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One and a half hours south of Rome – an easy drive down the A1 motorway – lies a very special restaurant run by a very special man. The estate is called Terre di Conca, with an 18th century casale in tufa rock set in 40 hectares of woods and organically-grown farmland. The man, Chef Berardino Lombardo, is credited for having single-handedly saved the autochthonous breed of black pig, or maiale nero casertano. In 1955 there were only 25 specimens alive and the breed was listed in the FAO World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity as at risk of extinction. The particular characteristics of this species are that they have black skin, are practically hairless and have a protuberance, similar to earrings, on either side of the neck called bargigli. Today Berardino raises approximately 200 pigs a year that live in semi-freedom, feasting on the chestnuts and acorns in the rich, dense woods of his estate. He makes fine cured meats, lardo secco (dry lard) and a product of his own invention, La Stringata, the result of tying together – thus the name ‘stringed’ – lard, bacon and loin of pork. On arrival participants will meet the chef and watch as he prepares traditional, mouth-watering pork dishes around his huge stove (salvaged from an ancient convent and lovingly restored). Recipes are not available beforehand as they depend on the ripe fruits and vegetables that are hand-picked the day before. Most certainly, however, he will be using the famous annurca apples, another autochthonous variety of the region.
At lunch a huge meal will be served, accompanied by excellent wines. Guests are then welcome to spend the afternoon walking through the estate, viewing Antonietta’s priceless antique lace and embroidery collection and relaxing by Terre di Conca’s majestic fireplace. For those with enough energy, we can visit some of the nearby sites of interest.
Cost: Adults: €50,00. Children 5-12: €25,00. Toddlers up to 5: free.
To participate register here no later than January 20th. Minimum 15 people. Maximum 30.
Read the past testimonials:
“We had a wonderful Saturday. Thank you for setting that up. It was like a mini holiday far from the business of Rome. The food was amazing, the setting spectacular and the company delightful.”
“We enjoyed the day so much ourselves. We were trying to decide on our way home what our favorite dish was and we all agreed, it was everything! For all of us it was a very memorable day.”
“We had a very nice time on Saturday. So thoughtful of you to order the lovely weather to go with the good food.”
Read what the food experts have to say about Berardino Lombardo:
Luciana Squadrilli (Gambero Rosso):
Berardino Lombardo latest invention is “La Stringata”, an extraordinary example of cured pork and a monument to flavour.”
Faith Willinger:
“Berardino’s organic farm supplies the restaurant with poultry, rabbits, pork, salumi and a garden of heirloom vegetables and fruits. The menu is pure tradition, with local just-made mozzarella, sheep’s milk ricotta, and polenta sauced with sausage, for starters”…”The bread is outstanding, baked in their wood-burning oven”…”There’s local pecorino aged in barrique casks, caciocavallo cheese aged six, twelve, or eighteen months, jam tarts (with homemade jam from organic heirloom fruit), conventuali butter cookies, spiraled with nuts and raisins, and scauratielli, or boiled cookies drenched with honey and orange zest. ”
Luciano Pignataro:
“This is one of those rare places that should be kept jealously secret and revealed sparingly and to those who appreciate the state of euphoria that comes when every pleasurable sense is fullfilled; such as that offered by Berardino Lombardo, anthropological chef-turned-farmer-and-breeder who, with his wife Antonietta, have created a breath-taking restaurant, situated amidst ancient chestnut groves on the slopes of the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina.”
Date: Saturday, February 23rd
Time: 10am – 5pm
Directions:
Take the A1 Highway south (towards Naples) and exit at San Vittore.
Follow the signs for Mignano Montelungo. After 2 km circa you will come to a large intersection with a stoplight. Turn right onto the Via Casilina and continue for 8.5 km. Turn right at signs for Mignano Montelungo.
Cross the railroad, go through Mignano and follow signs for Conca della Campania (or Conca), for another 8.5 kms. There are no signs for Terre di Conca which is on the left before reaching Frazione Piantoli, but the entrance is right after the sign indicating the Parco Regionale di Roccamonfina.
