-By Sherry Hoffman

"Sardinia, which is like nowhere. Sardinia, which has no history, no date, no race, no offering … It lies outside; outside the circuit of civilization."
– D. H. Lawrence, Sea and Sardinia, 1921

Giovanni Nenneddu Cabras has lived in Valle di Lanaittu in Oliena for nearly 70 years, in a one-room pinnetta (shepherd's hut). His face is square, strong and beautifully creased and weathered like his Italian mountainside. A group of writers are there as "working" tourists, to see how a handful of the planet's people live, and to marvel at the world and our power to enhance or destroy it.

The island of Sardinia is about 500 km off the coast of Italy. We're at 6,000 feet in the verdant forest in the Gennargentu National Park. This is the highest point in Sardinia and it's beautifully serene and silent, not even the sound of a bird's wing. Twenty-five of us sit at a long wooden picnic table under a bamboo awning. At each place, there's a hand-carved wooden plate and anachronistic plastic cups and utensils. Giovanni moves from his hut to a smaller one where there is some serious cooking underway. He turns the spit, making sure the suckling pig is evenly roasted. A train of sausages lies on an iron grate and the smoke emanating from the hut smells like a fine perfume.

Giovanni is a second-generation goat herder. He's not happy about a bunch of tourists joining him for lunch, but our guide says, "He's gotten used to it." Like a lot of us, the 68-year-old shepherd needs to supplement his income. He has to pay the Italian government a fee for each of his 80 goats. Each goat has a name and comes when called. Each also has a place in the goat hierarchy and knows it. Because of laws governing the preparation of food, Giovanni can no longer sell what we're eating: cheese, honey, sausages, tender and salty prosciutto or the spectacular open-fired suckling pig with skin that crackles so loudly it wakes up the mountainside. So he hosts tourists.

The lunch was a gastronomical adventure, one where the food was fresh and vibrant, fit for a gourmet and could stand on its own, without a swirl of decorative sauce or a scattering of parsley.

Bright red and kiwi green tomatoes drizzled with single vineyard olive oil and cracked Sardinian salt is so simple and outrageously delicious, it's a wonder it's not on everyone's menu. Freshly made ricotta under a stream of rosemary honey and perched on music bread was three courses in one: appetizer, entrée and dessert. The large and paper-thin music bread -- called pane carasau or carta da musica -- is a Sardinian staple said to be named for its resemblance to sheet music. It is thin and crisp, usually in the form of a dish half a meter wide. It is made by taking baked flat bread and separating it into two sheets, which are baked again. The recipe is centuries old and was conceived for shepherds, who used to stay far from home for months at a time. Shepherds would eat the bread with sheep's cheese, a little olive oil or often by itself. The bread can last up to one year if it is kept dry. You can find a variety of recipes for pane carasau online, or order it prepackaged from wholesalers, as part of a Sardinian story in your store.

The pleasure on our faces as we feast on fresh olives, pecorino and salami, and drink his homemade and Cannonau wine, gives Giovanni a reason to smile. By the last lick of a finger, he's holding onto our shoulders, kissing our cheeks and, through a translator, welcoming us back anytime.

Cannonau wine is as old as the mountains. Made from the Cannonau grape variety, also known as Alicante, Garnacha, Grenache noir, and better known as Grenache.
The Grenache variety, Cannonau in Sardinia, is said to have originated here and is still common. The Sardinians say their Cannonau variety, found in several locations on the island, have been DNA-tested and proved to be the oldest grape in the world, dating back to 1200 B.C.; it could be the "Adam and Eve" of all the European varieties and gives new meaning to "aged." Cannonau di Sardegna is available in the U.S., and the whole of the island of Sardinia is covered by this DOC, which is for wines made, principally, from the Cannonau grape. The wine is ruby red in color, tending to orange if it is aged.

Deb Harkness wrote in August about Cannonau from Sardinia in her blog (goodwineunder20.blogspot.com) that it "has retained the idiosyncratic rusticity that can make you feel that you are drinking wine from a different age."

She continued, "Listening to Lynne Rossetto Kasper's The Splendid Table podcast for June 21, I discovered a new reason to love this rustic wine: Dan Buettner discovered that is has three times the antioxidants of any other grape on earth. It's one reason why Sardinians (who love their Cannonau) are one of the five groups highlighted in his book The Blue Zones, which studied communities with exceptionally long-lived members to learn about life habits that could contribute to health and wellness.

"Sardinian Cannonau will be one of the reds that stands out from my Italian regional tour. Like one of the centenarian Sardinian sheep-herders interviewed in Dan Buettner's book, it proves that rusticity is not such a bad thing, after all."

Warm Sun, Warm People
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily ranks first), surrounded, clockwise from the north, by the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands. The food of the region runs the gamut from seafood to mountain food: anchovies, lobster and oysters, pasta, fennel, cheese and honey. But land or sea, tasting everything the island has to offer is mandatory.

Step into Sardinia and you instantly become a locavore. It's not a sustainability issue or the cause du jour; it's just the way it is. Everything needed to exist is already there, as it's been from the beginning. The mid-Mediterranean island of Sardinia boasts ideal natural conditions for things that grow, as attested by the fact that Sardinia is Italy's leading producer of organic produce, accounting for nearly a third of the nation's land cultivated by biological methods. Tomatoes are used generously in sauces, as are artichokes, fava beans, peas, eggplant and zucchini.

Foods here are redolent of herbs, including wild fennel, juniper and myrtle, used with hare, boar and game birds. Sardinian foods have not been overwhelmed by industrialization. Neither the recipes nor the appearance of ingredients or foods -- starting with the bread, pork products and cheeses that still are made with artisan methods -- have been lost. As in other Mediterranean lands, the recipes speak of old style, familiar, humble yet rich fare that in some cases has not changed over centuries and is still handed down from mother to daughter. This ancient cuisine is extraordinarily modern with its hearty soups that make one-dish meals, the lamb and pork stews with vegetables that combine the main and side dishes, and the seafoods like Cassola -- soup and main course all in one. Based on olive oil, Sardinian recipes treat their healthful and appetizing ingredients with care -- cooking them gently and briefly -- and in their humbleness are all the elegance of simplicity, all the refinement of wholesomeness.

Sardinian cooks insist on fresh ingredients. Their cooking style is less complex than in other regions of Italy. The cuisine of Sardinia can be divided into two cooking styles: coastal cuisine, which is defined by a broad variety of seafood, and inland cuisine, encompassing undulating farmland, pristine woodlands and rugged mountains in Sardinia's interior. The inland cuisine is especially renowned for spit-roasted meats, wild mushrooms and game.

Discovering the foods of Sardinia was our objective, but in the process, we also discovered the people. We sat in the stands to watch the most important religious event of the year, the daylong celebration of Saint Efisio, a festival of faith and colors. It's taken place every May first in Cagliari, Sardinia's capital, for the past three-and-a-half-centuries, even during World War II bombings in 1943. One of the largest and most colorful processions in the world, the festival involves several thousand Sardinians wearing 16th and 17th century costumes, and accompanying the statue of the saint on foot and with horses and carts; by the end, the streets were covered with red rose petals, each participant having scattered them along the route. It was magnificent.

As the parade broke, we walked along the crowded streets, stopped at a Torrone cart and watched as the vendor, with cleaver in hand, chopped the massive block into bite-sized pieces. Torrone is a nougat candy made with honey, almonds and egg whites, and once you start eating it, especially if it's just made, it tastes like more. No wonder it was used as an offering to the Gods. Although it's sold in stores prepackaged, when chopped off the block, it's chewy, soft and incredibly addictive.

Every now and then, you've got to take a break from eating to see the sights. We spent a few hours visiting the Nuraghe, the stone remains of ancient dwellings. Fascinating for some, but rocks have never impressed me. All rocks are old. Some are just shaped differently than others. And you can't eat them. Leaving the stones on our way to another eating adventure, we stopped to let a herd of sheep cross the road. No one went for the cheap joke.

During our time on this engaging island, we traveled from top to bottom, side to side, and had unforgettable meals designed by some of the most talented and unpretentious chefs and some ordinary, yet extraordinary, home cooks.

We ate with four generations of women who live in Orroli, about 50 km north of Cagliari. The tiny town of 2,500 has 40 of the world's oldest people living there. The secret to their longevity? "It's in the air," the family tells us.

The matriarch at the OmuAxiu farmhouse offered us a quick hands-on lesson in making fregola, often referred to as Sardinian couscous. We were dealing with it in its raw state, before the tedious drying process, and forming it not into a traditional couscous but pulling it so thin it looked like tree bark. In this incarnation, it's used in soups along with traditional pasta dishes.

The women served us boar with red wine; fennel grilled with saffron, vinegar, then topped with pecorino. Semolina with pork and tomatoes were a perfect fit with glasses of Cannonau. After we lingered over mirto, a popular Sardinian liqueur, we climbed a wooden staircase to a museum of sorts, with antique clothing, dresser sets and baby carriages ringing the room. We left feeling like family and strolled through their garden, past the lemon and orange trees, and fragrant flowers. Our driver then threaded his way through a quintessentially Sardinian narrow cobblestone street.

What's Italy Without a Winery?
The Argiolas Winery, owned by the Argiolas family since the early 1900s, has three vineyards in Sardinia. At the one in Serdiana, we sampled several of their products: Turriga, an intense ruby red wine with a rich complex bouquet, and S'elegas, a single-vineyard white made with 100 percent nuragus grapes. This straw-yellow wine has a fruity, fragrant and harmonious bouquet, and a full, mellow and slightly bitter finish that is typical of nuragus. They served the wines with Sardinian pecorino (which doesn't have a bite, but rather a nip that melts oh-so-gently on the palate), prosciutto and music bread. The last of the tasting brought a wonderfully elegant, mellow and velvety grappa, limoncello that paired wonderfully with the pecorino, and finally, mirto, a digestive made from myrtle. This was all we needed to get Italy not simply into our mouths but also into our souls.

Comments? shoffman@gourmetretailer.com


The Flavors of Sardinia at Your Door
Efisio Farris explores his hometown deliciously.
Whether you're going to Sardinia or never plan on visiting this magnificent island, Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey, The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia (Rizzoli, 2007, $39.95) is a mouthwatering read for you and your customers.

Chef/author and native of the island, Efisio Farris has created a gastronomist's homage to his hometown. Born in Orosei in Sardinia, he's now owner and operator of Texas restaurants Arcodoro in Houston and Arcodoro & Pomodoro in Dallas. He's appeared on the Food Network and launched Gourmet Sardinia, a specialty import company. He's been featured in Gourmet, Saveur, Food & Wine and The New York Times, among others.

Before each recipe, Farris takes us on what he calls "a journey to my family's table." He explains lovingly, and deliciously, the foods, flavors and smells of the place he calls home.

Farris holds up his end of the deal with Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey when he says, "This book is my love letter, my inheritance and my legacy."

RECIPE
Maccarrones kin Taffaranu e Mele
Pasta with Ricotta, Saffron, and Bitter Honey
This recipe is taken from Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris.

Ingredients
1 pound malloreddus pasta (teardrop-shaped with ridges)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup milk (preferably sheep or goat's milk)
1 cup sheep's milk ricotta cheese (or other creamy ricotta cheese)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon saffron
1/2 cup bitter honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

(The sauce calls for malloreddus but you can use any pasta shape that can be coated with the sauce, drizzled with warm bitter honey and then eaten with a spoon.)

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and boil for 10-15 minutes, or until al dente.

While pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, stirring continuously. Add milk and ricotta, stirring until well incorporated. Add saffron, stirring to infuse the sauce, about three minutes. Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the bitter honey. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

Drain pasta and add to ricotta mixture, toss well over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a ceramic serving bowl, then stir in warmed honey and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

A Taste of Sardinia
A Sardinian-themed cooking class or tasting event isn't something you'll see at most specialty food stores, so why not opt to be the first? Sardinian honey is plentiful, with several varieties. Olive oil is also a great choice, as are Sardinian wines and liqueurs.

Here are just a few Sardinian specialties and where you can purchase them.

Myrtle: This evergreen, common throughout the Mediterranean, covers Sardinia. Its leaves are used to flavor roasted meat; its tannic seed-filled berries (taste like juniper), to make liqueur (mirto); and its wood, for spits and fireplaces. Mediterranean myrtle is not to be confused with the more common crepe myrtle. Visit www.gourmetsardinia.com.

Music Bread: Pane carasau (the bread of the shepherds) is often called carta da musica or music bread because of its resemblance to the thin parchment once used for music scores. The crisp, cracker-like bread can be used as an eating utensil or watered-down to a noodle-like consistency; or drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Sardinian salt. Visit www.gourmetsardinia.com.

Bottarga (Sardinian Caviar): Sardinian caviar is pressed and air-dried fish roe, and dates back 3,000 years. When finished, it looks almost like strips of dried mango. Traditionally made from grey mullet, it's scraped and used just like any other type of caviar. Visit www.worldbid.com/fozzisalvatore.

Bitter Honey: There are dozens of honey varieties created in Sardinia but the most unusual is bitter honey, called "liquid gold" because of its amber color. Beekeepers move bees to the strawberry trees that grow wild along the coast and mountain valleys during the two short weeks the flowers open for pollination. The honey is described by Farris as having a "fleeting sweetness followed by an appealingly bitter aftertaste." Visit www.gourmetsardinia.com.

Celebrate Sardinia In Your Store
Here's an upcoming Sardinian celebration that lends itself to an in-store display, cooking demonstration and promotion. Be creative and make it your own.

One of the most widely celebrated Sardinian holidays is Carrasecare or Carnevale, that runs from the Festival of Saint Anthony (Jan. 16) through Mardi Gras and during the eight days leading up to Fat Tuesday. There are celebrations throughout Sardinia during which children wear costumes with masks and parents take them around town to homes offering sweets. The adults try to guess which child is which, while enjoying glasses of just-made wine, while the children enjoy the sweets, including Efisio Farris' favorite family Carrasecare treat, Orillettas or fried pastry braids. The recipe is included below.

Create your own Sardinian celebration by making Orillettas to serve up to guests during a post-holiday VIP event for special customers. Pick a day during Carnevale to keep your store open an extra hour, inviting those customers in for special sales, encouraging them to cash in those holiday gift cards. Hand out your Orilleta recipe cards and create a display showcasing pastry boards, mixing bowls, pastry cutters and deep fryers so that customers can recreate the delicious fried pastry braids at home. Add a nice touch to your display by including autographed copies of Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey. Serve up sweet juices in select dessert wine glasses or aperitif glasses, and light fragrant candles adding to the mood.

RECIPE
This recipe is taken from Sweet Myrtle & Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris.

Orillettas
Fried Pastry Braids
Ingredients
3 1/4cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting or honey for drizzling

Preparation
On a clean workspace, mound the flour and stir in sugar. Make a well in the center. Gently whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, pour into the well and gradually mix into the flour with your hands. When the mixture begins to come together, add the olive oil and knead to fully incorporate.

Working with small sections of dough and keeping extra dough covered, roll the dough into short ropes, each about six inches long and about ¼ to ½ inch in diameter -- you should have between 23 and 30. Braid three pieces together and press ends to secure. Lightly dust with flour and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
In a deep heavy saucepan, add enough oil to reach a depth of about two inches. Place over high heat, turning once until pastry begins to float and turn golden. Set on paper towels to drain and serve dusted with sugar or drizzled with honey.

Sardinia - Where to Find It
Here is a short list of importers specializing in Sardinian products.

ATALANTA CORP.
1 Atalanta Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07206
Phone: 908-351-8000
www.atalantacorporation.com
Sardinian Specialties: Black Truffle Moliterno, Pecorino Sarde, Pecorino Sardomora, Pecorino Romano, Zerto Mura Vera, Pecorino Galluradora, Pecorino Flore Sardo DOP and Capra D'oro

BELCANTO FOODS, LTD.
1300 Viele Avenue
Bronx, NY 10474
Phone: 718-497-3888
www.belcantofoods.com

D. COLUCCIO & SONS, INC.
1214 60th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Phone: 718-436-6700
www.dcoluccioandsons.com

GOURMET SARDINIA
7020 Portwest Drive #130
Houston, TX 77024
Phone: 713-621-6858
www.gourmetsardinia.com
Sardinian Specialties: Riso Sardo, Pane Carasau, Fregula Sardo and Malloreddus Sardi

MUSCO FOOD CORPORATION
57-01 49th Place
Maspeth, NY 11378-2020
Phone: 718-326-1070
www.muscofood.com
Sardinian Specialties: Pecorino Romano, Fresh Ricotta, Mortadella, Caprino, Table Cheese and Crotonese

NICHE IMPORT COMPANY
45 Horsehill Road; Suite 105A
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Phone: 973-993-8450
www.ourniche.com
Sardinian Specialty: Torrone

SAVELLO USA, INC.
1265 Sans Souci Parkway
Wilkes Barre, PA 18706-5229
Phone: 570-822-9743

WINEBOW, INC.
236 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-255-9414
Fax: 212-633-2372
www.winebow.com
Sardinian Specialty: Argiolas Winery Wines & Liqueurs