Italian Invasion: Northern California-2013

       The Mayor and the Deputy hit the road today, heading north, toward Mendocino County.   We were meeting a representative  from Oregon's Columbia River basin, vic. Portland.   He invited us to discuss the development of a very special pig farm in the Yorkville highlands, near the Sonoma/Mendocino line, about 10 miles west of Cloverdale.
     We met at the Diavola restaurant in Geyserville, on Highway 128.  Now Geyserville is not a large metropolis, noted for vineyards and an Indian casino.  There's also a large sawmill on the edge of town at the intersection of Hwy 101 and Hwy 128.   Diavola is not a pizza place, but it serves great pizzas.   It has a menu that begs diners to try lots of tasty sounding items.   We opted for the beet salad, the pulled pork and fried oyster panino.   We shared an asparagus salad an tasted the  interesting pizza combo.   Service was excellent.  Their meat products are from local ranches, and their salumi are created on site(in the basement prep room).   It was a fine meal; we agreed to return again, soon.
     After lunch, we returned to Hwy 128 fro the short ride over the hill to the Yorkville highlands and the Acorn Ranch, adjacent to Hwy 128, about 9 miles from the 101 exit.   This section of the valley(Anderson) is hilly, rugged, with many springs and rock outcroppings.   The Acorn Ranch is a former sheep ranch that has now been converted into a functional pig farm with the beginnings of a unique breed of pig- The Cinta Sienese, the famous Italian pig from Tuscany province in Italy.  They are noted for the white stripe encircling their midsection.
      The founding pairs arrived just over a year ago, with Kay and Adam in charge of the operation.  Working closely with the owners, Peter and Mimi B., this young couple, after several years of apprenticeship(and years of formal university training), have managed to introduce a new product into the United States.  This is something rarely done  for many reasons, not the least, countries jealously guard their exclusive products.
        We arrived to find 2 sows nursing 20 newly arrived piglets, the second since arriving in the USA.   These squirming, whining little ones were getting one of their many meals for the day.   Alert and mobile, they instinctively sought their mommas.   It was quite the unusual experience for Tahomans.
       Kay and Adam explained the crux of their long range plans and the goal of making a commercial operation using these animals.  Unlike domestic breeds, the Cintas take 18-24 months before they achieve optimal market condition, ie. that period when their flesh has attained its distinct acorn based flavors.   No wonder the patient Italians prize this breed; and why tourists in Italy marvel at the unique flavors available in Italian cuisine.
      As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, we motored south, with plans to visit again soon and check up on this domestic but very Italian operation in Yorkville.