3 - news 2003

SlowFoodMasterItalianCookingNews,no.1,yearII,May2003

SCHOOL OF ITALIAN REGIONAL COOKING

Jesi • Italy

•S low Food

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Elica Collection. Concave.

Perché non è una cappa

da cucina. È un'altra vita.

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A R O M A T E R A P I A .

La Nuova Agenzia di Michael Göttsche.

contents

One, ten, a hundred different dishesGianfranco Mancini 2

The students comment... 4

The dishes, their history, their traditions 6

A universe between two seasMarisa Gigliotti 10

General Program 13

Weekly Work Plan 16

Regional Cooking Programs 18

The use of herbs in Italian cooking 20

Professional cooking utensils The SAPS Association 22

Taste testing 24

Inauguration of the School 26

Our expert cooksOur internship restaurants 28

To Convivium Leaders 30

A wonderful fish soup: brodetto 32

Cover: Natura morta con tavola imbandita, frittata e paneCarlo Magini(Fano, 1720-1806)

1

Master Italian Cooking NewsMAGAZINE OF THE ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI GASTRONOMIA

Editorial DirectorGianfranco Mancini

Editorial StaffPaolo Bellini, Stefania Cavallini, Angelo Concas, Alberto Fabbri, Armando Gambera, Carlo Gazzarrini,Marisa Gigliotti, Piergiorgio Oliveti,Francesco Pensovecchio, Federico Piemonte, Pasquale Porcelli,Vito Puglia, Gilberto Venturini.

Editorial Co-ordinationArduino Tassi

TranslationsMartha Huber Scavone

Graphics and page layoutGEI Gruppo Editoriale InformazioneElisabetta Carletti

PrintingArti Grafiche Jesine - Jesi

Advertising and administrationAssociazione Ital. Cook.via F. Conti n. 5 – 60035 JESI (AN) ItalyTel. ++39.0731.56400 Fax ++39.0731.221224Web: www.italcook.it E.mail: info@italcook.it

Recorded in the Tribunal of Ancona no. 433/02, 22.02.2002Editor-in-chief: Dino Mogianesi

ASSOCIAZIONE ITAL.COOK.Founded by Slow Food and the Town Council of Jesi

Board of DirectorsNicola Silveri, Giovanni Mancia, Simona Romagnoli.

Reviser BoardGiuliano Cerioni, Sergio Moretti, Sabrina Rotatori.

3

The first Master’s course hascome to a close and thesecond is well underway. Wegot off to a slow start, as isappropriate, after all, forfriends of the snail, so muchthe better to fine-tune theorganization and perfect theteaching program. By now ourStudents are scattered aroundItaly, each according to his orher own needs and desires, toengage in internships andfurther study.After the initial running-inperiod, which we did alongsideof the Students, our vessel issea-worthy and ready to facethe open sea. We are happy toshare with you how pleasedwe are to have accomplishedsuch an exciting project: toteach the territorial roots ofItalian food culture by firststudying and then producingthe many traditional dishes.Region by region, fromPiemonte to Puglia, fromToscana to Sicilia, as if on agreat stage, daily the best-known dishes of each area arepresented, each with its ownhistory and made with qualityingredients. Today it may bethe Trentino “canederli” inbroth, tomorrow the Campaniarice “sartù”, followed by the“tortellini” of Bologna or the“frascarelli di riso” of the

Marche and still another day,the Friuli dishes made withgoose.The richness of Italian cuisineis the fruit of a centuries-oldlayering of experiences andcross-cultural ‘contamination’(today it is called ‘fusion’).We believe that every chefwho wants to prepare Italianfood abroad in a professionalmanner must know theseroots, be familiar with thehistory behind each dish, tastethe real ingredients.Then it is also true that thesetraditional dishes must beadapted, made more modern,presented in a lighter versionto keep up with changingtastes.The work doesn’t stop here:every Monday is devoted tothemed lessons with tastingsessions in the key areas ofwine, olive oil, charcuterieproducts, cheese, bread, etc.From the beginning to the endof the Course, incessantly, theStudents have learned tasting

techniques by practicing withred and white wines, with softrind or aged cheeses, withvarieties of extra virgin oliveoil, with a panoply of salumiproducts, or experimentingwith breads.This constant exercise in learn-ing to taste and distinguish hasincreased the gustative capa-bilities of each participant andthis, too, is in line with theSlow Food philosophy whichbases its teachings on thedevelopment of one’s sensorialskills.Finally, at the end of eachweek, with the Students wevisited different factories andfacilities - from chocolate to thestuffed olives (for frying), frombalsamic vinegar in ReggioEmilia to parmigiano reggianocheese, from a home-madepasta craft industry to highquality charcuterie products.The ten weeks flew by quickly,the amount of informationimparted every day was huge,as were the number of dishesand variety of ingredients fromeach region: impressed uponthe palate and the memory ofeach participant is the verybasis of “the taste of Italy”.

The DirectorGianfranco Mancini

2

One, ten, a hundred

different dishes:

this is the taste of Italy

School of Italian Regional Cooking

Palazzo Balleani • Jesi • Italia

4 5

“At the Monday tastings (wine,

oil, salumi, cheese, bread) I

always used all five senses for

evaluating the products. I espe-

cially liked the extra virgin olive

oil tastings and I learned to

recognize the flaws (heated,

rancid, marc, winey, mould)”.

“We visited the Gabrielloni olive

mill in Recanati where they

explained the oil-making pro-

cess, hand-picking the olives,

washing and crushing them. I

understood that the olives must

be brought to the mill within a day

of being picked to prevent the

onset of fermentation”.

***“The moment finally came to sit

down with them at table; we

started by tasting four different

kinds of Gabrielloni olive oil,

quite distinct in terms of both

aroma and taste. I was most

impressed by a variety of olive

grown in the Marche which had

a very intense bitter and equal-

ly intense tangy taste.”

***“It was a very useful experience

for my work and will surely

serve me well in the future

when I choose extra virgin olive

oils for my restaurant.”

***“At the Cantina Casalfarneto I

met a wine producer who works

so conscientiously he seems to

me to be almost “obsessed” with

his Verdicchio. We tasted three

different wines and I understood

that the Verdicchio vine is very

powerful and can present itself

very differently, but always with

great character.”

***“The visit to the Cantina Bucci

made me understand the infi-

nite possibilities of expression

in a Verdicchio.

After a long ageing in casks, it

is refined in bottles for many

months. The wine is particularly

complex in flavour but remains

fresh. In my opinion, the

Verdicchio could age well over

time like a red wine.”

***During our visit to the Azienda

Leoni which produces parmi-

giano cheese I understood the

importance of the food that a

cow eats to produce good milk

and therefore good cheese. I

also learned how to recognize a

flawed wheel of cheese.”

***My experience at the Picci vine-

gar plant in Reggio Emilia was

great and I learned so many

things that I didn’t know before:

the different varieties of wood

used for the small casks, the

ageing phases for traditional

balsamic vinegar, the work of

the Consortium, the stringent

evaluation process the vinegar

undergoes before being

marketed as a guarantee to

the consumer.”

***“I didn’t know that the

Consortium was so careful and

strict. The traditional balsamic

vinegar tasting session made

me change my mind about

using this vinegar in cooking.”

***“Every week we were able to

taste quality ingredients, all dif-

ferent. I think it is interesting for

foreign cooks who prepare

Italian food to know what qual-

ity ingredients are. A good chef

must put together excellent

ingredients and his own skill.”

***“I learned so many things from

this course, but the most impor-

tant thing was to be able to

‘touch’, ‘smell’ and ‘see’ the

quality of the ingredients. I

mostly learned the technique of

tasting.”

The students

comment...

Ours is a special kind of cooking School: here we

taste Italian regional cuisine, here we learn

about different regional traditions each week, here

we learn tasting techniques for wine, olive oil, char-

cuterie products and cheeses, here the ingredients

taste different according to their land of origin.

This is how the Students commented on their

experiences.

6

Il tortellino in brodoEMILIAOne day, a beautiful lady

requested lodging at the

Locanda della Dogana in the

town of Castelfranco Emilia.

Only too happy to comply, the

host could not resist the temp-

tation to peep at her through

the key hole, just glimpsing her

lovely navel. From there came

the inspiration to create a new

type of filled pasta: the tortelli-

no. This imaginative legend

was passed down by

Alessandro Tassoni of the 17th

century in his mock-heroic

poem “La secchia rapita” (The

enraptured grind). Playful

invention aside, it is a fact that

tortellini have become a signa-

ture dish of Emilia and they

must be made by hand, with

very thin hand-rolled dough,

cooked and served in broth.

Fave e cicorie PUGLIAA dish of ancient tradition was

born in a land where crunchy

and tasty vegetables are abun-

dant, where fava beans are still

eaten today, hulled and left to

soak overnight. It is easy to

imagine how the peasants

could prepare such a meal,

even with field work to do,

because chicory greens grow

wild in the fields. The favas

were boiled and then mashed

to a purée; the chicory was

cooked separately. They were

then eaten together on the

same plate, seasoned with a bit

of good quality olive oil. It was

always a very humble dish and

yet it is still proposed today for

the combination of the three

ingredients is splendid and

lends itself to numerous varia-

tions. It can be served with red

onion and sautéed olives, with

roasted peppers, with lampa-

scioni (a wild, onion-like edible

bulb). There is no meat in this

dish which makes it an ideal

meal for those who prefer to

eat vegetarian.

La bagna caodaPIEMONTE“Bagna caoda” literally means

“warm sauce”. The main ingre-

dients are garlic, anchovy fillets

and oil. The tradition goes back

to past centuries when the

‘sauce’ was put in the center of

the table and everyone would

dip their favourite vegetables

into the dish. It was a joyous

way to eat cardoons, peppers,

onions, and Savoy cabbage, all

generally raw. In spite of deci-

dedly strong flavours, the dish

was popular from the southern

lands of the Piemonte region all

the way to the Court of the

House of Savoy in the Turin of

the mid-1700’s. The modern-

day version prefers a lighter

approach with pre-blanched

garlic, with cooked onions and

peppers, and with oil that is not

subjected to overheating.

Il couscousSICILIASicily, for its central position in

the Mediterranean Sea, has

acquired over the centuries

experiences and traditions of

many different peoples with

subsequent ‘contaminations’ of

the cuisine. The Arabs, in parti-

cular, introduced many new

ingredients such as citrus fruits,

artichokes, cane sugar, saffron,

dried pasta, spices and cous-

cous. The natural outcome is a

rich, imaginative cuisine that is

laden with fascinating aromas

and complex flavours. To make

couscous durum wheat semoli-

na is soaked and worked with

the hands to form little grains

which are then steamed in

water with oil and salt. When

cooked, the couscous can be

seasoned with meat, fish or

vegetables.

I vincesgrassi MARCHEIn the Marche the term ‘vince-

sgrassi’ identifies a particular

kind of lasagna made with

chicken giblet ragù, ground

beef, tomato and very little

white sauce. That there is

always a sprinkling of grated

parmigiano on top goes without

saying. The original version,

however, as put in writing by

The dishes, their history,

their traditions

On these pages we’ll tell you about some of the dishes studied and

prepared by the Master’s Students, under the guidance of the Instructors

invited to Jesi for the purpose of presenting the typical dishes of their own

Region; thus, each teaching Chef shows off the best his or her land has to

offer, with total respect for local traditions and placing each dish in the

historical context in which it was born.

7

8

Antonio Nebbia in 1780, did not

call for any tomato (at the time,

not yet in vogue) but rather

used ham and truffles. A more

modern version of this ‘little

lasagna recipe’ prefers less

meat, aromatic herbs, plenty of

steamed vegetables and a little

just-barely cooked tomato.

La jotaFRIULI VENEZIA GIULIAOriginally from the sub-alpine

Carnia area, this soup called

the ‘jota’ spread throughout the

Friuli region as far as the city of

Trieste, once at the heart of the

Middle-European culture

(between Italy, Slovenia and

the Habsburg Empire).

Obviously, there are numerous

variations: does one add corn-

meal or pumpkin purée to the

beans and chopped lard?

Besides lard, should one also

use bacon (pancetta)? Some

add pork rind or ribs, others

avoid adding any kind of flour,

but add barley. As can be

gathered, the dish varies great-

ly from town to town.

PizzoccheriLOMBARDIAThe Valtellina is an alpine val-

ley in the Lombard section of

the Alps, famous for its red

wines and winter holiday

venues.

In the valley the centuries-old

local custom of cultivating

buckwheat lives on. A humble

grain, once held in low esteem,

this ‘Saracen wheat’ produces

a dark grey flour.

If mixed with water and salt, but

no egg, the dough can be cut

into thick, wide and fairly short

noodles, called “pizzoccheri”.

Served with potatoes or Savoy

cabbage, plenty of cheese and

melted butter, plus a generous

grinding of black pepper, it is a

delicious mountain dish to

enjoy on cold winter days.

Bigoli e agnello d’AlpagoVENETOBigoli, or “bigoi” in dialect, so

popular in the Veneto region,

look like fat spaghetti but are

home-made, forced through a

small press. Bigoli are general-

ly made from tender wheat

bread flour, as opposed to dry

pasta which is made from

durum wheat semolina.

This pasta can be seasoned

quite simply with an onion and

anchovy sauce, but here it is

proposed with the noble

accompaniment of the Alpago

lamb. This is an exceptional

animal which roams free in the

mountains near Alpago. It

feeds on the sweet-scented

forage from mountain pastures

and grain meals. The Alpago

lamb is a Slow Food Presidium.

StrangolapretiTRENTINOThe word “strangolapreti” or

“strozzapreti”, which literally

means to strangle or ‘choke a

priest’, refers to either a soft

gnocchi-type or a dry pasta

made with coarse unrefined

flours – the thought of which

would have been horrifying to

the delicate palates of the

noble prelates of yore.

Trentino tradition traces this

pasta back to the Council of

Trent (mid-1500’s) when, for

long years, the Pope and his

bishops met in that city.

Here the ingredients are sub-

stantial and rich: white flour,

eggs, butter, milk, grana cheese

and spinach.

A spoon is used to shape the

pasta into very soft gnocchi; a

delicious dish.

BiancomangiareTOSCANAThe term (literally, “white

eating”) denotes either sweet

or savory dishes and consists

of all white ingredients such as

milk or almond flour. These

white foods were popular

during the Middle Ages in Italy

and elsewhere. Sometimes rice

flour was also used, a rare

commodity in that era, and was

customarily served in the time

before Easter during Lent,

when eating meat was forbid-

den.

For centuries biancomangiare

was considered a noble dish,

often eaten as a first course.

In this version it is presented as

a dessert.

Spaghetti con colatura di alici CAMPANIAOff the Tyrrhenian coast, just

south of Naples, fishing for

anchovies is still practised with

respectful attention to sea life.

The freshly caught anchovies,

pink in color and extraordinarily

fragrant, are put in brine and

covered with layers of salt. The

liquid which forms is collected

and filtered. This “colatura”, as

it is called, serves as an excel-

lent condiment for a plate of

Gragnano spaghetti. The con-

nection between the name of

the town and the history of the

pasta dates back to the 1700’s

when Gragnano was already

known as “the macaroni city”

and the noble tradition lives on

today, thanks to a handful of

dedicated artisans.

9

MMiiddwwaayy bbeettwweeeenntthhee ttwwoo ccooaassttss,,

this area is the most represen-

tative of the Region and the

‘Calabresi’, where the physical

characteristics of the land are

so closely linked to the history

of the place and its people with

rich and contrasting tastes.

The gastronomy is a delightful

surprise, as wonderfully rich

and fascinating as the regional

history, where the ingredients

combine and mix as in a story,

intertwining aromas, flavours

and cultures.

The basic ingredients haven’t

changed; they are starches,

legumes, vegetables, fish,

pork, olive oil, black pepper

and hot red pepper. Although

red pepper is a fairly recent

addition (only after the disco-

very of the Americas), it was

assimilated so naturally into

the Calabrian diet as to play an

essential role in the prepara-

tion of tomato sauces, charcu-

terie products, cheeses and

lately, even in chocolates, to go

back to the Arab custom of

combining sweet and spicy.

Olive oil, wine and wheat are

strong points of Calabrian cui-

sine. One of the early Greek

names given to Calabria was

‘Enotria’ (from oinos - wine)

because of the great sunny

vineyards.

The extra virgin olive oils are

very green in color with yellow

highlights and a fruity taste.

They are always used in pre-

paring dishes according to the

authentic tradition of the

Mediterranean diet.

Cheeses are varied, including

unique varieties of goat and

sheep’s milk cheeses, cow’s

milk cheeses such as provola

and caciocavallo, as well as

unusual butirri, small cheeses

with butter in the core.

Many products are made with

wheat, from bread to cuddure,

to home-made pasta (lagane,tagghiarini, cavateddi, scilated-di, maccaruni al ferretto, mac-caruni ‘e zita).Some of the most typical

dishes of Catanzaro must

include u morzheddu (eaten in

great bites in ‘pitta’), made

from beef offal cooked over a

slow fire with lots of tomato

sauce and red pepper. It is still

prepared and served in the

taverns (the ‘putiche’) of the

old town center. Another dish

to be mentioned is a tianawhich consists of tender goat

meat, peas, artichokes and

potatoes, cooked in terracotta

and oven baked till crusty.

The mountainous areas, full of

forests, yield a sizeable pro-

duction of chestnuts (also

ground for the flour) and mush-

rooms, preserved in jars and

10

Before the Greeks made their

stronghold here, the woods

were inhabited by populations

descending from the continent,

among them the Italic people,

who practised pastoral farming

and agriculture. Subsequently,

Calabria was among the most

significant areas of Magna

Graecia with rich and powerful

colonies. Among the oldest

wines we find the Cirò whose

name derives from the sacred

games of Olympus and from

the legendary epic of Ulysses.

Calabria’s cultural richness is

still very much alive in the

present-day ethnic minorities

(Occitanian, Albanian and

Southern Italian Greek) which

have retained their language,

customs and traditions.

Just as great is the heritage left

by past dominations of

Romans, Byzantines, Arabs,

Normans, and Spaniards.

The enormous variety in terms

of morphology, climate and

geology found in this land

make it a complete ‘universe’

between two seas (the

Tyrrhenian and the Ionian).

There are mountains cloaked

in forest trees and chestnut

groves, torrents and streams,

softly rounded hills dotted with

olive trees and great expanses

of citrus groves and wheat

fields as far as the eye can

see.

Calabria has the uncommon

distinction of being one of the

very few places in the world

where the bergamot orange

and the citron fruit are cultiva-

ted. The bergamot orange is

used in the cooking industry for

making liqueurs, candy and

desserts, but it is also valuable

for its essential oil used in the

perfume industry.

The citron is a large citrus fruit

with a thick rind and very little,

somewhat sour pulp; its shape

is the symbol of perfection with

marked mystical and religious

undertones.

An especially inviting aspect of

the region is its people who

have managed to preserve

intact the cult of hospitality,

now become a way of life.

C A L A B R I AC A L A B R I A

Calabria is an

extraordinary region for

the variety of the

landscape, the cultural

heritage, the

eno-gastronomic wealth.

It is a land of mountains

and a land of sea coasts,

it was the first land to be

named Italy.

To appreciate its flavours

is not possible without

first knowing the basics

of its history and

geography.

A universebetween two seas

11

At the very heart of Calabria: the lands of Catanzaro

The Provinceof Catanzaro

Assessorato

all’Agricoltura

Assessorato

al Turismo

12 13

General Program

Course Dates 2003

8 January - 14 March

25 March - 30 May

9 June - 13 August

7 October - 12 December

Course Dates 2004

7 January - 12 March

23 March - 28 May

8 June - 12 August

5 October - 10 December

Course Dates 2005

7 January - 11 March

22 March - 27 May

7 June - 12 August

4 October - 9 December

also dried for year-round use.

Other preserves (dried toma-

toes, eggplant, olives, onions,

garden vegetables) are pro-

duced by numerous qualified

companies for worldwide export.

There is still the custom of pre-

serving food in terracotta jars

called ‘lancelle’ or ‘salaturi’.

Charcuterie products, among

which the famous soppressata,

represent another food cate-

gory of particular distinction.

Raising pork and processing

and preserving its products is a

ritual handed down from father

to son in virtually every village

and town.

The Ionian and Tyrrhenian

Seas supply varieties of fish (in

particular, anchovies, sardines,

spatula fish and octopi) which

are prepared simply, following

ancient recipes. Tuna and cod

are also used and have tradi-

tional preparations which are

sometimes rather elaborate.

In terms of sweets the cupeta diMontepaone deserves special

mention. It is made from sesame

seeds, wildflower or orange

blossom honey, almonds, aro-

matic wine, citrus extracts - all

natural ingredients produced

regionally. In recent years, the

cupeta is mostly made at home,

whereas in the past it was, for

centuries, always made by

Master cupeta-makers of

Montepaone at festivals. Slow

Food has aided in renewing the

interest and relaunching artisan

production of this fine sweet.

It can be made either the tradi-

tional way with the vino cotto(aromatic wine) or in the festival

version with more honey, an ori-

ginal and unique product, quite

different from the more com-

monly found cumpettu. And

last, but not least, come the

scents of spices, of medicinal

herbs and wild grasses (‘erve e

timpa’ used in soups) wafting

through the air, an irresistible

invitation to become acquainted

with the rich heritage of tastes

which draws its strength from

an ancient and prestigious past

and never fails to entice.

C A L A B R I A

Marisa

Gigliotti

1 The courses are designed for

chefs working outside Italy who

wish to widen and improve their

knowledge of Italian cuisine. In

particular we are addressing

cooks who have completed their

training and have worked along-

side established chefs for some

time. Our aim is to provide a wide-

ranging frame of reference with

plenty of in-depth detail that will

enable cooks to interpret Italian

cuisine to the highest standards

throughout the world. Those wish-

ing to take this Master's should

thus be familiar with basic culinary

techniques.

2 The courses are held at the

Institute, which is located in

Palazzo Balleani, n. 5 via F. Conti

in Jesi, a city of 40,000 inhabitants

in the central Italian region of the

Marche. Each course lasts for ten

weeks, and those taking part will

all be able to further their experi-

ence by specializing for a few

months or even a year with

restaurants associated with Slow

Food throughout Italy. They will

thus come into direct contact with

restaurateurs specialized in meat

or fish dishes, from North to

South, comprising a whole range

of particular regional specialties.

3 Every week the cuisine of a par-

ticular Region of Italy will be the

object of a special focus, such that

by the end of the course the cooks

will be familiar with Italian cooking

in its foremost regional expres-

sions: from the traditional rural

dishes of Tuscany to the fish

preparations of the Adriatic; from

the cheeses of Piedmont to the

tortellini of Emilia Romagna; from

the vegetable dishes of Puglia to

the sweets of Sicily; from the cui-

sine of the Alpine valleys to that of

the Mediterranean coast. Italy is a

complex mosaic of history and

products, dishes and traditions,

scents and savors. Every "festa"

is indeed a feast, which means a

particular dish and a celebration of

life.

4 One day a week, preferably

Monday, will be devoted to short

single-topic courses with tastings

of wine, olive oil, pasta, cheese

and cured meats selected from

the country's foremost producers.

During their free time, the partici-

pants will have access to the

Institute Library, where they will be

able to do more research on sub-

jects of special interest to them.

5 Lessons will be held all day

on Tuesdays, Wednesdays,

Thursdays and Fridays. Following

a brief historical and geographical

introduction to the Region, its

environmental features and its

food and wine heritage, students

will move on to the preparation of

typical regional dishes. These will

be practical, hands-on lessons

taught by regional specialists

using specific regional ingredients

that will change from week to

week. On Fridays the School will

open its doors to a select public,

presenting the most interesting

dishes of the week's endeavor for

their evaluation.

6 Saturdays and Sundays will be

devoted to individual study and

getting to know a wide range of

producers and their products.

Some producers will present their

products at the school, where tast-

ing sessions will also be arranged.

Others will welcome chefs to their

premises throughout the country

for weekend visits. Other

weekend activities may

include visiting Italy's art

cities.

7 Each course will be attend-

ed by no more than twenty

participants, who will also

receive board and lodging in

apartments in the center of

the city, not far from the

School. The cost of the

course, including board,

lodging, work uniforms etc. is

ten thousand US dollars,

plus one thousand dollars

deposit fee.

8 At the end of the course all

participants will receive an official

Master's certificate under the

aegis of the Marche Region and

the Italian Ministry of Labor.

15

1 I corsi sono riservati a cuochi

che operano all’estero e vogliono

acquisire una conoscenza

approfondita della cucina italiana.

Ci rivolgiamo in particolare a cuo-

chi che abbiano già terminato il

loro curriculum scolastico o che

abbiano lavorato per qualche

tempo accanto ad altri chef di

cucina. Noi desideriamo dare una

conoscenza ampia e rigorosa,

con metodo organico e preciso a

coloro che desiderano fare cucina

italiana nel mondo in modo pro-

fessionale. Pertanto chi desidera

partecipare al nostro Master deve

già conoscere le fondamentali

tecniche di lavoro in cucina.

2 I corsi si svolgono presso la

sede dell’Istituto in via F. Conti, 5

nel Palazzo Balleani, a Jesi, citta-

dina di 40.000 abitanti, nelle

Marche, nell’Italia Centrale. I corsi

hanno una durata di dieci settima-

ne. Tutti coloro che frequenteran-

no il Master avranno la possibilità

di continuare la loro esperienza

per alcuni mesi o un anno presso

i ristoranti della catena Slow Food

in tutt’Italia, da nord a sud, spe-

cializzandosi sia in carne che

pesce, nelle Regioni che ciascu-

no preferisce.

3 Ogni settimana viene presenta-

ta, studiata ed elaborata la

cucina di una Regione

d’Italia. Alla fine del corso

ogni professionista cono-

scerà la cucina italiana nelle

più elevate espressioni

regionali: dalla cucina tradi-

zionale e contadina della

Toscana al pesce

dell’Adriatico, dai formaggi

del Piemonte ai tortellini

dell’Emilia Romagna, dalle

verdure della Puglia ai dolci

della Sicilia, dalla cucina

delle valli alpine a quella

mediterranea. L’Italia è un

mosaico infinito di storie e di pro-

dotti, di piatti e di tradizione, di

profumi e di sapori in ogni terra.

Da noi per ogni festa c’è un piatto

e per ogni piatto c’è una festa!

4 Un giorno a settimana, di prefe-

renza il lunedì, è dedicato a corsi

brevi, monotematici con degusta-

zione di vino, olio di oliva, pasta,

formaggi, salumi tipici e tradiziona-

li selezionati tra i migliori produtto-

ri di tutto il territorio nazionale.

Nel tempo libero ciascun corsista

avrà la possibilità di approfondire

le proprie conoscenze con studio

individuale presso la biblioteca

dell’Istituto.

5 Le lezioni si terranno nei giorni

di martedì, mercoledì, giovedì e

venerdì, con orario pieno. Dopo

una breve presentazione storico-

geografico della Regione con le

sue tradizioni enogastronomiche

e con le sue particolarità ambien-

tali, si passerà allo studio concre-

to dei piatti tipici del territorio.

L’insegnamento non sarà teorico,

ma principalmente pratico ed indi-

viduale. I docenti e le materie

prime provengono dalle singole

regioni e cambiano ogni settima-

na. Il venerdì sera la scuola apre

le porte alla città e presenta i piat-

ti più interessanti della settimana.

6 Il sabato e la domenica sono

riservati allo studio individuale e

alla conoscenza di aziende, pro-

duttori, prodotti tipici nei vari set-

tori alimentari. Alcuni produttori

verranno direttamente presso la

Scuola per presentare i loro pro-

dotti con prova di assaggio, in altri

casi gli chef usciranno sul territo-

rio per conoscere le singole

aziende e i produttori in tutte le

regioni d’Italia. Alcuni fine setti-

mana sono dedicati alla visita

delle città d’arte.

7 Il numero massimo di parteci-

panti è di venti corsisti, ai quali si

garantisce anche vitto e alloggio

in appartamenti in palazzi storici,

nel centro della città, a pochi

passi dalla Scuola. Il costo del

corso, compreso vitto, alloggio,

divise di lavoro, è di diecimila

dollari USA, più mille dollari di

iscrizione.

8 Alla fine del corso viene rilascia-

to ufficialmente un Master con il

riconoscimento della Regione

Marche e del Ministero del

Lavoro.

14

Il P

rogra

mm

aT

he

Pro

gra

m

companies that produce them.

This is our “tasting laboratory”

and lasts for about an hour.

Transfer to the teaching

kitchen

The Instructor explains the

recipes for the day and

prepares each dish right along

with the Students who follow

the process and also prepare

the dishes themselves. All the

operations are carefully

observed and guided by the

expert Chef.

The work will not be rushed,

but done with precision in the

time required. When the

cooking is finished, the dishes

are taken to the table to be

tasted, checked and

compared.

Collective discussion

The daily teaching program is

reviewed and eventual

variations on the base dish

discussed, proposed or

critiqued. Every day several

base dishes will be studied.

Work ends at 5:30p.m.

Friday evening highlights

At the close of a week’s work

on Friday evening the School

is open to a select public. In

the Pergolesi Hall a

dinner-tasting will be offered to

20 to 25 people with a series

of dishes jointly prepared by

teachers and students, each

recipe according to the tradi-

tions of their region of origin.

Top quality prime ingredients

and wines will be used from

the School’s sponsor

companies and those chosen

by Slow Food from among the

best at national level.

SATURDAY& SUNDAY

Saturdays and Sundays are

dedicated to getting to know

the regions and their products

by direct contact with the

producers.

Some weeks the producers will

come to Jesi to present their

companies and products with a

guided tasting session.

At other times the Students will

travel to various Regions and

visit the producers on site.

The work done on the

weekends is very important

because it is the most direct

way for the Students to learn

about the products, how to use

them, where to find them in

their place of origin and how to

introduce them in a future

workplace.

17

MONDAYTHEMED TASTING AT THE

REGIONAL ENOTECA

1. Wine

Getting to know the principlevines and wines of Italy• Red wines of Piemonte

and Toscana

• White wines of Friuli, Veneto

and Trentino

• Local wines of Central Italy

• Emerging great wines of

Southern Italy

2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Recognizing excellent nationalproducts• Understanding the oil-making

process

• Taste-testing for qualities

and defects

• Appreciating the oils from the

various regions and the

islands

3. Cheese

Appreciating Italian cheeses• Cheese-making methods

• Ageing and refining

• Typical regional products

4. Charcuterie Products

Discovering the great regionaltraditions• Salumi- cooked and raw;

ground paste or whole meat

• Salami and ciauscolo

• Cured pork- coppa, lonza,

lonzino

• Prized cuts- prosciutto,

culatello, fiocco

• Mortadella and bresaola

5. Bread

Learning to work with leaveneddough• The flour, the yeast; rising

and baking

• Varieties: common, whole

wheat, seasoned

• Breadsticks and holiday

breads

TUESDAY-FRIDAYCOOKING COURSE WITH

DIFFERENT REGIONAL

DISHES EACH WEEK

Timetable: from 8:30a.m. to 5:30p.m.

Workshop for the senses

At the beginning of each week

the Region is introduced with a

brief overview of its history and

geography. Then each day the

lesson starts with a presenta-

tion of the prime ingredients:

their characteristics, quality,

zone of origin and the

16

Weekly Work Plan

In the 15th century the historical center of Jesi went though a phase

of great development.

Right in the heart of the old city, near the beautiful Palazzo della

Signoria, is the Palazzo Balleani, a building that belonged to a family

who owned a large amount of land outside of the town walls.

All the great land-owning families had large cellars beneath their

homes where they gathered grapes to make their supply of wine for

the winter.

Palazzo Balleani, where our School is located, also houses the

Regional Enoteca (Wine-Cellar) of Jesi.

This Enoteca is managed by Assivip, an association of wine producers

who organize wine tasting courses.

Not only do they present wine, but also other high-quality products

from local producers: extra virgin olive oil, cheeses, salami, pasta.

On Mondays the Enoteca is available to our School, where we hold

our themed courses on wine, olive oil, bread, salumi and cheese.

The collaboration with the Enoteca continues on Friday evenings with

the conclusion of the teaching program of the week.

Our School is open to the public for an evening of tasting with a pre-

sentation of the dishes studied during the week.

Regional Enoteca of Jesi

19

PIEMONTE1 Veal and Piemonte beefL’insalata di carne cruda, il vitellotonnato, il bollito misto, il brasatoal barolo and il fritto misto.2 Plains fare:grain, potato and riceTajarin, agnolotti, gnocchi, risottocon le rane.The cooking of the plains: riso incagnone, tapulone3 Mountain fareLa supa barbeta, dundaret, cursetin, trota ai funghi, agnellosambucano.4 Sauces for fish, vegetablesand other specialtiesLa bagna caoda, il merluzzo al verde.Cheeses and truffles of Alba.

EMILIA ROMAGNA1 Rolled pastaThe various shapes: tagliatelle,tagliolini, maltagliati and grattini,pappardelle and stricchetti.2 Filled pastaThe tortellini of Bologna, the cappelletti of Ferrara and theagnolotti of Parma3 Special fillingsRicotta, chestnut and potatoI cappellacci di zucca4 Oven baked pastaLe lasagne al forno, i cannelloni

MARCHE1 Coastal fareIl brodetto di pesce, stoccafissoall’anconetana2 Inland cookingSpelt, lentils and chick-peasVincesgrassi, stracciatella andpassatelli

3 Game and farmyardanimalsconiglio in porchetta, polloin potacchio, vitellonerazza marchigiana4 Cheeses and trufflesPecorino di fossa and tar-tufo bianco di Acqualagna:their uses and preparations

PUGLIA1 Grain for bread andhand-made pastaIl grano arso, il grano“stumpato”.The bread of Altamura, ofLaterza, of Monte Sant’Angelo.Pasta: orecchiette, strascinati,cavatelli, troccoli.2 Legumes, vegetables andfield greensDried beans and chick-peas.Cime di rapa, la cicoria catalo-gna, i lampascioni, i sivoni.3 Milk and cheeseMilk products: fiordilatte, provola,scamorza, burrata, manteca.Cheeses: ricotta marzotica, caciocavallo podolico, canestrato.4 Bounty from the sea“Il crudo”: trigliette, seppioline,polipetti, cannolicchi, sea urchinsand oysters.Sardines and anchovies.

CAMPANIA1 ‘Sunday’ cookingGragnano pasta, rice, the SanMarzano tomato. Ziti al ragù, paccheri alla genovese, il sartù diriso, il timballo and timpano incrosta.

2 Vegetables and legumes Soups and Minestrone: minestramaritata, minestra di broccoli,fagioli alla maruzzara and zuppadi ceci e castagne.3 Meat dishesPanzetta di agnello, mugliatellicon patate, il soffritto, costinecon papacelle, puntine alla pizzaiola.4 Fish and “fruits of the sea”The fish of the gulf, Neapolitan salted cod, cheeses, cuoccio allamarinara, piccione alla salsa difrutti di mare, filetto di scorfano alculìs di ceci con cipolle in agrodolce.

LOMBARDIA1 Freshwater fishPesce di torrente o di lago in carpione.Luccio in salsa alla mantovana.2 RiceRis e erborin Risotto alla milaneseRisotto alla “pilota”3 PastaTortelli di zucca alla mantovanaPizzoccheri della Valtellina

18

RegionalCooking Programs

4 Meat dishesOssi buchi in gremolata alla milaneseStracotto di manzo al vino rosso

UMBRIA1 StartersBruschette, crostini, pani, torta altesto and “pizze”2 SoupsZuppe rustiche, minestre di ceci,farro and fagioliTagliolini, quadrucci, umbrichellior ciriole and strangozzi.3 Cooking with trufflesThe white truffles of Fabbro,Città di Castello, Gubbio andGualdo Tadino. The black truffles of Norcia and Spoleto.4 Grilled meatsFrom lamb to boar

TOSCANA1 Humble cookingPanzanella and fettunta; acqua-cotta, soup, tomato bread soup;scottiglia, tripe and centopelle.2 Meats and saucesBeef and pork, la fiorentina anddressed pork products.Meat sauces and crostini.3 Renaissance cuisinePorrata and maccheroncini dipane; anatra alla frutta and piccione alle mandorle; biancomangiare dolce; cioccolatacalda aromatizzata alle spezie.4 DessertsI cantuccini e i frati fritti, il castagnaccio, le frittelle di riso, la schiacciata, il panforte, i ricciarelli, lo zuccotto

VENETO1 Salted cod in many versionsIl baccalà alla vicentina, il bac-calà mantecato, il baccalà allaveneziana. Le polente.2 Vegetables and legumesThe red radicchio tardivo ofTreviso and the variegated radic-chio of Castelfranco.The Veneto asparagus: variousvarieties. The beans of Lamon.

3 Traditional Venetian fareIl saòr, a method of conserving:sardines and sogliole in saòr,seasonal vegetables in saòr. Leseppie in nero, i bigoli in salsa.4 Poultry and lamb La padovana (chicken) and lapolverara. The lamb of Alpago.

FRIULI1 Soups Vegetable and asparagus mine-strone, la iota and pumpkin soup2 Goose and Jewish tradition Goose as an alternative to porkThe different ways of preparation: brodo con ciccioli dioca, oven baked goose.3 FishSimple fish from the Adriatic Sea.Shellfish and crustaceans.Boreto, insalata di moscardini.4 Central Europe cuisineA mix of food cultures fromAustria, Hungary, andSlovenia.The sweet and thesavoury. Cjarsons, il frico,salame nell’aceto, la brisa, gnocchi di susine.

SARDEGNA1 Pasta and soupsCulurgiones (ravioli with ricotta)suppa cuata, fregula cun cocciula, pani frattau. 2 SeafoodAnguidda incasada, arangiola as’oristaneseBurrida a sa casteddaiaZimino di ostriche e aragosta.3 MeatsPorceddu arrustiu, angioni in cassola cun cancioffa, buseccasa casteddaia, curcuris a ghisau. 4 Traditional dessertsTrigu cottu, gattò (croccante),suppas indorada, seadas.

SICILIA1 The Arab influenceMarinated fish, Favignana tuna,swordfish, capers fromPantelleria and Salina, couscous.2 Street foodPanelle, arancine, sfincione.

Baroque cuisinefrom Palermo,bucatini con lesarde, bucatini con ibroccoli in tegame. La caponata and sweet and sour sauce.3 Legumes and cheesesBroadbeans from Leonforte,lentils from Ustica.Cheeses: ragusano, pecorino,maiorchino, piacentino, ricotta,vastedda della Valle del Belice.4 Specialty DessertsLa cassata, i cannoli. Biscuitsfrom Ragusa and Catania, chocolate and carob fromRagusa, il gelo di anguria, i sorbetti e le granite.

TRENTINO1 Mountain soups and starchesSoups: orzetto, brò brusà, canederliBread gnocchi, strangolapreti.2 Meats and gameLucanica and carne salada.Tonco de pontesel, sguazetLa selvaggina: cervo and capriolo3 Pasture and forest productsThe vegetables and wild herbs,mushrooms and forest fruits andmountain cheeses.4 Desserts and applesLa torta de fregoloti, il brazadel,lo zelten.Traditional Trentino apple:strudel and fritters

CALABRIA1 Traditional pasta and meatsTonnarelli, scilatelle, lagane e ceciA tiana, u morzheddu2 Vegetables, greens, spicesCooking in ashes; methods ofpreserving in oil3 The seaTuna and swordfish4 Ethnic minorities Albanian, Occitanian andSouthern Italian Greek influences

Ace t o ba l s am ico t r ad i z i ona l e

d i Regg i o Emi l i a

Denominazione di Origine Protetta

GARANTITO DAL MINISTERO DELLE POLITICHE AGRICOLE E FORESTALI

AI SENSI DELL’ ARTICOLO 10 DEL REG. CEE 2081/92

Prodotto disciplinato dal D.M. 3/3/1987 e da Regolamento della Comunità Europea

n°813 / 2000 del 17/4/2000 che sanciscono tra l’ altro :

“ …Si ottiene tramite la fermentazione zuccherina e acetica di mosto cotto, previo ottimale invecchiamentoin ogni caso NON INFERIORE a 12 ANNI”

..” E’ consentito utilizzare la qualifica EXTRA VECCHIO nella presentazione del prodottoche abbia avuto un invecchiamento NON INFERIORE AI 25 ANNI”

•Per informazioni telefonare a:

Consorzio fra produttori

di Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia

tel e fax 0039 / 0522/ 796294

www.acetobalsamicotradizionale.it

e-mail abtre@re.camcom.it

20

One spring morning we

leave the house and

head towards the

hills.

Our friend and restaurateur

Raul takes us to an olive

grove near his restaurant.

Armed with his pocket knife

which he slips into the ground

every time he spies a “good”

herb, he shows us how to

recognize different varieties

of herbs and greens that

grow wild in the fields and are

good for cooking.

Here and there we find young

strigoli (catchfly)shoots, with

which we’ll make a delicious

risotto; over there we see

some tender cicoria (chicory

greens) just popping up at the

first sign of sun; a little further

on we gather some pimpinella(salad burnet), excellent in

salads with its vague hint of

cucumber. We continue our

walk through the fields and

pick first, some finocchiettoselvatico (wild fennel), and

then some mentastro (water

mint) and menta (wild mint)

which will give an excellent

and unusual flavour to even

the simplest omelette.

As our gathering basket

starts to fill up, we head back

and on the way we stop to

collect the leaves and flowers

of the senape selvatica (wild

mustard), the timo serpillo(wild thyme) that grows on

boulders and rocky outcrop-

pings, and crespigne (leaves

of the sow thistle) which we

will boil with the chicory and

then season in a hot skillet

with good olive oil and a whi-

sper of fresh garlic.

It has been a morning spent

learning in nature’s own

open-air classroom, in

the fields where aro-

matic herbs and wild

greens are sponta-

neously offered for the

taking, to be used in

the kitchen in a thou-

sand ways.

Once these herbs

were gathered and eaten out

of poverty, now they are

being rediscovered because

they give dishes a new light-

ness. And how do you rate

them for their natural taste?

And what about their authen-

tic fragrance?

All this bounty grows abun-

dantly in nature; it is the

chef’s task to wisely use all

that she so generously has to

offer.

Our friend Raul compares

these fields so richly

endowed to an open “super-

market” and we can’t help but

wonder, can a chef ever truly

reproduce this universe of

fragrances and flavors in his

dishes? Can the job of

working the ingredients, ably

combining them and using

the most sophisticated tech-

niques ever allow a chef to

reach the quintessential har-

mony offered spontaneously

by nature?

The use of herbs in Italian cooking

22

With this issue we will beginpublishing a few pages

specifically dedicated to cookingmethods and professional

cooking utensils, the materialswith which they are made, their

features and best usage foroptimal results in the kitchen.This has been made possible

thanks to the SAPS Associationand the graciousness of

Mr. Luca Pelliccioli who alsoprovides a lesson on this topicat each of the Master courses.For us at Slow Food – MasterItalian Cooking it is our great

pleasure to present these pagesbecause we are convinced thatItalian food culture reaches its

highest expression, not onlythrough the quality of its

ingredients, but also through theuse of the right ‘tools’ of the

trade. Too often this aspect isconsidered of secondary impor-

tance, but it is an erroneousconcept. Our Students experi-

ment with and learn daily how touse kitchen equipment correctly,

whether it be in copper,aluminium or stainless steel.

The DirectorGianfranco Mancini

SAPS is a non-profit cultural

association with a research

center dedicated to profession-

al chefs, students of hotel-

management schools and ama-

teurs who simply want to learn

more about cooking equipment.

Before even discussing ingre-

dients and recipes it is impor-

tant to study the pots and pans

themselves, their shape and the

materials with which they are

made, how they are conceived

and what characteristics they

must have for optimal results in

the kitchen.

The SAPS facility consists of a

study and research area with a

professionally equipped kitchen

as well as a dining hall which

seats over 60 guests. The build-

ing also houses a very special

museum dedicated to cooking

vessels and implements which

faithfully reproduces an early

1900’s workshop with original

antique machines and period

pieces.

The association also organizes

courses which are part theory,

on history and correct usage

and part practical, with interest-

ing demonstrations by highly

qualified teachers Federico

Coria and Giuseppe Maffioli.

It was the aim of its founders

that SAPS safeguard and pass

on the wealth of knowledge

which it rightly claims on the

subject of cooking utensils in

the hopes of becoming a train-

ing and information center, a

place to meet, to have fun, to

learn, available to all cooking

enthusiasts who care about the

culinary arts, the traditions of

gastronomy and the pleasures

of “eating well”.

One of the first things to consi-

der when broaching the subject

of professional cooking utensils

is the material from which they

are made: copper, aluminium,

stainless steel, glass, terracotta

and so on.

It is interesting to see how

modern-day man’s values have

changed over time.

It is a little known odd fact that

aluminium was first used in

goldsmithing.

Considered very valuable, alu-

minium cutlery was used for

important guests at the banquet

table of Napoleon III and King

Christian X of Denmark even

wore a crown fashioned from

this metal. Another interesting

little tidbit of history from the

annals of the Jurisconsults and

Notaries of Bologna reveals

that copper pots and pans were

actually a valuable testamen-

tary bequest.

1 Ability to conduct heatThis is the essential require-

ment for choosing the most

suitable utensil for each prepa-

ration. Thermal conductivity is

the power of a material to

distribute variations in temper-

ature uniformly and quickly and

it is expressed in the formula

W/m°K.

If we take, for example, a cup

of hot coffee and place a silver

spoon in it, the spoon will get

hot in a few seconds whereas

a stainless steel spoon will stay

cool for a long time.

A cooking vessel with an excel-

lent ability to conduct heat will:

• Allow efficient temperature

control in every cooking phase;

• Permit uniform heat distribution

on all contact surfaces, both on

the bottom

and on the

sides;

• Reduce

the risks of

overheating

in spots and

scorching.

2 ThicknessIn order for a material to

perform adequately it must

have the proper thickness.

Professional cooking utensils

are characterized by their no-

table thickness, the ability to

withstand heavy use and allow

efficient and uniform heat

transmission.

The thickness varies according

to the material. For instance,

copper pots and pans ideally

require a thickness of 2mm,

aluminium from 3 to 5mm,

whereas the stainless steel

thermal diffusion bottom must

be at least 6-7mm thick.

3 Ease of handlingWeight can be a problem for

professionals who must conti-

nually handle utensils that are

both large

and bulky.

E v e r y

m a t e r i a l

has its

own spe-

cific grav-

ity which

must be taken into account.

Specific gravity is a term of

reference to measure the ratio

of the mass of a solid or a liquid

to the mass of an equivalent

volume of distilled water at

4°C, weighing 1 gram.

For example, 1 cubic centimeter

of aluminium weighs 2.7 grams

whilst the same amount of

stainless steel weighs 7.8

grams. This means that, given

the same size and thickness, a

stainless steel pot will weigh

three times more than an alu-

minium one.

4 Energy savingsProlonged use of a heat source

adds up to a considerable cost

when running a restaurant no

matter how large or small.

Consequently, it is important to

evaluate how using certain

materials can reduce this cost.

It is worth noting that cooking

utensils with a good degree of

conductivity require much less

time to reach and maintain the

right temperature, thus con-

suming less energy over time.

The SAPSAssociation

Professionally speaking,let us consider the main features that distinguish cooking vessels

designed for professional use:

Material W/m°KSilver 420.00Copper 392.00Gold 295.00Aluminium 225.00Tin 67.00Iron 60.00Stainless steel 16.00Glass Pyrex 1.17Terracotta 0.80

Material S.G.Terracotta 2.2Glass Pyrex 2.3Aluminium 2.7Tin 7.3Iron 7.8Stainless steel 7.8Copper 8.9Silver 10.5Gold 16.7 23

Professional Cooking Utensils

SAPSVia Madonna - 24040 Lallio (Bg)

e.mail luca.pelliccioli@sapsitalia.comwww.sapsitalia.com

24 25

Atour “School of Italian

Regional Cooking” tasting

techniques applied to different

types of products are taught

every day. It is essential for

every professional chef to shar-

pen his senses and refine his

skills.

When we present the topic of

olive oil the Students practice

recognizing the principal flaws

that can be found in oil: mould,

rancid, heated, winey, marc.

The phases of olive processing

in oil-making are explained and

emphasis is put on learning

what characterizes a good

quality oil.

Finally, the best combinations

are tried, to teach which oil

goes best with what kind of

dishes and why.

Also on the subject of wine the

Students learn about the main

flaws identifiable by smell: cork,

mould, SO2, dregs, vinegar.

By tasting and comparing

various types of Italian wines,

sparkling, white, red, dessert

wines, obtained from different

vines and produced in several

regions, our course attendees

gradually learn to distinguish

the gustative sensations.

When broaching the realm of

charcuterie products, salumi,a first question immediately

comes to mind: how does a

commercially-produced pro-

duct differ from one prepared

the old-fashioned way? Here is

where the Master’s candidates

learn to recognize the differen-

ces by taste testing and com-

paring. They sample various

types of salumi which have

undergone different processes

and are at different stages of

ageing.

In discussing cheeses, the

best teaching method is to

compare a few commercial

examples with some that are

locally-produced by artisans in

order to understand the differ-

ences. Then it is essential to

understand the importance of

what and how an animal is fed

and the consequent influence

this has on the milk from which

the cheese is made.

As regards bread, the Students

learn everything from the signifi-

cance of choosing from among

a variety of grains, to all the

complexities of yeast and the art

of bread rising and baking. In

addition they are also taught

fundamental notions of making

special breads for restaurant

use.

What knowledge do they come

away with at the end of the

Master’s Course?

To know tasting techniques and

to refine the sensory skills is

perhaps the central theme of

our teaching program and is

certainly the basis of the Slow

Food philosophy.

The teaching kitchen for daily work activities.

New concepts and new sensations to taste and

commit to memory.

A chef is skill and intellect, sensorial perception and passion:

thence the perfect dish.

Taste testing

26 27

OnSaturday, March 15th,

after the first Master’s

course was completed, our

School was officially

inaugurated. The weather was

cold, but the warmth of the

well-wishers and enthusiasts

lent a festive air to the

occasion. The celebration

spilled out onto the streets

where young actors mimed

and played out scenes

connected to the world of food.

A day of celebration

Atthe end of the

evening, during

a small convivial

gathering, there came the

moment for conferral of the

“Slow Food - Master Italian

Cooking” Diploma and gold

snail pin to the Students who

had passed the final exam.

The menu, prepared by the

neo-graduates themselves

under the guidance of Chef

Marco Giacomelli, one of the

course instructors, was served

in the splendid ‘Pergolesi Hall’.

The center of the room had

become the focal point for all

manner of quality products on

display, from wine to cheese,

from chocolate to pasta, from

oil to salami and more…

jams, marmalades, legumes,

various kinds of flour and

preserves of all sorts.

Sala Pergolesi - 15 marzo 2003

Pane della casa – Arancia rossa di SiciliaVerdure con olio delle Marche

Agnolotti col plin, burro e rosmarinodalla tradizione del Piemonte

Orecchiette di Pugliacon cime di rapa

Carne salata del Trentinocon mele e verdure glassate

Plateau di formaggidal Trentino, Friuli, Marche e Campania

Parfait alla grappacon cioccolato fondente delle Marche

Kurokawa Keisuke, Ota Katsuhiro, Weiner Sarahcon lo Chef Marco Giacomelli

28

Our expert

cooks

The cooks that will teach at our

School represent every region

of Italy, have many years of

experience and above all, are

cultured in the food and drink of

their own region.

Slow Food signifies not only the

rediscovery of a particular terri-

tory or the richness and variety

of each region, but also means

tasting with awareness and

attention, finding pleasure in a

good spread and defending

biodiversity.

We have selected about 50

chefs from every corner of Italy,

from north to south. Some are

experts in pasta, others meat or

fish, but all of them share a

passion for food and love pre-

senting the cuisine of their own

region, researching and collec-

ting the best of what has been

created over the centuries.

Upon completion of the ten-

week course in Jesi, those who

attend the School of Italian

Regional Cooking, have the

opportunity to take part in

internships at Slow Food as-

sociated restaurants all over

Italy.

All the restaurants are top-

notch establishments where

local cuisine is showcased,

using only the freshest and

most genuine ingredients and

where one can truly learn

authentic Italian cooking.

We hope to avoid the kind of

cooking that puts priority on the

appearance and decorative

quality of the food. Instead we

seek to emphasized natural fla-

vours and the blending of

aromas. Internship participants

will be able to chose from

among the various regions and

traditions of the south or of the

north as well as specialize in

either meat or fish.

Our internship

restaurants

Dear friends,We are delighted to send you our newsletter to communicate

that on the 8th of January 2003 our School began its activities

with the Slow Food Master Italian Cooking course in Jesi, in

the Marche region of central Italy.

With this new initiative, Slow Food Italy aims to give valid sup-

port to professional chefs from abroad who wish to learn about

Italian cooking in a thorough way, focusing on each region.

Italy is a country in which the recipes are strongly linked to the

traditions, history and people. It is because of the differences

between regions that Italian cuisine is so rich and varied.

This Slow Food cooking course in Italy will also allow new

contacts to be made at an international level and will continue

to expand in the future at the University of Pollenzo.

To all of you, dear Convivium Leaders, we send you this

message along with the names and addresses of those who

represent and follow our organizational activities and who can

be contacted for further information.

30

Japan:Tokyo OfficeHIDE UCHIYAMA Ltd (Ms. Rieko Uchiyama)2-13-22 Shìmouma, Setagaya-kuTokyo-JAPAN

Florence OfficeJAPAN PROMO SERVICE (Mr. Aldo Fallani and Ms. Rieko Uchiyama)Via C.Bianchi,1850134-Firenze, Italyinfo@jps.it

United States of America:Francesco Tonelli (Associate Professor, The Culinary Institute of America)46 Riverview- Port Ewen12466-5104 New York, NY USAfrancesco@francescotonelli.com

Australia:Michele Usci (President, Federation of ItalianCooks of Australia)P.O. Box 211 Bullen3105 Victoria- Australiausci@primus.com.au

To Convivium Leaders

Korea:Chin-wha Kim (President/CEO,Media International Organization)3-102 Hyundai Ville, Yonhee Dong 45-23,SoDaiMonn, Seoul Korea 120-823chinwkim@hotmail.com

Great Britain and Ireland:Wendy Fogarty40c Strawberry Hill RoadStrawberry HillTwickenham MIDDX TW1 4PUUnited Kingdomwfogarty@compuserve.com

32

The Marche region enjoys

170km of the Adriatic coast

and a sea full of fish, rich and

bountiful, among the best in all

of the Mediterranean.

For centuries the fishermen

that lived along the coast had

the sea in their veins, for it was

from the sea that they had their

main source of food, it was with

the sea that they often had to

do battle and the inexorable

ebb and flow of sea was ever

present, day and night, in their

heads.

Obviously the best fish were

sold at market while what was

left over would be eaten at

home. Thus the “brodetto”

came into being: a combination

of different fish, generally small

fry, put together with whatever

the family pantry offered - oil,

onion or garlic, white wine or

vinegar, tomato, a slice of

bread.

Over time various traditions

emerged, each coastal town

adopting a certain way of pre-

paring this dish, with many

slight variations.

The basic recipe was the same

for everyone: different kinds of

fish (some will say there must

be 13, of which cuttlefish,

squid, mantis shrimp, smooth

dogfish, angler fish, grey mul-

let, cod, red mullet, small sole,

crustaceans, molluscs…), oil,

onion, parsley, tomato, black or

red pepper, broth, country-style

bread. To describe it this way

makes it sound simple, but it

isn’t so, for changing just one

ingredient can alter the aroma

and taste of the dish.

Join us in the guessing game:

to begin with, should one sauté

onion alone or also add a

whole crushed clove of garlic?

Do we add black pepper the

way they do in Fano or red pep-

per as they prefer in San

Benedetto? In Ancona they put

in vinegar and then let it evap-

orate or is it better to use white

wine? In Porto Recanati they

use wild saffron, or is tomato

better? Should the bread be

toasted first or not?

As you can see, the traditions

differ from town to town and the

dish may present small and

subtle variations which give it a

pleasant richness and lend a

sumptuous quality.

A wonderful fish soup:

brodetto

Foto di Piergiorgio Berardi

Electrolux Group

The world’s No. 1 choice

A course designed to teach the taste of Italy, region by region.

A course reserved for chefs from all over the world who prepare Italian food.

A course that looks at the historical roots of the regional cooking of Italy:

from the Alps to the Mediterranean and from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic Sea.

A course to know the producers of quality food (pasta, wine, cheese, olive oil,

meat products...) and the gastronomic culture of each region.

A diploma that requires hard work and study, with the chance to do a specialty internship

in one or several Regions at the end of the Course.