looms over the room, it is noteworthy what in dialect is called "ronfò," the wood-burning stove where they cook soups and stews for hours.
Trivia
Mario Soldati (1906-1999) was a multifaceted character: a writer, above all, but also a director, journalist and television author. In the latter regard, he is also remembered as an anchorman, forerunner of a genre, food and wine, which he introduced into the schedule of state television in 1956. The program was called Viaggio lungo la Valle del Po alla ricerca dei cibi genuini and was the first to sound the alarm about the effects that the food industry would have on the table of the Bel Paese. Then also came books, such as the Wine to Wine trilogy, and a multitude of stories that started from good food for reflections on the society of the time.
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
Contact
The Map thanks:
Enter the Map of Italy's Undiscovered Wonders and find treasures where you least expect it... Inspire, Recommend, Share...
Where is
Contact
