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 The traditional Sardinian Liqueur is fruity, extremely sweet and is served very cold. A perfectly good meal is not complete without a glass of Mirto. There are two types of Mirto, a white version made from the flowers of the myrtle, and the more popular red type, which is made from the berries. Mirto comes in many brands, the Zedda Piras promoted by the Campari Group is well known worldwide, but others from smaller and less known wineries are just as good. The bottling process is very important in a good Mirto as the bottle must be thick dark glass able to sustain freezing temperatures. The dense syrup like consistency given by the sugar keeps it from freezing so it can be kept in the freezer for optimal serving conditions. Sardinian people are very proud of their national liqueur and often make their own homemade version. So if you visit a local household don’t be surprised or afraid to try their homemade Mirto, it is usually very good and often much better than any brands you find on the market.
The recipe is simple. The myrtle berries, which ripen in winter between November and January, are washed and left for a couple of days. Then they are kept in a dark sealed container for 40 days covered with alcohol at 90°. After the 40 days the liquid including the juice squeezed out of the berries is mixed with syrup made with water and sugar. The content is then bottled in dark thick glass and left for a month or two before drinking. |
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 A solitary boat  Spanish Tower in Tramariglio (Alghero) |
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The fifth race of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is underway in Sardinia. Practice has already started this morning at 8:00 and will go on until 12:00 near Olbia in the Monte Pinu area. This evening the cars will be taken to Cagliari for the official start at 20:00 in the evening for a race across Sardinia, which will end in Olbia on Sunday 6th of June. The rally aficionados visiting Sardinia should not miss the change to catch up with some of the action. Check out the itinerary to follow the eventful journey. |
 Last week Alghero Tennis club hosted the 11th edition of the Sardinia Open Wheelchair Tennis Tour. I didn’t see as much of the tournament as I would have liked, but I was there on Saturday 29th of May for the Men’s singles final and it was truly entertaining and inspiring to witness a great match of tennis and an extraordinary lesson in life. People who have lost so much who don’t feel sorry for themselves, but continue making achievements in life appreciating what they have and using their remarkable skill and strength to the fullest. The level of tennis was outstanding, a lot of one hand shots as the other one is used to move the chair around the court at great speed. I was truly inspired by seen such strength and will make sure I see more of the tournament when it comes back round next year. The Sardinia Open is on every year so make sure you mark it on your calendar for the future. |
 Throughout the year Sardinia hosts a range of Festivals, some are religious and others celebrate food from the land and the sea. In June there are various Cherry Festivals all over Sardinia. A popular one is the Cherry Festival in Bonnannaro, a village in the north of Sardinia at about 50 km from Alghero, on the first Sunday in June that this year falls on the 6th of the month. Celebrations start the evening before with the inauguration ceremony and musical events as well as food stalls providing barbequed fish and other typical dishes. During the two days of celebrations the streets are covered with cherry stalls and typical food stall from the local farmers. Besides the cherries and the derivate products such as jams, drinks and ice creams, the event includes a range of musical and sporting events, a display of the ancient arts and crafts and an art exhibition from local artists. Other popular Festivals dedicated to cherries take place already this weekend in Villacidro in the province of Cagliari (29th and 30th of May), in Bonarcado in the province of Oristano on the 2nd of June and in Lanusei in the Ogliastra region from the 22nd to the 24th of June. |
 Monte Urpinu in Cagliari is a green oasis right in the middle of the city. The park is a great place to go for a run or to find a fresh spot during summer’s hot days and enjoy the views over the Castle, the port and Poetto beach. We discovered it by chance during a visit to the tennis club, which is set within the park, for my six year old tennis tournament yesterday. After a morning of tennis we wandered in the park and were pleasantly surprised by how well the park is kept with a pond populated by ducks, geese and swans. Most of all I was impressed how friendly the wild fauna was with peacock showing off their tails right next to you. The park is scattered with refreshment points and playground facilities for children to run around while you sit back and relax. The park of Monte Urpinu is an ideal place for a picnic if you are travelling with children and need to have a break from all those hours at the beach. |
 There must be a good reason why Cannonau is the most famous Sardinian wine locally and worldwide. The fact that it is a strong flavoured red and the perfect match for the succulent meat dishes deeply ingrained in the Sardinian tradition is certainly a clue. This ruby red wine by the intense bouquet with hints of blackberry and forest berries is the most widespread black berry vine in the Island. The Cannonau grape is grown all over Sardinia, but especially in Ogliastra and precisely in Jerzu a village situated 500 m above sea level in the beautiful Ogliastra region. Jerzu Antichi Poderi is renowned to be the number one winery for Cannonau in the island and is also the label that is mostly exported abroad. Wine lovers will enjoy a trip to Ogliastra and a visit to the winery. This region is one of the most attractive areas in Sardinia with rolling green hills, stretches of fine white sand, valleys and mountains with impressive limestone spurs. As well as the scenery and the wine tasting, a trip to this region of Sardinia is fascinating for the archaeological remains scattered all over the territory in the form of the Nuragic towers, Tombs of the Giants and Dolmens. |
 Sardinia is not just about beaches and sunshine. There is a large part of the island, the green and mountainous hinterland that is open to be explored. Nature lovers will find this face of Sardinia very appealing and fascinating. There is a reason why the Sardinia inner regions are still unspoilt and remote. Access to this part of the island is not easy and the tortuous roads and lack of road signs can put many people off. However you do not need to be a hard core explorer to see the wonders of Sardinian nature. During summer a tourist train runs 4 routes in this part of the island hitting all those areas otherwise difficult to reach by car. The Trenino Verde (Little Green Train) is an old fashioned train that runs on a narrow-gauge railway and takes you on a green journey across a fascinating landscape through the forgotten little villages that seem to pop out of the history books. There are 4 routes. Besides Nulvi-Palau (116km), Macomer-Bosa (46km) and Isili-Sorgono (83km) the route from Arbatax to Mandas if the most popular route amongst tourists and also the longest. This route is 159 km long and lasts for about 5 hours bearing in mind that the train doesn’t move very fast and stops at various destinations for lunch and trekking excursions. It is also possible to personalise the trip for large groups who can hire the train for the day and hit the places they wish to visit. For more information on all services available, routes and fares visit the Trenino Verde website. |
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 There are more than 200 festivals in Sardinia during the course of the year, but only three of them showcase all the costumes from all over the island: Sant’Efisio in Cagliari, the festival of the Redeemer in Nuoro and La Cavalcata Sarda in Sassari. The latter takes place on the third Sunday in May, which this year falls on the 23rd of May. Unlike Sant’Efisio, the patron saint of Cagliari and the festival of the Redeemer (Il Redentore), La Cavalcata Sarda is not a religious event. People gather in Sassari from all over Sardinia to watch the brave exhibitions on horseback and the parade of the folkloristic groups that represent every regional part of Sardinia. As well as the parade and the sporting exhibition, the event is marked by music, dances and typical food.
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 Parduals or Casadinas are small cheese tarts that used to be the typical Sardinian cakes for Easter. In the past these cheesecakes were made in bulk by the women of the family, today you can find them in every bakery or cake shop. Naturally the homemade version remains the most appetising. There are many variations of the recipe all over the island, in the south of Sardinia they are made with ricotta cheese and are called Pardulas. In the north of Sardinia the cheesecakes might look the same but they have a completely different taste as the cheese used is fresh pecorino, which is much stronger in flavour. These are called Casadinas, which in the Sardinian language means little cheesecakes.
Ingredients 1kg ricotta cheese 1kg flour 200 g of lard (vegetarians can use vegetable oil) 300 g of sugar 4 eggs raisins (as much as you like) 2 saffron sachets, two lemons peel and one orange peel 1 teaspoon of baking powder Preparation Make the dough like for fresh pasta mixing the flour with water, eggs, a pinch of salt and the lard. Work the dough forcefully then leave to rest (you can resort to a machine for this step). In the meanwhile whisk the ricotta and add the saffron, sugar , raisins, orange peel and lemon peel mixing well. Take the dough again and stretch it with a rolling pin to make sheets of pastry 5mm thick. Cut discs of 5 cm diameter out of the dough. Place a spoon of filling in the middle and with your fingers pull up the edges around the filling leaving the top part uncovered. Sprinkle with sugar and place in preheated oven at 200 C until golden. These cheese tarts are best consumed at room temperature. |
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