Mas Del Saro, Val dei Mocheni, Trentino, Italy
A whimsical journey into another land, culture and culinary traditions: from cuccalar to mountain agriculture and farming, from the homely hospitality of a farmhouse to gastronomic delicacies
“It is a place to treasure, with traditional and uncommon recipes that mix and blend seamlessly into a space designed for comfort, relaxation, and nostalgia.” I write in this post.
Despite this post being in the “Raging Restaurant Reviews” section, this is not a review. However, I write about a restaurant, its food, and the connected foodways, so I put this piece in this blog section to keep it tidy. I liked the lunch I had at Mas del Saro a lot, but again, this is not a review, first and foremost, because it was my first visit. After all, some restaurants are better described by other means than by a review.
This chronicle includes three local recipes and additional travel resources in case you decide to visit Val dei Mocheni, one of the Dolomites’ best-kept secrets. And, of course, a deep dive into Vea’s enchanted Mas del Saro restaurant and farmhouse.
Val dei Mócheni (in the local Mòcheno language: Bersntol, in German Fersental) is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets—not even Italians know about it, and not even people living in the same province are familiar with it.
Until the early Middle Ages, the valley was only inhabited during summertime.
Today, Val dei Mocheni is an enchanting linguistic oasis, where an ancient dialect dating back to 1200 is still used: this language, called Mòcheno, is considered by linguists to be a phoneme of Middle-High Bavarian origin, brought in by “roncadori,” mainly German farmers, who started to live there all year round in the late Middle Ages.
Starting in the 18th century, the typical commercial activity of the valley was that of the "Krumer" (Italian form: "cròmeri"), farmers who, during the winter months, transformed themselves into street vendors.
To my shame, I had never visited this hidden spot of my region, and a rainy, misty Saturday seemed to me the right moment to bridge this knowledge gap, have a walk in nature (literally bath in a forest), have lunch with my mother, and enjoy a quiet day away from the crowds, smack in the middle of that mid-mountain I like so much, and about which I want to write a lot in my other publication.
I scooped up my mum, and we headed to Mas del Saro, a place I had wanted to visit for the past two years. Located in Mala, a fraction of Sant’Orsola just five minutes away from Pergine Valsugana, it looks like it came out of a fairytale.
Vea, the owner, is a powerhouse.
She has created a network of crafts, hospitality, and slow tourism with her neighbours, embodying everything one could look for in these valleys.
Her trusted bakery, Dani in Pasta at Maso Gian, is a family bakery focused on local and traditional Alpine baked goods. For meaningful walks in the forest, her other neighbour, Forest Paola, organises guided tours, trekkings and family outings.
Before entering Mas del Saro, you can find Vea’s other neighbour, Mas la Grisota, a specialised Alpine cattle farmer and cheesemonger focused on herding Grigio Alpina cows and crating cheeses with their milk.
As the website suggested, we left the car at the local village church and followed the nicely placed signposts indicating the way. On off-road terrain, you must walk uphill from the car, so remember to wear proper shoes.
We took our time walking, breathing, and living in the forest on the way.
It is a pleasant walk uphill, immersed in a luscious wood packed with delicious finds, at least this time of year. My mum had wisely packed a pocket knife and a foldable bag, so we went shopping in the forest. After all, she is a professional herbalist and a seasoned forager: going for a walk in the wilderness with her means sauntering (for my trail running standards), but it also means coming home with a bag of wild goodies to eat.
We found heaps of delicious, giant and juicy Taraxacum officinale, the dandelion or common dandelion - the perfect ingredient for a bitter spring salad or the filling for a rustic pie.
We were also fortunate to find Polypodium vulgare, the common polypody: an ingredient Chef Alessandro Gilmozzi loves a lot at hiś El Molin restaurant (just one valley away). Its roots taste faintly of liquorice, and they are a delicious snack - or, even better as he does, a perfect pairing to the gamey flavours of wild meats.
To prepare a delicious dandelion salad, you must overcome the most challenging step: washing it.
Once you winnow and cut the plants, clean them thoroughly from any residual soil. Then, wash the plants well and let them soak in ice-cold water with baking soda (or a squeeze of lemon juice).
Rinse, gently but thoroughly dry every stem, and then slice it very thin, seasoning it with salt and pepper. To season speck, you can fry some cut into strips in oil: when the speck is crispy, add white wine vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate quickly! You can serve the salad with speck and hard-boiled eggs. I like my salad to be speck-free, as it tastes distinctive. Instead of frying speck, you can do the same with a tasty onion.
If you prefer to consume your dandelion cooked, perhaps in a savoury pie, sauté two finely chopped shallots in two tablespoons of oil and then add the thinly sliced dandelion. Sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, then reserve. Once it is cool, use it to fill a pie or a galette.
It's a perfect picnic snack on the go.
We reached Mas del Saro right on time for lunch. A German couple with toddlers and some tourists from Bologna were with us.
I immediately met a cat, who came straight to me and filled me with many purrs and love: I was sold! Once the cat decided she had had enough of my cuddles and left, Vea waved to us very welcome, and we entered the Maso, escaping the rainy weather.
As we entered, a fire was crackling in the dining room, a cosy welcome shooing away the dense outside fog.
Everything is curated nonchalantly, with everyday items, some wool and tools on a shelf, an inviting line of local wine bottles, and the tables already set for the guests.
You need to look at the ceiling, where an original South Tyrolian bread drying rack hangs in splendour. A relic of a long gone past that still lives in traditional food, Schuttelbrot is an example of this beautiful heritage, sustainability, and history combined.
Lunch was served at 12:30, and as the doors opened, we embarked on a whimsical journey into the alpine gastronomy of a lesser-known valley.
