IL GIORNALE DELL’ELICICOLTURA 2.0 • Numero 11 • DICEMBRE 2020 LA VOCE DELLA CHIOCCIOLA The English Edition
The Editorial Digital Earth Man The CMC Metod Simone SAMPÒ Special HELIX 2020 Farming & Culture
Organo dell’Istituto Internazionale di Elicicoltura di Cherasco Direttore Responsabile: Davide COLOMBANO Redazione e Direzione: C.so Luigi Einaudi 40 - Cherasco (CN) Autorizzazione Tribunale Asti nr. 01/2017 Tel. 0172.489382 - Fax 0172.489218 Stampa: Pixartprinting S.p.A. [email protected] - [email protected] Redazione Articoli: Donato Mangino Grafica: LUMACHERIA ITALIANA @gl www.istitutodielicicoltura.com LA VOCE DELLA CHIOCCIOLA IL GIORNALE DELL’ELICICOLTURA 2.0 Numero 11 DICEMBRE 2020
News, updates, insights from the world of Heliciculture Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco. By the International Institute of Heliciculture of Cherasco Corso Luigi Einaudi 40 - 12062 Cherasco (CN) Piemonte 0039 0172.489383 - [email protected] - www.istitutodielicicoltura.it
Staff e contatti
Simone Sampò - Presidente ANE Associazione Nazionale Elicicoltori e Direttore Istituto Internazionale di Elicicoltura [email protected] - +39 335 361984
Donato Mangino - Vicepresidente ANE Associazione Nazionale Elicicoltori [email protected] - +39 331 6242294
Chiara Lovera - Titolare S’Agapò Cosmetici [email protected] - +39 347 5635456
Ufficio Tecnico Cristiano Scarrone [email protected] - +39 392 0392259 Michele Bergese [email protected] - +39 392 0483958
Comunicazione Gabriella Lovera [email protected] - +39 391 7608988
Direzione Commerciale Paolo Baratti [email protected] - +39 347 4821827
Amministrazione - Ufficio Commerciale - Controllo Qualità Marina Tibaldi [email protected] Giulia Bergese [email protected] Roberto Vajra [email protected] Sara Battaglino [email protected]
Muller One Donatella Pistagna [email protected] page 1 • Editorial The editorial by President Simone Sampò: the necessary point of the situation in an exceptional year full of challenges.
The horizon seems blurred and we feel that the media is spreading information most often focusing only on the sense of fear and division, since it’s the most profitable communication strategy. However, we believe that in moments like these our energy must be concentrated in the direction that certainly favors the awareness of a serious critical sense, but from which a virtuous civic sense must necessarily flourish, animated not by fear but by the profound solicitation of our virtues.
new objectives for the upcoming season. This year, when faced with the choice of organizing it or not, we have decided to be ambitious and honor the passion and the extraordinary commitment that our heliculturists showed, in a year that has made everything tremendously more complicated. Helix 2020 was a lot of things. It definitely went beyond the “festival” category to become an international event capable of talking about a new system called “Helical economy”. It has connected all the countries that adopt CMC system (developing more than 1,300,00 connections during the event), and resulted in attracting important partners with whom we
I am writing this editorial knowing thatour sector as well as other economical categories involved in the production and services activities, are facing a delicate phase full of uncertainty, because of the sanitary pandemic and it’s dramatic consequences. The horizon seems blurred and we feel that the media is spreading information most often focusing only on the sense of fear and division, since it’s the most profitable communication strategy. However, we believe that in moments like these our energy must be concentrated in the direction that certainly favors the awareness of a serious critical sense, but from which a virtuous civic sense must necessarily flourish, animated not by fear but by the profound solicitation of our virtues. The challenge to which we are called to respond, as a collectivity, is an epochal one. In simple terms we can reduce it to a clash between two themes that represent the fundamentals of our society models: health and work, to support people in difficulty and to safeguard the economic system. The solutions are not simple, because the events are unprecedented and extraordinary and the answers can only be up to par. In our small world, the strategy was simple: succeed to reconcile the aspect of rigorous compliance with protocols in defense of health, with a vision capable of demonstrating a proactive attitude and an evident sign of courage. Every year by the end of September we organize a traditional event that represents in our sector the time to study our balance sheets and our budgets, to write new projects and fix page 2 • Editorial
The return to real productions and the possibility of obtaining a secure income with one’s work represents the conquest of a space of emancipation and dignity.
success, taking the concept of circular economy to a higher level. The world’s slowing pace has allowed us to rethink what we have done in the recent years. And by connecting the dots, the design of a concrete and achievable project was revealed. Like Winston Churchill said, “Out of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge”. We have summarized the concept of the Helical economy with the claim MAN, DIGITAL, EARTH, a slogan to indicate that our fundamentals are represented by the awareness that makes Man a responsible player in respect to sustainability, the recognition will share a path of developments and architect new synergies. of the Earth as a value of reference, and the development of Since it was impossible to predict the gastronomic pavilion, we Digital to circulate information and narrate experiences. have implemented a new format of “diners placés” in the most The return to real productions and the possibility of obtaining iconic restaurants in the area. Attendance was from the most a secure income with one’s work represents the conquest of a representative profiles in politics, academia, entrepreneurship space of emancipation and dignity. and journalism. We don’t look at the exploitation of lands with ancient recipes, Chef Maurilio Garola’s “La Ciau del Tornavento” opened the show but we believe that a healthy technology would be more useful on the 25th of September and was gratified by the presence of to achieve our goals. And that’s why we encourage the use of the the governor of the Piedmont region, and the entrepreneurs who Blockchain as an opportunity to improve the breeding system have written the most important success stories in the area. On even more and, significantly reduce human error, thanks to the Saturday, we celebrated “La Granda consortium” with a dinner in accurate data collection. the historic Somaschi Monastery, together with the leaders of the It is now essential to move the Heliciculture in the direction of ASL and the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, agriculture 4.0, to proceed with the land mapping to know what Liguria and Valle d’Aosta. The closing on Sunday 27 gave us two happens inside our farms. extraordinary moments: the festival closing lunch “La Donna al These changes together with the new collaboration with Centro” at the “Il Centro” restaurant in Priocca, and finally, the the Zooprophylactic institute, the studies conducted by the appointment at the 2 Michelin star restaurant “La Madernassa” Veterinary Department and the symbiotic agriculture project, of the chef Michelangelo Mammoliti, where wesigned the Helical will reward us with exclusive and very useful tools for another Economy Manifest of the first 30 players who embraced our leap in quality. philosophy oriented towards a mode of sustainable development. Our recent entry into the Confindustria system, as per the This newsletter will dedicate the right space to the conference insisting request of it’s directors, underlines the fact that in just 4 “La Donna al Centro” and to the signing of the Helical Economy years, we succeeded to substitute the inadequate worn-out and Manifest. However I would like to point that there were two incredibly important moments for our manifestation and for the evolution of our movement: the plastic demonstration ofthe concreteness of our evolutionary process, which clearly identifies objectives, actors, philosophy and context of reference. We will continue along this path with determined obstinacy, because we are convinced that it will lead us to great satisfactions. This spring and summer will always be remembered as the Lockdown seasons, the period in which the whole world slowed down and had to completely stop its frenzied race at some point. We have made careful reflections on what has happened, trying to find spaces of opportunity and incentives for improvement, to be ultimately resilient in respect to the limits that have emerged. And we have understood that we, who live from Heliciculture, have an advantage over others because we know and promote the perspective of slowness. It means concreteness, continuous studies and reflection, and never stopping. Thirty-four years ago, the Slow Food movement offered a new self-referential system with a solid and well improved system. perspective on the model of food production and its consumption. Through reliable processes, credible collaborations, transparency It was a revolutionary approach that wrote a different and winning and openness to contamination, we ultimately managed to obtain paradigm and educated the latest generations about fundamental concrete and convincing results and innovative opportunities. concepts like the Km 0, the principals to safeguard local quality The same principal can be extended to the collaborations that production and to defend the work of breeders, farmers and will soon be involved, like the one with the prestigious University agricultural producers. of Bologna (the oldest university in Europe). We will be giving After over three decades and starting from the same geographical substance to research projects and commercial opportunities area, we are offering a contribution that could have the same for the snail slime based products in different markets. page 3 • Editorial
We have decided to be active protagonists in research and development, and to offer our contribution in collaborations, just as we are determined to involve the foundations and institutions to increase the available funds and reduce the timing. The revolution that began with Helix 2020 coincided with the baptism of the HELIX WORD TV. A digital platform with video contributions derived from over 650 hours of “filmed”, above all, capable of offering a lot of content that mark an exhaustive, immediate and effective communication method that reflects our history and the Heliciculture opportunities. Thanks to the efforts made in communication, the CMC model went beyond the borders of the agricultural world and people interested in starting a new entrepreneurial path, to arouse the curiosity of well-established entrepreneurs of national dimensions. These meetings gave birth to stimulating suggestions, and more importantly to concrete co-branding projects. Acqua San Bernardo and SAGAPO’ created a micellar water combining the characteristics of a pure and light water with our snail slime. We are also working in synergy with Consorzio La Granda for the production of CHIOCCIOBURGER, an alternative protein source enhanced on a larger scale.
Moreover, we announced the partnership with Banca di Credito Cooperativo di Cherasco, to make it possible for the future heliculturists to contact Gruppo Cassa Centrale for credit access assessments. As for the social field, we made ourselves available to the LIFE IS PINK project to donate part of the proceeds from the sale of our cosmetic products to research against female cancer. On one hand, we believe we’ve made a concrete gesture to offer further opportunities and facilities to the sector, and on the other one we have consolidated our committed attention to the conditions of fragility and to the social world. I take advantage of these columns to announce the forthcoming birth of the Snail Therapy Company. A structure designed to strengthen our organization and dedicated to the production of cosmetic products, that will allow us to keep the know-how within the perimeter and, above all, to guarantee particular economic advantages to CMC breeders. All this effort is rewarded by the results we are achieving inthe international field and in the diffusion of the CMC system in foreign countries, with a trend that will lead us in 2021 to exceed 26 countries in the world. In conclusion, we believe that we are in front of a real revolution and, that our vision of the future of heliciculture could be concretized with important development scenarios. The contents we bring, the innovation we propose, and the substantial answers we give to the unavoidable questions regarding the themes of environmental sustainability and “green” economy recipe, represent one of the most credible alternatives to the traditional model which, obviously, must be rethought. Our proposal was heard and promoted by respectful representatives in politics, institutions, universities, health agencies, the information and entrepreneurship fields. I like to think of this convergence of opinions, evoking an image, like a spiral that manages to hug and involve all the protagonists. Our favorite spiral is the Chiocciola spiral.
• Simone SAMPÒ page 4 • Special HELIX2020
Three record days between friday 25 and sunday 27 of september 2020, with over 1,300,000 users connected on the HELIXWORLD.TV portal and through socila networks from all over Italy and 19 countries around the world. The international debut of the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco (CMC) and the Helical Economy Manifest have met the interest of entrepreneurs, partners, journalists, investors and breeders from all over the world.
On Sunday 27, late at night, the HELIX2020 Man Digital Earth event ended under a shower of applause; the zero edition of a format that is destined to grow further, changing the reality of the territory where it was born. 1,300,00 users from Italy and 19 countries around the world connected in 6 days – from the press conference to the last interviews in streaming – on the Helixworld.tv channel. Local authorities, companies, restaurants and producers of the Langhe have come together around the International Institute of Heliciculture of Cherasco in a unique program to inform and make people discover and taste the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco, launching an ideal virtual signal from Cherasco to the whole world. And so, through a unique event conceived as a show that combined tastings, meetings, conferences and round tables, all filmed and shared online, Simone Sampò, the president of the National Association of heliculturists and director of the International Institute of heliciculture, officially launched the Helical Economy Manifest, signing the Decalogue together with over 30 representatives of regional institutions, journalists and opinion leaders. Sampò explains: “The HELIX2020 event is the result of a great act of courage, the result of years of determined perseverance following what was only an intuition but, little by little, turned into the awareness of building something special; it is a proposal that embraces fundamental themes: environmental sustainability, the land mapping and the data collection, it is possible to offer entrepreneurial vision, the enhancement of excellence, the sophisticated answers at the service of farmers, to increase the quality of food, food safety, research and development, solidarity levels of protection of natural resources and consumer protection. and education. HELIX2020 has therefore launched an ambitious challenge to the The Helical Economy covers 3 dimensions of the economy, in world of agriculture, production and services, to gather around the primary, secondary and tertiary sector: land, production and its suggestions the most sensitive players to urgent issues, which services; in a unique alchemy for its compatibility with planetary concern the ability to make a noble synthesis between the needs resources. We are on the eve of a revolution that starts from of a market economy and the limits evidently caused by a model below, with important ambitions”. that is based on the exasperated exploitation of resources. The ambition is to offer answers but also to develop virtuous The helical growth comes from the Chiocciola (snail), its virtues contaminations and involve the stakeholders in this change. and, its peculiarities to “contaminate” and create opportunities for the development of the supply chain in different sectors: Even by staying at home, there are many things that can be done agriculture, breeding, cosmetics and medicine, catering, business to concretize a future heliciculture project. The first step is to opportunities or as a main means of support for new families rely on experts. and, even contributing to the economic and social requalification Here is the Decalogue of the Helical Economy: of the entire rural areas. The use of digital tools becomes • Environmental sustainability and green Economy, to work all therefore a fundamental key to bring heliciculture into a more together in only conceivable direction today: the protection modern dimension: through the application of the blockchain, of the environment. page 5 • Special HELIX2020
The 3 days of HELIX2020: spreading, sharing, celebrating and distancing
• Biodiversity, the great unknown of our planet, to be studied, awards of the Golden Snail: Liliana Allena President of the Alba rediscovered and protected. Truffle Fair, Alberto Cirio President of the Piedmont Region, and • Digital application, to share skills, answers and information Maurilio Garola himself who was proclaimed “Ambassador of the in real time. Cherasco Method”. • Hybrid enterprise, to exploit the potential of entrepreneurial diversification. The dinner on Saturday 26 at the Hotel Monastero dei Somaschi • Food education, the food chain is born and ends in the plate allowed to discover the selected chefs and the consortium “La and in the shopping bags, it is up to all of us to be aware and Granda” and “Michelis Specialità Artigianali” through dishes, attentive. debates and videos. • Social attention, to grow together, without leaving anyone behind. On Sunday 27 two important appointments took place: the • Research and development, research and the related funds unforgettable lunch with chef Elide Mollo at the “Il Centro” are the core of growth restaurant in Priocca with the theme “The spiral of Elide’s Snail” • Internationalization, to reach everyone. and the dinner-event at “La Madernassa” of Guarene, where the • Cultural promotion, because without culture there is no two Michelin star chef Michelangelo Mammoliti was awarded with creativity or transfer of traditions. the Golden Snail, together with the journalist Fernanda Roggero • Enhancement of territorial excellence, it is essential to become ambassador of one’s land.
The program offered dinners with debates, round tables for discussions, exhibition of entrepreneurial history cases related to heliciculture, live demonstrations of helicicultural and cooking techniques.
The event-dinners, a unique didactic, interactive and engaging format. The HELIX2020 dinners launched a unique format that allowed the direct diffusion of contents that were not very accessible until now: the narration of the agri-food supply chains directly through its main protagonists among historical producers, representatives of regional public entities and great entrepreneurs who have made the History of the Langhe. Before the seated dinner, an introductory tasting by passage allowed those present and the ones connected via streaming to enjoy talks and awards, interacting with the protagonists and enjoying the specialties presented. and Senator Giorgio Maria Bergesio. The dinner witnessed the On Friday 25, the Gala dinner at “La Ciau del Tornavento” in signing of the association’s statute dedicated to the promotion Treiso, with the renowned star Maurilio Garola, officially started and development of the Helical Economy, in the presence of the event with an opening speech of Simone Sampò and the first partners and producers from all over the world, physically and digitally.
The conferences and appointments of Helix2020: Saturday 26 of September was dedicated as usual to the 49th international meeting of Heliciculture in the “Helix World”, created in the historical center of Cherasco, in the shadow of the suggestive Belvedere arch. The physical and digital meeting - an opportunity of training, information, discussions between experts in the sector and aspiring heliculturists that are becoming more numerous year after year – was followed by thousands of heliculturists in Italy and around the world: connections from Georgia, Morocco and Lebanon underlined the internationalization of the institute and compensated at least virtually the distances in this particularly challenging 2020. The great festival of taste in the square of Cherasco was organized with measure and distancing, a limited number of visitors always distanced. Everything was sold out at the Street Food Gourmet where it was possible to taste all the variations of snails, and many page 6 • Special HELIX2020
HELIX2020 is the bearer of synergies, alliances and common growth: the territory has already been, for years, a symbol and outpost of the helical economy because it collaborates, shares, grows. more local products: the bell pepper of Carmagnola, the pumpkin of Piozzo, the wild leek of Cervere, the Madernassa pear, the Castelmagno La Meiro, Bra and Raschera, Mozzarella di Buffala Morris and the Cuneo raw ham Dop.
The conference dedicated to female entrepreneurship at the Wine Experience museum in Priocca was an important moment of confrontation. On the stage we had alternately: Chiara Lovera owner of S’agapò cosmetics, Eija Tarkainen writer and trainer (Finland), Barbara Boaglio representative of “Rete Al Feminile” and researcher at the University of Bologna, Marta Giavarini Consultant for business creation,Marina Miroglio “Cheffes d’Ici et d’Ailleurs” (France), Isabel Santiheliculturist and Valentina Casetta sommelier. They are women from the world of entrepreneurship, heliciculture, scientific research, publishing and gastronomy who have shared dreams and motos with an extraordinarily attentive and participating audience, creating further synergies and revealing out-of-the-ordinary goals. Stage and audience have united to a single message: networking and creating alliances, is the engine through which even crises can be overcome. During the round table for women, the Golden Snails were awarded to Dr. Paola Casagrande - Director of The European Funds in the Piedmont region – and to the researchers Beatrice Albertni, Luisa Stella Dolci, Nadia Passerini, and Silvia Panzavolta – Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology University of Bologna, and to chef Elide Mollo of the restaurant “Il Centro” in Priocca. Since the throat wants its part, during the whole duration of the event some of the best restaurants in Langa and Roero have proposed thematic menus for HELIX2020. Some of them: La Madernassa, La Ciau Del Tornavento, Borgo Sant’Anna, Gastronomia Urbana and Locando del Pilone.
HELIX2020, a Collaborative Event: HELIX 2020 is the bearer of synergies, alliances and common growth. The territory has already been, for years, a symbol and outpost of the Helical Economy because it collaborates, shares and grows. Many main sponsors of the event became active and concrete partners. Many visionary projects like the one with the BCC Banca di Credito Cooperativo of Cherasco that presented a new, highly anticipated financing formula dedicated to the world of heliciculture, already available across the country; the Wine Museum of Priocca – Mondodelvino, the venue where was held the conference on female entrepreneurship, is destined to become the headquarters of the Association dedicated to the promotion and development of the Helical Economy. From the Labels of Cuvage, main sponsor of the edition, that were tasted during the dinners, to theco- marketing initiative conceived with Acqua San Bernardo, which, in addition of being the official water of the event, has launched a new line of very high quality micellar water, made with S’agapò cosmetics slime.Bus Company has offered electric shuttle services to connect Cherasco to the rest of the Langhe for a smarter and greener enjoyment of the territory, helping hundreds of visitors to move easily and without polluting.
Today the portal of the international Institute of Cherasco receives dozens of emails from all over the world, in all languages of the world: they are requests for further information and details, it is the desire to discover and understand the change that has just begun. The helical Economy is on the move, thanks to the work of an entire territory that knows how to create a network around a tiny, perfect and delicious snail. page 7 • Special HELIX2020
HELIX2020 IN DIALOGUE WITH THE TERRITORY. THE CONSORTIUMS, THE PRINCIPALS AND EXCELLENCES OF PIEMONTE, THE NEW FRIENDS OF THE CHIOCCIOLA. The wild leek of Cervere, the hazelnut of the Langhe, the buffaloes of Moris, the raw ham of Cuneo, the pumpkin of Piozzo, the pear of Madernassa, the chocolate of Barbero, the bell pepper of Carmagnola, the Castelmagno cheese of La Meiro, the Bra, the Raschera an the Acquerello rice have made the Chiocciola’s Street Food offer even more extraordinary and built, in a complicated year like 2020, an active and creative dialogue that will certainly find new synergies in the future. From this edition, we start to tell the stories of some of the protagonists who have become the new Friends of the Chiocciola.
THE BUFFALOES OF CUNEO. The Dairy MORIS of Franco Morisiasco: the story of a dreamer.
Telling the story and the project of the Buffaloes of Cuneo Moris is like making an emotional journey, even before being tied by taste, flavors and traditions. Francesco Morisiasco, founder and administrator of the company, introduces himself as a “farmer since ever”. From the incipit you understand that you are dealing with a special person, who is in profound harmony with nature, animals and the environment. The story of his decision to import the buffaloes from Campania to Piemonte features the heroic traits of the challenge, because in his bet we find all the courage of a man capable to lead his animals to mountain pasture, as far as 2000 meters of Castelmagno, a scared place for cheese lovers. A gesture that should not be judged as “lacking of sensitivity” but, on the contrary, as a tribute to a great tradition, at which he had constantly looked to have the stimulus of excellence. What he managed to do has a name: the CastelMoris; a product inspired from the Castelmagno methods, in an environment of unique characteristics, enriched by and extraordinary passion and a strong will to succeed. Moreover, this pearl, that travels on the rails of the fusion philosophy which inspires us so much, is embellished with the Mozzarella di Buffala produced according to the tradition of Salerno and Caserta’s dairy masters, and also by the derivatives such as yogurt and fresh cheese and seasoned meat, especially sausages. Moris is a friend of the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco because he entered HELIX2020 from the front door, as a bearer of the same values that inspire our philosophy: respect of the environment, acceptance of nature’s limits and a concept of development compatible with the available resources. It’s an attitude of a storyteller that leads you to wanting to listen to him for hours under the sky of the Alps. pagepagina 8 • S 8p e•cial Sp eHEcialLIe X2020HELIX2020
WOMAN AT THE CENTER. Overview of the added value of the female perspective in the helical economy.
During the HELIX 2020 event, a gem shined in a particular way, for its contents and the powerful message that comes from the world of women for the development of the Helical economy themes. We are talking about “La Donna al Centro” (Woman at the center) convention, which was held at the Mondo del Vino headquarters in the municipality of Priocca on Sunday the 27th of September, and broadcasted on the life channel of Helixworld.tv.
The idea of dedicating an exclusive moment to the female world by offering the stage to extraordinary women that come form was the natural consequence after reading some important different worlds and dynamics than ours, but bear the same data, which unequivocally define the ability to enhance the success story. fundamentals of the philosophy underlying the new economic Barbara BOAGLIO, intervened as the referent of the province of recipe that we propose. Turin for Rete al Feminile. She illustrated the activities that the The female heliculturists perspective has achieved the goal association deals with and the details of its main objectives, the of combining the balance between quantity and quality of support of female entrepreneurship to create a solid network that production. It helped developing effective marketing strategies expresses the capacity for support, contamination, aggregation for the proposal of food products and the ones dedicated to and continuous comparison. personal well-being. As it achieved to gain strong credibility in Do we need a reality like this? The answer is: we definitely do. the offers dedicated to both educational projects and social Even in this case, all data show an incomprehensible distance activities, and designed new models of enhancement of the CMC between the female and male results in the field of education system through the synergy with the most qualified entities of (+4% of women got a high school degree, +13% got a university the territory. degree, compared to men), and in the statistics of employment The distinctive trait of female perspective and activities is rates, the assignment of responsibilities in top positions and the achieved through the capacity of concreteness and their unique wage spread. And the comparison with other European states (and not only), become even crueler. Therefore, Rete al Feminile becomes one of the tools to enhance the capital of knowledge, improve skills and stimulate useful initiatives for active women and for those who are facing some critical professional phases or looking for relocation in the workplace. One of the most interesting projects aims to preserve the skills of women who are at the end of their career. By enhancing their experience and their knowledge, it becomes possible to share their heritage with future generations that would be lost otherwise. Through all this, Rete al Feminile builds a counterweight to a
traits of fantasy. The most virtuous interpreters were able to adhere to the stimuli that we have always proposed to all those who wished to enter the world of heliciculture: the discipline in adhering to the rules of the management process of the CMC system, the construction of a recognizable identity of their project, an effective narration that passes through the conscious use of communication tools and social platforms, continuous training for the development of solid skills in the sector and the healthy curiosity to keep the flame of passion alive. The ambition of theelical H economy is to involve activities, companies, stories and people who share our values, and for this reason, the convention wanted to send a precise message page 9 • Special HELIX2020
system that is obviously unbalanced when it comes to the issue to accompany women who decide to start a business: starting of merit. It also became a concrete response that anticipates what from targets and markets analysis, to building a detailed business politics should feel as urgent but evidently cannot yet address plan respecting the variables involved. In her personal history, effectively. the collaboration with the M.I.P (Mettresi in Proprio) underlines the drive to feed the most important element of the Italian The second speaker at the convention was a special woman form entrepreneurship: the small businesses that are dedicated to Turin, who has lived in Paris for the last twenty years, promoting quality in both manufacturing and services. the gastronomic culture of our country, and holding the role of President of the International Association “cheffes d’Ici et From the female perspective emerges an ability to intercept what d’Ailleurs”. has become a market need: the awareness of changing one’s Marina MIROGLIO is the witness of an interesting change in the approach to business to make it always suitable for change and, French perspective, regarding Italy, its products and its culture. Thirty years ago, the Italian cuisine was judged to be of poor value. Nowadays, it is considered to be a virtuous example of a growth path, where the evolution of gastronomy has coincided with the enhancement of the products and the respect of the territory.
therefore, effective in terms of results. From her observatory she was able to show a superior resilience even in critical moments, like the ones we are experiencing, because women have developed an aptitude for practicality and problem solving, probably because women have always been taking care of their families even when working.
Eija TARKAINEN, on the other hand, a Finnish writer and trainer Isabel SANTI spoke on behalf of the new generation of who has lived in Italy for more than 30 years, told us that this heliculturists, narrating the experience of the Lentamente choice was due to the love at first sight to our country and why Elicicoltura Company that she manages together with her she was fascinated by Italian women: for their ability to maintain father. It was a fascinating and romantic picture: the story of grace, their intellectual seduction and a healthy lightness an entrepreneurial project full of determination, courage and seasoned by a rebellious spirit. In Italy, she has found what is imagination. And most importantly, a family relationship that universally recognized, an innate entrepreneurial spirit animated embodies new and unprecedented plots between father and by the desire to innovate and what she wonderfully defines as daughter in adulthood. She told us how the lockdown period “the courage of the heart”. was a bearer of concerns and threw dark lights of crisis on the Her speech was full of images of her country, powerful photos of project, but eventually stimulated creativity. The family tradition nature and snapshots taken from traditional events. was linked to the world of wine, which made it natural to find a She offered us a space to reflect on the need to change the “pattern connection with those roots. Isabel contacted a young and highly of thinking” and pursue happiness. We actually promote this appreciated sommelier, Valentina Casetta, and started a project concept with F-Helicicultura in its most authentic dimension and to spread the gastronomic culture of heliculturists through the that measured by economic indicators. The recipe she explained language of combination with local wines. insisted on the concepts of Empathy, Creativity, Assessment and The result was immediately positive and the consensus grew over Imagination. time, because Isabel and Valentina managed to find an effective The concluding intervention was with Prof. Nadia Passerini key to communicate their passion, arouse curiosity and offer new and Beatrice Albertini and to Drs Silvia Panzavolto and Luisa experiences to consumers. Stella Dolci, from the departments of Chemistry, Pharmacy Valentina Casetta embellished the story of the Santi family by and Biotechnology of the University of Bologna, who illustrated telling us the story of her passion for the world of wine, the in detail the thematics of research applied to snail slime and, satisfaction of having built a solid project with Isabel where specifically, the studies that led to an innovative patent. she experienced an effective and precious dimension of female solidarity, especially in such a critical moment.
The report of Marta GIAVARINI, consultant for business creation, insisted on the importance of skills to become professional women and protagonists in the entrepreneurial field. Her role is page 10 • Special HELIX2020
THE GOLDEN SNAIL AWARD 2020 The celebration of excellence in the panorama of Chiocciola Metodo Cheracso
As every year, the Cherasco event becomes an opportunity to celebrate the protagonists of our world. With the Golden snail we award the people and projects that have distinguished themselves the most during the year.
For us it is an important moment because it allows us to reflect on important way. Their evolutionary path has recently led them to the activities that happened, the future projects and the needed open their farm and strengthen the growth program. innovation, as it represents the possibility to evolve and establish ourselves in the market. INSTITUTIONAL CATEGORY The world of Heliciculture now moves in spaces that occupy Honorable Alberto CIRIO different and distant territories: breeding, research, innovation, The governor of the Piedmont region events, gastronomy and promotion. Governor Cirio, even before assuming his responsibility to lead the During the HELIX 2020 edition, the award distribution Region and represent Italy in the European Parliament, has always appointment was a central and institutional moment and, due to shown closeness to our project and participated in the events “We the characteristics of the event, which for the first time moved call them Chiocciole”. In the new role, he intensified his closeness outside the Municipality of Cherasco, the awards were given to the proposed thematics and was a constant support, offering along the three days of the event. stimuli and useful advice for improving the process. The Golden Snails 2020: His generous commitment to promote the excellence of the HELICULTURISTS CATEGORY territory is a recognizable trait, which derives from his passion Le tre chiocciole farm for the AgriFood sector, from his consolidated experience as a city administrator, institutional representative and agricultural entrepreneur. These factors allowed him to recognize the potential for a great success story in our innovative project. In a year characterized by great difficulties and uncertainty, he was a present and motivating reference.
The young Rossetto brothers - Chiara, Marta and Valentino - are heliculturists in their first season, who have already managed to demonstrate great talent; they achieved incredible results in terms of quality and quantity of production. They strictly followed all the instructions of the Institute’s technicians and the CMC Regulations, developing important skills in a very short time. Their farm is also one of the best ever and, for this reason, the International Institute of Heliciculture has actively involved them Senator Enrico Maria BERGESIO in the promotion and dissemination of the CMC system. Agriculture commission of the Senate of the Republic La Cippaia farm Roberta Avanzini and Nicola Coruzzi are heliculturists with four Senator Bergesio, who has always been attentive to our proposals, years of experience. The award was given to them for having been as a member of the Senate Agriculture Commission offered a superb interpreters of the diversification promoted by the CMC substantial contribution in the compilation of the draft lawon system and for having valued the F-Helicicultura project in an heliciculture, to which we were called to bring technical contents page 11 • Special HELIX2020
Dr. Allena was the godmother of the first evening of this edition of HELIX2020. During that evening, Chef Maurilio Garola, Ambassador of the Chiocciola (snail), brought together our snails with his Alba Truffle in alchemy of taste and charm. The Golden Snail 2020 award was assigned to her for the extraordinary work of enhancing the truffle, her fundamental contribution to the image of the City of Alba and the exceptional promotion of the territory as a woman entrepreneur.
General director of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute in Piedmont Liguria and Valle d’Aosta Dr. Angelo FERRARI The Director of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute, Dr. Angelo Ferrari, was the promoter of the convention aimed at research, in collaboration with the International Institute of Heliciculture, aimed at acquiring new data and skills for maximum consumer protection. The research path, with the patronage of such an important entity, represents a recognition that gratifies the undertaken path and increases the level of knowledge.
and proposals for commercial regulations
Dr. Paola CASAGRANDE Director of the Piedmont Region Coordination of European policies and funds Dr. Casagrande represented a constant point of reference in the construction of the Helix 2020 project and offered a substantial contribution of ideas and stimuli for its best success. Her service has strengthened the message that the CMC model is a bearer Her service has strengthened the message that the CMC model is a bearer of new values and constitutes a credible proposal in the field of diversification for the exploitation of the land.
Dott.ssa Liliana ALLENA Presidente Fiera del Tartufo di Alba
JOURNALISTS CATEGORY Dr. Fernanda ROGGERO Authoritative signature of the newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, where she has dealt with many sectors and projects, she currently holds the role of Chief Editor of Nòva magazine for the Food & Wine sector. She told us how she inherited her passion for food from her grandmother and, defines chefs as “artisans of taste”, a splendid way to communicate how they are able to amaze us by both the intense simplicity and the most daring proposals. Her contribution to the dissemination of the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco system was a decisive driving force during 2020 to bring our vision to a wide audience stranger to the agricultural sector. pagepagina 12 12 • S•p Secialpecial HEe LIHEX2020LIX2020
RESTAURATEURS CATEGORY Chef Elide MOLLO La Madernassa offers a high-level cuisine, in a context enhanced Chef Michelangelo MAMMOLITI by an open kitchen and lights designed to create an evocative setting. In 2015, the seedbed and the open-air vegetable garden were born, to guarantee fresh and strictly seasonal vegetables. Both were innovative interpreters of the snail in the gastronomic field, bringing it into a refined dimension capable of enhancing the maximum flavor and fragrance.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY University of Bologna researchers Prof. Beatrice ALBERTINI Prof. Nadia PASSERINI Dr. Silvia PANZAVOLTA Dr. Luisa Stella Dolci
The scope of research conducted by the Departments of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Biotechnology, which focused on applications based on snail slime, represents the most advanced point of expertise on the raw material that has revolutionized the world of heliciculture and, will represent the added value in this industry. Both chefs are awarded by the Michelin Guide (respectively 1 Star for Elide Mollo’s restaurant “Il centro” and 2 Stars for Michelangelo Mammoliti’s “La Madernassa”) and, represent two of the brightest references in the restaurant scene in the Langhe area. The restaurant “Il Centro” is characterized by a cuisine inspired by the values of tradition, with constant attention to research and experimentation. The garden provides seasonal vegetables, grown in a completely natural way. The winery, among the top 3 in Italy for the number of bottles, is the other soul of the restaurant, with some priceless labels that have made it a real place of worship for enthusiasts.
With the first edition of HELIX 2020, we have also decided to assign the special awars of Ambassador of CMC to chef Maurilio Garola, owner of the restaurant La Ciau del Tornavento, and absolute reference point for the territory and gastronomic culture of the Langhe. page 13 • Special HELIX2020
HELIXWORLD TV IS BORN. The heliciculture has it’s own TV.
Language is the largest world convention: it allows people to connect and share thoughts, experiences, stories and projects. It shortens distances, nourishes dreams and stimulates contamination. The key to success of most social platform is also hidden in the power of its meaning. To share our work and projects we use many tools, from traditional to technological media: we have the institutional website, Facebook pages, YouTube, Instagram and even TikTok. Each of these platforms offers the possibility to send the message with a distinctive character, which increases its effectiveness and allows us to intercept people’s sensitivities. We produce and publish descriptive material, videos, photos, graphics and news. It is a significant commitment that requires time, creativity, resources and concentration. But it is the Conditio sine qua non; and a winning project cannot be separated from this strategy. Today we communicate a further step to increase our ability to diffuse the CMC project and increase the vitality of the sector. HELIXWORLD TV is born, a thematic television that collects all the heritage of CMC heliciculture, exploiting the power of connectivity and the web. HELIXWORLD TV is a container that organizes information and material in 9 thematic channels, for an enjoyable, exhaustive and free experience. HELIXWORLD is the place where the Italian and international heliculturists can tell their stories. HELIX ACADEMY illustrates the themes and experiences of the Helical economy. HELIX EXCELLENCE is the container that describes the connections with the most qualified entities of the agri-food world, and not only. HELIX BEAUTY promotes all kind of applications of the snail slime in the world of personal wellbeing. HELIX KITCHEN talks about food, through the chef’s stories and their interpretations of quality raw materials. HELIX FOR SOCIAL is a window on the stories and projects aiming at the world of solidarity. HELIX TOWN is a tribute to CHERASCO, the snail capital of the world, HELIX LIVE is the channel that broadcasts the live events and HELIX SPONSOR allows us to thank all the friends who support our revolutionary project. Valuable content, stories, tales, suggestions, colors, flavors, smiles, perspectives and ideas to help everyone better understand our idea of modern heliciculture. HELIXWORLD TV is a container that, over time, will be enriched with value and will become the most immediate too to inform, understand and stay updated on the news of the most dynamic reality of the moment.
Helixworld.tv
Sign up, surf and share your opinions to make the schedule even better. page 14 • Research and Development
HELICAL ECONOMY MANIFEST History, Philosophy, Program and Ambitions of the movement.
The helical economy revolution consists in the fact that outputs and inputs are not transferred from one sector to another. Opportunities for development and economic growth remain within the same sector, while targeting different markets.
The world of agriculture and breeding has always been the of excellent quality, without waste and incredibly performing bearers of a circular worldview. Time is always marked by the in comparison to other categories in terms of water cycle of the seasons: from birth and awakening, to growth and consumption. harvest, to start all over again every season. From these fundamentals, a broad and diversified supply chain With our CMC system, we see that heliciculture is enhancing has been developed, capable of offering a solid entrepreneurial the delicate balance between agronomy and zootechnics. It perspective. embraces both dimensions, representing a particularlyvirtuous This model which has a great commercial potential from example of “small quality productions”. a sustainable perspective, has stimulated the definition, The CMC model – thanks to the contribution of skills, together with the academic world, of a new protocol that experience and analysis tools of the University of Gastronomic takes the name of “Helical economy” which, embraces and Sciences of Pollenzo – has raised the complex of management exceeds the profiles of Circular economy. activities for the breeding of gastronomy snails, to a level that The helical economy revolution consists in the fact that outputs fully complies with the standards required by the principles of and inputs are not transferred from one sector to another. blue economy and environmental sustainability. Opportunities for development and economic growth remain The new vision aims to offer the highest quality of products within the same sector, while targeting different markets to the consumer by respecting the food safety guidelines, to (food, beauty & wellness, education and pet therapy). guarantee a unique gastronomic experience. And by these Therefore, the helical economy offers a “three dimensional products we present an answer to the undeniable questions “perspective, managing to develop an innovative alchemy regarding the state of health of our planet; a protein production between the primary, secondary and tertiary economic sectors, creating real market opportunities thanks to the valorization of the land and an animal placed at the bottom of the pyramid scale. The Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco (CMC) system and the Helical economy represent the connective tissue that links the aspects of Tradition to Innovation. We’re talking about virtuous exploitation of the earth, microclimatic conditions, ecological and water footprints, innovation in plant cultivation, the technology applied in the extraction of the slime, of the possibilities deriving from the mapping of the land through the application of the blockchain principles, and the future research for environmental monitoring through the collection of complex data.
Therefore, the pillars of the helical economy represent an innovative path to restore the opportunity to find dignity through one’s work and the constant application to develop skills in the commercial, communication, organization and innovation fields. It is an ecosystem that challenges the traditional models and can be considered one of the most credible options in the diversification project aimed for environmental sustainability. page 15 • Research and Development pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
I DIECI PILASTRI DELL’ECONOMIA ELICOIDALE
Environmental sustainability and green economy: to work together to save the environment
Biodiversity: the great unknown of our planet, to be studied, rediscovered and protected.
Digital applications: to share in real time skills, answers and information.
Hybrid venture: to exploit the potential of entrepreneurial diversification.
Food education: the food chain is born and ends in the plate; it’s up to all of us to be careful.
Social attention: to grow together, without leaving anyone behind.
Research and development: research and the related funds are the core of growth.
Internationalization: to reach everyone
Cultural promotion: because creativity and transmission of tradition can’t exist without the culture.
Valorization of excellence: it is essential to become an ambassador of one’s own land. page 16 • Research and Development
The importance of supporting research. From the University of Bologna new studies on the application of snail slime.
It’s about biopolymeric films based on snail slime that open up to the concrete possibility of studying biomaterials for tissue regeneration and innovative pharmaceutical technologies for the preparation of solid forms.
Following the patent related to the inventions of its researchers of innovative applications containing snail slime as a reference “ingredient”, the University of Bologna conducted a search to find a representative with whom to face the development phases and reason in terms of placement on the market.
Their investigations brought them to us and, after several meetings via Skype due to the impossibility of a physical meeting, we visited Bologna in July to closely observe and touch the prototypes and develop a more concrete idea on the products. It’s about biopolymeric films based on snail slime that open up to the concrete possibility of studying biomaterials for tissue regeneration and innovative pharmaceutical technologies for the preparation of solid forms. The study was conducted thanks to the synergy between nature. the Department of Chemistry and the Department of For example, the remarkable adhesive capacity suggests Pharmacy and Biotechnology. They shared their skills direct uses on tissues such as mucous membranes. And to reach a series of products that promise potential in the dental field, even if we are still in a phase of study, uses in the following fields: Regenerative Medicine, all indicators suggest that it is possible to maintain the Pharmaceuticals forms, Wound treatment, Cosmetics same properties even on inorganic materials. and Food Industry. Another very important feature is the Barrier property: The research started from the constituent elements of the ability to create a a preservative film that is snail slime and their characteristics; for the peculiarities manageable, adherent to itself, edible, compostable of Collagen, Elastin, Glycolic Acid, Mucopolysaccharides, and biodegradable. Allontoin and Vitamins A-C-E, which develop a particular The tests that were carried out have therefore shown effectiveness for the ability to “work by interaction”. an ability to slow down the oxidative state, which is The combination of Biopolymers and snail slime offers very useful for the management of fresh food, and the benefit of obtaining products that are totally effective in solving the problem of disposal (as occurs biodegradable and compostable. This aspect adheres for example with “Domopack”). to the philosophy that partly inspired our project: The research on antibacterial properties, both on the selection of material that has low environmental positive Gram and negative Gram, has produced very impact. satisfying results. From the physical characteristics point of view, in In conclusion, we believe that these studies, conducted relation to the amount of slime used in the formulation, rigorously under the authority of one of the most it is possible to obtain different results and “build” ad prestigious Universities, have confirmed and increased hoc products for the different applications: Soluble, the expectations of the applications of snail slime, which Non soluble, Flexible, Elastic, Sticky and Non sticky. represents for the sector a horizon of opportunity and Another convincing aspect is that snail slime polymers growth. are biocompatible and non-toxic and, among other things, can be enriched with bioactive molecules and drugs active ingredients, for a therapeutic and curative page 17 • Research and Development pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
The dialogue with the Academic world gets concretized with the birth of our collaboration with the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta.
Signed by the director Angelo Ferrari signature, to lay the foundations for research and application of digital solutions dedicated to heliciculture, to the Helical Economy and its new philosophical vision.
Heliciculture and the Zooprophylactic Institute defines the following fields of investigation and objectives: Last July, a path that had started in the early months of 2020, got concrete. The aim was to establish a structured • Encourage scientific collaboration in research and collaboration with the Experimental Zooprophylactic development of studies, research, training and Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta and to communication activities in reference to the tasks develop research projects related to the world of snails and institutional actions of the contracting entities; for food use. • Promote basic and applied research on the forms of The target is to increase knowledge and scientific data protection of ecosystems and natural assets; in the interest of collective health. • Develop methodologies and provide scientific technical support to monitor the environment state The signing of the memorandum of understanding was and study the sustainability of heliciculture. announced during the conference on 31.07.2020, with • Monitor the import process of gastronomy snails the interventions of the Director Simone Sampo and aimed at protecting human health and food safety the IZCTO General Director Dr. Angelo Ferrari. • Expand the studies of the biochemical characteristics You can find the complete video on the following of snail slime and its applications. address: https://helixworld.tv/helixacademy/. As the International Institute of Heliciculture, we believe that the progress of the sector is necessarily obtained In September, we began to take the first steps related thanks to advanced studies and research, which opens to the definition of the contents and the organization the possibility of processing new information for the of the work. benefit of the consumer, new regulatory proposals and It will be a medium/long term path that will probably more detailed rules. lead to further investigations and raise new questions. The Framework Agreement for the scientific and didactic Through our channels we will promptly inform you of collaboration stipulated between the Institute of the developments and results we will be able to obtain. page 18 • Research and Development
THE NEW VOCABULARY OF HELICICULTURE: DIGITALIZATION, BLOCKCHAIN, DATA.
In the last years, there has been a great leap in Trasmissione Dati Satellitari quality and, with the Scansione industry 4.0 project; allevamento Sensori in tramite droni incredible objectives allevamento have been achieved in agriculture related to efficiency, the reduction Download dati e statistiche su PC of work execution times and safety.
In the recent months, some gestures have been strategies that lead to the most positive results, perfectly made, timid at first and then more and more frequent, monitor the dynamics in the reproduction and fattening regarding the model of agriculture and breeding that we phases, calculate with precision quantity and quality of plan to develop in order to offer an upgrade to future primary production, management costs related to farm heliculturists and consumers. management and many other things. It is basically a question of leading the heliciculture On the commercial side, it will be possible to offer the sector into the territory of modernity and, exploiting in consumer the guarantee of a quality product, raised the most virtuous way possible the opportunities that according to the rules of the CMC system, which is the are provided to us by technology. highest level regarding the aspects of health protection, In the last years, there has been a great leap in quality certainties on the traceability linked to the collection and, with the industry 4.0 project; incredible objectives and transformation phase of the product and on the have been achieved in agriculture related to efficiency, origin of food. the reduction of work execution times and safety. On the basis of these opportunities, a more effective The most recent theme, on the other hand, concerns narration will be possible, consequently, to justify the the Blockchain and how it will change the agriculture right price of placing our snails on the market, with solid production and food. arguments regarding the fact that the breeding snails It’s a technological protocol capable of managing data (or harvested in nature) that invade our market are not and contracts, thus ranging from the food production up to the best standards. to the subsequent ones that allow to trace all the The experimentation process is therefore in the start-up phases of the logistics chain, up to those of monitoring phase and marks the entrance of CMC heliciculture into the aspects related to certifications and suitability to a new dimension, the one of the future and virtuous use consumption. of technologies. In practical terms we are talking about a series of The claim of the HELIX 2020 event was: MAN, DIGITAL, guarantees that affect all the players involved: the EARTH, a slogan that invites us to broaden our vision producer, the intermediary and the final consumer. and become more confident with a terminology that is The project that we are setting up through an new but surprisingly rich in opportunities. experimental path, thanks to the support of specialized companies that have embraced our mission, aims to facilitate the task of the heliculturists in the management Download data and statistics on PC of the plant thanks to punctual mapping of activities Satellite transmission and data processing. We will be able to have a precise Sensors in enclosures knowledge of the conditions of the vegetation, the Farm scan through drones number of snails and the density in the enclosures, avoid overpopulation situations, understand the best page 19 • Conferences pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
JULY 31, 2020. The First Step of the Helical Economy.
Confindustria Cuneo hosts the conference that launches the themes of the new philosophy that arises from Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco heliciculture.
points in his speech: that the data clearly describes a helical sector that is recording important numbers and, moreover, that the process of technological innovation at the service of agriculture undoubtedly represents an accelerator of the virtuous paths of the supply chains. He also pointed that in order to achieve the most ambitious objectives, it is necessary for the sector to benefit from clear rules, from which will arise regulatory frameworks aiming at product excellence, at defining commercial aspects and encouraging entities that adhere to regulations and promote continuous improvement through certification audits. He made himself available to make his contribution in this sense, starting from the debate on the contents of The great events appear on the stage of history through the Bill no. 1576 S. a formal act, which will be remembered with a precise Senator Giorgio Maria Bergesio, also a member of the date under the photograph that immortalizes the Agriculture Commission of the Senate of the Republic moment. and physically present in the room, expressed a far- For the Helical economy, the day is certainly the 31st of reaching reasoning regarding the current pandemic and July 2020, and the place is the prestigious headquarters how it is orienting us to “return to the origins”. of Confindustria Cuneo. The Macroeconomics data shows signs of severe It was the highest moment in all the history of the heliciculture sector in general and, in particular, for the perspective offered by the CMC system:around a unique table were seated the most qualified representatives of national, territorial and local politics world, the heads of the institutions protecting consumer health, the managers of the entrepreneurial associations, leading exponents of the academic world and the companies oriented to sustainable growth. Politics, Business, Universities and entities represent the key interlocutors to build a project that has the ambition to succeed and become reality. Their adhesion was the result of a conscious choice after having listened to the details of the project and the suggestions of a vision with revolutionary contents. The conference entitled Digital“ Research Tools for the suffering that will not end in the short term, according Development of the Helical Economy”, moderated by to analysts. the Vice President A.N.E Donato Mangino, offered the For this reason, it becomes essential to find alternatives opportunity to listen to the interventions of players to traditional economic models and, in his opinion; the with important stories and skills in specific sectors of one proposed by the CMC system is a model that has heliciculture. the fundamentals to represent a valid alternative. As usual, the event started with institutional greetings. He also highlighted the virtuous aspects of our Senator Mino Taricco, member of the Agriculture proposal regarding continuous research and bringing Committee of the Senate of the Republic, assisting technological contribution to relieve fatigue and through a video link, emphasized the positive aspects analyze data. These aspects fully intercept with the of our message aimed at quality agriculture and at incentive policies implemented by governments and, the enhancement of the territories, underlining two concretely represent how real innovation processes page 20 • Conferences
explained the reasons why we should turn our attention to the element of real value in our territory, which is the extraordinary richness of the Italian subsoil thanks to the microbic biota that gives it a unique biodiversity. The awaited speech by President Simone Sampò focused on the recent development of the sector which, in just four years, succeeded to establish credibility thanks to the lucky encounter with players who have written pages of history in the world of agriculture and the perspective of quality food. He therefore referred above all to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, that hold the values of the Slow Food movement, and in particular to its Vice President Silvio Barbero who offered substantial suggestions, indications and support. This collaboration has resulted in the first and only disciplinary of the sector that acquires value, with the ability to guarantee a primary production of high quality are implemented. At the end of his intervention, he and the right quantity, for offering a protein source also underlined the concepts already expressed by obtained with zero environmental impact, low water his colleague Taricco, guaranteeing his support to consumption, and the capacity of not creating waste elaborate standards and norms that protect the quality but rather transforming it for the development of other heliciculture. commercial opportunities. A thought was dedicated to the difficulties of this Dr. Giuliana Cirio, General Manager of Confindustria historical phase and how it somehow led us to rethink Cuneo, on the other hand, insisted on the aspects that our communication strategies and pushed us towards a struck her the most about the helical project and that find more conscious use of digital platforms. their harmony with the core mission of the association of entrepreneurs: the themes of a corporate philosophy Politics, Business, Universities and entities represent aware of its social role, characterized by a culture of the key interlocutors to build a project that has the commitment, planning and vision; a set of elements that ambition to succeed and become reality. help build companies with solid fundamentals, ready to face the market in the best possible way and compete The possibility of reaching many more people than we in terms of products, quality and services. usually do in our traditional informative days and, the The gloss was entirely dedicated to the potential of positive feedback obtained, led us to the claim “Man, the helical economy, in a speech that underlined the Digital, Earth”. An effective synthesis to underline great curiosity aroused by a system capable of offering the fact that the farmer’s awareness, combined with concretely an upgrade in respect to the prospects of the the quick management of information thanks to new circular economy. technologies, can help us to make better use of the land The promise of support from the Confindustria system in a way that respects its limits. was positively received, representing a truly important There were later the interventions of Dr. Angelo piece for building a network between companies Ferrari, the general director of the Experimental animated by the same vision, increasing the capacity to Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and disseminate our themes and develop new influences. The Mayor of Cherasco Carlo Davico, accompanied by the Counselor Umberto Ferrondi, thanked the work of the International Institute of Heliciculture for the positive impact on the territory, in terms of people who visit the city due to the proposed activities, but also for the national and international visibility that we have managed to obtain on the media. Cherasco is the City of Peace with a significant heritage of History, art and culture but also a laboratory that has witnessed the success of many business projects. The birth of the helical economy will be a further tailpiece that will enhance this great tradition. The intervention of the president of the Consorzio La Granda was one of the most awaited appointments because, with his activity, Dr. Sergio Capaldo was a great inspiration for some of the substantial changes to our breeding system, culminated with the adoption in the cultivation process with symbiotic agriculture within the CMC rules. With a lot of passion and details, he page 21 • Conferences pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
Politics, Business, Universities and entities represent the key interlocutors to build a project that has the ambition to succeed and become reality.
Valle d’Aosta and Professor Bartolomeo Biolatti, full He also dedicated a part to talk about his contribution professor of Pathological Anatomy of the department as part of the “On the Job” course organized by our of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Turin. institute and, he highlighted the fact that this is the only Dr. Ferrari praised the initiative, describing the paradigms case in which zootechnics courses are foreseen before of collaboration that we have signed, underlining how starting the activity, representing a virtuous example to this project is very useful for implementing knowledge be taken as a model. on the health aspects of food production. Regarding the new collaboration project between our And Prof. Biolatti insisted on the importance of research Institute, the Zooprophylactic Institute, the University and told us that he believes that the snail should play and the ASL, he finally expressed that the integrated a central role in the context of studies for alternative approach described by the motto “One medicine, one noble protein sources. He also dedicated a particular health, one world” of Professor Rudolf Virchow, is the mention to the aspects of environmental protection right way to a better understanding of the phenomena that characterize our project. and a greater resource for the protection of Health. Silvio Barbero’s speech, as always rich in meanings Ultimately we believe that this appointment has truly and suggestions, considered the Helical economy as marked the highest point of our meetings regarding a model capable of exploiting all opportunities, in a the dissemination of heliciculture that have ever been broad sense that not limited to production processes organized, and our commitment will be to offer further but as an opportunity that can lead to cultural change; contributions od equal value. the challenge we face derives from the need to balance obvious economic needs with the issue of dignity and sustainability of food production models. The conclusion was entrusted to Dr. Giovanni Ercole, medical director of the ASL CN2 Veterinary Service, and a professional of exemplary competence and precious support of our projects. His authority comes from the great experience gained over 33 years of experience, which made him a constant reference for colleagues from all over Italy in the world of snails. In his report he explained that there are important limits in the Prevention Department services regarding the sector, identified in the gaps in the aspects that regulate health control activities and the regulatory framework of reference. For this reason he welcomed the presence at the conference of the senators who are members of the Agriculture commission and, their announced commitment to address this issue. page 22 • Conferences
At the Milan Wine Week, snails and Champagne in the sign of sustainability.
From the 3rd till the 11th of October, the third edition of Milan Wine Week was held in Milan, the international event dedicated this year to the promotion and relaunch of the wine sector. Like HELIX 2020, MWW has also made a choice aimed at enhancing the digital communication. The real events have been developed with a schedule that tied Milan with the 7 key countries in wine exports (between Europe, Asia and America), to encourage meetings between the wineries, cooperatives, companies and buyers, and offering therefore opportunities for dialogue, promotion and networking. The examination of the wine numbers at national and international level, of the changing reality and the strategies to counter the crisis phenomena, the stories about products of excellence, the policies of the most renowned wineries and the stories on the evolution of wine were addressed and investigated through the master classes, thematic conferences, show cooking, wine pairing and B2B meetings. Inside this large and prestigious event, we were invited to talk about Helical Economy, because this new perspective has raised considerable interest and represents a model capable of involving even a complex and mature market such as the wine market. The president Simone Sampo illustrated the contents of our vision in a talk with Charlotte De Souza, the commercial director of the Champagne De Souza Maison, offering a substantial contribution to the debate and important spaces for reflection regarding the agronomic choices, quality, communication and evolving market. I t was an important accreditation, on a prestigious stage and with great visibility for the CMC heliciculture. page 23 • Conferences pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
BOOTCAMP SMART & HACK. THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF WORK AND AGRIFOOD. Confindustria invites the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco to talk about innovation and sustainability
Confindustria Cuneo organized the General Conditions of Work and Agrifood from 26 to 29 October, an event designed to spread the themes of innovation, supply chain culture, food and tourism linked to gastronomy and sustainability. Our privileged relationship with Confindustria has increased further because we have been invited to talk to a virtual but very qualified and active audience about our approach and our philosophy. During the days of Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 November, the President of ANE and director of the International Institute of Heliciculture Simone Sampo and the Vice President Donato Mangino had their interventions. They illustrated the details of heliciculture and the possibility to create value through alternative exploitation of the land, the Helical economy manifest, the record data linked to environmental sustainability, the efforts linked to research and development, the development prospects linked to Agriculture 4.0 and the introduction of the Blockchain in the farming system of gastronomy snails. In compliance with the Anti-Covid regulations, the event was obviously broadcasted online and had a huge response from participants: companies, institutions and banking foundations. An extremely interested audience was the one of Highschool and University students, to whom the Smart & Hack bootcamp was dedicated, to create a connection with the representative of future generations, to talk about the opportunities of concessions, the funds to support investments in agrifood, the artificial intelligence applied to the land and digital transformation. So mainly the stimulating themes and content for these students. The synthesis of the work has strengthened the concept that pushes to put agriculture at the center, as a vector for reviving the economy, both in critical phase and in absolute terms. pagina 24 •Beauty & Welness
ACQUA SAN BERNARDO AND S’AGAPÒ: A CO-BRANDING RICH IN VALUE.
A make-up remover combining the qualities of Water. An important collaboration because #ognigocciaconta (#everydropcounts)
is a well-known product, which enjoys an incredible appreciation by consumers for its quality: it is very light and with a low content of Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium. In short terms, they like it because it is good. We also like it because it has a recognizable identity and, is inspired by a philosophy that we look up to with admiration and is able to communicate its message efficiently. S.Bernardo S’agapò It is the “water” that first inspired a great designer like Giorgetto Giugiaro to revolutionize the bottle and make it iconic. A bottle Precious cosmetic treatment rich in natural active ingredients, that is beautiful to see and touch. designed for daily cleansing of the face and décolleté. A product I am ready to bet that you all still remember Giorgetto Giugiaro’s famous Drops… San Bernardo is attentive to the environmental impact and has a structured process to make a substantial contribution to the issue of sustainability: the returnable vacuum to reuse glass bottles, the use of PET and the energy supply from wind sources. Their wonderful claim is: Every drop counts. The common points with our philosophy and our project are so many that it was natural for us to meet, like each other and decide to collaborate. They participated in HELIX 2020 as main sponsors but, above all, we decided to build an innovative co-branding path. SAN BERNARDO S’AGAPO’ Miscellar Water is born. A make-up remover that combines the qualities of San Bernardo water and the characteristics of our snail slime. A cosmetic that enriches our offer, extremely effective and designed to offer a moment of wellbeing and pleasure. This is the beginning of a new path and we are truly honored to undertake it with a great partner.
PRECIOUS COSMETIC TREATMENT RICH IN NATURAL ACTIVE INGREDIENTS, DESIGNED FOR DAILY CLEANSING OF THE FACE AND DÉCOLLETÉ. PRODUCT FORMULATED WITH SAN BERNARDO MINERAL WATER AND PURE SNAIL SLIME, EXTRACTED FROM HELIX ASPERSA MULLER SNAILS RAISED EXCLUSIVELY WITH NATURAL AND CRUELTY FREE METHODS, WHICH ALLOW TO OBTAIN A HIGH QUALITY RAW MATERIAL. GENTLY ELIMINATES IMPURITIES WITHOUT DRYING THE SKIN, LEAVING IT FRESH, CLEAN AND PLEASANTLY SCENTED. BUY IT ON MARIGOLD AND CHAMOMILE WATERS KNOWN FOR THEIR EMOLLIENT AND SOOTHING PROPERTIES ARE PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR SAGAPOCOSMETICI.COM! SENSITIVE SKIN. ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER REVITALIZES THE SKIN BY ILLUMINATING THE COMPLEXION, ROSE WATER GENTLY TONES THE SKIN OF THE FACE AND LAVENDER WATER GIVES A MOMENT OF UNTIL 31 DECEMBER YOU RELAXATION AND WELL-BEING. CAN FIND IT FOR €. 19.90 INSTEAD OF €. 24.90 pagina 25 • Beauty & Welness pagina 12 • Fiera Agricola
DOING GOOD TO OURSELVES TO DO GOOD TO OTHERS. The beauty box of S’Agapò was born fromo an idea of Chiara Lovera. Part of the proceeds will go to the Piedmont Foundation for Cancer Research.
S’AGAPÒ has always pursued the goal of offering cosmetic products with pure snail slime that meets the highest quality requirements and comes from suppliers attentive to animal welfare. The selection of the raw material is bound to comply with the extraction process defined by the specifications of the International Institute of Heliciculture, that represents the best guarantee for consumer protection. This extremely selective choice is part of a vision oriented towards wellbeing, environmental sustainability culture and the promotion of a philosophy linked to personal care. The Piedmont Foundation for Cancer research has therefore found an extremely fertile ground to build together a project of solidarity towards their mission. We decided to embrace the #sotienicandiolo project by selling a special package of S’AGAPÒ products and donating 10% of the proceeds in charity. It is a BOX with 3 products (Micellar water co-branded with Acqua S.Bernardo, Elixir face and face cream by S’agapò) for an effective beauty routine, designed for Christmas celebrations… but not only! This is the first step in a commitment that we wish to carry on and, from now, we thank you very much for having contributed to making the first piece of road.
FRAME THE CODE AND FIND OUT THE BEAUTY ROUTINE OF S’AGAPÒ! page 26 • Beauty & Welness
SNAIL THERAPY COMPANY IS BORN. Company
The applications of snail slime have a concrete market that can count on large margins of growth.
We are obviously referring to wellbeing and body care. Cosmetics products and medical devices are very well known and are beginning to appear on supermarket shelves as well, as evidence that even large-scale distribution has verified the existence of a structured demand. We are convinced that the greater knowledge of the properties and effectiveness of this raw material by a vast public will bring increasingly satisfactory results. The advent of a new MullerOne extraction system, a robust process that finally allows us to respect and maintain high quality standards, has raised the bar in the world of cosmetics and is making a selection in respect to suppliers of raw material. The specialized companies, unlike few years ago, have in fact become much more selective. Our project, after revolutionizing the market, has become even more ambitious: we want to keep the know-how related to snail slime within the heliciculture perimeter, both for cosmetics and, intermediation of other subjects, and to customize their own line of in the near future, for higher added value applications such as the products. The level of customization becomes significantly higher, medical sector or those for which there will be a huge demand the planning leaner and the costs, most importantly, lower. such as the food sector. We will provide you with all the detailed information and updated For this reason we have decided to develop a project of strong news through our channels. specialization in the transformation of snail slime, creating a We are convinced that it will be an important story for the sector reality for cosmetic production with the best technological and the movement. equipment. The closing circle, or the possibility of managing the whole process starting from extraction, passing through the choice of formulation and raw materials, which is associated with the vocation of becoming a subject constantly oriented to research, represents a significant leap in quality. In November, the Snail Therapy Company will begin its adventure, a new player but with a lot of experience, the most advanced skills and the support of the liveliest intelligences that are studying and experimenting new applications with snail slime. Two great advantages promise the heliculturists: the possibility of having a direct relationship with producers, without the page 27 • Funding
A New Possibility to Acces Credit To Build your Snail Farm: the agreement with the Company Cooperative Credit Bank of Cherasco.
People interested in starting their own heliciculture farm get usually interested in two major themes; the initial investment cost and the business plan that shows that the return on investment is possible in a short period of time compared to other business opportunities in the agricultural, services and manufacturing sectors.
Finding the initial capital can be an obstacle for some because the possibilities are reduced to the autonomy of one’s resources, the possibility to access regional funds (PSR), governmental, European or, more frequently, by credit institutes. As far as the banking system is concerned, the first difficulty remains in transferring the content of the project to the employee in charge to make assessments; heliciculture is not as common as other traditional systems, it is linked to the world of “small quality productions”, and therefore it is rare to encounter someone who is familiar with the snail market and the opportunities in this sector. These aspects lead inevitably to a deep process of analysis, unfortunately conducted on the bases of irrelevant criteria to the peculiarities of our sector, and, consequently, weaken the possibility of having a positive response quickly. Very often important guarantees are required to complete the practice. This situation represents a problem: waiting for a notice based through the banking system, and to use a local bank to provide the on the project presentation by the International Institute of system with transparent and detailed information on heliciculture. Heliciculture leads to a waste of time and a level of uncertainty It is a concrete opportunity to share with the other 77 banks of that often discourages even the most enthusiastic people. Gruppo Cassa Centrale a fresh and valuable image of our project Not to forget the equally frustrating experience of turning and eliminate any trait of distrust or disorientation with which to a banking institution that does not know the subject and, aspiring farmers are usually welcomed. assumes an over prudent attitude, as explained before. However, it is useful, for transparency purpose, to point that the The bank that is deeply rooted in the Cherasco area is the project evaluation criteria considered by the banks remain related BCC, also part of the Gruppo Cassa Centrale system and, to the economic dimension of the project and the history of the the first Italian Cooperative banking group. BCC knows our person asking for the credit. history and has observed the growth phases of our system We believe that this step represents a better tool for upcoming and has developed a profound awareness of the opportunities helical entrepreneurs to evaluate the economic resources needed in the food and cosmetics trading, to the potential of the to start their adventure. applications in high value economic sectors and, the concrete The international Institute of Heliciculture is available to provide possibilities of profit with the supply chain. further details to all those who wish to evaluate this topic. The news we wish to underline is therefore that we managed to build with BCC a concrete opportunity to access credit pagina 28 • Finanziamenti page 28 • Funding
THE INSTITUTE 2.4 Billions of Euros THINKS OF A to the Italian agri- NEW SYSTEM culturists with the • MatteoVENUTI SUPPORT FOR HIS Psr 2021/2022 HELICULTURISTS. RESEARCH, FUNDS, TENDERS AND PSR.
The European commission, in consideration of the emergency Covid-19, has decided to inject new liquidity into the agriculture sector starting January 2021, with the intention to strengthen the CAP in favor of ongoing rural development measures. This was announced by the Vice President of EU commission for agriculture, Paolo De Castro, in a webinar organized by Image Line with Eima Digital. De Castro explained that 2.4 Billion euros are dedicated to The desire to start a business in heliciculture often collides Italy and, will be divided in three directions: with a series of issues, from finding the suitable terrain to the possibility of finding initial financing. • 55% must be reserved exclusively for the investments Regarding the second issue, you can find in this newspaper a in new agricultural equipment and machinery that allow detailed article on the recent agreement with the Cooperative cost savings and lower environmental impact, and in Credit Bank of Cherasco, which is ready to activate its contacts agricultural systems of precision and digitalization. with the other banks and branches belonging to Gruppo Cassa • Agri-environmental measures of the current RDPs, Centrale. therefore minimal processing, work, cover crops, etc. However, there is also the world of opportunities linked to • Award for the first establishment of young farmers that community, state and regional tenders aimed at supporting must go from 40,000 to 100,000 euros. agricultural businesses which, obviously, can represent a great resource for those who decide to undertake this path. This is a unique opportunity for our country, given that the We are pleased to announce that starting January 2021, liquidity will be available as early as January 1, 2021. However, the International Institute of Helciculture will offer a support it is essential that Mipaaf and regions take immediate actions service that can provide detailed information on all the useful to reshape some measures of the actual Psr, in order to be resources to verify the possibility of access to subsidized and/ able to prepare the related tenders in a short time. or non repayable loans. Practically, given the objectives indicated by Brussels for We will be giving more detailed information in the coming the use of this new financing, some allocations should be weeks through our Facebook pages, the corporate website increased; particularly those of measure 4 intended to finance and the Helixworld TV. the purchase of new digital equipment and technologies, and of measure 10 that support those who are willing to adopt a virtuous agricultural path, for 5 to 6 years, with minimum processing, work, cover crops, targeted use of agro pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, sewage and etc. The message coming from Brussels is very clear: fresh money for innovation, digitalization and generational turnover. Which is nothing more than the three founding pillars of the new agriculture, that must take make a decisive change of pace, with a clear cut compared to what has been done until now in the traditional management systems that have no more reasons to exist. And now we need to ask ourselves: will the central government and the regions succeed to spend in time all this sum of euros? page 29 • Technical Section
THE FARM MANAGEMENT IN NORTHERN ITALY DURING WINTER
• MatteoVENUTI
From an operational point of view, winter is certainly the quietest season for heliculturists. Quieter, however, does not mean that there are no operations to be carried out, on the contrary, some practices must be implemented so that the frost does not cause damage. of awakening them massively. When temperatures start to decrease gradually, the advice is to spread more layers of fabric to increase the level of protection. Field experiences have shown how three layers of fabric can adequately protect the snails from temperatures below -13°C. The scenario changes, however, with temperatures around 0°C at night and above 10°C during the day. Here the knowledge of the area’s microclimate is very important. Extending the fabric at these temperatures is not always necessary, because there is the risk of causing a massive early awakening of the animals with disastrous consequences. Our advice, especially in the early years, is to discuss with the technicians in order to evaluate together the best way of intervention. A very useful thing to do is to leave under the fabric some food in powder (Integra) in order to give some sustenance to the few animals that may move. It is also useful to monitor the situation of a possible awakening. By the end of winter it is necessary to stat sowing in the fattening enclosures. It is essential to anticipate sowing as much as possible in order to have the vegetation ready to receive the animals the soonest possible. Indicatively, sowing should be carried out between mid-February and It is right to clarify: each farm has its own characteristics such mid-March and here it is necessary to cover the areas with as exposure and inclination that greatly affect its microclimate. the fabric to facilitate germination. Only in this way will it be The operations that we will describe below must therefore take possible to proceed with the natural migration and start the these factors into account and consider them as guidelines to cycle again in April. Other operations to be done in winter be adapted in the farm. are the replacement of broken poles, the arrangement of the In winter, the snails shelter themselves by hiding few irrigation system and rodent control, which is very important centimeters underground. To favor this shelter, however, it is since it is during this period that rats can do damage. necessary to start working in autumn, cutting the vegetation Heliciculture is a professional activity and must be implemented lower and lower, to reach 10 cm in December. Only in this as such. In the first years it is advisable to rely on those who way, the snails that can’t find shelter in the first cold weather have experience and can give useful information to make the days will be encouraged to hibernate. In the autumn period, appropriate decisions, especially in the winter period, the first an occasional frost does not cause damage even if the real obstacle for the new heliculturists. snails were still wandering, because they can hide under the vegetation.But the situation changes in winter, when the frosts are more continuous and persistent: in this case, snails should be absolutely hibernating underground. If all the operations have been carried out correctly, in winter the snails will be hibernating and the vegetation, as the season progresses, will gradually disappear due to the cold. Here it becomes fundamental to use non-woven fabric (also called bride veil, used to protect the vegetation from the cold, with a weight of 17 grams per square meter): when the cold is persistent, with minimum temperatures around -4°C and not exceeding 8°C maximum, spreading a layer of fabric in the breeding area becomes highly recommended. With this system, the snails stay protected from the frost with no risk pagina 16• Le Sedi Associate pagepagina 30 30 • T•e Schezionnicale TSectioncnica
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE. THE MILD WINTER OF PUGLIA • Giorgio FONTÒ Last season, the last months of 2019 and the first ones of 2020, was not a particularly cold •Simone DAVINI winter for Puglia and Southern Italy.
How to face the mild winter in Puglia? Local farmers in Puglia underestimate winter because they are • During winter, we prefer forage products rich in protein often used to have mild and favorable winter seasons. and calcium, to give our snails the right strength to face this Before introducing some practices that can help to keep safe difficult period. from any, albeit rare frosts, I want to affirm with conviction that • A daily control of the farm is also a part of prevention, autumn (for Puglia and the regions of Southern Italy with similar making sure that the snails well protected from predators. climatic characteristics) is the season with the best climatic needs We also recommend to thoroughly cleaning the passages, for our snails; mild temperatures that oscillate between 15°C in order to reduce the escape of snails when they wake up. and 26°C, frequent rains, not too abundant and the presence of • Finally, it is important to test the efficiency of the irrigation a variety of fresh winter vegetables. system that we will need from the first days of March, to Following the CMC disciplinary rigorously during the months of avoid unpleasant last-minute surprises. autumn will give us a lot of satisfaction in terms of production. However, it will give us a lot to do in the winter season, when Having a good organization is also important because in the we will have a good production of small snails that need to be recent years it has become increasingly difficult to keep up with protected from the dangers of this season. this crazy climate, but still, anticipating some operations such a It is essential to have a good organization, to fix in advance tillage and milling as soon as the ground allows it, will let us sow the objectives to be achieved in the farm and establish some within the time frames provided by the disciplinary. necessary steps to prevent the possible problems that may arise in these months. The punctuality in sowing is essential because it will allow us to introduce our selected breeders at the right time, starting from First of all, it is useful to have the non-woven fabric in stock. February/ March (if we have done some steps correctly), without Apparently it might seem superfluous to have it; in reality it taking the risk of delaying these operations and run in the heat guarantees the protection of the snails from frost (albeit rare), of April and May. significantly decreasing the mortality rate, especially of the Doing some operations under high temperatures could give small snails that eat less in this season and can suffer from us some difficulties. First of all the snails will have a hard time certain temperatures. Also, by having the non-woven fabric migrating in the new breeding and fattening area that we have in our premises, we can anticipate the spring sowing of the prepared, which will fore us to increase our work and carry out reproduction enclosures, sheltering the newly born plants from a forced migration, and secondly, these same snails will have the late frost of January, as we can anticipate the germination of little time to adapt to the new vegetation which can increase the “latecomers” seeds. the mortality rate in the summer. Prevention is better than cure. page 31 • Technical Section
Winter in Sardinia. Albeit short, it requires the right attention. •Simone DAVINI
We try to make the best we can from October till December to conclude the growth of many large snails that didn’t form their borders yet and with a shell thickness that is not sufficient for any processing or preparation
The summer season that has ended by the calendar since a month already, has actually lasted longer with an obvious change in the torrid temperatures recorded in August, especially in the internal plains where it repeatedly touched 40°C. The concomitant lack of rains at the end of summer has slowed down the awakening phase of our snails, which was completed just few days ago.
In the usual seasonal article of this year we want to focus first and foremost on this period of “awakening”, considering it together with the post-winter spring period one of the most delicate, and therefore needs particular attention to allow our population of mollusks a rapid awakening and consequently gaining the body weight lost during summer. During this phase we notice, more than any other time, some chaotic movements of the snails, which, if not managed through the introduction of sufficient food inside our enclosures, can lead to a distributional mess within the spaces of our farm. This happens because the snails immediately try to replenish body mass and go in search of food in every direction, it is therefore essential to distribute fresh and dry food in the areas where we want to keep in this period, we can say with certainty that after a first period them. Normally, a period of physiological wait follows before the of heavy feeding, the adults begin mating and reproducing. autumnal harvest, without which we will risk purging fragile snails Depending on our choice of timing to set the cycle, we may find that may not survive this phase and, provide our customers with a ourselves managing different situations in different spaces of the less succulent product in respect to the usual standards. farm; whether we choose to use one annual reproductive period We would like to remind you that in a growing market in terms or two, spring and autumn. of volume that do not always go hand in hand with the quality In the first case, we will have in the reproduction sections adult of the product, which often follows an intensive process to snails that we had already partially collected before summer the detriment of taste and salubrity, the only way to maintain heat. My advice is to evaluate the quantity of small ones in this a profitable price and distinguishing ourselves is by offering a period, if it is not particularly high, we could decide not to collect production of excellence while also taking the trouble to tell the the residual adults in order to allow an additional reproduction, story of what we produce and sell. so we find ourselves at the end of winter with an abundant We try to make the best we can from October till December to population of small and medium size snails ready for fattening. As conclude the growth of many large snails that didn’t form their we should also empty the corresponding fattening areas in which borders yet and with a shell thickness that is not sufficient for we will find adult snails ready for sale and small “abusive” ones any processing or preparation. How to do it? By letting the snails that I recommend to move manually into the reproduction areas, pasture as long as possible! Do we have to deal with the climate? to avoid wasting them. The important thing is to clean the space Of course, we try to maintain a constant level of humidity, without for the fattening sowing 2021 at the end of winter. wetting the ground too much to avoid attracting harmful insects that strongly resume their activity in this period. So always keep an In the second case, however, we will have 50% of the enclosures eye on the weather and on the hygrometer and, your hands on the set up for autumn reproduction, so we will have sown these areas valves or on the irrigation control units. We have said many times at the end of August and now they became ready to welcome the and, we will keep repeating that every terrain has a microclimate carefully selected snails. From the corresponding fattening areas within the microclimate; therefore the physical presence in the will collect the largest number of snails destined for autumn sale farm with a critical spirit of observation is fundamental. and that’s why we need to be careful with the administration of Looking at the physiological activities that our snails perform page 32 • Technical Section
• The use of thin wooden palettes can be counterproductive food and water that allow the final growth. We definitely should precisely in presence of frost, making them like real traps or liberate the fattening areas from the small residues and place them false shelters, as happens even in summer. If the thickness of in their respective reproduction zones, so we can re-sow these the wood is greater (at least 3-4 mm) we can rest assured. And spaces in spring. These considerations about the sowing timing whoever has a quantity of cork would undoubtedly have an derive from the fact that an autumn sowing gives birth in our ideal material; climates to a plant cover that is not suitable for next summer, so the • Continue to give food as needed, without excess. snails will be born in autumn and will begin to migrate to fattening areas in spring. In summary, both reproductions, the spring or the After explaining all precautions, we can simply say the Heliciculture fall one, migrate in spring. activity requires a lot of observation by the breeder. Only with time If you followed the reasoning well, you are probably wondering how each one of us, in his own space and his own microclimate inside is it possible to stay on schedule for spring reproduction 2021 if the microclimate, will be able to understand how to meet the needs first I have to migrate all snails to the fattening areas before sowing of his snails and consequently refine his activities according to the reproduction area, which means arriving to mid-June before what nature tells us, but we must know how to observe. having an adequate vegetation? The answer is: “let’s use anti-bird I wish good work and an excellent harvest to all my fellow and shade covers!” In this way we can avoid the abundant poultry heliculturists.
fauna present on the Island and, thank to the shading, we can take advantage of the summer as a reproductive period. By guaranteeing the maintenance of temperature and humidity conditions compatible with such physiological activity, we will have an increase in the pasture of the new born snails even in mid-summer which will allow us to have small snails of discrete dimensions in autumn. Other fundamental operations to be done in the autumn period: The cleaning of drainage canals from rainwater probably rich in herbs that could prevent the flow after the abundant and unpredictable autumn rainfall caused by clashes between hot and cold air that are occurring with greater intensity each time due to the tropicalization of the Mediterranean climate; • The sowing or transplanting of new abundant food of all kinds, it would always be better to dedicate plenty of space in the company for this purpose so we don’t have to depend on the supply from third parties, that can sometimes be discontinuous; • I also use symbiotic mushrooms in this period; • Repair the damaged nets, poles and palettes; • Cleaning the external perimeters of the farm; • Control of eventual rodents by using traps inside or baits only outside the perimeters, as well as the presence of cats.
The fundamental operations for the winter period are:
• Accompanying the snails towards a period of stagnation, even if not total. It means avoiding to keep the snails in activity by force, with abundant irrigations in the months of January and February, during which occasional frosts may occur and compromise the survival of the smaller ones if not well sheltered; • Possible use of non-woven fabrics for short periods; page 33 • Technical Section
NEWS FROM THE INSTITUTE.
The End of Year Promotions on the Easy Install Elix Net and Seeds.
As every year, the institute offers its heliculturists a discount of 10% on nets and seeds in order to facilitate the programming of work. In the panorama of continuous research and experimentation that the technicians of the Institute perform daily, in order to improve the performance of the farm and facilitate the work, even the Helitex net has evolved. The Helitex net, launched in spring and already installed by numerous heliculturists in the 2020/2021 season, presents the new buttonhole reinforced by a pre-inserted high resistance nylon hoop, making the operation of inserting the iron wire to install the net on hooks a simple memory the positioning of the net therefore becomes immediate, intuitive and even cheaper. The patented weaving and, the guarantee of resistance to atmospheric agents and to the snail’s mucus, remain unchanged, as well as the shading power and the internal crags opposed to gravity to limit the escape of snails. The measures of a single roll are 105 meters long ad 1 meter in height, sufficient for an effective closing of a standard fence of 45 meters without waste or cuts.
Technical Training in the Field. ON THE JOB Course: Upcoming Events.
Despite the very complicated year that we are all going through, the DPCM have not prevented (even in periods of red zone) trainings or professional courses. Therefore, the technical training in the field ON THE JOB remains active: two days dedicated to technical training in the field. The first day is dedicated to the construction of an enclosure and to all the phases of the net placement, bedding of the soil, sowing, introduction of the breeding stock and feeding. The second day is dedicated to deepen the techniques of product purging and packaging and, the labeling and assigning procedures. We also discuss in details all commercial and fiscal information, the relation with the ASL and the possibility of creating a gastronomic and cosmetic line in private label. The cost of the On The Job training is €400 + VAT per farm, with a maximum of 3 participants per farm. From now till January there will be three courses on the calendar: in December the first opportunity will be Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10, while the courses of January will be on the 13, 14 and 27,28 of the month.
For information and registration: 0172.489382 – [email protected] page 34 • Technical Section
MULLER ONE PLUS More than a Restyling, a New Machine. Our Muller One represented the system that revolutionized the production methods of slime and, at the same time, provided a decisive boost to increase the quality level of snail slime-based products that are in trade. Muller One Plus is the fruit of continuous research, in which the Institute is committed everyday, with the ambition of proposing a cutting-edge technology to our heliculturists to guarantee successful results.
Snail slime represents the future of our industry, and this is not because the food production is going through a period of crisis. On the contrary, the reason we consider snail slime strategic lies in its unique characteristics and in the possibility of using it in many valuable areas, in the size of demand, or for its application in products that guarantee a great profitability. Having this concept clear means insisting in a determined way to improve all aspects that contribute to obtaining a quality raw material. Over time we have put our hand on the whole process, doing an increasingly accurate selection of the snails we use, implementing cleaning and sanitizing systems to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination and, improving the stages of extraction to which the snails are subjected. We are convinced that the heart of all this is however the Mullerone machinery: the system that revolutionized the production methods of slime and, at the same time, provided a decisive boost to increase the quality level of snail slime-based • The control software update of the entire process. products that are in trade. For this reason we have focused on R&D activities dedicating considerable resources and a lot of • A careful intervention in the choice of materials that do time to complete a profound restyling of the MullerOne. not allow the release of heavy metals in the slime. The new machinery hides a lot of innovation under its shell, even if it looks like the old machinery we know. • The complete renewal of the safety systems of the machinery, to ensure maximum security to the operator. Among the many things, the most important are: • Treatment of the collection tanks coatings, to facilitate • Improvement of the nebulization, a more homogeneous the descent and collection of slime. distribution in the spraying phases of the snails (from awakening to sanitization, up to stimulation). In addition to all these changes we are also happy to have finally finished the complete diagnostic project and, through • A more powerful and effective pump system to improve a widespread system of sensors capable of a full integration the cleaning/ sanitizing phases. with the systems of production, to have achieved the Industry 4.0 standards. The new MullerOne won’t just allow a remote control, but rather, a punctual data collection on all operating parameters, a dialogue with the dedicated CPU that records information sends alerts and monitors the correct process operation. The fact of meeting the requirements of Industry 4.0 allows to take advantage of important concessions and, to improve the economic return on investment (for information you can contact the International Institute of Heliciculture directly). page 35 • Technical Section
MULLER SMART The Little Extractor Little that Promise Many Satisfaction.
The investment in R&D has led us to try to satisfy an increasingly insistent request from the heliculturists with farms between 10 and 20 enclosures. That’s how the Muller Smart was born: an extractor of snail slime built according to the same principles as the traditional product and with the most recent technological innovations (see article MullerOne Plus), but in a reduced format.
Over the last 4 years, since we launched the MullerOne It is a machine of smaller dimensions, characterized by a single machine, we were dedicated to the production and sale of a dome capable of containing 12 kg of snails for the extraction single model, the traditional one with two domes that you all (unlike the 10 kg of the large domes of MullerOne), from which know. it will be possible to obtain 1,750 kg of slime each extraction The choice was dictated by the fact that there is an unknown process. market to be discovered, and it was necessary to understand We have thought of MullerSmart for everyone who wants to what would be the response of the heliculturists who are called embrace the entrepreneurial philosophy of the CMC system to take u the challenge of the future in the snail-breeding and diversify his business, starting from a small farm of 10 to world. The response was there and it was enthusiastic. 20 enclosures. During the informative days, many questions are dedicated to With MullerSmart we managed to limit the size of the investment, this topic. And during the following weeks, people continue to while making it possible to benefit from the opportunities of ask about more insights. this sector in order to take the path of diversification. It often happens that the extension of the field does not allow the development of an important farm, and therefore limits the number of enclosures. In these cases, the investment to purchase the machinery becomes disproportionate to the initial one, also due to the difficulty of obtaining and adequate production that meets the production capacity of MullerOne. We have therefore worked to solve this problem and satisfy an increasing demand. We are pleased to launch the new product that will enlarge the family of MullerOne. Let’s talk about the brand new Muller Smart! An extractor of snail slime built according to the same principles as the traditional product and with the most recent technological innovations (see article MullerOne Plus), but in a reduced format. page 36 • Our Heliciculturists
THE STORIES OF OUR HELICULTURISTS ARE OUR STORY AND THE MOST AUTHENTIC AND PRECIOUS TESTIMONIAL.
Bio Helix Tuscia of Andreina Pasquali. Caprarola, Viterbo. CMC in Lazio. to make a qualitative leap and develop the snail slime extraction project. In 2020 she bought her MullerOne, closing the circle with the same enthusiasm that brought her to the world of heliciculture. The future is made of other goals and important dreams that we can’t wait to tell you about.
In this issue we are happy to present a farm that has developed and important project in a zone that represents for us an area of strategic development. We are at the center of Italy, in Lazio, in the wonderful province of Viterbo. Andreina Pasquali founded Bio Helix Tuscia in 2019 in the municipality of Caprarola and, entered the family of CMC heliculturists. The path that brought her closer to our world was completely “random”, because she was only trying to calm a simple curiosity. In fact, Andreina received for free a sample of snail slime product and, contrarily to what happened with the traditional ones, this one was efficient; which made her curious to know more. Step by step she found the numerous proposals on the Internet From Tesori d’Italia Network that invite you to start the adventure of breeding gastronomy snails. Andreina Pasquali is Councilor for Public and Urban Works After a rigorous research for details and information, she visited and, an agricultural entrepreneur. From the love of nature and our website, evaluated the credentials and in the end the selection the passion for quality cosmetics, Helix Tuscia was born, an lead her to our CMC system. agricultural company for snail breeding. She participated in our informative days at the beginning 2019 Hence the idea of creating a line of beauty care products based on and, given that she is lucky to own her land, she started the snails slime. Used in very ancient times, this substance produced project immediately. by snails has the real boom in the mid 80s when, in Chile, it The farm is immersed in a context of blooming nature and near was noted that those who raised these animals for food market Lake Vico. possessed and extraordinary soft and velvety skin. Andreina Caprarola is a small town of 5500 inhabitants, but offers large takes us in her property to discover her particular world. Here horizons and a history that feed generous ambitions, as evidenced the snails are raised in a complete natural cycle, to be stimulated by the wonderful and imposing Palazzo Farnese. later to secretion with the ozone method, in order to obtain a Determination is the distinctive trait of Andreina, who wanted to high quality product without casing them any stress. pursue the desire for a new project and recover a more intense relationship with nature, and that’s why she immediately decided page 37 • Our Heliciculturists
THE CHIOCCIOLA ETNEA LE TRE CHIOCCIOLE OF OF CARMELA ROMEO VALENTINO, MARTA AND ELENA TRECASTAGNI BELPASSO, ROSSETTO. CATANIA. CMC IN SICILY. SOSSANO, VICENZA.
“Le Tre Chiocciole” is a project that evokes the enthusiasm that characterized the beginning of our innovation path, when we started talking about the need to change the approach to heliciculture and think of a new model oriented toward entrepreneurship. We explained the need to consider the breeding farms more than a simple primary production of products, but rather, a fundamental piece from which it’s possible to develop many market opportunities. We drew the profile of the best interpreters of our philosophy and, according to the first experiences, applauded the stories of the families who have managed to welcome this challenge by enhancing the best features of each one. The ability to have a specific role in the organization, done with humility and the willingness to provide others with the needed support, is the winning key. It’s the case of the three young Rossetta brothers, Chiara, Another significant snapshot of the heliculturists’ world captures Valentino and Marta, who with the support of their parents the face and the story of a woman: Carmela Romeo is the soul of decided to “do something together”, and found in heliciculture the the “Chiocciola Etnea” project. answer to their desire to work together. We are obviously in Sicily, with the volcano in the background They are still at their first season but they have already showed of the farm, helping to indicate the seasons cycle; the white and a lot of talent; they immediately managed to achieve incredible snowy summit marks the winter season, while the uniform color results in terms of quality and quantity of production. Their announces the summer phase. attention and their will to do well were amplified by the fact that Carmela approached the world of heliciculture in 2012, because they followed the indications of the Institute technicians and the after loosing her job she started a broad relocation search, CMC regulations, developing important skills in a very short time. considering even the opportunities in the agricultural field. She Their farm is one of the best ever and, that’s why, the international was intrigued by some promotions about snail breeding, so she Institute of Heliciculture chose them to be actively involved in discussed with her husband Nino, and thus the seed of curiosity the promotion of the CMC system. They have become another was germinated. point of reference for CMC in the area and, for this, the possibility In 2013 she becomes a mother again and the chances of moving to compare with them, visit their farm and collect the stories of become hard with a little child. That’s why in 2016, it was Nino their experience will be an added value for all those who wish to who came to participate in our fist informative day in Cherasco; undertake the same path. and in 2017 he first came to Cherasco and then went to Cava de Tirreni. They also considered the offers of our Sicilian competitors but, in the end, they were convinced by our methods and organization. By the end of 2018 they found the right land and started the works of construction that ended in 2019 with a farm that covers 8600 square meters. They started immediately with the marketing activity and reached to the restaurants in the area to get them involved, promoting the theme of quality and the opportunities of the supply chain. They used social platforms to boost visibility, a dedicated Facebook page to promote all initiatives and an advertising campaign on the local networks. Their development project integrates the world of heliciculture with the products of the earth and, therefore, their commercial offer also contained an oil obtained from the 700 trees of their land, delicious figs of India and Aloe Vera. The latest development is the opening of the “Rocca Della Rosa” farm in the municipality of Zafferana Etnea. Built in the 19th century style, it has 6 rooms and the restaurant service is fully stocked from the seasonal vegetables growing in the glasshouse like tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. The garden, with more than 600 cherry trees, and many others like chestnut and Kaki, allows the supply of delicious first fruits. page 38 • Our Heliciculturists
The Senegal of Maxifra. A story in pictures.
The first story we want to tell about the diffusion of the CMC system abroad is the story of MAXIFRA (read with an accent on the last vowel…). A story with unique features that arouses curiosity because it speaks of a phenomenon different from everything we are used to hear. It is about the choice of 4 very young friends who decided to make the reverse journey and, starting from Milan, built their own project in the African continent. As they tell us in the presentation video (which you can watch on the HELIX WORLD TV – Helix world channel), after a trip to Senegal, the desire was born to find a way to develop an entrepreneurial project there; in the evaluation phase they participated in our informative days and, after careful analysis, they began planning the details. Sharon, Francesco, Simone and Mactar set up then the MAXIFRA Company, bought a land of seven hectares and started construction work on a large helical farm. In the first phase, the farm will cover an area of 3 hectares but the intentions are to expand rapidly over the entire available area. In the images in the video you can observe the work progress of the farm construction: the initial leveling of the field, the well, the reservoir, the tillage and milling phases, the warehouse, the laying of the perimeter and the irrigation system. It is a challenge that opens the doors to a new road and offers the opportunity for the development of an alternative economy to a whole new market. page 39 • Social Projects
COLLABORATION WITH EXAR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN THE FIELD OF ACTIVE LABOR POLICIES.
EXAR is an assembly of people, companies, public and institutional corporations and companies with whom we share the necessity to liberate the potential of people that are qualified sometimes too quickly as “on the margins”.
aimed at philanthropic actions, and at the cultural, civil and economical development, to which they dedicate a part of their heritage. The second, however, is a private company that has focused its development on active labor policies, Diversity management and Social Innovation. We had an operational role welcoming the people, who have lived the drama of escaping one’s country of origin, the real difficulty of extreme misery, the painful condition of an unstable hope and the absence of their loved ones comfort. One of the most distinctive traits of our model, that we have Listening to the tales and live stories that are so different from always promoted and has now found its placement within the our realities and conditions pushed us toward a commitment manifest of Helical Economy, is represented by the continuous that, at the beginning, was outside of our perimeter. effort dedicated to quality educational projects, the attention We therefore made ourselves available to welcome and train to social projects and by the commitment characterized by the four guys, all with similar stories, that we have introduced to solidarity towards situations of fragility. the world of heliciculture and to the management of industrial In this issue we want to tell you about our last two experiences, transformation processes of the product. which were pursued with determination and offered us authentic The idea was to transfer some skills but we realized that their emotions. contribution could become substantial: a familiar atmosphere The first one deserves an introduction and a step back. was born and, after few weeks, the first nicknames: Dee Jay, The 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, of which the writer has a Obama, Nana and Ciuku, became recurring and familiar. wonderful memory for having experienced them firsthand as The project consists of training professionals, developing the a volunteer, provided for the traditional construction of the opportunity of motivation as a liberation path and, a qualified Olympic village that was occupied for a few years after the event offer to answer the demand that comes from our sector. by families of migrants and asylum applicants, due to the housing We are convinced that we can reach the goal and be a partner emergency back then. that can contribute in a concrete way to shorten the distance It was an extraordinary situation that was tolerated for as long as with the society needs and the expectations of people in possible, but at some point, it was resolved with the evacuation difficulty that have the potential of becoming ambassadors and the beginning of a specific integration project in which the of the CMC heliciculture in their countries of origin. most attentive energies of Turin were participating. The Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and the EXAR Solutions Company that were participating in the project, involved us to become an active part in the solution of a central problem in the political and social debate. The first is one of the most authoritative foundations from banking origins, which has developed a structured mission page 40 • Social Projects
PROJECT WELCOME UNHCR. WORKING FOR REFUGEE INTEGRATION.
As of 2017, UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) has decided to assign recognition to the companies in Italy that are committed to favoring work integration processes of the beneficiaries of international protection. Such recognition happens every year by assigning the logo “Welcome. Working for refugee integration”. Through the display of the logo, companies pursue together with the UNHCR, a two-fold objective:
• To adhere to an inclusive society model, prevent and combat Xenophobia and racism towards asylum seekers and the beneficiaries of international protection; • Take a part of responsibility in building a society that is more sensitive to the needs of those who were obliged to leave their home country due to wars, conflicts and persecutions. Chiara Cardoletti, UNHCR representative in Italy, Vatican city On November 10, the UNHCR awarded the logo “Welcome. and San Marino, said: “ the Made in Italy reflects not only Working for refugee integration” to 121 companies for products of the highest quality, but also social values such as having favored the professional integration of refugees and hospitality and diversity, and that Italian entrepreneurship is for supporting their integration process in Italy. In this third capable of inspiring the world not only commercially but also on award edition, UNHCR assigned the logo “We welcome” to 52 human level.” organizations, foundations, NGO, trade unions and employment services that, for various reasons, have worked to promote the This project and these statements fall fully within the perimeter integration of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international of the philosophy that inspired the Helical Economy Manifest. A protection, in the labor market. hybrid business and social attention are two pillars of the project that we are carrying out and that we started to build from within With the assignment of these two quality logos, UNHCR wanted our organization through the collaboration with EXAR Social to certify the contribution of the winning entities to a more Value Solutions, with the ambition of promoting it through our inclusive society towards those who have been forced to run organization. away from wars, violence and persecutions. On the next edition of the awards organized by UNHCR, we would love to go on stage and receive that recognition.
P.S. For stories, materials and other useful tools for promoting the project and the exchange of good practices, visit the website welcome.unhcr.it page 41 • Social Projects
THE SALESIAN SCHOOL MEETS CHIOCCIOLA METODO CHERASCO.
In February 2020, just before the of a small educational farm, in addition to the training courses stagnation of the whole world, in On The Job. one of our informative days, we met Unfortunately, due the lockdown and the closing of the Don Marco Casanova, Director of schools, the students were unable to participate in the the Salesian school in Lombriasco; preparation of the land and the construction of the farm, but a school that welcomes hundreds of the director and some teachers took care of it. students between middle school and Even the beginning of this school year did not allow a Agrarian Institute. continuous education but, sooner or later, they too will be By participating, he told us, he wanted to satisfy his persona curiosity actively involved to experiment heliciculture in the integrated and the need to find alternatives to traditional teaching methods. dimension of the school farm. The story of our approach to the land, of the search fro new tools This pilot project, in addition to the concrete possibility of to enhance resources, of the commitment to respect sustainability carrying out a training course for young people who have and promote it incessantly, of the culture of the supply chain and the chosen a path that goes with our thematic, offers a great vision towards social aspects, has broken through the fertile soil of diffusion opportunity through the Salesian schools network. his sensitivity. The ambition is to succeed to export the CMC system and its An intense relationship was born and, faced with the desire to offer model of values to Italy and all the world realities where the the students of the Agrarian institute a project on snail breeding, Salesians operate. we decided to take a step further than our usual availability and, we therefore made ourselves available to offer the construction material THE CAMBALACHE ASSOCIATION TRANSFORMS ITS SNAILS INTO THE FIRST PRIVATE LABEL FOOD PRODUCTS! The Cambalache association became part of the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco family in 2019 with @My Job project; a model for promoting the social and labor inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees. The heliciculture plant located in Borgoratto is part of the agricultural center managed by Cambalache, a training space for youngsters and vulnerable people at risk of marginalization. Through various social inclusion projects, it hosts professional training courses and workshops and, offers the possibility of training through internship and volunteering paths. Last autumn, they introduced the breeders and, few days ago, they inaugurated their Food Line that can arrive on your table today. Their CMC snails of complete natural cycle are now available in three different recipes, produced and packaged for Cambalache by the Lumacheria Italiana: Chiocciole al Sugo di Campagna, Chiocciole alla Diavola and Chiocciole Trifolate. And like all their products, the snail jar has a much higher value than its excellent content. @My Job is in fact a social heliciculture project that combines the Bee My Job Model of social inclusion and, the Cherasco Method created by our institute, based on the centrality of the natural habitat, the exclusive vegetarian nutrition and minimally invasive breeding. Where to buy @My Job snails? On e-commerce: https://www.cambalache.it/store/ In the shop, in Piazzetta Monserrato 8 (Alessandria), from Monday till Friday from 9.30 to 12.30, or on Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 15 to 17.30. page 42 • Chioccio Food
STARRED RECIPES, EXALTATION OF THE CHIOCCIOLA METODO CHERASCO THE PROPOSAL OF MAURILIO GAROLA.
We share with our readers the symbolic recipe of HELIX2020 by chef Maurilio Garola from La Ciau del Tornavento in Treiso. Choosing to make use of the creativity and wisdoms of chefs like Maurilio is yet another confirmation that The kitchen of the Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco can and must be considered a raw material of Ciau del Tornavento excellence and should be celebrated as such.
“The snail will give dignity to people, create new jobs and, above all it will spark off new international synergies.” In our fast world, investing in the snail imposes a slowdown: understanding, even before the exaltation, of the various uses in the kitchen, cosmetics and medicine, is the basis of a new economy model. HELIX2020 is the first event dedicated to the Helical economy founded on three cornerstones: man, digital, earth.
The helix2020 dinners launched a unique format, which allowed the direct diffusion of contents that were still not very accessible: the narration of the agri-food chains directly through its main protagonists including historical producers, representatives of regional public entities and great entrepreneurs who have made the history of the Langhe. Before the seated dinner, an introductory part of the tasting by passage allowed those present and those who connected via streaming to enjoy chats and awards, interacting with the protagonists and enjoying the specialties presented.
On Friday 25 September the Gala dinner was held at “La Ciau del Tornavento” in Treiso, with the renowned star Maurilio Garola, he officially kicked off the event with an introductory speech by Simone Sampò and the first award ceremony of the Golden Snail: Liliana Allena, President of the Alba Truffle Fair, Alberto Cirio President of the Piedmont region, and Maurilio Garola himself Maurilio Garola’s cuisine with the collaboration of Marco Lombardo, who has been proclaimed “Ambassador of the Cherasco Method”. surrounded by young promises, will rock you among mixed Piedmontese classics, some transalpine incursions and a good dose of During the Grand Gala, Maurilio wanted to celebrate the maritime components, all well mixed and calibrated, with the highest Chiocciola with an extraordinary recipe that we are happy to offer quality of products and above all a particular attention to home made. you here below, the CMC snail stewed with Cervere leeks with thin foie gras slices. Garola loves the flavors of tradition, he makes his Michelin star shine on the products of the Langhe, but he has in his heart the passion for fish that inspires his creativity, allows him to enhance the taste that brings the palate along the coasts of Italy. The attention to the choice of quality raw material is an imperative at La Ciau del Tornavento; it is such for fish but also for other products, with the meat that should be carefully selected and strictly from Zero Kilometers (local). Among the specialties on the table there are also offal, entrails and then those typical products that are the business card for the Piedmont region, like the truffles.
“Here the customer must feel like at home”, Maurilio and Nadia say. A philosophy also shared with Marco and Cecilia who work alongside them. La Ciau del Tornavento not only offers its guests a lunch or dinner to remember but also a series of tricks that make it a unique place.
Piazza Baracco, 7 - 12050 Treiso (CN) Tel. +39 0173 638333 www.laciaudeltornavento.it pagina 40 • Chioccio Food page 43 • Chioccio Food
CHERASCO SNAILS WITH CERVERE LEEKS, POTATO FONDANT AND SMOKED FOIE GRAS SLICES © Of Maurilio Garola Ambassador of the Chiocciola 2020
Ingredients for 4 persons
For the Cherasco snails stewed with Cervere leeks 300 g of Cherasco snails purged and boiled in court-bouillon 50 g of Cervere leeks 40 g of white wine Vegetable broth 30 g of grated Parmigiano Reggiano 30 g of butter Extra virgin olive oil Salt
For the potato fondant 100 g of potatoes 100 g of vegetable broth 100 g of milk 50 g extra virgin olive oil Salt
For the presentation 150 g smoked duck foie gars, cut into strips 30 g of pesto Maldon salt
Clean and stew the leeks with a drizzle of oil, slat and broth. Add the snails then steamed with white wine, cover with broth and cook for 10 minutes. Seasoned with salt. Stirred in butter and Parmesan. In a saucepan, boil the potatoes with oil, broth and milk until completion. Salt and blend them in a full immersion blender. Serve the snails with the potato fondant and s few drops of pesto. Place the slices of foie gars over the snails and add some grains of Maldon salt.
The cellar of Ciau del Tornavento
Hollowed out in the tuff of the hill, the cellar holds more than 65,000 bottles from 450 producers for a total of about 5400 labels from all over the world, thus offering one of the most complete wine lists in Italy. The cellar houses wines from 13 countries, with a special attention paid to the home territory: the Langhe, of which the cellar collects a very wide selection. This is why it is now a point of reference for all producers in this area. Half of the collection is made u of Barolo and Barbaresco, but also from the famous reds of Piemonte and Tuscany, while whites from various Italian regions make up about a tenth of the cellar. And not to forget the French chateaux, which represent 10% of the total and, the most prestigious labels mainly from the old continent. page 44 • Chioccio Food
THE CHIOCCIOLA METODO CHERASCO INTERPRETED BY THE TWO MICHELIN STARS OF MICHELANGELO MAMMOLITI.
Underground: Bisalta potato mousseline, CMC snails, sage infusion.
Replicating the recipe of a two Michelin stars chef like in an iron plate lined with baking paper and smoke them in the Michelangelo Mammoliti is definitely not a child’s game. barbecue (possibly in ceramic) for 5 minutes with hazelnut wood Get inspired by the description below and if you need help (in autumn). In a saucepan, stew the leeks with the butter and then add the potatoes and the broth. Cook for 40 minutes until connect to the Kitchen Channel of Helixworld.tv: maybe the broth is completely absorbed. Blend with the food processor the result won’t be the same but observing and getting for 3 minutes at maximum power. In a small saucepan, warm influenced by the work of high-level chef is a unique the cream and add the potato mousseline. Season with salt, add experience not just for the palate but, also for the eyes. pepper and cover with plastic wrap. Clean and remove the root ends of the Chanterelles, keep the scraps for other preparations. In a pan, pour a drizzle of oil, add the poached garlic, rosemary and chanterelles. Sweat quickly, deglaze with Savagnin, add salt and immediately place the mushrooms on a Japanese plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper. Eliminate the rosemary and garlic. Regenerate the snails with broth, let it get reduced and use part of the cooking liquid to regenerate the quinoa as well. Arrange a spoonful of quinoa on the plate, place the snails, the potato mousseline and dried porcini powder. Add the chanterelles and decorate like you wish.
Clean the mushrooms and arrange them on the oven plate. Put them in a preheated oven at 120°C for 40 minutes to eliminate the bacterial load. After the sterilization period, place them inside a vacuum bag, pour in the water and cook in the oven, steam mode, at 90°C for 12 hours. Filter them and keep them cool. Rinse the quinoa under running water to eliminate the saponin present in it. Pour oil in a pan, add the quinoa and the underground extraction, salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes. Spread the quinoa on a ½ cm baking sheet, let it cool and then store it in a container. Clean the sage and arrange it with the butter and salt in a vacuum bag. Store at room temperature. In a saucepan, pour the broth and reduce it to 250 ml. Clean the sage and add it to the reduced broth. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes covered with a food plastic wrap. Filter and add the sage and salt butter from the vacuum bag. Heat and emulsify the sauce to a 65°C temperature before serving.
For the Chiocciole Metodo Cherasco Wash and clean all the vegetables and sage. Reduce the vegetables to a 4mm brunoise. Put a knob of butter in a saucepan and then add the brunoise and salt. Let it sweat for 5 minutes on high heat. Add the snails and the sage. Stew for 10 minutes. Pour in the broth and cook for 4 hours with the id on. Add salt and when cooked, add pepper. Clean the potatoes and leeks. Arrange them in a pan, with a base of coarse salt. Bake them in a preheated oven at 160°C for an hour and a half. Peel and cut into a 4.5 cm mirepoix. Arrange them pagina 40 • Chioccio Food page 45 • Chioccio Food
THE CHIOCCIOLA BRINGS LUCK TO PASQUALE LAERA WHO WAS AWARDED A MICHELIN STAR
For our institute he has prepared and added on the menu a dish Mine is an insatiable hunger to discover that is an extraordinary encounter between the sea and the earth, an alchemy of flavors that have the charm of the sea of Puglia, that Pasquale has known since he was a child, and the that of the Langa hills that welcomed him. Pasquale Laera Risotto with CMC snails, sea snails and toasted lemon.
A new Michelin star in the world of the Langa cuisine, awarded to the restaurant Borgo Sant’Anna in Monforte d’Alba led by chef Pasquale Laera. Puglian by birth and Piedmontese by adoption, born in 1988, Laera after having been in the kitchen of master Antonino Cannavacciuolo at Villa Crespi, arrived in Langa at the Boscareto Resort, receiving the star in 2014 with La Rei restaurant.
Now he has relighted it at a short distance away, thanks to the new adventure at Borgo Sant’Anna that began a year ago with the Maître Fabio Mirici Cappa. His cuisine celebrates the meeting between North and South, between the scents of the sea and the flavors of the Langhe, in a place that has always been a crossroads of contaminations that however never manage to undermine that proud sense of belonging to the land that is typical of the Langhe. Immersed in a magical and welcoming atmosphere, at Borgo Sant’Anna the passed down knowledge and the farmer’s flavors are revisited, mixing styles and ingredients to create something, yet familiar.
Simone Sampò met Pasquale Laera during the weeks dedicated to HELIX2020 and in a long chat with the hills of Monforte as a backstage, the two shared their passion for cooking and raw materials contaminated by a new and fascinating use, that only who knows and recognizes flavors and where they come from, can give. Discover the recipe on the channel Helix Kitchen of HELIXWORD.TV page 46 • Chioccio Food
THE TRATTORIA DAL PAGANO WHERE CHEF LEONARDO NACCARELLI GOES “FULL SNAIL”
Since 1987 the Trattoria dal Pagano, located in the heart of the Maiella National Park, delights its guests with all the best typical specialties of the Abruzzo cuisine and the DOC wines of the area. To go to Palombaro in the province of Chieti is to make a journey that enhances the flavors and beauties of the Maiella territory. dough, and then served with a sauté made of sweet pepper, garlic and tomato. Some raw olive oil, and the dish is finished. What to say? From a phone call, was born a love for this activity and the desire to offer guests an authentic experience of taste and flavor. We can’t wait to get back to normal, to organize a culinary trip and taste the Chiocciole all’Abruzzese in person.
LEONARDO NACARELLI was born in Guardiagrele in 1975, and has always lived in Palombaro in Via Pagani 13 where the Trattoria dal Pagano is also located. Graduated as a cook in 1995, he took over the family business in 1997 as owner of the Trattoria dal Pagano. Here he puts into practice the teachings given by the master cooks of Villa Santa Maria and the work experiences outside the region. Trattoria dal Pagano was born in 1987 in Palombaro, as a small Since 2009 he has been collaborating with the Majella National Park family-run business and the vocation to offer customers the Authority on the “Cultivating Biodiversity” project, - The objectives authenticity of the typical dishes of the Abruzzo gastronomic are to recover, conserve and enhance autochthonous agricultural culture. varieties, favoring qualifying interventions with an eye on sustainable The distinctive feature has always been the careful selection of and durable development. The research carried out in the area led to raw materials and, above all, the choice of the great flours that the rediscovery of numerous local varieties still guarded by farmers. have made it possible to produce the best pasta in the world. To promote conservation, a network of Guardian Farmers of the Park The strictly seasonal vegetables come from their own garden, as has been set up to cultivate and market varieties. well as cold meats and sausages. Even for the choice of meat, they identified the local suppliers and, only those who can guarantee the highest quality were chosen. It is an extremely appreciated restaurant and in fact the customers reviews greatly reward the ability to enhance traditional dishes, the captivating interpretation of the recipes, the quality and the generous passion. One of the most proposed and distinctive dishes on the menu are the Chiocciole all’Abruzzese, which we were told about: After the purging phase, the snail is extracted from the shell and deprived of the spiral. Then it goes in a boiling phase for 15 minutes and sautéed in a pan with the aromas (thyme, marjoram and savory). To give it some character, they add chili pepper and an inevitable steam of white wine. The next step is the enrichment with crumbled stale bread and Parmesan. The shells are then filled again with 2/3 pulp and the prepared page 47 • ANE 2021
IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOUR ANE REGISTRATION FOR THE YEAR 2021. The ANE National Association of Heliculturists brings together all the heliculturists on the national soil that use the complete natural cycle breeding system Chiocciola Metodo Cherasco, promoted and spread by the International Institute of Heliciculture. The annual fee is € 120 amd must be renewed by January 31, 2021 in order to enjoy the services that are confirmed every year for members only.
Being ANE associates guarantees the heliculturists that follow the CMC disciplinary the following services:
• The withdrawal of production • Use of the CMC trademark, which guarantees that the meat and slime were produced in Italy by farms that follow the Complete Natural Cycle Method promoted by the International Institute of heliciculture. • Gastronomic Private Label: the ANE heliculturist has the opportunity to create a gastronomic line under his own brand, using the consultancy, assistance and production of the certified company Lumacheria Italiana. • Cosmetic Private Label: the ANE heliculturist can either be a sales agent for S’Agapò products or produce his own brand of cosmetics that can be imposed on the market at more competitive prices. The Private Label Line is in fact ideal for some commercial circuits such as markets, fairs, private E-Commerce channels or direct sales. • Recognition by the Accident Plan: the registration to ANE includes an accident insurance policy, issued and managed by the company GENERALI Italia S.p.a. • Being part of the ANE also means being part of a network of heliculturists who share a common breeding project. Fill in and send this coupon, even photocopied, together with the amount to be paid, by bank check or transfer, Banco Azzoaglio Branch of Bra IBAN: IT25S0342546040000240113452 TO: Associazione Nazionale Elicicoltori – Corso Luig Einaudi, 40 – 12062 Cherasco (CN) [email protected]
YEAR 2021 - 120,00 Euro RENEWAL NEW PARTNER Name and Surname Address Postcode City Tel e-mail Eventual title of the company Farm Location Breeded species Total surface in sq.m used for breeding (including the area used for sowing the supplementary food) = mq. Breeding start year page 48 • For the little ones THE CHILDREN’S PAGE! #ilfuturoèchiocciola FIND THE DIFFERENCES
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