Rivista Italcook N.2 by ITALCOOK

news 2002 n°2

SCHOOL OF ITALIAN REGIONAL COOKING Jesi • Italy

Slow Food Master Italian Cooking News, no. 2, year I, October 2002

summary

Master Italian Cooking News MAGAZINE OF THE ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI GASTRONOMIA Editorial Director Gianfranco Mancini Editorial Staff Paolo Bellini, Angelo Concas, Alberto Fabbri, Luca Fabbri, Carlo Gazzarrini, Stefania Cavallini, Raffaele Grilli, Piergiorgio Oliveti, Francesco Pensovecchio, Federico Piemonte, Pasquale Porcelli, Vito Puglia, Gilberto Venturini. Editorial Co-ordination Arduino Tassi Translations Jennifer Pierssene Thanks to Martha Huber Scavone Graphics and page layout GEI Gruppo Editoriale Informazione Elisabetta Carletti Printing Arti Grafiche Jesine - Jesi Advertising and administration Associazione Ital. Cook. via F. Conti n. 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 60035 JESI (AN) Italy Tel./Fax ++39.0731.56400 Web: www.italcook.it E.mail: info@italcook.it Recorded in the Tribunal of Ancona no. 433/02, 22.02.2002 Editor-in-chief: Dino Mogianesi

Dear friends, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go! Gianfranco Mancini

The Pergolesi Hall Nicola Silveri

Our team

The Venice Region: many cuisines from the mountains to the sea Stefania Cavallini

Land of confines and mountain cooking Paolo Bellini

General programme

A region of lakes and streams Gilberto Venturini

Land of olive oil Pier Giorgio Oliveti

From the alpine valleys to the Po plains Armando Gambera

Our expert cooks

Our work-placement restaurants

To our Convivium Leaders

Verdicchio: a white wine of excellence

ASSOCIAZIONE ITAL.COOK. Founded by Slow Food and the Town Council of Jesi Board of Directors Nicola Silveri (chairman) Giovanni Mancia, Simona Romagnoli (directors). Reviser Board Giuliano Cerioni (chairman) Sergio Moretti, Sabrina Rotatori (members).

Cover: Il miracolo dei pani e dei pesci, Giovan Francesco Guerrieri (Fossombrone, 1589 - Pesaro, 1657)

Dear friends, let’s go! Five years have passed since the day that we first decided to set up a cookery school to enable and inspire cooks who love Italian cuisine to share their knowledge and skills with the rest of the world. Bit by bit the idea has matured, in discussion with the Town council of Jesi, (a town in the Marche region noted for its production of Verdicchio wine) and the Slow food organisation. Together we have worked on the outlines of the teaching programme and how it might best be organised. We have worked with pleasure over these years because we have sensed growing support for our project and because of our firm conviction that Italian cuisine needs solid, practical support and clear standards world-wide. The best way to achieve this must surely be to found a school dedicated to Italian cuisine. There are two pitfalls that we 2

must avoid: first, we must beware of offering quick, superficial or unhelpful answers, as can happen so easily when courses are hurried or crammed into a short weekend. Secondly, we must not present Italian cuisine too vaguely or in too general a way, ignoring its distinctiveness and its roots in the local cultures of north and south, the coast and the hinterland. For this reason we have decided to create a real worthy school that offers long, thorough and demanding courses. Those who attend will be authoritatively taught about the basis of our culture, region by region and will learn all that is necessary to appreciate truly genuine Italian cooking, and to present it to every

corner of the world. The Slow Food organisation that has inspired the School of Italian Regional Cooking at Jesi looks forward to developing a programme of education that focuses on sense and taste, quality of life and the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Inspired by this philosophy, professional cooks from all over Italy will come to our school to teach the traditional dishes most characteristic of their own regions, prepared with prime quality ingredients. The Master Italian Cooking course of Slow food is ready to take its first steps. We look forward to seeing you in Jesi. Dear friends, let’s go!

The Pergolesi Hall When we decided on the work schedule and the didactic structure of our school, we decided to focus the teaching on the particular cuisine of each region of Italy, because we believe that the roots of our food culture are found in the traditions of the territory. However we also thought that this would not be sufficient. In fact it is the duty of a school that wants to support Italian cuisine in the world to offer products and ingredients of quality and guarantee the best that the food industry produces in Italy. Those who follow our course have the possibility of learning about the products used, to continue cooking Italian dishes when they return to their country. This is why at the centre of the school at Palazzo Balleani, other than the classrooms, there is an important room: the

Pergolesi Hall. Situated on the first floor of the four hundred year old building, this large hall will be in reality a window on the Italian companies who present their products, from pasta to wine, from salami to cheese, from grappa to coffee, etc. The companies, chosen by Slow Food, will exhibit their best products here, leaving the students to taste freely these products for the duration of the course, to be presented directly at the weekends dedicated to learning about the products and their producers. The Pergolesi Hall, which we have named after the great musician who was born and lived in Jesi in the 1700’s will also be the location for the Friday evening dinners, when at the conclusion of the week’s work the school will open its doors to the town and will

allow the dishes studied during the previous days, to be tasted. The hall will therefore become the show room of our school for the public and will permit us to create a link of welcome and friendship between our students and the town.

The Chairman Nicola Silveri

The Director Gianfranco Mancini 3

Our team

Nicola Silveri - Chairman

Gianfranco Mancini - Director

Arduino Tassi - Secretary 4

n Jesi our chairman guides the work of the board of Directors and is responsible for relations between the school and public institutions. The director is responsible for the didactic activities and contact with the national direction of Slow Food. The secretary follows the administrative business and makes contact with foreign representatives. In each region of Italy there is a regional director who works for our school; and this person chooses the typical dishes to be presented, speaks to the trainer-chefs and directs the students to the restaurants for a period of work experience. They are all people connected to the Slow Food movement who have worked for years with it, who know each other and who are friends. All of them work hard, but with pleasure, as is the philosophy of Slow Food, to reach the same objective: create a School of great value to support the eno-gastronomic wealth and food culture of Italy in the world.

Stefania Cavallini

Veneto

Francesco Pensovecchio

Sicilia

Alberto Fabbri

Emilia Romagna

Gilberto Venturini

Lombardia

Federico Piemonte

Friuli

Vito Puglia

Campania

Pier Giorgio Oliveti

Umbria

Paolo Bellini

Trentino

Carlo Gazzarrini

Toscana Armando Gambera

Piemonte

Pasquale Porcelli

Puglia

Angelo Concas

Sardegna

V E N E T O

The Venice Region:

many cuisines from the mountains to the sea Stefania Cavallini

PINCION DE SELVA

mong the Italian regions, that of the Veneta is one of the most varied. It is located in the north-east of the country and is blessed with a varied landscape of mountains, hills, plains, lakes, rivers, lagoons and a long stretch of coast along the Adriatic sea.

Il Formai Pincion deve il suo nome al fatto che il casaro, divertendosi la sera precedente alla produzione del formaggio e alzandosi tardi al mattino, non aveva fatto in tempo a scremare il latte della sera. Il prodotto che ne usciva era cosĂŹ un formaggio

To the north, on the border of Austria, we have the Dolomites, distinguished mountains of rare beauty. The Dolomite cuisine is simple in its ingredients which skilfully mixed yeld delicious dishes. Local dishes of sound local tradition include the polenta, that derives from centuries ago and is nothing more than ground corn, cooked in salted water until it reaches a desired consistency, sometimes dense, sometimes less so according to the recipe. The polenta is sometimes used as a simple accompaniment to other dishes, but it may also be treated as a main course served with lightly fried onions and mixtures of mushrooms, game sauce, or strongly flavoured cheeses, such as the skiz, 6

- a hot mixture that creates a mouth-watering aroma! As always in mountainous zones, isolation and difficulty of communication encourage the use of local natural resources: wild herbs such as colubrina, or the gamaita, the dandelion or the bubbolini. All these herbs also serve to restore the body after the monotonous food of the winter, as spring brings its supply of fresh vitamins . In the local cuisine we see the use of barley and beans, cabbage and the red turnip and pumpkin with which casunziei is made, a type of ravioli. We can also find potato gnocchi and polenta with mushrooms, snails, game, cheeses and fish from the small rivers that run down to the valley. Moving down to the plains we find the hilly zone that widens out from Lake Garda (the biggest lake in Italy) to Venice.

grasso buonissimo e molto ricercato.

TONIOLO CASEARIA S.p.A. Borso del Grappa - Treviso - Italia +39.0423.910266 r.a.

info@toniolo.it www.toniolo.it

V E N E T O On these hills vineyards stretch for as far as the eye can see and wine is produced in great quantities, whites and reds of the highest quality, known throughout the world. In the smaller towns may be found the famous osterie (taverns), places to meet friends after work, in moments of rest or on holiday where you can chat, play cards or drink a glass of wine that the locals call the ombra. Our diet follows the seasons of the wild herbs with which we prepare soups, risottos and omelettes rich with various flavours. Typically used are the white asparagus of Bassano, the bruscandoli, the very famous baccalĂ alla vicentina (salt cod) Towards the cold season the splendid radicchio of Treviso arrives, fresh and crunchy or the variegated radicchio of Castelfranco, different varieties, stupendous vegetables. From the hills we come down to the plain, watered by various rivers. The economy is predominantly

agricultural so the cuisine revolves around the farmyard animals such as chicken, turkey, rabbit and pig. At Lake Garda the climate is mild. Everyone here cultivates vines, citrus fruits and olives from which an excellent olive oil of soft density is made. The cuisine uses many of the lake fish: the Lake Garda carp, the trout, the coregone, the eel, the agone and the tench. Finally we descend towards the coast and arrive at the sea: here is Venice at the centre of a lagoon and 200 kilometres of coast where naturally we find dishes with fish, crustaceans, shrimps, the schie not to mention the black ink squid, the sarde in saĂ˛r, the bigoli in salsa and thel baccalĂ mantecato. The people, their traditions and the thousand-year history of Venice have contributed to the variety and richness of the culture of this splendid region: for us it will be a pleasure to welcome all those who would like to sample our culinary traditions and to learn more - with the skilled help of our chefs!

Jada 8

The land of Valdobbiadene Prosecco in its best fruit: wine, food, hospitality and cuisine. 31040 S. Stefano di Valdobbiadene (Treviso) Italia - Tel. +39 0423 900213 Fax +39 0423 900042 www.gustosissimo.it e-mail: jada@jada.it

T R E N T I N O

Land of confines and mountain cooking Paolo Bellini

speak about Trentino and its gastronomic culture it is necessary to look closely at the geography of this region. It is a land of borders, where the Latin world finishes and German culture starts. Situated in the north of Italy, leaving the plain behind you and heading off along the Adige river valley, we see the start of the Alpine valleys. Here you pass from olives to vines,

the terracing cut into the mountains, the apple trees, the ice and alpine lakes and the streams and rivers of the purest of water. Woods and forests, meadows and grazing

T R E N T I N O land cover the highest parts of the territory. Travelling through this region you will find wine-sellers, fruit warehouses, distilleries and cheese factories. Whether producing from small farms or large cooperatives, they all work to protect the unique wealth that nature has offered to this territory. The Trentino is a land of wines: Nosiola, Marzemino and Teroldego are local vines, but you can also find the excellent Muller Thurgau, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The vines are cultivated with masterly cultivation systems up to 900metres above sea level, with notable climatic and territorial differences that make this land a real wine-growing microcosm. Here you can taste white wines with a unique aromatic touch and a well-structured red (some really are quite extraordinary!), but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the high-class spumanti or the vino santo of the lake valley. Finally, let your taste buds sample a very fine grappa. Milk, cheeses, butter: this is an area with thousands of small producers to discover. The type of cattle-breeding here is typical of that of the Alpine mountains, with various varieties of cow, from the Bruna to the Frisona italiana, the

Grigia alpina and the Pezzata rossa. This activity pays careful attention to nature, to the rhythm of the seasons, to the respect for the life of the animals and to the limits imposed by the region. With the milk taken , we produce the Grana trentino and the Asiago, the Puzzone di Moena, CasolĂŠt, Vezzena and the Spressa. Many of these cheeses are products of raw milk, and therefore maintain the food properties of the alpeggio with its precious flora, medicinal herbs and the purest water of the mountain. Although there are common features in the cuisine that link the various parts of the Trentino, the dishes vary from valley to valley. Recipes found include: the canederli, the orzetto and the polenta (or rather the polenta as a polenta carbonara with lucanica and Puzzone di Moena or the white polenta with radicchio or the polenta pasticciata). There are soups of various types, cheese ravioli, savoury meats, fesa di manzo (beef) or coscia di vitellone (veal) left for weeks in salamoia with pepper, garlic, rosemary, laurel and sage, then lightly fried and finely beaten). There is also the spezzatini di cervo or capriolo (deer) the sguazĂ¨t, the lake fish and the dishes prepared using apple which is perhaps the true symbol of the Trentino (risotto with apple, apple strudel and apple fritters) Other important ingredients include mushrooms and chestnuts.

General programme Course Dates 2003

Course Dates 2004

8 January - 14 March 25 March - 30 May 9 June - 13 August 7 October - 12 December

7 January - 12 March 23 March - 28 May 8 June - 12 August 5 October - 10 December 13

Il programma

brevi, monotematici con degustazione di vino, olio di oliva, pasta, formaggi, salumi tipici e tradizionali selezionati tra i migliori produttori di tutto il territorio nazionale. Nel tempo libero ciascun professionista avrà la possibilità di approfondire le proprie conoscenze con studio individuale presso la biblioteca dell’Istituto. 5 Le lezioni si terranno nei giorni di martedì, mercoledì, giovedì e venerdì, con orario pieno. Dopo una breve presentazione storicogeografico della Regione con le sue tradizioni enogastronomiche e con le sue particolarità ambientali, si passerà allo studio concreto dei piatti tipici del territorio. L’insegnamento non sarà teorico, ma principalmente pratico ed individuale. I docenti e le materie prime provengono dalle singole regioni e cambiano ogni settimana. Il venerdì sera la scuola apre le porte alla città e presenta i piatti più interessanti della settimana. 6 Il sabato e la domenica sono riservati allo studio individuale e alla conoscenza di aziende, produttori, prodotti tipici nei vari settori alimentari. Alcuni produttori verranno direttamente presso la Scuola per presentare i loro prodotti con prova di assaggio, in altri casi gli chef usciranno sul territorio per conoscere le singole aziende e i produttori in tutte le regioni d’Italia. Alcuni fine settimana sono dedicati alla visita delle città d’arte più famose (Roma, Firenze, Venezia). 7 Il numero massimo di partecipanti è di venti corsisti, ai quali si garantisce anche vitto e alloggio in appartamenti in palazzi storici, nel centro della città, a pochi passi dalla Scuola. Il costo del corso, compreso vitto, alloggio, servizio lavanderia, ecc. è di diecimila dollari USA, più mille dollari di iscrizione. 8 Alla fine del corso viene rilasciato ufficialmente un Master con il riconoscimento della Regione Marche e del Ministero della Cultura.

1 The courses are designed for professional cooks working outside Italy who wish to widen and improve their knowledge of Italian cuisine. In particular we are addressing cooks who have completed their training and have worked alongside established chefs for some time. Our aim is to provide a wide-ranging frame of reference with plenty of in-depth detail that will enable cooks to interpret Italian cuisine to the highest standards throughout the world. Those wishing to take this Master's should thus be familiar with basic culinary techniques. 2 The courses are held at the Institute, which is located in Palazzo Balleani in Jesi, a city of 40,000 inhabitants in the central Italian region of the Marche. Each course lasts for ten weeks, and those taking part will all be able to further their experience by working for a few months or even a year with restaurants associated with Slow Food throughout Italy. They will thus come into direct contact with restaurateurs specialized in meat or fish dishes, from North to South, comprising a whole range of particular regional specialties. 3 Every week the cuisine of a particular Region of Italy will be the object of a special focus, such that by the end the cooks attending the course will be familiar with Italian cuisine in its foremost regional expressions: from the traditional rural dishes of Tuscany to the fish preparations of the Adriatic; from the cheeses of Piedmont to the tortellini of the Emilia Romagna; from the vegetable dishes of Puglia to the sweetmeats of Sicily; from the cuisine of the Alpine valleys to that of the Mediterranean coast. Italy is a complex mosaic of history and products, dishes and traditions, scents and savors. Every "festa" is indeed a feast, which means a particular dish and a celebration of life. 4 One day a week, preferably Monday, will be devoted to particular subjects with tastings of wine, olive oil, pasta, cheese and cured

meats selected from the country's foremost producers. During their free time, the participants will have access to the Institute Library, where they will be able to find out more about subjects of special interest to them. 5 Lessons will take place all day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Following a brief historical and geographical introduction to the Region, its environmental features and its food and wine heritage, students will move on to the preparation of typical regional dishes. These will be practical, one-to-one lessons taught by regional specialists using specific regional ingredients that will change from week to week. On Fridays the school will open its doors to the general public, presenting the most interesting dishes of the week's endeavor for their evaluation. 6 Saturdays and Sundays will be devoted to individual study and getting to know a wide range of producers and their products. Some producers will present their products at the school, where tasting sessions will also be arranged. Others will welcome chefs to their premises throughout the country for weekend visits. Other weekend activities will include visiting Italy's foremost art cities (Rome, Florence, Venice). 7 Each course will be attended by no more than twenty participants, who will also receive board and lodging in apartments in the historic center of the city, not far from the School. The cost of the course, including board, lodging, laundry service etc. is ten thousand US dollars, plus one thousand dollars enrollment fee. 8 At the end of the course all participants will receive an official Master's certificate under the aegis of the Marche Region and the Italian Ministry of Culture.

The programme

1 I corsi sono riservati a cuochi professionisti che operano all’estero e vogliono acquisire una conoscenza approfondita della cucina italiana. Ci rivolgiamo in particolare a cuochi che abbiano già terminato il loro curriculum scolastico o che abbiano lavorato per qualche tempo accanto ad altri chef di cucina. Noi desideriamo dare una conoscenza ampia e rigorosa, con metodo organico e preciso a coloro che desiderano fare cucina italiana nel mondo in modo professionale. Pertanto chi desidera partecipare al nostro Master deve già conoscere le fondamentali tecniche di lavoro in cucina. 2 I corsi si svolgono presso la sede dell’Istituto, nel Palazzo Balleani, a Jesi, cittadina di 40.000 abitanti, nelle Marche, nell’Italia Centrale. I corsi hanno una durata di dieci settimane. Tutti coloro che frequenteranno il Master avranno la possibilità di continuare la loro esperienza per alcuni mesi o un anno presso i ristoranti della catena Slow Food in tutt’Italia, da nord a sud, specializzandosi sia in carne che pesce, nelle Regioni che ciascuno preferisce. 3 Ogni settimana viene presentata, studiata ed elaborata la cucina di una Regione d’Italia. Alla fine del corso ogni professionista conoscerà la cucina italiana nelle più elevate espressioni regionali: dalla cucina tradizionale e contadina della Toscana al pesce dell’Adriatico, dai formaggi del Piemonte ai tortellini dell’Emilia Romagna, dalle verdure della Puglia ai dolci della Sicilia, dalla cucina delle valli alpine a quella mediterranea. L’Italia è un mosaico infinito di storie e di prodotti, di piatti e di tradizione, di profumi e di sapori in ogni terra. Da noi per ogni festa c’è un piatto e per ogni piatto c’è una festa! 4 Un giorno a settimana, di preferenza il lunedì, è dedicato a corsi

Weekly work plan MONDAY THEMED TASTING AT THE REGIONAL ENOTECA 1 Wine-tasting techniques Getting to know the principle vines of Italy • The red wines of Piemonte and Tuscany • The white wines of Friuli, Veneto and Trentino • The local vines of Central Italy • The South of Italy- the surfacing of great wines 2 Tasting course of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Excellent national products • The productions of Central Italy: The Marche, Umbria and Tuscany • The productions of the Islands: Sicily and Sardegna • The productions of Northern regions: Liguria and Garda 3 Italian Cheeses: Familiarization and tasting • Methods of maturing and refining • Typical products of the various regions • Product tasting 4 Salumi (Dressed pork products): The great regional traditions: • Salumi - Cooked and raw 16

• Salumi ground paste and whole meat • Ham-prosciutto, culatello and fiocco • Cured pork - coppa, lonza and lonzino • Salami and ciauscolo. • Mortadella, bresaola and lucanica trentina 5 Bread • The flour, the rising of the bread and baking • Common bread, whole-wheat bread and seasoned bread • Breadsticks for the catering industry

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY COOKING COURSE WITH THE DISHES OF A REGION (a different region every week) Timetable: From 8:30 to 17:30 with a 1 hour break for lunch Each day the lesson starts with a presentation of the prime ingredients: their characteristics, quality, zone of origin and the companies that produce them. This is our

Regional Enoteca of Jesi

“tasting laboratory” that lasts for an hour. Transfer to classroom The teacher prepares the dish. The students follow the process and then prepare the dishes themselves alongside the teacher, following a personal teaching programme. All the operations of the teacher will be observed either directly or through the schedule. The work will not be rushed, but done with precision in the normal learning time required. When the cooking is finished the dishes are transfered to the table to be checked through tasting and comparison. Collective discussion Review of the didactic schedule. Eventual variants from the base dish.Everyday 2/3 base dishes will be studied.Work finishes at 17:30.

FRIDAY EVENING PROGRAMME At the end of a week’s work on Friday evening the school is open to the public. In the Pergolesi Hall a dinner-tasting will be presented to 20/25 people with a various series of dishes, elaborated by teachers and students, each one according to the traditions of their origin. Prime ingredients and wines of high quality will be used that have been suggested by the school’s sponsor companies, chosen by Slow Food from among the best at national level.

SATURDAY, SUNDAY Saturdays and Sundays are dedicated to getting to know the regions and their products through direct contact with the producers. Some weeks the producers will come to the school in Jesi to present their companies and products with a guided tasting session. At other times students will travel to various Italian regions to visit producers and companies. The work undertaken at weekends is very important because it is a direct way for the students to learn about the products; how to use them, where to find them in their place of origin and how to introduce these products into the students’ future work.

n the 15th century, the historical centre of Jesi went though a phase of great development. Right in the centre of the city, near the beautiful palazzo della Signoria, is the palazzo della Balleani, a building that belonged to a family who owned a large amount of land outside of the town walls. All the great land-owning families had large cellars beneath their homes where they gathered grapes to make their supply of wine for the winter. In the Balleani cellar, where our school is located, we can now find the regional Wine-Cellar (Enoteca) of Jesi. This Enoteca is managed by an association of producers (Assivip) who organize wine tasting courses. Not only do they present wine, but also other high-quality products from local producers: olive oil, cheeses, salami, pasta. On Mondays the Enoteca will be in the hands of our school, where we will hold our tasting sessions: courses on wine, oil, bread and cheese. The collaboration with the Enoteca will continue on Friday evenings with the conclusion of the teaching programme of the week. Our school will open to the public for an evening of tasting with a presentation of the dishes studied during the week. 17

Cooking programmes of regions PIEMONTE 1 Veal and Piemonte beef L’insalata di carne cruda, il vitello tonnato, il bollito misto, il brasato al barolo and il fritto misto. 2 Grain, potato and rice Tajarin, agnolotti, gnocchi, risotto con le rane. The cooking of the plains: riso in cagnone, tapulone 3 Mountain cooking La supa barbeta, dundaret, cursetin, trota ai funghi, agnello sambucano. 4 Salted fish La bagna caoda, il merluzzo al verde. Cheeses and truffles of Alba: uses and preparations. EMILIA ROMAGNA 1 La pasta sfoglia The making of various shapes: tagliatelle, tagliolini, maltagliati and grattini, pappardelle and stricchetti. 2 Le paste ripiene (filled pasta): The tortellini of Bologna, the cappelletti of Ferrara and the agnolotti of Parma 3 I tortelloni: Ricotta, chestnut and potato fillings I cappellacci di zucca 4 Oven baked pasta Le lasagne al forno, i cannelloni MARCHE 1 The cuisine of the coast Il brodetto di pesce, stoccafisso all’anconetana 2 Inland cooking with cereals and legumes Spelt, lentils and chick-peas Vincesgrassi, stracciatella and passatelli

3 Game and farmyard animals: coniglio in porchetta, pollo in potacchio, cinghiale 4 Cheeses and truffles Pecorino di fossa and tartufo bianco di Acqualagna: their uses and preparations PUGLIA 1 Grain, bread and hand made pasta Il grano arso, il grano “stumpato”. The bread of Altamura, the bread of Laterza, the bread of Monte Sant’Angelo. Pasta: orecchiette, strascinati, cavatelli, troccoli. 2 Legumes and vegetables Dried beans, chick-peas and beans. Cime di rapa, la cicoria catalogna, i lampascioni, i sivoni. 3 Milks and cheeses Milk products: fiordilatte, provola, scamorza, burrata, manteca. Cheeses: ricotta fresca, ricotta marzotica, caciocavallo podolico, canestrato. 4 The sea “Il crudo” (seafood and fish): trigliette, seppioline, polipetti, cannolicchi, taratuffi, anchovies, mussels, sea urchins and oysters. Sardines and anchovies.

CAMPANIA 1 ‘Sunday’ cooking Gragnano pasta, rice, Napolitan onions and the San Marzano tomato. Ziti al ragù, paccheri alla genovese, il sartù di riso, il timballo and timpano in crosta.

2 Vegetables and legumes Soups and Minestrone: minestra maritata, minestra di broccoli, fagioli alla maruzzara, zuppa di lenticchie e castagne and zuppa di ceci e castagne. 3 Meat and salumi Panzetta di agnello, mugliatelli con patate, il soffritto, costine con papacelle, puntine alla pizzaiola. 4 Seafood dishes The fish of the gulf, Napolitan salted cod, cheeses, cuoccio alla marinara, piccione alla salsa di frutti di mare, filetto di scorfano al culìs di ceci con cipolle in agrodolce.

LOMBARDIA 1 Freshwater fish Pesce di torrente o di lago in carpione. Luccio in salsa alla mantovana. 2 Rice Ris e erborin Risotto alla milanese Risotto alla “pilota” 3 Pasta dishes Tortelli di zucca alla mantovana Pizzoccheri della Valtellina

4 Meat dishes Ossi buchi in gremolata alla milanese Stracotto di manzo al vino rosso Cassöela UMBRIA 1 Starters Bruschette, crostini, pani, torta al testo and “pizze” 2 Soups Zuppe rustiche, minestre di ceci, farro and fagioli Pasta: tagliatelle, tagliolini, quadrucci, umbrichelli or ciriole and strangozzi. 3 Cooking with truffles The white truffles of Fabbro, Città di Castello, Gubbio and Gualdo Tadino. The black trufflues of Norcia and Spoleto. 4 Grilled meat From lamb to boar TOSCANA 1 Simple cuisine Panzanella and fettunta; acquacotta, soup, tomato bread soup; scottiglia, tripe and centopelle. 2 Meat and sauces Beef and pork, la fiorentina and dressed pork products. Meat sauces: beef, pork, game, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, and crostini toscani. 3 The Renaissance cuisine Hors-d’oeuvres and sformatini; porrata and maccheroncini di pane; anatra alla frutta and piccione alle mandorle; torta di pere biancomangiare dolce; cioccolata calda aromatizzata alle spezie. 4 Desserts I cantuccini e i frati fritti, il castagnaccio, le frittelle di riso, la schiacciata, il panforte, i ricciarelli, lo zuccotto VENETO 1 The Veneto traditional baccalà (dried salted cod): Il baccalà alla vicentina, il baccalà mantecato, il baccalà alla veneziana. Le polente. 2 Vegetables The red radicchio tardivo of Treviso and the variegated radicchio of Castelfranco.

The Veneto asparagus: various varieties. The beans of Lamon. 3 Traditional Venetian fish Il saòr, a method of conserving: sardines and sogliole in saòr, seasonal vegetables in saòr. Le seppie in nero, i bigoli in salsa. 4 Meat La padovana (chicken) and la polverara. The lamb of Alpago. FRIULI 1 Soups and minestrone Vegetable and asparagus minestrone, la iota and pumpkin soup 2 Goose, the Jewish tradition of Saint Daniel Goose as an alternative to pork The different ways of preparation: brodo con ciccioli di oca, oven baked goose. 3 Fish Simple fish from the Adriatic Sea, their preparation, conservation, and recipes. Shellfish and crustaceans. Boreto, insalata di moscardini. 4 Cuisine from Central Europe A mix of food cultures from Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia.The sweet and the savoury, the spices. Dishes from Carnia and from the valley of Natisone. Cjarsons, il frico, salame nell’aceto, la brisa, gnocchi di susine. SARDEGNA 1 Pasta and soups Culurgiones (ravioli with ricotta) suppa cuata, fregula cun cocciula, pani frattau. 2 Fish Anguidda incasada, arangiola a s’oristanese Burrida a sa casteddaia Zimino di ostriche e aragosta. 3 Meat Porceddu arrustiu, angioni in cassola cun cancioffa, busecca sa casteddaia, curcuris a ghisau. 4 Sardinian desserts Trigu cottu, gattò (croccante), suppas indorada, seadas.

SICILIA 1 Arabic cooking and couscous Marinated fish, tuna of Favignana, swordfish, capers from Pantelleria, capers from Salina. 2 Street food from Palermo Panelle, arancine, sfincione, pane con la milza e ricotta Baroque cuisine from Palermo and Gattopardo cuisine: bucatini con le sarde, bucatini con i broccoli in tegame, timballi di pasta. La caponata and sweet and sour sauce. 3 Wheat, oil, legumes and bread Broadbeans from Leonforte, lentils from Ustica. Black bread from Castelvetrano. Cheeses: ragusano, pecorino, maiorchino, piacentino, ricotta, vastedda della Valle del Belice. 4 Sicilian Desserts La cassata, i cannoli. Biscuits from Ragusa and Catania, chocolate and carrube from Ragusa, il gelo di anguria, i sorbetti e le granite. Dried fruit: almonds from Noto, pistacchio from Bronte. Wine and “ossidati” for cooking: il Marsala TRENTINO 1 Mountain dishes Soups: orzetto, brò brusà, canederli Bread gnocchi, strangolapreti, ciaronciè. 2 Salami and meat Lucanica, “salziza” and carne salada. Tonco de pontesei, gulasch, sguazet La Selvaggina: cervo and capriolo 3 Pasture and forest products The vegetables of the Gresta valley, flowers from Baldo and wild herbs, mushrooms and forest fruits and mountain cheeses. 4 Desserts La torta de fregoloti, il brazadel, lo zelten. Traditional Trentino apple: strudel and fritters

L O M B A R D I A

A region of lakes and streams

Azienda Santa Barbara di Antonucci Stefano & C. s.n.c. Borgo Mazzini, 35 • 60010 Barbara (AN) • Tel. (+39) 071 9674249 • Fax (+39) 071 9674263 www.vinisantabarbara.it • info@vinisantabarbara.it

ast torrents of clear water come down the sides of the Alpine mountains that run along the whole of the Northern part of the region. They supply six large lakes at the valley bottom that widens out onto green plains. Calm rivers run off from the lakes, before throwing themselves into the Po, dividing into thousands of ditches and channels which irrigate fertile fields of cereal, beetroot and fodder for supplying a flourishing production of milk. Cows milk and cheese are extremely important for the gastronomy of the Lombardia region. From the mountain pastures we obtain the great cheeses such as Bitto, Formai de mut and Taleggio, and those of the plains: Gorgonzola and Grana Padano. Butter is the main condiment of Lombardian cooking. The serum plains, by- products of the working of cheeses, feed millions of the heavy Po valley pig whose leg is seasoned for the best Italian hams and whose meat when flavoursomely left to mould, becomes salami of a particularly whole bouquet. On the mountains the art of conserving the meat is characterised by the

Gilberto Venturini making of Bresaola di manzo and the superb Violino di capra. The presence of the Hebrew community in this region has in addition, made an interesting tradition of salumi d’oca (goose) flourish that is eaten raw or cooked. The cultivation of rice in nearly all of the province has been made possible by widespread irrigation. Zuppe di ris, (rice soup), riso e rape (rice with turnip), riso e sedano (rice with celery), riso e prezzemolo (rice with parsley), riso e fegatini (rice with liver) are only a few of the innumerable dishes of which rice is the main ingredient. Lombardia is the only region of Italy where rice has a gastronomic importance much greater than that of pasta and using its best quality rice (the Vialone Nano and the Carnaroli) a monumental dish of Italian cuisine is made: risotto. Pavia, Mantova and Milan are fatherlands of the most famous and sumptuous risottos: alla milanese, alla certosina and alla pilota. Other cereals are protagonists of

the Lombardian table: the common wheat in the extreme south of the region where the great tradition of fresh pasta begins and where the famous tortello di zucca is prepared; in the mountain foot zone where we find maize and where the polenta di mais triumphs and finally on the mountains we grow buckwheat from which polenta taragna and pizzoccheri are made. In the more northerly zones where fresh water runs, we find carp, tench, eel and frogs. Lombardian cuisine is rich with dishes in which all of these fish are used with great expertise. The most frequently used meats include that of the cow from which ossobuco and cotoletta alla milanese are made, tripe, from which busecca is prepared and rustin negàa (roast tench). Pork is used for the preparation of cassöela (a type of rustic choucrûte). The wines of the region are produced in rather limited locations. The great red in Valtellina, the most refined Spumanti in Franciacorta, white and red on the morainic hills of Lake Garda, and sparkling and rustic reds on the hills of Oltrepo Pavese.

U M B R I A

Land of olive oil Pier Giorgio Oliveti

ines and olives have for centuries symbolised the Umbrian countryside located in the geographic heart of Italy. However, to get close to understanding the cuisine of this region it is also necessary to consider the great culture of meats, game, vegetables and truffles. Umbria, a region where respect for tradition is not just a simple slogan. On the contrary, it is felt throughout, in the countryside as well as in the heart of both small towns and the great art cities. In fact, in the last half of the century Umbria has perhaps faced the flattening effects of globalization better than others. The people of Umbria have not forgotten their own roots or their cultural, artisan and social traditions. Here the Slow Food culture is widespread from Orvieto to Todi, from Castiglion del Lago to the CittĂ della Pieve. The traditions remain alive and are renewed above all in the cuisine, where the local products are the foundations of the typical menus of the different zones. Here, the cuisine sees the influence of both the noble courts and the simple farmer and so we must never think of Umbrian

Cuisine as being only rustic. On the contrary, there are extremely diverse dishes present, inherited from Etruscan, Roman, Mediaeval and Renaissance cuisine as well as that of the nearby regions, Tuscany, Lazio, the Marche and Romagna. Relatively small in surface, Umbria is blessed with a natural environment of high quality land, air and water that contributes to the success of agroalimentary production. The ingredients for cooking are in certain cases of the highest ranking. This is the case with the extra-virgin olive oil, with the DOP of Umbria subdivided into five areas from Trevi to Orvieto. Typical products include the salumi and the numerous derivatives of pork meat (capocolli, prosciutto, coppe di testa, mazzafegati, coralline, mortadelle, budellacci, etc), cheeses such as pecorini, giuncate or the ricotta of Poggiodomo and legumes

such as the risina (rice) of Trasimeno, the cicerchie (chickling), the chickpea or the lentils of Castelluccio (they were and are the fundamental ingredients of the Umbrian soups), mushrooms, truffles and cereals such as wheat spelt. Common vegetables include the red potato of Colfiorito, the onion of Cannara, the celery of Trevi and the peas of Bettona, and there are also the muchappreciated aromas such as saffron. Lamb, the chianina breed of cow and the entire range of game make popular dishes. With some differences from zone to zone the Umbrian meat experts and those that work at the oven to make bread, pizza and focacce represent a bit, the fundamental traditions of this regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gastronomy. A part of this discussion should be reserved for the wine. Wine such as the Sagrantino of Montefalco, the Orvieto Classico, the Torgiano, the wines of the hills of Trasimeno or those of the Amerino, hardly need presenting. There are numerous bottles in the local wine cellars that have helped make wine-growing Umbria known in Italy and the world.

P I E M O N T E

From the alpine valleys to the Po plains Armando Gambera

understand the Piemonte cuisine you need to study the geography of the region, because the cuisine is profoundly influenced by the landscape. This territory is vast: it includes the Alpine range that surrounds the north and west, the Apennines to the south with the spurs of the Langhe and Monferrato hills, and the Po plain in the centre and to the east. The cuisine is therefore the expression of various cultures and economies, resulting from its basic products and a variety of culinary techniques. A long time ago, because of the particular territorial conformation (and in part the continental climate) a particular breed of cattle called the Piemontese was introduced to the region starting the tradition of dishes such as the vitello della coscia (leg of veal) from Alba and the bue (beef) from Carrù, both of which appear in many recipes. Equally important are the rane delle risaie (rice field frog) of Vercelli, the asino (donkey) of Borgomanero, the agnello alpino (alpine lamb) of Sambuco

and many farmyard animals such as rabbit and cockerel. Among the game and other animals of the hunt are the classic lepre in civet (hare), fagiano in salmì (pheasant) and cinghiale cotto nel vino (wild boar cooked in wine). One of the most important ingredients of the plains include the rice that comes from Vercelli, Biella and Novara, which is used in risottos and timbales. Other characteristic dishes include dried sweets and spoon desserts. Among

the cereals are wheat and maize: from the white flour of the first we obtain the tajarin, a type of pasta that is as fine as angel’s hair and from the yellow flour of the second we make polenta, an excellent side dish for stewed meat and steamed dishes. Agnolotto or ravioli, deserves a place of honour: it is the excellent filled pasta of Piemonte, distinguished from place to place by the diversity of the fillings and the shape; square in Turin and Asti, al plin (pinched) in the Langhe. In the Langhe and Monteferrato areas in lower Piemonte, the cuisine feels the influence of the nearby Ligurian sea: salted anchovies and the Ligurian Ponente extra virgin olive oil coupled with garlic

make a communal dish par excellence, because it has to be consumed in company: the bagna caoda. In this simple country sauce, the vegetables of the plains are soaked in pinzimonio (a dip made of olive oil, pepper and salt): the cardoon, gobbo of Nizza, the pepper of Carmagnola and so on. As well as the use of anchovies, we must mention the salted cod coupled with polenta. But the Langhe wouldn’t be the same without the white

The Municipal Administration of Jesi provided the Istituto Superiore di Gastronomia (Gastronomy High School) with a High Cuisine Cooking System inside the prestigious Palazzo Balleani, choosing ZANUSSI PROFESSIONAL appliances. ZANUSSI PROFESSIONAL is a world-known trademark born at the beginning of the past century and specialised in professional appliances for preparation, cooking, refrigeration, distribution and washing processes. ZANUSSI, one of the most important company in the italian household and industrial appliances market since its beginning,had its maximum growth and worldwide expansion entering the Swedish Group ELECTROLUX in 1984. Today ZANUSSI PROFESSIONAL boasts of a wide distribution network of 200

truffles of Alba, and Cuneo wouldn’t be so notable without its cheeses, among which are the legendary Castelmagno and the tasty Raschera. From Cuneo to Pinerolo the Alps faithfully preserve a provincial cuisine which uses mountain products to create traditional dishes such as dunderet, cursetin, supa barbeta, and typical ingredients include mushrooms, bilberries and raspberries. Finally we come to the Piemonte desserts. Besides the chocolate for which Turin is without doubt the historical capital, we find the Garessio chestnut, the round and noble hazelnut of the Langhe and the corn flour of Pamparato.

sales and assistance agencies assuring a costant effective presence. Its programmes, strategies and instruments makes it professional, skilled and reliable trademark. ZANUSSI’s entire process, from production to sales, is certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standard. More than 3200 professional people in the food field, everywhere in the world, take part to the professional stages organised by ZANUSSI every year. ZANUSSI PROFESSIONAL sales agencies GIANNI MANZONI S.r.l. and SCIPILLITI S.n.c. sale agencies in Ancona and Falconara areas, gave their important technical and consulting contribution to the installation of the High Cousine Cooking System, making it suitable to different cooking needs of any International Chef.

Gianni Manzoni S.r.l. Via del Consorzio, 33 60015 Falconara M.ma (AN) Ph. +39 071 9188478 Fax +39 071 9188675 Web Site: www.giannimanzoni.it E.mail: info@giannimanzoni.it

Scipilliti S.n.c. Via Achille Grandi, 7 60131 Ancona Ph.+39 071 2865033 – 2865038 Fax +39 071 2865033 Web Site: www.scipilliti.com E.mail: info@scipilliti.com

the following pages we introduce the cooks that will teach at our school, representing every region of Italy, all with many years of experience and above all cultured in the food and drink of their own region. Slow Food signifies the rediscovery of a particular territory, the richness and variety of each region, tasting with awareness and attention, the pleasure of a good spread and the defence of biodiversity. We have selected about 50 cooks from every corner of Italy, from the north and south, some of whom are experts in pasta, others meat or fish, but all of them love presenting the cuisine of their own region, researching and collecting the best of what has been created over the centuries.

Our expert cooks

NINO FIGUS

MARCELLA CIGOGNETTI

Nino knows the Sardegna cuisine as few else do, how to interpret it and present it in an excellent way. He is a television presenter, runs courses and participates in competitions. He currently works at the restaurant Hibiscus di Quartu Sant’Elena. The dishes he prepares are very simple but have intense flavours. They include: Sea fish soup, ravioli with red onion and goat cheese, bocconcini with lamb, seadas in an orange sauce and formaggelle of ricotta.

Her first training as a cook took place in the kitchen at home. In 1989 she founded the Ochina Bianca, a restaurant in the centre of Mantova with all the traditional dishes of the Po Valley. In 2002 she left Ochina Bianca to dedicate herself completely to the running of Operaghiotta (theatre of taste) an organisation in which cooking and gastronomy are represented as a show. Operaghiotta is also the head office of the Convivium Slow Food of Mantova. At Operaghiotta one can participate in themed dinners, cookery courses, tasting sessions and meetings where Marcella can be seen working in person.

GIUSEPPE BARBERO In 1977 Giuseppe started on a tour of Italian restaurants for new experiences. In 1985 he returned to Boccondivino (Bra). Here he dedicates himself to the discovery of Piemonte cuisine and in particular of the Langhe. There are certain characteristics to Barbero’s work: his search for the best ingredients of the area, his respect for traditions and the creation of menus connected to the seasons. The dishes are prepared in a rigorous and simple way.

FRANCESCO SULTANO

PEPPE ZULLO

ANTONIO TUBELLI

Francesco has worked in his restaurant in Ragusa for 3 years. However, before stopping here, he trained step by step, including some lengthy periods abroad. Although open to innovation, he still focuses on protecting the traditions of his region. He loves to dig into the Bourbon traditions of the 1800’s, finding particular prime ingredients and choosing the most appropriate oil for each dish.

Peppe Zullo has always dreamt of owning a restaurant and celebrating the dishes of his region. He loves aromatic herbs, selects wines and cheeses, looks for the most natural meats and prefers home-made pasta. Among the dishes he is noted for are his involtini di melanzana, orecchiette al sugo di cinghiale and capretto. The region of Puglia offers vegetables, meats, fish and high quality cheeses.

Antonio is a gastronomic researcher, with a deep knowledge of the traditions of Naples. In 1987 he founded the restaurant ‘Il Pozzo’ which is linked to the Slow Food circuit. For some time he has promoted and followed a new initiative: to represent the old cuisine of the streets, remembering Naples traditions of the “mangiamaccheroni” and the “friggitore”. His dishes: spume di pesce azzurro, timpano di scammaro, filetto di pesce al culìs di legumi.

ANTONIO GRAZIANO

ANTONIO SANNA

GALDINO ZARA

Just outside of Palermo, on the road to Agrigento, there is a prestigious restaurant called Mulinazzo. It is here that we find Antonio at work in the kitchen, deep in thought and study. He has many creations to offer, all of an extremely high standard. Fish play a big part in his repertoire, but all the Sicilian traditions find a place on his menu: cuscus, macco di fava, minestra di aragosta (lobster soup), and the best fish from the island. He also prepares delicious homemade desserts.

Nino is not yet 40 years old and has already accumulated a lot of experience in the kitchen and not only at his home on the island. He knows his part of the country, Oristanese, very well and all of the traditional Sardinian cooking. He is frequently called upon to represent and teach his cooking skills abroad as well as at home. A few of his dishes: zuppa di pesce e crostacei (fish and crustacean soup), macarones de busa, il capretto cotto a “pilau” (goat), tortino al formaggio e aranzada (cheese cake and orange peel and honey).

Galdino has always been an enthusiast of the wine and gastronomic history of his region, he has had experience in a vintage wine stockist at the beginning of the 80’s before starting work with the ovens. He is a versatile cook, who above all loves expressing himself with the traditional dishes of the Veneto and Venice. He has participated in the Slow Food movement since its beginning and is a teacher in the Master of Food course.

Our work-placement restaurants

hose who attend the School of Italian Regional Cooking, once finishing the 10-week course in Jesi, have the possibility of taking part in work placements and training at associated restaurants of Slow Food from all over Italy. All the restaurants are of a high quality where local cuisine is prepared, using only the freshest and most genuine ingredients and where one can really learn the truest Italian cuisine. We hope to avoid cooking that puts priority on the appearance of the food, where most attention is paid on its decoration, neglecting natural flavours and aromas; those who take part in these work placements will be able to chose from various regions, meat or fish and the traditions of the south or of the north. In this edition we start to present to our readers some of these restaurants.

Mulinazzo Sicilia

L’Orcio Interrato Toscana

Just outside Palermo, Antonio and Sabine have set up a wonderful restaurant. The cuisine found here is based on the great traditions of the island. Starting with the fish one passes from classic traditional dishes to refined and researched dishes. The end of the meal is very well-cared for with home-made desserts and has a large selection of wine.

Montopoli is a small town located on the hills that dominate the valley of the river Arno. In a small hotel here some of the cellars have been converted into a restaurant, where you can soak up the ancient atmosphere and taste the historic cuisine of renaissance recipes and regional dishes. Luigi and Fulvia research and experiment with rigour and passion, selecting the best Pecorino, truffles, wines and extra Virgin olive oil.

Ristorante Osteria dell’Arco Piemonte

Già sotto l’Arco Puglia

Ristorante Al Borgo Trentino

This restaurant is found in the central square of Alba, Piazza Savona and is run by Firmini Buttignol. In the kitchen we find Daniele Sandri who has worked for many years and by his side two other cooks: Maurizio Dellapiana and Paola Pellegrino. Traditional dishes of the Langhe are prepared with particular attention to the choice of raw ingredients: il vitello piemontese ai tajaran (veal), agnolotti (type of ravioli) lamb, panna cotta and bonet. It is frequented by the cream of the producers of Barolo and the Barbaresco, as well as foreign clientele.They have an impressive wine-list.

Teodosio and Teresa are the main characters of this restaurant. They have taken it and made it grow, day by day, with continuous research, from dishes of wholesome regional roots to more evolved and personal offerings. In the kitchen they work with extreme care while paying great attention to their guests in the dining area. Here are some of their dishes: polenta di ceci (chick-peas polenta), purea di fave e cicotia (bean and chicory puree), tortino di coniglio (rabbit tart), barchetta di melanzana, (small boats of aubergine/egg-plant), fagottini con marmellata di fichi (small sacks with fig marmalade).They also prepare fish dishes.

Situated in the centre of Rovereto, in a building that was once a theatre, the restaurant owned by Dal Sasso is today a temple to cuisine of an extremely high standard- Here it is possible to find dishes that are typical of the Trentino, interpreted with great mastery: home-made bread and pasta, cernia in carpaccio, crostone di pane con porcini, lasagne con ragù di cervo, tortelli con animelle, controfiletto di cervo al ginepro, lingua di vitello tiepida con aceto di lampone. It has a good selection of wines.

Carpe Diem Toscana

La Bona Usanza Marche

Montaione is a small town on the hills of central Tuscany. The restaurant ,attached to a small hotel, faces onto the Elsa valley in a beautiful panoramic position. The cuisine, characterised by the pure Tuscan tradition, is undertaken with the greatest of care and with some innovation. Pasta and desserts are home-made and the meat and game is typical of the region. Dishes that can be tried here include: pappa al pomodoro e panzerotti, fagianella e carne chianina, funghi porcini e tartufo. They have a well-stocked wine cellar.

This restaurant, attached to the Hotel de’ Conti, is found on the panoramic hills in the heart of the Marche. It is managed by Gianfranco Mancini, preserver and popularizer of the most authentic traditions of the Marche cuisine and official representative since its beginning of the Slow Food movement. The restaurant entrusts the work in the kitchen to Marco Giacomelli who cooks according to the best of traditions. This restaurant is visited by experts of gastronomy, by sommelier, by associates of Slow Food and by journalists.

Locanda San Lorenzo Veneto A warm and welcoming restaurant This is a restaurant and inn that for three generations has belonged to the Dal Farra family. It is located in a part of the most beautiful mountains, far from traffic, with a simple and spontaneous welcome and a warm and familiar atmosphere. The cuisine is one of the best in the region, based on the regional traditions with an input of innovation and undertaken with great care. Among the dishes worth noting, we have the “Bagozia” soup, asparagus and sweetbread ravioli, perch, carré di agnello al rosmarino (lamb and rosemary) and semifreddo alle nocciole (an icecream cake with nuts)

To our Convivium Leaders in Japan, United States of America and Australia

Dear friends,

We are delighted to send you our newsletter to communicate that on the 8th of January 2003 our school will start its activities with the Slow Food Master Italian Cooking course at Jesi, in the Marches region. With this new initiative, Slow Food Italy aims to give valid support to professional chefs from abroad who wish to learn about Italian cuisine in a thorough way, focusing on each region. Italy is a country in which the cuisine is strongly linked to the

United States: Francesco Tonelli (Associate Professor, The Culinary Institute of America) 46 Riverview- port Ewen 12466-5104 New York- United States francesco@francescotonelli.com

traditions, history and people. It is because of the differences between regions that Italian cuisine is so rich in variety. This Slow Food cookery course in Italy will also allow new contacts to be made at an international level and will expand further in the future at the University of Pollenzo. In this edition of our newsletter you can find further information on the cooking programme, its organisation and the didactic methods that are inspired by the Slow Food philosophy.

Japan: Tokyo Office HIDE UCHIYAMA Ltd (Ms. Rieko Uchiyama) 2-13-22 ShĂŹmouma, Setagaya-ku Tokyo-JAPAN Florence Office JAPAN PROMO SERVICE (Mr. Aldo Fallani and Ms. Rieko Uchiyama) Via C.Bianchi,18 50134-Firenze info@ios.it

To all of you, dear Convivium Leaders, we send you this message along with the names and addresses of those who represent and follow our organisational activities and who can be contacted for further information.

Australia: Michele Usci (President of the Federation for Italian Cooks of Australia) P.O. Box 211 Bullen 3105 Victoria- Australia usci@primus.com.au

Verdicchio: a white wine of excellence

ineyards have existed in the Marche for centuries, The Piceni, Estruschi and the Greek colonies cultivated them here. But on the hills of the central part of the region around Jesi the principle wine is called Verdicchio. This name appeared for the

ble alcoholic content and a pleasant, somewhat bitter finish) and every vine dresser on the basis of this has notable space to work on improvements, presenting elegant and refined wines, among themselves very different, also because another

first time in a document dated 1569: Verdicchio is the name of the vines, Verdicchio is also the name of the wine. Its commercialisation in Italy and the whole world started in the 50’s and all those who drank it then remember its characteristic bottle in the shape of an amphora. Since then everything has changed, as in the other wineproducing areas of the world: in those days the wine was rough, acidic and with a very bitter finish. The Verdicchio of today maintains its natural characteristics (full-bodied, almost like a red, with subtle acidic veins, nota-

characteristic of this vine is its versatility. From the Verdicchio we can obtain splendid spumanti brut, a pleasing white wine to accompany fish dishes and well-structured wines which can be harmoniously coupled with rich and flavoursome dishes as well as with white meats. There are white wines to drink in their year of production and white wines that can be left to refine for some years and finally, from the Verdicchio grapes left to dry on the vines, a sumptuous sweet wine that in recent years has caused great interest among enthusiasts.

Everybody knows that Verdicchio is not just any ordinary white wine and in this region the vine dressers are proud to continue working these splendid grapes; on these hills you won’t find a chardonnay or sauvignon, here the Verdicchio is cultivated. In recent years Verdicchio wine has had many opportunities to compete at an international level against other whites and has since held a high rank. Such success has boosted the enthusiasm of the producers, already used to work requiring tremendous patience, a virtue of those who for centuries have worked the land in this region. Anyone enjoying the hospitality of a producer’s wine-cellar will be able to taste highly-esteemed wines and recognise the producer’s determination to continue experimenting and improving. In this way Verdicchio has become by far the most well-known Marche wine on the international market and everyday demonstrates with its best productions, whether the Castelli di Jesi or in the Matelica zone, to rival the top wines of the world, often surpassing other more celebrated white wines.

A course designed to know Italian cuisine, region for region. Reserved for professionals from all over the world who cook Italian food. A course that looks at the historical roots of the regional cooking of Italy: from the North to the South and from the Alps to the Mediterranean. A course to know the producers of quality food (pasta, wine, cheese, olive oil, meat products...) and the gastronomic culture of each region. A diploma that requires hard work and studyng, with the possibility of work experience in each region of Italy at the end of the year.