Val Nambino as told by Noris
A nomadic gatherer of wild herbs, she has chosen to live and dedicate herself to the ancient art of foraging, a knowledge that runs through her veins like lifeblood.
Who is Noris?Eleonora Cunaccia, known to everyone as Noris, has her heart divided between the mountains of the world and those where she was born. She has travelled far, breathed in the scent of unknown lands, but the call of her homeland has been stronger. She chose to live here and dedicate herself to the ancient art of foraging, a knowledge that runs through her veins like lifeblood.
After almost thirty years at the helm of a restaurant, she felt compelled to return to her roots. She decided to let herself be guided by the rhythms of nature, which know no hurry, only waiting and respect. Every morning, with the first light of dawn, Noris sets out into the woods, through clearings and hidden paths, gathering wild herbs, berries, roots, resins and lichens. Her hands know every plant, scent and season. And then, in the silence of her craft workshop, she and her brother transform these gifts of the earth into unique products.
The landscape shapes the mind. When you are up there, you become what you see. Step by step everything changes, you find you have new eyes, new energy you did not remember you had.
Why Val Nambino?In the summer, she lives in the small cabin on the shores of Lake Nambino owned by the Asuc di Fisto - Separate Administration of Municipal Assets.
Here her heart took root and her passion led to the establishment of a small international research centre on wild herbs. Here Noris takes refuge, studies and researches and then shares her knowledge with chefs, artists, breeders, gastronomes and researchers from all over the world.
When evening falls and everything seems to stop, Noris looks out over the lake and watches the reflections in the water. Everything turns upside down, sky becomes earth, earth becomes sky. And in these places she feels the strong presence of those who have gone before her: men and women who have walked these paths with animals, who have foraged, who have loved this land before her.
For those who want to discover and get to know Val Nambino, Noris has some gentle advice: “Listen to the sound of the water that comes down from the lakes at altitude and that flows in the nearby streams, because water renews all”. She adds: “Leave your fears at home, little by little everything changes and you will discover that you have new eyes”.
She also invites us to experience these places in comfort, dressing in layers and wearing sturdy shoes. Shoes, or rather boots, are inseparable travelling companions for Noris, silent witnesses to her every step. In her cabin she keeps two hundred pairs, some worn, opened, cut, but never forgotten. Every sole is a memory, every seam has a story, and together they tell the story of her life, made up of tireless steps, a love of nature and an unbreakable bond with her land.
