JULY 2021 JULY L DELLA N

JULY 2021 JULY l DELLA N. 339 Civiltà Tavola ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA

INTERNATIONAL

EDITION

ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA ISTITUZIONE CULTURALE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA FONDATA NEL 1953 DA ORIO VERGANI

www.accademia1953.it CIVILTÀ DELLA TAVOLA CIVILTÀ 2021 N. 339, JULY Table of contents Civiltà DELLATavola ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA

INTERNATIONAL EDITION

July 2021 / n. 339 Focus of the President Editor in chief Paolo Petroni 2 Delta Force on the attack! Copy Editor (Paolo Petroni) Silvia De Lorenzo

Layout Simona Mongiu L’ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA Translator è stata fondata nel 1953 da Orio Vergani Antonia Fraser Fujinaga e da Luigi Bertett, Dino Buzzati Traverso, Cesare Chiodi, Giannino Citterio, Ernesto Donà This issue includes articles by dalle Rose, Michele Guido Franci, Gianni Mazzocchi Floro Bisello, Bastoni, Arnoldo Mondadori, Attilio Nava, Maurizia Debiaggi, Arturo Orvieto, Severino Pagani, Aldo Passante, Alberto Martinelli, Gian Luigi Ponti, Giò Ponti, Dino Villani, Paolo Petroni, Edoardo Visconti di Modrone, Pinuccio Pomo, con Massimo Alberini e Vincenzo Buonassisi. Claudio Tarchi. Territories l Tourism l Folklore

Photo credits The long history of cassoeula Adobe Stock. 3 …continues, even in Singapore vvv (Maurizia Debiaggi, Publisher Alberto Martinelli) Accademia Italiana della Cucina Via Napo Torriani 31 - 20124 Milano Tel. 02 66987018 - Fax 02 66987008 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.accademia1953.it

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Monthly Magazine Reg. n. 4049 - 29-5-1956 Tribunale di Milano

Sugared almonds: 5 127 years of history (Pinuccio Pomo)

Ghirardelli of San Francisco 7 (Claudio Tarchi)

Health l Safety l Law

When food is Regulations regarding personal data protection On the cover: graphic elaboration of Still Life 8 with Fruits and Watermelon (1929) by Pyotr a response to emotions The Italian Academy of Cuisine, in its capacity as data controller, hereby informs its members that Konchalovsky; State Russian Museum, St Petersburg (Floro Bisello) their personal data are handled with respect for the principles of integrity, lawfulness and tran- sparency as well as protection of privacy and members’ rights, to implement the management of the member-association relationship as deline- ated by the Association’s Statute and By-laws, and for any related purposes where applicable. The processing is carried out by authorised parties, in paper and computerised form, in compliance with the provisions of the aforementioned EU regulations and current national legislation. To view all the information provided under EU regulations, and in particular to learn what members’ rights are, please visit the Association’s website.

Rivista associata all’Unione Stampa Periodica Italiana Focus of the President Delta Force on the attack!

by Paolo Petroni President of the Accademia

Despite the crossfire plaguing our lives, the Academy is resuming its habitual cultural and convivial activities.

rom films and beyond, we all know what theDelta For- ce is: an élite corps of the US Army, specialised in anti-ter- Frorism operations abroad, whose motto is: “Surprise, Speed and Aggression!”. We, however, are being terrorised every day by another task force: the “Delta variant” of the coronavirus. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, namely the squabbling, ineffectual, doomsaying virologists, distress us daily with glo- omy prophecies, abetted by the mass media which tally up the dead (few, fortunately) and infected, without mentioning that the latter are holding up well and haven’t the slightest they be discarded?) the AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson intention of checking in to hospitals, which luckily are almost doses which, after millions administered, nobody wants now. empty. Honestly, enough already! Let us live; not letting us live is Then we might as well release bulletins of road, heart attack grotesque! and tumour fatalities and so forth. They told us that vaccines would solve the problem, yet headlines remain identical: sur- ge, boom, hotspots, gatherings, keep your guard up, wretched The Academy has resumed its activities; youngsters, threats against regions imminently returning to the ‘machine’ is ready to roll yellow and orange. The superlatively useful Istituto Superio- re di Sanità (National Institute of Health) solemnly informs us that “Unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated people may Notwithstanding the concentric attacks of our home-grown become infected”. You don’t say! Who would have imagined ‘Delta Force’, the Italian Academy of Cuisine has resumed its that? And from the heights of her knowledge, the WHO’s cultural and convivial activities. Following our Delegates’ As- COVID-19 Technical Lead rules that the “#DeltaVariant will sembly, the Academic Council has elected the President’s take advantage of unvaccinated people, in crowded settings”. Council, which in turn appointed Delegates, Regional Coor- dinators and the members of the Franco Marenghi Study Centre, who themselves elected the Regional Study Centre We are fed up with useless, vacuous words Directors. A somewhat lengthy procedure, now at an end thanks to everyone’s collaboration. The ‘machine’ is now ready to roll again, and we can already All in all, we are fed up with useless and vacuous words. We witness this through the pages of this magazine, dedicated cannot aim for zero deaths, zero infections and zero variants to those Academic activities which are telling us once more (over 120 have already been identified): the virus will circula- about our Delegations’ many initiatives in Italy and abroad, te, constantly mutating. Instead of predicting calamity, four- where, as in previous years and with a concerted effort and th waves and various catastrophes, let them get cracking on the Foreign Ministry’s support, the Academy will provide its those vaccines, as vaccinations have reached a mere 45% of habitual, substantial contribution to the success of the Inter- the population, with dim prospects after setting aside (will national Italian Food Week.

Page 2 Territories l Tourism l Folklore The long history of cassoeula …continues, even in Singapore

by Maurizia Debiaggi and Alberto Martinelli Singapore-Malaysia-Indonesia Academicians

The Valtulina family fectly fit the ‘circular economy’ trend, which transforms food industry waste Two hypotheses about has brought authentic products into new foods thanks to tech- the origin of the dish nological solutions concocted by start- Brianza cooking ups with or without blockchain! to the city-state. Cassoeula has prosaically peasant ori- According to Toni Cuman, the unforget- gins; it has a long history and probably table food and wine journalist of the a double genesis. Since Italy is after all go-getting, heavy-drinking 1980s, cas- asseoula is Lombardy’s tradition- the land of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, soeula originates in northern Europe al ‘poor food’ par excellence: the let us recount the two origin stories and partially in central Asia and was C ancestor of ‘leftover cuisine’: if it which, besides being intriguing, seem apparently brought to Italy by Gaulish were invented nowadays, it would per- diametrically opposed. tribes. The dish is connected with chou- croute, or sauerkraut with sausage, and Alma and Valentino Valtulina the nomads’ habit of cooking mutton and vegetable stews. This explanation is bol- stered by the similarity of the word cassoeula to the French term cassoulet, a typical dish of Languedoc, based - perhaps not coincidentally - on pork and beans, and the fact that in Alghero (Sar- dinia), one of Italy’s Catalan-Celtic cities, there is a dish called sa cassola. The other origin story of cassoeula, perhaps more interesting and reliable, traces it to the manifold culinary con- taminations occurring over the centu- ries in Italy, and a series of fascinating and riveting events and vicissitudes. It starts with the Moors, who dominat- ed Spain from 711 to 1492, leaving, as part of their cultural inheritance, a culinary device called qasula, whose name of course phonetically recalls the pro- tagonist of this story. The Arabs used this internally glazed terracotta contain- er for cooking chicken, beef or mutton stews with vegetables; it was greatly appreciated at the time since it could be used for both cooking and transporting food and also re-heating small portions. In that era, the many Jewish commu- nities inhabiting the flourishing and

Page 3 Cassoeula in Singapore’s Da Valentino restaurant

The story of Valentino Valtulina and the eponymous restaurant is a tale of success for a large Lombard family who, with passionate determination, lots of hard work and faith in their capabilities, followed him from Italy 16 years ago, embarking on the audacious adventure of introducing Singapore to the cui- tolerant Arab domains in Spain had a sula including parts of Campania, Puglia sine of Brianza, as authentic as it is traditional dish which was easy to pre- and Calabria. It was Longobardia Minor simple. Mother Alma, who embodies pare, combining mutton flesh and broth, which brought the addition of Savoy the true soul of traditional cuisine at least chickpeas and cabbage: adafina. cabbage, one of central and Mediterra- where cassoeula, stews and ragù are nean Europe’s few autochthonous veg- concerned, says: “Each family makes etables. The Longobards also initiated cassoeula in its own manner, and I follow In Spain, Jewish converts the tradition of linking cassoeula with the recipe of my family, from Meda: scant to Christianity replaced St Anthony the Great, protector of do- musino (flesh from the face), abundant traditional meats with pork mestic animals, on the day marking the ribs, cinnamon, cloves, and Savoy cab- end of hog slaughter, the 17th of January. bage - the kind that comes from Italy in winter, whose strong taste comes from In 1492, an event seems to have trig- the winter frosts. I always prepare it the gered the use of pork, namely the edict A final, crucial ingredient: day before!”. Alma speaks proudly of her of Jewish expulsion from Spain. Jew- tradition! family’s tradition and how here, near the ish converts to Christianity, called Mar- tropics, she began cooking a typically ranos, hurriedly demonstrated their Lombard winter dish: “I wanted Alberto sincere conversion and abjuration of Contamination, innovation, experi- [her son-in-law], who adores cassoeula, Judaism by replacing the traditional mentation, and more besides. One last, to feel the warmth of home, and also meats used in Mediterranean cooking crucial ingredient must be added to this reassure his mother that he was being with pork, stewing it with vegetables in recipe and to the history of cassoeula fed properly - and Italian-style”. She that innovative Arab vessel, the qasula. itself: tradition! It was, indeed, Lombard laughs. The first written reference to this dish tradition which transmitted this dish In their Da Valentino restaurant, this is by Robert De Nola, a Catalan cook at from one generation to the next, proud- ‘special seasonal dish’ is vastly popular the court of king Ferdinand I of Naples, ly keeping it alive throughout their among the local regulars, who love the who in 1520 wrote one of the first cook- territory, with local variants: in Milan, strong taste of cooked cabbage, vege- books, Llibre del Coch (Cook’s Book), testina (meat from an animal’s head) is table soups and pork. “A regular of ours” calling the recipe cassola de carn (meat used; in Pavia, only ribs are used; in Brian- - explains Valentino - “likens cassoeula cassola). This new dish, which began za, cassoeula is paired with polenta; in to mei cai kou rou, a Sichuan pork belly spreading among all the Spanish do- Varese they use small sausages; in Como, and mustard green dish. Singaporeans mains and along the main commercial a glass of white wine is added; in Berga- like its texture and potent flavour and routes, became particularly popular in mo, the dish is rather dryer. the fact that it is served piping hot, like Occitania, merging with the Languedoc And in Singapore? Yes, cassoeula is many of their own dishes. It arrives at tradition of casseulets. even prepared in Singapore. This tra- the table still boiling”. Could this com- That account still lacks the history of the dition is kept alive by the Valtulina monality between such distant cuisines last ingredient: Savoy cabbage. This family in their restaurant, Da Valenti- be the true secret behind the success of yields another surprise, as it arrived from no, where the beloved, quintessentially cassoeula in Singapore? Perhaps - but southern Italy, more specifically Ben- Lombard cassoeula has been prepared also aided by this family’s strength and evento. Indeed, the Longobard (Lom- for over fifteen years, despite the humid determination, and generous helpings bard) kingdom of 568-774 AD, with heat of a city-state that is 80 miles from of typically Italian passion! Pavia as its capital, in fact governed a the equator - what could their secret be? Maurizia Debiaggi, substantial portion of the Italian penin- Not air conditioning, certainly! Alberto Martinelli

Page 4 Territories l Tourism l Folklore Sugared almonds: 127 years of history

by Pinuccio Pomo Puglia Association of Agrifood Journalists

The Sugared Almond Mucci, who founded the sugared almond Son of Raffaele, who owned a bakery café, factory in 1894, initiating a long history he left for Naples while still in schoolboy Museum in Andria of successes. It was to Giovanni that Ni- shorts. There he specialised in the ancient cola entrusted his confectionery ‘secrets’, art of sugared almonds and in preparing is located within later inherited by his children and gran- sweets and chocolate. Returning in a dou- the historic dchildren. This family saga has spanned ble-breasted pin-striped suit, with a plea- four generations and witnessed the birth ted shirt, a celluloid collar, a polka-dotted “Prize-winning Factory of a fifth in the first quarter of the 21st bow tie and a nut-brown moustache, he century. When, in the final quarter of the resolved to found his own ‘House’ of deli- of Giovanni Mucci”. 19th century, fourteen-year-old Nicola ghts, with its name emblazoned in gold moved to Naples for an apprenticeship on a dark sign, and he established his ‘fac- with Caflisch, the celebrated Swiss cho- tory’ in the family abode. He combined he Sugared Almond Museum in colatiers’ school, besides his ingenuity the dexterity of artisanal chocolatiers Andria, located within the vene- and lively imagination, he brought with with the traditions of Puglia. At the hei- T rable manufacturer’s historic site him scant money, a smidgen of hope, ght of the Belle Époque, prelude to a he- only paces away from the cathedral, is many dreams and one certainty: he would ady ‘Short Twentieth Century’, Nicola cre- dedicated to Giovanni, son of Nicola eventually return to Andria. ated a speciality which enchanted the beau monde: chocolates, liqueurs, elixirs, bonbons. And sugared almonds, made using the superlative almonds grown in the lands round Andria.

Andria: the culture and cultivation of almonds

Almond orchards once vied with olive groves and vines in the countryside around Andria. The warm springs were heralded by the white and pink of almond trees in bloom. In late August and early September, the city changed co- lour: pavements were painted ochre by the hulled almonds drying in the sun. In early autumn, farmhouse doorways resounded with the rhythmic beat of the iron implements with which wo- men’s gentle but strong hands broke open the woody almond shells on white stone slabs called chianche to extract their fruits.

Page 5 Almond trees are rarer today, but the talia - Le Puglie (The Garden of Italy - The sugared almonds, combining Filippo crop retains its excellent quality, with Lands of Apulia) that: “...a substantial Cea almonds from Toritto (Puglia) with numerous cultivars, all highly prized. portion of the sugared almonds thrown PGI hazelnuts from Piedmont and a dou- Mollese (m’ddisk), whose tender shells at weddings throughout Europe are ble chocolate coating: a unique recipe can be cracked with fingers alone, is procured from the Andresani [people of still kept secret by the Mucci family. eaten toasted on winter evenings or at Andria]”. In 2008, a Decree of Italy’s Agriculture festive gatherings. Fra Giulio, with its Ministry added tenerelli to the PAT delicious flat and slender fruit, is also (Traditional Agrifood Products) list known as “Avola di Puglia”. Tuono, Genco “Tenerelli” among the traditional for Puglia. Currently, over 200 sugared and Corrente all boast extraordinary or- products of Puglia almond varieties are prepared in a mo- ganoleptic properties and are widely dern facility, using painstakingly se- used in baking. Mucci sugared almonds lected ingredients of top quality from use the Puglia almonds called Filippo Around 1920, Nicola Mucci invented the all over the world and ancient, and still Cea, also known as Toritto Almonds, “Almond Imperial”, a new sugared secret, original recipes. With their excel- and the Sicilian Pizzuta d’Avola, the almond made of peeled Bari almonds lent ingredients and exclusively natural world’s most prized. robed in lightly sugar-coated white cho- flavours and colours, these are truly tiny colate. In the 1930s this evolved into the masterpieces of the confectioner’s art. famous “tenerelli”, or ‘tender-hearted’ Pinuccio Pomo Petresciata: a sweet declaration of love

Andria also has the tradition of petresciata: throwing sugared almonds towards one’s beloved, which, recalling the agricultural act of sowing, serves as a declaration of love. Indeed, Mucci sugared almonds have figured in illustrious weddings, including that of Italy’s last king, Umberto II, with Marie-Josè of Belgium. As evidence of the ancient sugared almond tradition in Andria, we have the testimony of Cesare Malpica, who wrote in 1840 in his Il Giardino d’I-

Page 6 Territories l Tourism l Folklore Ghirardelli of San Francisco

by Claudio Tarchi San Francisco Delegate

The huge sign Aged only 20, Domenico depar- ted for South America, residing dominating the square in Montevideo, Uruguay, for a year, and then in Lima, Peru. The overlooks a complex of youthful Ghirardelli opened a shops and restaurants, shop selling various goods, espe- cially chocolate. In 1848 the Gold originally the chocolate Rush had just begun in San Fran- cisco and a friend persuaded him factory founded to move again, this time to Ca- by the Ligurian lifornia, where he opened a shop selling sweets, liquor, Domenico Ghirardelli. coffee, spices and of course, chocolate. In 1852, having lost his shop sack of cocoa seeds left in a warm in a fire, he founded the “Ghirardelli room: this could easily be ground and Chocolate Co.”, the first chocolate fac- sweetened for use in chocolate pro- tory in California and the second in the duction. This extraction procedure USA, after Baker’s Chocolate, founded would be named ‘Broma process’, from in 1780. the Greek Theobroma, meaning ‘food of hirardelli: in monumental, illu- the gods’, Theobroma cacao being the minated letters, this is the first scientific designation of the cocoa plant. Gsign one sees when sailing into The fortuitous discovery The company perceived this product’s the San Francisco Bay. Few know what of a use for cocoa butter commercial possibilities: easily tran- it is, and even fewer pronounce it cor- sportable, slow to spoil, soluble for rectly. Domenico Ghirardelli was born hot chocolate, and ideal for baking. in Rapallo in 1817; he initially appren- Around 1865 one of his workers, whose In 1894, during a long holiday in Rapal- ticed at Romanengo, a historic confectio- name has not been recorded, discovered lo, Ghirardelli succumbed to influenza. ner’s shop in Genoa. cocoa butter slowly dripping from a His son, Domingo Jr., took over; alon- gside his brothers Joseph and Louis and sisters Elvira and Angela, he im- CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES bued the company created by his father with family-based continuity. Following Ingredients (for 48 biscuits): 225g softened butter, 180g white sugar, 180g brown various industrial and ownership chan- sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsps vanilla extract, 500g flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, ½ tsp ges, the company remains part of Ca- salt, 450g Ghirardelli baking chocolate or chocolate chips (60% cocoa), 225g lifornia’s manufacturing scene, having walnuts (optional). been purchased by the Swiss chocolatiers Lindt & Sprüngli in 1998. Ghirardel- Method: combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt; leave to rest. In a li’s numerous products can still be terrine, whisk the butter and sugar together at a medium speed, mixing them enjoyed in the company’s own retail thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla, at a low speed, until evenly mixed. Gra- outlets and bought in many shops across dually combine the two mixtures and add the chocolate (chopped) or chips and the USA. walnuts (if used). With a spoon, form roughly round biscuits and position them Chocolate Chip Cookies are an American on a baking tray. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 10 minutes or classic. Many restaurants offer them with until the chocolate pieces are almost melted. dessert or gift them to diners after their meal.

Page 7 Health l Safety l Law When food is a response to emotions

by Floro Bisello Pesaro-Urbino Delegate

Habitual comfort ood is, naturally, a pleasure, but must be treated with psychotherapy some people suffer from emo- and, if necessary, medication, on a case- eating stems from Ftional eating, confusing emo- by-case basis following a specialised tions with hunger and responding by physician’s prescription. psychological distress ingesting food instead of identifying the to be recognised nature of those emotions and seeking alternative strategies to deal with Transient emotions and food and treated. stressful feelings and situations. Emo- tional eating can manifest as sudden attacks which may strike at any time The use of food not as nourishment but irrespective of when food was last eaten, as a means of dealing with emotions is or as a continuous urge to graze through- a phenomenon which may temporar- out the day, outside meal times, usually ily affect most people, who may occa- accompanied by a sense of boredom or sionally experience periods in their lives emptiness. when hunger suddenly strikes without The most serious cases can be classified any relation to time or recentness of as compulsive overeating or bulimia, meals. which are eating disorders and therefore These are generally periods character- ised by negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger or sadness, which the sufferer cannot psychologically resolve, rerouting the resulting sense of help- lessness and frustration through food.

When emotional eating is no longer occasional

Emotional eating becomes patholog- ical when it is not occasional and occurring only within specific periods, but rather is a symptom of underlying psychological anguish persisting over time and accompanied by other symptoms and/or significant distress which the sufferer cannot face and for which the assistance of a psychologist or psychia- trist has not yet been sought; this must be recognised and treated as a disorder. During emotional eating episodes, sufferers respond to anxiety by self-sooth-

Page 8 ing through food. This clearly ineffective method keeps them physically busy with an activity bereft of usefulness in that moment, which distracts them and pro- vides pleasure and satiation. Sweet and high-calorie foods (junk foods) are often chosen to ‘cure’ boredom, solitude and a depressed mood: they provide intense gratification but also encourage addiction and prodi- gious overconsumption, whose unpleasant aesthetic and health conse- quences cause even more misery when sufferers perceive obvious weight gain and changes in their physical appear- ance. Those who experience emotional eating attacks triggered by rage direct their anger through food because they ment children cry or show discomfort, cannot (and may not even try to) address but rather should strive to understand How to face the problem the cause of that anger: this creates dis- what those children are feeling, thereby appointment and dissatisfaction. Food teaching their children the same skill, therefore becomes a means to reduce bearing in mind that the children’s dis- To solve this problem, we must first tension through physical chewing, or comfort may be psychological and not recognise the feelings masked by even to reroute aggression aimed at merely physical. emotional eating, which are placated oneself or others. An example is a wom- through food consumption. This is facil- an seeking revenge against her partner itated by keeping a diary noting when who gains wait through overeating to The scientific perspective hunger attacks occur, what we eat in cease being attractive to that partner. response, and how we feel before, during and after this process. Those affected by A recent study on rats has clarified the this problem can thereby increase their Sometimes this disorder mechanism underlying the link be- self-awareness, gain a clearer under- is established in childhood tween stress and hunger. It found that standing of what is happening and notice ghrelin, the hormone regulating hunger, any pattern in hunger attack occurrence, affects not only appetite but also the potentially triggered by external circum- Sometimes this mechanism is estab- transmission of impulses to areas in the stances. Having identified the conditions lished in childhood, for instance if par- brain associated with pleasure and com- responsible for emotional hunger attacks ents use food in response to the baby’s pensatory behaviour (gratifying actions and the unpleasant feelings we experi- negative emotions, such as boredom, to offset stress or pain). Stress causes ence during them, our first step can be pain or anger. Feeding a baby to allevi- ghrelin spikes, because that hormone to seek alternative strategies to man- ate discomfort, no matter what its na- regulates both hunger and the search age what is causing the stress, anger ture, sends the message that eating is for gratification, encouraging ingestion or frustration. In some cases this is im- the solution to physical and psycho- of calorie-dense ‘compensatory foods’ possible without help, so we should seek logical distress, leading to hunger at- which counteract tension, helping to a psychologist’s assistance to assess the tacks in adulthood when facing stress reinstate contentment. When ghrelin situation and investigate the causes of and unpleasant feelings. These future increases, depression and anxiety symp- the problem in order to solve it. adults may become obese or may not, toms are attenuated, as if the search An indispensable element for fighting but in either case they will have enor- for satisfying food entirely absorbed emotional eating is the sufferer’s will- mous difficulty distinguishing and the individual’s energy, thereby tem- ingness to recognise that this is not a recognising different emotions be- porarily alleviating distress. The research- food problem, at least not primarily, cause they did not learn this at the ers consider this model applicable to but a psychological issue which must right time, namely during childhood. humans too, because what they ob- be identified as such before the appro- Therefore, importantly, parents should served in the laboratory is also evident priate actions can be taken. not come running with food the mo- in emotional eaters. Floro Bisello

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