The culinary tradition of the Dolomites is proposed in a gourmet style with intent and passion that has lasted for more than 20 years at Amici del Rifugio Crucolo.
The story and the restaurant
A true Trentino stube (farmhouse kitchen) in the heart of the Reggio Emilia countryside, a unique setting and cuisine that recall the Dolomites in an area devoted to the Emilian tradition. Because the Amici del Rifugio Crucolo is not just a restaurant but serving a passion that for over 20 years has been linked with the real Rifugio Crucolo, a reference point of good food in Località Val Campelle - Scurelle (TN) since 1782.
What created this bond was Maurizio's love of the mountains and Deanna's love of cooking, along with a desire to bring the emotions of Trentino to their home on the plains. The idea arose from their friendship with the Purin family, managing the Rifugio Crucolo for nine generations.
And that bond continues today. It is Tiziano and Marcello, Maurizio and Deanna's sons, who carry on the business with a gourmet touch, the result of studies and experiences such as the one in Moena alongside chef Luca Cattoni: "Our parents opened in a fertile period for catering, deciding to propose the typical culinary specialties of the Trentino territory. We wanted to carry on all this, putting in something more and more refined without betraying its true soul."
The mountains and their traditions are a common thread that can be felt in every detail. From the moment one enters the restaurant, the atmosphere by which one is absorbed is that of the Dolomites, with wooden benches and chairs typical of farmsteads, a splendid, tiled stove with the characteristic structure above, which once served as a bed where one could sleep warmly. And then, the photos of the refuge, vintage tools, and Tyrolean-style objects complete the picture, the result of careful research over the years that Dad Maurizio has carried out among the stalls of old Trentino markets.
A small door leads to the cellar where speck from Crucolo, cheeses, wines, and liqueurs are aged. A place where one can linger hours in solitude, sipping an herbal bitter while breathing in the aroma of cured meats hanging from the ceiling.
Today the gastronomic project of Amici del Rifugio Crucolo is in the hands of the second generation: Francesca, who manages the administrative side, Tiziano and Marcello in the kitchen, along with their wives Chiara and Jessica in the dining room.
The kitchen
The Trentino tradition, which is bountiful, is presented with finesse throughout the Amici del Rifugio Crucolo menu, thanks to the careful curation by Tiziano and Marcello. Tiziano focuses more on the meat and fish preparations. While, Marcello, also a sommelier, is devoted to baking, fresh pasta, and pastry.
There is so much attention to the primary materials and a willingness to raise awareness of lesser-known ingredients such as river fish, which they carefully select. An accuracy that returns in every choice of products coming directly from the Trentino and Alto Adige region, such as alpine butter, flours, meat, lake, and river fish.
"We have done a great job with our suppliers, creating the right channels to source high-quality raw material that can best tell the story of the flavors of the mountains. Plus, cheeses and cured meats come directly from Crucolo," Tiziano explains.
"Our idea is to catapult customers directly into Trentino, through appealing aromas and pairings. Each dish reflects us, when you taste it, you get to know the character and language of the person who prepared it," Marcello adds.
Homemade bread, tantalizing in variations with rye flour, cereals and sunflower, caraway, and pumpkin seeds, accompanied by whipped alpine butter, is a stimulating welcome. One cannot overlook the typical house bretzel served hot.
Despite the updates, the superbly flavorful favorites remain unchanged and continually appreciated. By this we mean bacon and cheese dumplings, pappardelle with venison ragout, venison sirloin, venison tartare, tench smoked directly from Marcello and Titian, char and trout beating.
Speaking of evolution, the pork shank is presented "squared," boneless and ready to be savored in all its succulent goodness, served with fried onion rings and potatoes.
Single-variety grain Felicetti spaghetti embraces marbled trout crudo, with basil, smoked butter and shuttelbrot. Stuffed veal bundle pairs with Casolet Val di Sole, pears, fig sauce, and apple balsamic pearls.
Spaghetti monograno Felicetti, crudo di trota marmorata, con basilico, burro affumicato e shuttelbrot.
Then the desserts that win the place of honor are always the apple strudel and the Sacher cake.
In addition to the a la carte menu, there are also two tasting menus that narrate the chefs' culinary thoughts as they pass through forests and farms. A pleasant selection of wines and the unfailing final digestif straight from the mountains of Crucolo: Parampampampoli, a fortified drink with spicy notes and just the right amount of caffeine, is served over a flame in a choreographed presentation that precedes the invigorating tasting.
Address
Amici del Rifugio Crucolo
Via Gattalupa Sud n. 88, 42122 – Gavasseto (Reggio Emilia)
