A Lunch at Maison Rosset in Valle D'Aosta

It was a beautiful and sunny afternoon in Valle D’Aosta. We had just finished visiting our cousin’s medieval bed and breakfast high up in the mountains in a place that seemed frozen in another time.

After exploring the little town and the gorgeous bed and breakfast (I will share photos in the next post), our cousin Giuseppe and his girlfriend Giada were ready to take us to have a typical lunch you would find in Aosta.

They took us to a little town named Nus. Nus is a little bigger than the place I wrote about in my last post named Montemezzo. Nus has about 2,900 inhabitants. We didn’t see too much of the town, or maybe we did. We parked and walked through the center to Maison Rosset. On the way there, we saw charming buildings and tiny streets.

When we arrived at Maison, we were greeted by a waitress that took us right away to our table. Our cousins had reserved. One part of the restaurant was full with a big group of French people that were enjoying their lunch and chatting away. We were taken to a smaller part of the dining room that was much quieter and intimate.

On the way to our table, we passed this little room with a very old stove cooking rustic and enticing polenta. It is hard to imagine eating something as rich and filling as polenta in the summer, but when you are in this part of Italy, you have to try it.

Surrounding the tables were little bookshelves filled with books and some art. It was all charming and seemed almost as if we were in someone’s dining room at their house.

The owner Camillo Rosset is from a noble family that has lived in Nus since the 1800’s. He opened the agriturismo in 1993. Camillo seemed to know our cousins pretty well and spent lots of time chatting with us.

As soon as we were seated they brought us water (flat and sparkling)and their own homemade wine. Soon after arrived various salumeria and bread. There was also a a goat’s milk cheese and a tray with toasted bread that had honey and lard.

I would have been satisfied just having these different appetizers for lunch. I never eat pate’ and lard back home and rarely in Italy. You have to savor every bite and enjoy the flavors of the region.

We were then served flan with cabbage and lots of oozing Fontina.

After having so many delicious and rich things to try, the salad that I’m sure was from the huge garden seemed sad and lonely. We all decided we need to have some greens to help us digest every thing we were enjoying so far.

We were served next some fritters that I passed on. I needed to leave room to try the main course (courses).

The ravioli was the primo (pasta dishes are called a “primo”, first course). They make their own ravioli and it was filled with chicken, pork and beef and served with a light tomato sauce. I only tried a couple as I wanted to see what was after the primo.

I’m glad I held back so I could try their delightful polenta served with fonduta and a beef stew. The sauce had juniper in it. Juniper is an evergreen bush with berries and it’s used in cooking. I have never had any thing made with it and it’s truly a unique flavor. It has a touch of fruitiness and even of pepper.

The cheese tray was next and it was all local cheeses and two of them were more aged than the others, and of course those were the cheeses I had to try two pieces of.

After the cheese came the dessert and it was a simple bowl of raspberry gelato and latte gelato (milk), that was light and refreshing. The waitress also brought us a tisane to help us digest and it was made with different herb teas. There was also espresso and grappa for those that were interested. The lunch was delicious. If you do decide to visit Maison Rosset for lunch or dinner, come hungry. It’s one price and a fixed menu. The service is fast and they’re all polite. Maison Rosset offers a chance to try some of the unique and delicious flavors of the Aosta valley.

After we finished the meal, we went outside to explore the gardens. The kids were excited to see a mommy bunny with some of her babies. There were also chickens. In the back you can see the rooms that are available to rent. The property is beautiful.