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N. 260, MAY 2014

STOABMLME AORFI O CONTENTS

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L’ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA FOUNDED IN 1953 BY ORIO VERGANI AND LUIGI BERTETT , DINO BUZZATI TRAVERSO , CESARE CHIODI , GIANNINO CITTERIO , ERNESTO DONÀ DALLE ROSE , MICHELE GUIDO FRANCI , GIANNI MAZZOCCHI BASTONI , ARNOLDO MONDADORI , ATTILIO NAVA , ARTURO ORVIETO , SEVERINO PAGANI , ALDO PASSANTE , GIANLUIGIPONTI , GIÒPONTI , DINOVILLANI , EDOARDO VISCONTIDI MODRONE , WHIT MASSIMO ALBERINI AND VINCENZO BUONASSISI . DEAR ACADEMICIANS... 7 What’s in a name? CIVI LT ÀDELL ATAVOLA 2 The Death (once again) The contemporaneity ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA of Cuisine of tradition INTERNATIONAL EDITION (Giovanni Ballarini) (Fiammetta Fadda) MAY 2014 / N. 260 FOCUS 9 Meditations on a piedmontese dish EDITOR IN CHIEF 4 The restaurant’s classic (Paoletta Picco) GIOVANNI BALLARINI menu is in a crisis COPY EDITOR (Paolo Petroni) 10 Maccheroni molinara style SILVIA DE LORENZO (Giuseppe Fioritoni ) LAYOUT CULTURE AND RESEARCH SIMONA MONGIU 12 Red, white and black

TRASLATOR 5 Getting in touch (Renzo Pellati) NICOLA LEA FURLAN with our roots

THIS ISSUE INCLUDES ARTICLES BY Giovanni Ballarini, Fiammetta Fadda, Giuseppe Fioritoni, Renzo Pellati, Paolo Petroni, Paoletta Picco.

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PUBLISHER ACCADEMIA ITALIANA DELLA CUCINA VIA NAPO TORRIANI 31 - 20124 M ILANO TEL . 02 66987018 - F AX 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

On the cover: graphic depiction of a detail from Dish with Cherries by Giovanna Garzoni (Ascoli Pi - ceno, 1600 - Rome, 1670). On exhibition at the Palatina Gallery, Pitti Palace, Florence.

Rivista associata all’Unione Stampa Periodica Italiana

PAGINA 1 CDAERARI AACCCAADDEEMMICICIAI.N.. S… The Death (once again) of Cuisine Today’s culture of excess is killing cuisine, which has lost its central role in our “fluid” society.

BY GIOVANNI BALLARINI President of the Academy

near, has been elevated to a higher and the nutritional craze for everything status than its predecessors. It is “retro”. deemed worthy of the same consider - Just as today we have the phenomenon ation as other human arts, raising of mainstream music , a sort of main - mass nutrition to the level of “haute stream cuisine is developing, based on cuisine”. In addition, postmodern cui - mass consumption, commercialization, sine has managed not only to elicit, and passing fads according to the but also express and externalize a vast changing whims of habits and fashion. gamut of social needs, both conscious This includes culinary genres that have and unconscious. These undeniable a large youth or youth-oriented fol - assets and its apparent vitality notwith - lowing. They are replacing traditional standing, today’s postmodern cuisine, and regional popular cuisine and are which has replaced the now-eclipsed gaining a foothold thanks to the media modern bourgeois cuisine, may sur - and collective restaurant industry. This render itself in the face of the rapid trend should not be confused with a growth and diffusion of other cultural “popular cuisine”, that is the fruit of and gastronomic movements and their an authentic cultural reality that orig - equally rapid disappearance. inates with the lower social classes ear Academicians, today a If we consider only the countries of and is not influenced by business specter is once again lurking the western world in which “ haute cui - schemes or commercial interests, and around Europe and the entire sine ” is most deeply rooted, during the which is passed along in the form of D th world. It is not a question of yet another second half of the 20 century and family traditions. social or political ideology, but rather beginning of the current 21 st century, Today’s nutritional nostalgia craze one of the death of cuisine. in addition to the well known nouvelle tends to place value on everything The end, or death, of cuisine has been cuisine movement we have witnessed that smacks of the past, distant or re - predicted so many times in the past; the rise and fall of cultural and gastro - cent, as in the passion for “vintage” however today’s death knell seems un - nomic movements that have inspired items. This desire for “retro” flavors likely considering the pyrotechnical such “isms” as Perfectionism, Concep - includes the industrialized foods of explosion of the multi-form gastronomy tualism, Naturalism, Mediterraneanism the immediate post-war period, but it that has invaded all forms of mass and even Techo-Emotionalism. We especially it refers to an interpretation, communication and contaminated any must not forget or underestimate the often rather casual, of traditional foods, and all artistic expression. This very influence of Chinese, Japanese and dishes, recipes and menus. This is a explosion is signaling the death of other Asian cultures, along with the path that has been followed and en - something far more worrisome than development of new Scandinavian gas - couraged by the agro-nutritional in - that which, during the social and eco - tronomies and, outside of Europe, neo- dustry and its large scale distribution. nomic changes in the post-World War Latin ones, especially Brazilian. This brings us to our current time, II era, led Orio Vergani to raise the In we must examine two devel - when cuisine has never seemed more alarm that “ is dying”. oping tendencies that are presenting alive and vibrant. But considering what Postmodern cuisine, which is under - themselves in different ways, in par - I have indicated above, that is not the going some confusing tremors that ticular the youth inspired alternative case. There are at least four threats may lead some to believe the end is cuisines such as mainstream cuisine that can be identified in present day

PAGINA 2 DEAR ACADEMICIANS…

cuisine. The nutritional offerings of issue of The Guardian that “The In - Cuisine is not dead, but a certain type mainstream cuisine and haute cuisine ternet will soon suck up all the creative of centricity is finished. are so broad, and at the same time so content of the world”. And the gas - We grew up in a world in which tradi - mutable, that today’s consumer, lacking tronomic fan worship, the culinary tional cuisine was the equivalent of a the practical guidance provided by theatricality, the exasperating obses - grand narrative of a society and a time. tradition, is essentially unable to get sion with citations, the communication Recipes and culinary rules explained his culinary bearings in today’s world. invasion and the chef population ex - and interpreted the world, just as did There is a betrayal hidden behind this plosion that requires them to con - literature, theater, and later the cinema. nutritional nostalgia craze. stantly modify their dishes makes the Now all that is but a distant memory. Industrial cuisine eliminates differ - emergence of even minimally stable Back in the days when Italian pizzerias ences; all flavors are standardized, new culinary paradigms increasing were owned and run by the maker aligned and flattened. Simultaneously, difficult. The abundance, or better himself there was a close cultural con - thanks to many different paths and yet the over abundance of choices nection with Naples, its cows and its technological developments everyone that has already annihilated tradition territory. With the arrival of the ham - has come to believe that they can is now killing cuisine. All that remains burger in an establishment that no create a new cuisine that is independ - will be (perhaps) a “fluid” kind of nu - longer is associated with any particular ent from all preceding traditions. It is trition that is available to all, in a sort cuisine, we witnessed the beginning cuisine born of our fluid culture. of new Cuisine of Babel. of the dismantlement of any and all Nutritional and cultural globalization Is there too much of everything avail - regional reference or tradition. leads to the incorporation of elements able? We are facing an evolutionary and an - that characterize many different cul - At one time we were accustomed to thropological leap of immense pro - tures. More than simply the infinite thinking of cuisine as traditions in a portions of which we are not even types of fusion cuisine, this also includes process of continual evolution through aware nor do we understand its con - their rapid if not immediate expropri - a process of constant innovation. It sequences. We could say that “one” ation. This is a different process from was and is the Academy’s job to protect cuisine is finished - that of the last the slow and measured one of the past the traditions of Italian cuisine as well century, and another has begun. Even which allowed for the Italian regional as to promote and improve them. in nutrition and cuisine history does cuisines to assimilate such products as Perhaps the cycle of modern and post- not go backward. It is the task of the the potato and the tomato. modern cuisine has come to an end Academy to study, and to the extent The final, and most deadly threat is under the onslaught of new means of possible, interpret the phenomenon the globalization of information. David communication and transmitting the of a new cuisine in a “fluid” society. Byrne wrote in the October 11, 2013 social and symbolic values of a society. GIOVANNI BALLARINI

To our Readers, I would like to inform the Academicians that last July Francesco Ricciardi decided to step down from his posi - tion of editor of this magazine in order to devote more time to other activities that required his full attention. It is with regret but also great respect for his choice, that I and the President’s Academic Council extend our personal best wishes and thanks to Francesco for the excellent and distinguished work he carried on behalf of this institution and for having helped bring to life this prestigious publication. Francesco continues to be a member of the Academy, and as a long time Academician he will continue to serve as an example for us, both in terms of his Academic activities as well as his future undertakings.

GIOVANNI BALLARINI

PAGINA 3 FO CUS The restaurant’s classic menu is in a crisis Even in Italy, more often than not, a full meal comprising antipasto and dessert is no longer requested. It is up to the chef, however, to fill up a plate.

BY PAOLO PETRONI Secretary General of the Academy

letter that came recently to the Academy has raised fish courses, roast , pastry, pies and spooned desserts, the persisting problem of how to distribute the syrups, preserves, and ice creams. Today, things have A courses that come to the table and thereby of how become simpler but the problems are still there. There are to prepare a menu, both at home and in a restaurant. Any - dishes, such as the famous “ cacciucco ”, that we cannot body who writes a cookbook today starts off with the an - classify as a fish soup or a second course. There are other tipasti, then goes on to the second courses, the side dishes examples of difficult classification: with quails, and the dessert. It seems so simple, perhaps too simple. In risotto ossobuco , soufflé with giblets, a big plate of raw fact, it is not easy to distinguish between these courses, es - fish, with lobster sauce and so on. pecially at a time when single dishes are fashionable. There Things are simpler in the United States: the meal starts was a time, in the great banquets of the Renaissance, when with a soup or a salad, chosen by the customer (at times the distribution was different, as it encompassed dishes this serving is included in the price of the meal). A single (straight from the cupboard) and hot dishes (from the dish of meat or fish follows with abundant portions of side kitchen). Subsequently, in the grand French cuisine, from dishes. In France as well, lacking , things are easy: the outset all dishes were exhibited on the table, and each the meal is based upon one strong dish. This will explain guest chose them in the order that he or she preferred, not why in Italy pasta or rice messes up the menu. These days unlike the custom of Chinese cuisine. Eventually, things people do not order antipasto, first courses and second became a bit more complicated and the menus were courses (by the way, it would be opportune for academic compiled by specialists, in a complex fashion that was dinners as well to be confined to fewer servings). Notwith - difficult to understand: hors d’oeuvres, entrées, relevés, en - standing, there are academic convivials that feature strong tremets (hot and cold ), rots, salade, fromage, desserts . The aperitifs, two first courses, two second courses, which same subdivision was adopted in Italy, with proper trans - entails biblical slowness in the service. Our restaurateurs lations. should understand that a dish must be complete. Serving Artusi adopted a subdivision that was complex to the point the side dishes apart in order to spike the bill is a losing of complicating the search for a recipe: soups in broth, policy. The chef is responsible for the correct mix, by pasta and lean meat, sauces, eggs, batter, fried and stuffed following not only good taste but also a few rules of ali - foods, stewed and cold meats, vegetables and legumes, mentary education.

THE ACADEMY SILVER PLATE An elegant silver plated dish engraved with the Academy logo. This symbolic object may be presented to restaurants that display exceptional service, cuisine and hospitality. Delegates may contact the Headquarters ([email protected] ) for more information and orders.

PAGINA 4 CULTURE AND RESEARCH Getting in touch with our roots A few notes on the Academy at its origin.

ur Academy was established improving Italian cuisine and the in 1953 but what did it look good table in general. Olike at that time? Sixty years later, it is not easy to find living wit - The Academic Body - The foundation nesses. However, we have some letters documents of 1955 spell out that “the written by Orio Vergani and most im - Academic Body is headquartered in Mi - portantly, the booklet with the first lan, it is national and unitary. It is roster of 1955, and those of 1958-59 formed by the Founding Academic mem - when Vergani was still alive, and more bers who may admit through co-optation booklets still as those of 1977-79 that those persons who represent associations, cover the first twenty-five years of life groups or entities and who adhere for of the Academy. personal reasons” . (Art. 4) From the first documents that contain The Academic Body, constituted by the the Statute and the By-laws we can Founding Academicians (13 in all), obtain precise particulars that allow was the subject of an important clari - us to draw interesting details on a few fication in the Statute of 1977-79 (Art. aspects that at times appear odd and 4) which states: “The Founding Members other times a source of uncertainty. belong to it by right and may admit Leaving aside the structure of the or - through co-optation individual Acade - ganization, let us look as some ele - micians up to a maximum of thirty to ments, starting with the mission of represent the plenum of the Academic the Academy and then move on to Body”. During the first decades of life some organizational aspects. of our Academy, the concept of Aca - demic Body was made clear to the point The mission of the Italian Academy of that it still lives on in a large number Cuisine - The 1955 Statute (Art. 1) of national and foreign delegations enumerates the following purposes through a small group of Academicians that are still fully current: (from a few dozens to several hundred). - to defend the traditions of Italian In practical terms, the Academic Body, cuisine and encourage its improve - constituted exclusively through co-op - ment; tation, not by election, was the Acad - - to indicate to the public those restau - emy. The number of thirty members rants and enterprises that offer the was not that different from what char - guarantee of a good and character - acterizes other academies, including istic Italian cuisine; gastronomic ones, of various countries - to confer awards to those persons that belong to the Académie Interna - who assist in reaching the purposes tionale de la Gastronomie . This norm set forth by the Academy; does not exclude that from the very - to undertake and promote those ini - beginning, along with the Academic tiatives of all kind that may con - Body, the Delegates may constitute tribute to increasing the value and the Assembly.

PAGINA 5 CULTURE AND RESEARCH

The Assembly - “The Academic Body fact that the Academic Council has re - the President’s Council -. Such terms joins with the Delegates of the local placed the Academic Body. may be revoked at any moment and chapters to constitute the Assembly ”, as must be confirmed” . From the very be - spelled out in Art. 7 of the 1955 Statute. Delegations - It can be stated that the ginning, the Delegate is subject to the The Assembly nominates the President, Academy is based upon the Delega - nomination by the President’s Council the Registrar, the Treasurer, and two tions, some of them in existence since that may be revoked or renewed for a counselors (Art. 6). 1954, while the 1955 Statute (Art. 5) period of three years. In the years from 1977 to 1979, the states that “the Academic Body will Academic Body, composed of thirty nominate the Delegates in the various Academicians - Unlike other academies members, met in plenary assembly and centers” . Similarly, Art. 7 calls for the that maintain a distinction between nominated the President’s Council that presence of the Delegates to constitute the Academicians of the Academic Body at present comprises nine members. the Assembly. The Delegations are reg - and the correspondent and extraordi - In later times, the Assembly was called ulated; the 1977-1979 By-laws (Art. 1) nary Academicians (outside the realm upon to exercise a larger task by con - spell out that “the Delegations con stituted of ordinary Academicians), our Acad - tinuing to elect the President and also within the Italian Academy of Cuisine emy contemplates only one academic the elective members of the Academic in the various centers of the Italian category, as evidenced by the 1977- Council. For its part, the Academic peninsula under the terms of Art. 5 of 1979 By-laws that stipulate in Art. 1 Council elects the members of the Pres - the Statute, are governed by a Delegate that “the members of each Delegation ident’s Council from its membership. in charge whose term of office is three should be at least six with the right of In fact, this situation derives from the years - unless determined otherwise by being recognized as Academicians”.

GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MAGAZINE

Contributions to the magazine by Academicians are not G Convivial Dinner forms: it is equally important only welcome, they are indispensible. However that the “notes and comments” section of the rating Academicians need to keep in mind some essential sheets respect the 800 character limit (Maximum guidelines, so that their effort and passion are rewarded 1,000 characters) include spaces, in order to avoid cuts by rapid and thorough publication. and errors. Rating sheets that arrive at Headquarters more than 30 days after the event will be discarded.

G Articles: It is essential that articles be sent G Please do not send reports on convivial dinners electronically , in Word format (not pdf) to the following held outside the territory of your Delegation , or on email address: [email protected] those held in the homes of Academicians or places other than restaurants and public settings, as they will G Article Length: To avoid cuts that are irritating for not be published. both the writer and editor, articles should be between 4,000 and 6,000 characters (including spaces). Your G By observing these simple guidelines Academicians computer provides character counts. can be reasonably assured of rapid and accurate publication, thereby avoiding painful cuts. G “From the Delegations” Column: For ease of reading, maximum length is limited to 2,500 G Obviously, the Editors reserve the right to edit all characters including spaces . articles and publish them according to available space.

PAGINA 6 CULTURE AND RESEARCH What’s in a name? The contemporaneity of tradition Why use the real name of a classic dish if it is interpreted in a personal manner?

BY FIAMMETTA FADDA Academician, Milan Delegation

his is the point: what right does a bit of a stir among the guests. The a dish have to be called “Veg - reason was that according to the acad - T etable Milanese emy’s paradigm using the same name style” when it presents itself this way: for a classic dish that is interpreted in in the middle of the soup plate the a personal manner is both a theoretical canonical vegetable ensemble, that is and practical affront. Theoretical in to say carrots, potatoes, cabbage, rice, the sense that it is tantamount to low - crisp rather than well cooked and ering a gastronomic flag that had been shaped into a cylinder; and then, pink flying for centuries; practical in that tomato water, slightly acidulous and one reads “ minestrone Milanese style” lukewarm, added at the last moment. foretasting its taste and consistency This dish was served as a first course only to find a totally “different” dish. at the academic dinner of the Milan It would appear to be a valid reason Delegation at Daniel Restaurant in the to send it back for an intransigent tra - Brera district, recently opened by ditionalist. But it would be a pity be - Daniel Canzian, who was in charge cause it is a very pleasant gastronomic until a few months ago of Gualtiero creation; and it would be an injustice Marchesi’s kitchen at Marchesino in as well because the chef has explained the square of La Scala. The dish caused the minestrone by defining it as a

PAGINA 7 CULTURE AND RESEARCH

Napoleon stopped is not entirely out pig with savoy cabbage and cooked of place. apples”: to be sure, it was not the On the other hand, Daniel Canzian can reigning cheek cooked at low temper - afford to improvise upon tradition since ature but a nice chunk of pork roasted he knows it by experimenting it to the on the spot, with crispy savoy and ren - fullest: his confidence behind the stove nets that imparted a welcome acidulous started in the restaurant of his parents note. The Pinot Noir 2009 from Val - in Conegliano Veneto and developed larom was a perfect match. at the Dolada in Pieve d’Alpago, at Tivoli Everything stood out, from the gray in Cortina and at Gellius in Oderzo be - walls without decoration to the de - fore landing at the Albereta of Gualtiero scription of the dishes, featuring only Marchesi. And now, at only 33 years of the sequence of the ingredients in a age, he is his own master and has ma - style that was apparently simple but tured a personal style. rich in ideas, to the presence of chefs In fact, the provocative minestrone who were serving in the dining room, “contemporary version”. And that’s was preceded by a cup of clear “chicken to the abundance of excellent wine in not all. Daniel distinguished his restau - broth with citrus scent”, a comfort food the glasses, and to the option of bring - rant by using the phrase “Contemporary of that has become con - ing in your own wine and paying for Italian Cuisine”. According to the Acad - temporary through the aromatic note corkage. And finally, a big applause emy, there is no “Italian cuisine” but of orange peels, and was followed by for the dessert, an unusual two colored only regional gastronomic dialects that a “ of coregone ”, an es - , yellow from tarragon and have become quite popular of late sim - teemed lake fish that was beloved in pink from rhubarb, laid out in the ply because after years of rediscoveries the area before being dethroned by plate with a yin/yang design. Some - and creative cuisine, a new generation sea fish. The dish was properly married times, it is true that “what is beautiful of gourmands has decided that the with a regional wine, Lugana Cadoiera is good”. newer tastes are actually the older 2013. Then came the “crunchy suckling FIAMMETTA FADDA ones. They are filled with history but never tried in their original version. However, it is true that that there are dishes that are part of the national patrimony, sprawling from South to E-mail addresses North and vice versa without losing their fragrance and the skill of execu - of Italian Academy of Cuisine tion. It can be said that “Italy is united due to language and palate”, as stated by Allan Bay, curator of the Ponte alle President: Grazie series of books of cuisine, in his [email protected] ponderous volume of 1135 recipes “that make Italy”. Daniel Canzian accepted the benevolent @ Secretary General: grievance with Venetian gracefulness [email protected] and explained the genesis of the recipe: the crispness of the vegetables derives from the acquired rule of not over - National Secretariat: cooking the vegetables that are handled separately in order to preserve their [email protected] gustative personality, just like Gualtiero Marchesi has been preaching. The Editorial office: tomato water is instead a suggestion by Michel Troigros, whom Daniel con - [email protected] siders his mentor. Troigros’s glorious family inaugurated the nouvelle cuisine in its restaurant in Roanne. After all, a French touch in the town where

PAGINA 8 CULTURE AND RESEARCH Meditations on a piedmontese dish From the classic tuna sauced to Chef Cannavacciuolo’s veal sauced tuna, this preparation of this dish unleashes the imagination of chefs everywhere.

BY PAOLETTA PICCO Turin-Lingotto Delegate

believe it is of French origin, mayonnaise. Indeed it is the fish and the dish is actually not the meat that plays the leading Italian; specifically role in this dish, while the veal is used Piedmontese. In to make the sauce. Piedmont both Thus always has and Alba and Garessio will continue to unleash the wildest claim paternity. of imaginations. Jamie Oliver, one of Born as a humble England’s most famous chefs, serves dish, it was often it not only as an appetizer but also made with leftover often as a main course. He recommends (we dare not say marinating the veal overnight in white recycled) cuts of wine, sage and bay leaves and then meat, covered in a poaching the meat in the marinade. sauce. But people In spite of its many variations, there are still divided one thing all chefs today agree on. To over its prepara - make a good vitello tonnato the veal tion. Over time the must not be leftover but must come recipe has contin - from an excellent quality noble breed ually evolved: may - of cattle. This brings us to the vitello onnaise was added tonnato prepared with Fassone beef eople have been talking about to the sauce, then tuna was added to by Claudio and Anna Vicina that the vitello tonnato for decades - or the mayonnaise. The original tuna Academicians of the Turin-Lingotto Pat least since the celebrated sauce did not call for mayonnaise at Delegation recently enjoyed. The meat Artusi first raised its status from humble all, but it is in fact present now. Some came from a breeder in Cuneo; the leftovers to noble antipasto. There is prepare the sauce in the style of a tuna sauce was made in accordance some discussion even as to whether it mayonnaise, blending in tuna, an - with their Grandmother’s recipe, which should be served as a cold or hot an - chovies, capers and hardboiled egg goes back to the beginning of the tipasto. It doesn’t seem to matter to yolks; others add tuna to the sauce 1900s and calls for adding tuna to the the “ vitello tonnato lovers” that in and later dress it with anchovies, capers mayonnaise but uses neither capers recent years have literally overwhelmed and a spritz of lemon juice. Still others nor eggs. the blogosphere with recipes, advice, add some mustard to the sauce and a There is also a fundamental difference and praise for one of the most talked few use raw egg yolks instead of hard - that you can see just by looking at about dishes in Piedmont. boiled ones. Then there is chef Davide plate: the fresh, rosy slices of veal sit We are discussing this phenomenon Scabin of the Rivoli restaurant Com - on top of the sauce, which is not served because the Academicians of the Turin- bal.Zero . He cooks the tuna along with over the top but rather added to the Lingotto Delegation surrendered to the Fassone veal and purees the cook - meat at the moment it is sliced and the sublime veal from the Fassone ing liquid to make the sauce. Antonio served. This is the Vicina restaurant’s breed with tuna sauce served at the Cannavacciuolo of Villa Crespi in Orta approach to a new, contemporary Vicina restaurant that has been in busi - San Giulio discovered vitello tonnato vitello tonnato that showcases the ex - ness since 1908. when he moved to Piedmont in 1989. cellence and nobility of the Fassone Let’s start at the beginning: even if He calls his version tonno vitellato breed of veal. The tuna sauce is merely the name “ vitel tonné ” may lead us to (tuna sauced veal) and serves it with an accompaniment.

PAGINA 9 CULTURE AND RESEARCH Maccheroni molinara style The preparation of a dish in the popular tradition of bound to the history of ancient millers and master pasta makers.

BY GIUSEPPE FIORITONI Delegate of Pescara

accarune molinare are one The production is complex and requires of many examples of the experienced hands acting one over Mpopular cuisine of the the other getting into the well of the Abruzzo region and the expression of flour and water mixture to work in a ancient techniques and old tastes that circular motion in order to make a are destined to disappear. Bran flour ring that thins out and lengthens until of whole wheat from tender grain, it reaches the shape of a very long water and salt are the basic ingredients maccheroni . The product is then cut in the mixture of these handmade suc - according to the desired length of each culent maccheroni that are long, thick piece. and irregular, with a diameter of 7-8 The Abruzzo region is a land that boast mm (0.27 inches), that elevate simple ancient pasta and pasta makers and condiments or tasty sauces such as trusts its fame to the use of high quality the ragout of mixed beef or the ragout ingredients, i.e. pure water, selected of pancetta and pork cheek sautéed grains and original artisanal tech - in a pan with minced onion, sage and niques. The origin of the “ molinara ” , with sauces made out of toma - pasta is a controversial matter that toes, duck meat, beef and castrated connects to the history of the region lamb with the addition of capsicum as well. According to the historians of and, for those who desire it, plenty of Abruzzan gastronomy, the creation of grated pecorino cheese. this tasty dish is credited to Bisenti,

PAGINA 10 CULTURE AND RESEARCH

an agreeable town in the high valley this antique and original technique is of the Fino river in the territory of disappearing and Nicola DiLallo is the Teramo, ruled from the end of the last practitioner in the Sangro region. twelfth century by the Acquaviva fam - In the province of Pescara, the mac - ily, owner of feudal lands in the north - cheroni molinara style can be enjoyed ern part of Abruzzo. Around 1340, at the restaurant La Bilancia situated the Acquaviva lords established mills near Passo Cordone. It is an old restau - in the Fino valley. They operated with rant that has been managed for over two millstones, a fixed one and a ro - thirty years by Sergio di Zio and his tating one, propelled by the hydraulic wife Antonietta, a skilled chef, and is energy of the river. At the end of the renowned for the old specialties of work day, the millers of the area utilized Abruzzo that are prepared with gen - the flour that stuck to the millstones uine products extracted from a garden to prepare a simple and genuine meals that is cared for by the restaurateurs to recover their energy. In so doing, or acquired through scrupulous re - they invented the “maccarune molinare search of old and practically out of style”, a cord thick as a finger and date vegetables, and finally combined long as a hank of wool that was worked with quality meats and sausages. exclusively by hand. Antonietta Marrone is the master pasta In his book Abruzzo in the Kitchen maker of this restaurant that employs (published in 1978 by Costantini in a mix of wheats, specifically some Pescara) Luigi Braccili tells the story tender grain and bran flour, worked of this extraordinary dish that was in - until they yield an homogenous mass. troduced to the table of Roberto With her own original technique, An - d’Angiò’s court by the physician and of spinning a long hank of maccherone tonietta too starts her work by shaping scientist Bartolomeo from Bisenti, who in the molinara style into a thin, soft, a well in the mass by using her index enjoyed great esteem and consideration damp, elastic and porous cord that finger. The hole must be widened in by the King and Queen Sancia of can stretch dozens of yards with no order to allow the entire hand to fit Aragon. Along with the tradition of interruption. The pasta is worked ex - inside it to start the final manipulation. the millers in the Fino valley, there is clusively by hand with a constant cir - The process shapes a cord of approxi - another belonging to the millers of cular motion; the cord stretches pro - mately 8 mm (0.27 inches) that must Paglieta and the Lower Sangro, who gressively and thins out until it reaches be worked with the bran flour and milled the wheat with their typical the diameter of 1 centimeter (0.4 inch - elongated as cord with a length of millstones. The popular tradition, hand - es); the expert adding of flour prevents dozens of yards. The pasta cooks in ed down through the centuries from the maccheroni from massing up while salted water for about 15 minutes and one generation to another, recounts being worked. then is dressed and sautéed in a pan that in these territories as well the Working the pasta is a long and tiring with garlic in olive oil with the addition millers prepared the typical pasta made exercise. It can take between 4 and 5 of dry sweet peppers before heating only with wheat and water by working hours to make enough to feed 25 per - is stopped. it delicately into an unending hank. sons. Nicola prepares his hank on a In the same province, the tradition of The condiment was invariably garlic, long wood table and serves the re - this particular pasta worked with fin - oil and capsicum; alternatively, the sulting pasta on the same table, after gers is offered by the local restaurants sauce was made with fish taken from dressing it with a very savory sheep and the pasta makers of the territory the mill’s channel and, whenever pos - sauce. The soft roulades lose the strong comprised between Elice and Città sible, with meat ragout. and penetrating sheep odor thanks to Sant’Angelo as the “pasta of the miller’s There are still testimonies of this an - a long and slow cooking process scent - wife” ( la molinara ). This captivating cient technique that is doomed to die ed with aromatic herbs and vegetables. dish however is nothing other than a out. Nicola DiLallo, a miller and master The master pasta maker works only at re-interpretation of the ancient recipe pasta maker from Paglieta, has learned home. He brings home all the necessary of “ maccarune molinara style” from the art of working grain and wheat utensils including the large pot that is which it is removed etymologically as from the experience handed down by made exclusively with copper. The well as gastronomically while keeping four generations of “master millers”. pasta must cook rapidly and must be a few elements of contact with the He works exclusively with type 0 wheat strained, dressed and served directly original antecedent specialty. from tender Bolero grain and is capable on the wooden plank. Unfortunately, GIUSEPPE FIORITONI

PAGINA 11 CULTURE AND RESEARCH Red, white and black Can we look forward to enjoying even more colored rice?

DI RENZO PELLATI Academician, Turin Delegation “F. Marenghi” Study Center

he grains of rice that we have monascus purpureus, when fermented used in cuisine for centuries it also is used to reduce cholesterol. T have always been white, but Black rice has also been around for today w are seeing both red millennia. In China it was exclusively and black grains on our cultivated for the Emperor and his plates. These are not prod - court because it was reputed to have ucts that have been treat - great nutritional value. It actually has ed with strange colorants a high mineral content, especially an - simply to satisfy our de - thocyanin (the pigment that give the sire for novelty: they are seed capsule its color) which has great ancient grains destined antioxidant properties that boost the to conquer the palates immune system. of an ever increasing Another characteristic of pigmented number of consumers. rice is the aroma it releases during They belong to the category cooking. The presence of external or - of so-called “functional foods” ganic compounds give off a perfume that have many health benefits. of freshly baked bread. Obviously red The red-hued rice is a species that and black rice require a different cook - has been in existence for millennia, ing technique from plain white rice, especially in West Africa. This grain similar to whole grain rice. This results was so widely cultivated that European in a longer cooking time. sailors referred to the region stretching The best known black rice in Italy is from Senegal to the Ivory Coast as the “Venere”. It is a recent variety, only “Rice Coast”. Over a third of the slaves developed in 1997. Cultivated in the shipped to the New World came from provinces of Vercelli and Novara, it is the Rice Coast, and they continued to a hybrid of an Asian rice (that was grow this rice as their favorite food. It unsuited to the Italian climate) with was subsequently replaced by the Asian our native variety. The name “Venere” variety of rice because it rendered a (Venus) is an homage to the planet, greater harvest. It was only at the be - the goddess of love, and the legendary ginning of the 20 th century that Josephine Baker. botanists were able to demonstrate There is also a green rice (known as that the African rice ( Oryza glaberrima) wild rice - Zizania aquatic) that origi - was a unique species, different from nated in Canada and is also grown in the Asian variety ( Oryza sativa) . The the United States. During cooking it red color of the grain covering is rich releases an intense perfume of tea and in polyphenols that have antioxidant aromatic herbs. It is often eaten in effects similar to those of grapevines. soup, and is frequently paired with In Italy this red variety is known as fish or game. For the time being, it is “Ermes”. It is cultivated in Casalbel - rather difficult to find in Italy. trame in the area around Novara. Why do we Italians utilize almost ex - Thanks to the leavening action of clusively white rice, from the japonica

PAGINA 12 CULTURE AND RESEARCH

type to the short grained blended with almonds it varieties (Carnaroli, Arbo - was used to prepare the rio, Baldo, Vialone) while light dish bianco mangiare . the indica varieties such as Even today many people Basmati, are more typical recall the doctors’ prescrip - of the Asian rices? tion for riso in bianco (plain In addition to our knowl - boiled white rice) as a rem - edge of algebra, mathemat - edy for gastro-enterologi - ics and philosophy we also cal disturbances. Pediatri - are indebted to the Arabs cians recommend rice be - for the gift of rice, because cause it is easy for children once again we must admit to digest and absorb be - that food and culture often cause of its low cellulose travel together. History tells us that rice dishes in the south are the Sicilian content. Today they still recommend when the Arabs (who thanks to their arancine rice balls and the Neapolitan that during their infant’s first three contact with the Byzantine Empire be - dish sartù. This would seem to indicate months of life mothers dilute their came important scholars and re - that rice is a less popular food in the milk with water in which rice has been searchers) arrived in Italy, they intro - south. The true Italian risotti, so pop - boiled rather than plain water because duced the culture of white rice which ular among chefs around the world, the starch granules are extremely small has persisted until this day. In particular are still an important part of northern (about 10 microns) compared to other the Arabs became the intermediaries Italian cuisine. The widespread culti - grains. between the East and the Mediter - vation of rice in the classic provinces While the diffusion of rice is clearly ranean lands, and this in turn encour - of Novara, Vercelli and Pavia following well entrenched today, its level of con - aged the diffusion of cultivation and the construction of Camilo Benso di sumption in Italy is rather low: 5.6 irrigation techniques . Cavour’s canal has made Italy the lead - kilograms (12 lbs.) annually per capita. Rice landed in Spain with the Moors ing European producer of this grain. Clearly we have a strong preference and there is abundant documentation Before becoming a staple of the Italian for pasta: 28 kilos (62 lbs). In the of its arrival also in Sicily and other diet, rice was considered a spice (re - future the availability of colored rice areas of southern Italy. However, start - served for the privileged classes owing will allow us to associate the pleasures ing in the 15 th century, rice cultivation to its high cost). It was also seen as a of the table with a beneficial activity was developed more intensively in medication for gastric and intestinal that will help us maintain good health. northern Europe. The only surviving afflictions, and when ground and RENZO PELLATI

2014 ECUMENICAL DINNER The convivial ecumenical meeting, that brings together all Academicians in Italy and around the world at the virtual table, will take place on October 16 at 8:30 pm, and this year’s theme will be The Cuisine of Rice. This theme, chosen by the “Franco Marenghi” Study Center and approved by the President’s Council, is aimed at rediscover - ing the cuisine of the many varieties of rice using traditional recipes that may have been long forgotten and that are part of our regional culinary patrimony. We will also examine some new culinary trends involving rice. Delegates are responsible for insuring that the ecumenical din - ner be accompanied by an appropriate cultural presentation that il - lustrates the importance of the proposed theme, and that a menu devoted to the chosen theme is followed.

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