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THE ITALIAN-CANADIAN MAGAZINE MAILED TO HOMES & BUSINESSES IN THE GREATER TORONTO AREA
THE NEW EMERGING ITALIANS
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THE ITALIANCANADIAN DIET
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COVER: STEFANIE TERRANA ONE OF US • UNA DI NOI APRIL / MAY 2014 • VOL.4 • NO.2
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SERGIO BENET T I Warehouse Business and formal men’s suits and jackets from the top Italian factories. Our prices are simply unbeatable for the quality of merchandise we carry. Nothing at Sergio’s is “cheap” – it’s just great value and it’s all made in Italy.
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Sergio Benetti 205 Spadina Ave
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Toronto, ON M5T 2C8 (416) 598-4831
Tuesdays through Sundays 12 pm to 4 pm (Closed every Monday) For private appointments, call Sergio at (416) 928-5080
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
APRIL / MAY 2014 Vol. 4 NO. 2 PUBLISHER’S NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE
Matteo Renzi – Il nuovo politicus faber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
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Around the Table – The Italian-Canadian Diet . . . . . . . . . . 12 Inteorno alla tavola – La dieta italo-canadese . . . . . . . . . . 13 Italians’ Changing Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Italian Paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 To Your Health – Italian Cuisine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Food Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Street Food all’Italiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Edible Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Recommended Italian Cookbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
LIFE & PEOPLE Darlene Madott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 St. Michael’s Choir School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Future Leader: Anthony Bruno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
FOOD
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EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Zara MONTREAL WEB MANAGER MANAGING EDITOR Gabriel Riel-Salvatore Gabriel Riel-Salvatore TORONTO MANAGING EDITOR Rita Simonetta
PROOFREADER Aurelie Ptito
ART DEPARTMENT ART DIRECTION David Ferreira
PHOTOGRAPHY Gregory Varano Michel Ostaszewski
GRAPHIC DESIGN David Ferreira
MAKEUP Desi Varano
ADVERTISING FASHION
VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & SALES TORONTO Earl Weiner
Frames, fabbricati in Italia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
VILLA CHARITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 FRIULI
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Filippo Salvatore
Baccalà mantecato and soft polenta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
LIVING ITALIAN STYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
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PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Tony Zara
Keeping Friulian Identity Alive in Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Trieste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Gorizia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Aquileia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Grado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Udine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 10 Flavourful Friuli Venezia Giulia Dishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Spilimbergo’s Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Famous Brands and Personalities from Friuli Venezia Giulia 55 Il centro di cultura canadese dell’Università di Udine . . . . 56 I grandi vini bianchi del Friuli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Sipping True Brew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
ONE MORE DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 SPORTS
CONTRIBUTORS Maria Assaf • Rosanna Bonura • Pericle Camuffo • Celia Commisso Alexandra Christopoulos • Laura D’Amelio • Alessia Sara Domanico Alessandra Ferraro • Amanda Fulginiti • Luke Galati • Stephanie Grella Leah Kellar • Vanessa Santilli • Annamaria Brondani Menghini Gaia Massai • Sarah Mastroianni • Robin Poon • Paolo Patrito Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo • Alain Raymond
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Maserati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
READERS’ COMMENTS
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RE: Dossier Bologna, Vol. 9 No. 1 I absolutely enjoyed your featured articles showcasing Bologna in the Feb/Mar issue. From the fashion, to food, to architecture, as well as recommendations of restaurants and hotels, I am now craving to experience it all! I will definitely keep these articles for future reference in hopes that my travels will someday lead me to that magical city. Looking forward to seeing what new cities will be explored in future issues. Sabrina De Luca
RE: Multilingualism, Vol. 9 No. 1 Multiculturalism! I'm second generation Italian, my wife is Indian, and my adopted son is Korean, yet we make salsiccia and grow grapes to make wine and, yes, we speak Italian! Thanks for the great articles and fantastic magazine! Franco Daniele
A great magazine, which I truly read cover to cover once it arrives at home / Un grande giornale che viene letto dalla prima all’ultima pagina quando arriva in casa! Congratulations / Complementi Garry Borgacci
Panoram Italia’s
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Treasures of Italy Tours
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Panoram Italia’s Exclusive 2014 Treasures of Italy Tour It’s shaping up to be another resounding success!
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Show your support by subscribing to Panoram Italia magazine Panoram Italia aims to unify Italian-Canadians by preserving and rekindling the connection to their Italian heritage, while also presenting the beauty and diversity of our beloved Italia. Our mission is ambitious and lofty, but we are convinced that if we persevere, you, the reader, will support us and jump on board. If you love what we do and believe in our cause, please subscribe to the magazine. To be clear, the magazine will always be free. But if you want to receive it in the comfort of your home or office, contribute $20.00 and you will receive 18 issues, one every other month, for 3 years. This amounts to just over $1.00 per issue which solely pays for Canada Post (one stamp). You can subscribe online at www.panoramitalia.com or fill out the attached form with the pre-stamped envelope supplied within the mag. But that’s not all. Every new subscriber also automatically enters our draw for $10,000 and 5 iPads, which will be held in November, 2014. Good luck! See page 15 for details. Show your support by choosing Panoram Italia as an advertising vehicle If you are a retailer in the GTA, there is no better way to reach over 500,000 ItalianCanadians. We publish a magazine with content that our target audience wants to read.
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Our readers not only devour our content but also share the mag with other family members or friends, and ultimately, a significant number of them go on to collect each issue leaving your message in perpetuity in thousands of homes and offices. Our content and subject matter is so meaningful to our readers that we also receive thousands of visits per month on our website and social media – we have a very successful Facebook page with over Congratulations to Michael Sanci of Vaughan 29,000 fans (and growing) who won two spots on Panoram Italia’s and our weekly e-newsletter Treasures of Italy Tour by subscribing to the magazine (pictured with Rita Simonetta, has over 20,000 subscribers. Managing Editor). All this to say, when you invest in Panoram Italia, you receive great value for your advertising dollar. If you believe in our cause, give us a try the next time you want to reach our community. It pays to do so! Email us at info@panoramitalia.com and one of our experienced media reps will be very happy to help you to achieve your goals. Finally, I would like to express my sincerest best wishes for the upcoming Easter season. The risen Lord is a symbol of hope and a new beginning for all of mankind. I wish each and every one of you peace, joy, love and many precious moments and great food with your families and extended families. Lastly, do not forget to show your appreciation to your parents and grandparents who are instrumental in upholding our precious customs and traditions, especially our mothers and grandmothers, for they are the true pillars of our families and community. Buona Pasqua a tutti! Tony Zara, Publisher
Photo by Randi Weiner
fter one of the harshest winters in recent memory, many of our readers are looking forward to enjoying some sunshine and culture on our trip to Italy. We are very excited and eternally grateful to all who put their trust in us to take care of them while touring “il bel paese.” Based on last year’s success, we have a very ambitious plan for this year, and thus far, we have almost accomplished our goal. The tour is exclusively offered through Panoram Italia, and there are currently 10 places left for our June 27 departure date and 14 places left for September 5. Should you wish to join us, now is the time to do it. As an extra incentive, we are offering the opportunity to WIN a spot (one ticket) valued at $3,899.00 if you join prior to June 20, 2014. Book now and start dreaming! See page 9 for details.
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EDITORIAL
Il nuovo politicus faber Ritratto del Premier italiano Matteo Renzi Come va interpretata la figura del nuovo Premier italiano Matteo Renzi? anti sono stati i giudizi negativi espressi sul neo-Premier. Eccone due pubblicati sul Corriere Filippo Salvatore della Sera: 1.“La vera innovazione del ‘Renzi 1’ è Renzi stesso, il più giovane premier, per giunta extraparlamentare, dall’Unità d’Italia a oggi, e uno dei più ambiziosi”. 2. “Nell'universo di Matteo Renzi tutto si mescola”. Le numerose e pungenti considerazioni di tanti editorialisti o esperti di vario genere hanno tendenza a dare un'impietosa immagine di Matteo Renzi: suo discorso fatto a braccio al Senato, la mancanza di dati precisi nel fare le sue considerazioni, il fatto di essersi messo le mani in tasca durante il suo discorso, il suo tono più elettoralistico che istituzionale. Gli vengono rimproverate tante manchevolezze. Quelle che dovrebbero essere le manchevolezze di Matteo Renzi sono al contrario ed in realtà la sua forza come uomo politico “nuovo”. Vediamo perché. Michel de Montaigne nei suoi Essais scrive: “On dit bien vrai qu’un honnête homme c'est un homme mêlé”. Si può tracciare un parallelo tra l’uomo “mescolato” cui si riferiva il saggista francese nel secondo Cinquecento, periodo di aspri scontri tra difesa dell’ortodossia cattolica e ribellismo protestante, e la realtà del secondo decennio del terzo millennio, quella di oggi, post-ideologica e mondializzata. Alla certezza dell’homo faber rinascimentale, misura di tutte le cose, si contrapponeva l’inquietudine prodotta dalle grandi scoperte geografiche e dal contatto con civiltà fino ad allora sconosciute, oltre al dibattito sulla nascente cosmologia eliocentrica. Alle forme “chiuse” rinascimentali stavano subentrando quelle “contorte” del manierismo e quelle “aperte” del barocco. Poi nel Seicento con Galileo Galilei, tra gli altri, è prevalsa la visione scientifica di cui sonno stati la massima espressione in Europa l’illuminismo settecentesco e il positivismo ottocentesco e il neo-positivismo novecentesco. Dal Settecento alla fine del Novecento è prevalso il concetto di progresso come ideale da perseguire. Questa è la visione che mi piace chiamare “ideologica”. Ed è ad essa che ha fatto ricorso buona parte degli editorialisti. È difficile da accettare per chi come loro adotta rigidi principi interpretativi, il fatto che un politico possa e non possa essere fautore del progresso, abbia una coscienza ecologica e difenda la libera iniziativa economica e la giustizia sociale. Sia loro sia tanti altri uomini politici e intellettuali “schierati”– e sono ancora tanti! – fanno parte del paradigma interpretativo “ideologico” del vecchiume mentale, quello dominante prima della caduta del muro di Berlino nel 1989. Difendono cioè un paradigma concettuale che si sta sbriciolando, anzi è venuto meno. Il post-modernismo, di cui politicamente Matteo Renzi è un esempio, relativizza sia la visione classista del tardo-marxismo sia il laissez-faire senza regole del capitalismo selvaggio, sia la coscienza del limite alla crescita e la difesa dell’ambiente. Nicolò Machiavelli insegna ne Il Principe che la vera virtù del principe nuovo – e Matteo Renzi ne è un esempio eclatante – non è tanto saper arrivare al potere, ma saperlo conservare. La vera misura come politico di Matteo Renzi si parrà se e quando saprà far valere la sua “virtù” e soprattutto se saprà durare. Niente da eccepire verso la sua ambizione, anche se smisurata, se la persegue e la indirizza anche verso il bene comune. Se Renzi
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riuscirà a farlo, durerà e subentrerà al ventennio di berlusconismo incentrato sulla ricerca dell’utile personale. Finora Renzi ha saputo essere spregiudicato, una qualità in politica, e, attraverso le primarie, ha saputo sormontare i giochi pericolosi ed i pesanti condizionamenti di partito all’interno del PD. Cosa che l’integro moralmente, ma politicamente inetto Enrico Letta non era riuscito a fare e ne ha pagato il prezzo. Se Letta è stato un cunctator, (ha promesso tanto, ma ha fatto poco, anzi pochissimo in quasi un anno) Renzi si rivelerà un politicus faber, un protagonista spericolato del fare. Solo così, con risultati concreti, potrà giocarsi la partita alle prossime elezioni nazionali previste per il 2018 e vincerle. La recente vittoria del Pd alle elezioni regionali in Sardegna è un segno incoraggiante e lo sarà ancora di più se riuscirà a restare il primo partito alle imminenti elezioni europee. A fine marzo 2014, il Partito Democratico resta il primo partito italiano. La rinata Forza Italia è troppo Berlusconicentrica e dipendente. Se Angelino Alfano ha lungimiranza e acume dovrebbe saper far diventare il suo Nuovo Centrodestra il punto di riferimento e coagulo delle forze, come quella di Fratelli d’Italia, della destra italiana, insistendo e dimostrando che è lui il fautore della necessaria rivoluzione liberale. Matteo Renzi sarà obbligato a rispettare la logica dei Sette Colli romani, a tener conto del parere del Presidente Giorgio Napolitano. Tuttavia è perfettamente cosciente che ‘Siamo di fronte a un bivio: vi chiedo, tutti insieme, di uscire dalla palude’. I dissensi interni al Movimento 5 Stelle di Beppe Grillo e l’espulsione di senatori e pare anche di deputati non fa altro che rafforzare la posizione di Matteo Renzi. La sua squadra: otto donne e tanti uomini meno o poco più che quarantenni. Una vera novità nella storia della Repubblica italiana. Solo il tempo ed i fatti concreti ci diranno se si tratta di un taglio epistemologico o la riproposta, sotto spoglie più giovani, del peccato originale e mortale della politica nazionale in Italia: il Trasformismo. Quella di Matteo Renzi è e resta una “maggioranza variabile”: versione attuale delle convergenze parallele e del compromesso storico. È l’anello debole della catena che però si sta rafforzando e potrebbe durare fino al 2018. Negli anni Settanta con il sequestro e l’assassinio di Aldo Moro e con la morte di Enrico Berlinguer non se ne fece niente. Era la scommessa che avrebbe potuto dare una vera svolta all’Italia. Un governo a “maggioranza variabile” è la scommessa che Matteo Renzi si appresta a giocare. Riuscirà con il suo attivismo ad avere risultati concreti per far fronte al populismo del Movimento 5 Stelle di Beppe Grillo che malgrado tutto resta una forza politica importante e al vecchio riproposto come nuovo, ossia Forza Italia 2, del pregiudicato e vecchio Silvio Berlusconi? Una “onesta dissimulazione” in un mondo di relatività etica: ecco la forma mentis del nuovo Premier italiano, Matteo Renzi. Che piaccia o meno. Abituiamoci a vederlo fare, perché vorrà fare e farà molto sia in Italia che in Europa. Speriamo solo che non commetterà troppi errori.
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
OUR COVER Stefanie Terrana is a 2013 1st place fitness competitor living in Vaughan, Ontario. Photography by Gregory Varano Makeup by Desi Varano Food products courtesy of Lady York Foods, Toronto
Around The Table By Sarah Mastroianni
The Italian-Canadian Diet
To say that food is important to Italian culture is an understatement. According to Loretta Gatto-White, co-editor of the anthology Italian Canadians At Table: A Narrative Feast in Five Courses, “making and sharing good food is central to our cultural lives.” However, most people would agree that the way Italian-Canadians eat nowadays is not necessarily the same as in the old country. Has something been lost in translation?
A brief look at the mediterranean diet The Mediterranean diet is often represented in pyramid format. At the apex sit sweets and red meat – two things that, according to the diet, you should eat the least amount of. The diet suggests substituting butter for olive oil, eating more fish and poultry, and indulging in mostly whole grains. Ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils are also central to the diet, with water and wine (in moderation) being the encouraged drinks. Filomena Vernace-Inserra, a Registered Dietitian in the GTA, also touts the benefits of the much-talked about Mediterranean Diet. “It’s one of the main types of diets that still has a stronghold with health benefits and has recently been put at the forefront for us to recommend,” she said. Historically, it was a way of eating that, for many Italians, was born out of poverty or necessity and has now become a lifestyle for North Americans to aspire to. “Things were different back then,” says Tony Iannarilli, who immigrated to Canada in the early 1960s and who still keeps a garden, just like he did in Italy. “We didn’t have the food we have now. We didn’t have anything!” Samantha Testolina, a third generation Italian-Canadian financial advisor from Montreal, weighs in on the situation saying, “The Italian-Canadian diet, from my experience, tries to maintain Italian traditions while integrating the convenience of the North American diet.” Eating right in a fast-paced world Vernace-Inserra admits, though, that the pull of convenience and the demands of a busy schedule often have Italian-Canadians reaching for the quickest, not necessarily the healthiest or most authentic Italian meal. As a health professional, she tries to “motivate people to get back to the basics of cooking,” and also to spend more time sitting at the table talking – a regular practice in most Italian families, which has numerous benefits outside of the nutritional value of the food consumed. 12
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The same holds true in Fina Scroppo’s new cookbook, The Healthy Italian. The book’s title may raise some eyebrows, especially within the Italian-Canadian community. Isn’t Italian food always healthy? Many Italian-Canadians would agree, citing the jars of wholesome preserves, sugos and bottles of olive oil that line the shelves of numerous Italian-Canadian cantinas as examples. Iannarilli is confident about the health benefits of his own homemade foods when compared to store-bought products. “It’s 100 percent healthier. There’s no preservatives,” he says. Scroppo is of a similar mind. “At its foundation, Italian cooking is definitely a healthy cuisine […] The problem and issue is that we’ve taken that diet and layered it with stuff that’s not so good for us,” she says. Things like commercialized cheese-laden pizza, cream-based sauces, as well as overcooked pasta and vegetables come to mind. “Al dente seems to have lost its way!” she complains. Not to mention canned spaghetti. Amanda Lombardi, a second-generation Italian-Canadian teacher from Toronto, notices the same problem. “People in North America stereotype. It’s [Italian food] just all meat and cheese, […] but there’s a lot more to it, especially if you go to Italy and see what they eat there. They don’t eat meat and cheese in excess. The excess comes from being here.” Elvio Galasso, professor of the popular Cucina Italiana program at Montreal’s Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec says that even among chefs the push towards health-conscious Italian cooking is on the rise. “The health factor is a very important issue. That’s the way cooking is going towards,” he explains. In his classes, Galasso also says he tries to “make a link with Italy and show how the dishes have been transformed, […] how they’ve been adapted to the products we have locally.” Even that necessity, however, is changing. “Before it was harder to find the ingredients for Italian food. But now, you find everything all over,” says Iannarilli.
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET Not to mention the rise in the number of Italian restaurants, cookbooks and cooking shows in Canada over the past few decades. A healthy lifestyle is more than just eating right Along with the need for a healthy, balanced diet comes the need for exercise – something that is becoming increasingly more difficult to work into our busy schedules. According to Marianna Gagliardi, who has worked as a personal trainer in Toronto, Italian-Canadians are doing a decent job of staying active, usually by taking to the gym to get their exercise. Gagliardi, who has also lived in Rome, notes the difference in the exercise habits between the two countries, citing that Italians are more apt to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives, whether it be a passeggiata after dinner or walking to work in the morning. “It was rare to see Italians jogging or riding their bikes in the centre of Rome,” she notes, “as opposed to Montreal and Toronto where Canadians brave the cold weather and traffic conditions in order to exercise.” The future of Italian food within the Italian-Canadian community “Food has always played a central role in my family […] Ultimately, eating is what we do best and we’re definitely proud to show it,” Testolina says. “What I think is unfortunate,” she adds, “is that many of the younger Italian generations have no interest in continuing certain traditions, for example, making homemade sausage and cheese.” Lombardi’s experience growing up in Toronto was similar. “It was always an important thing to have dinner together […] I inherited this desire to feed people,” she laughs. But when it comes to carrying on the traditions of sauce making and preserving, Lombardi is unsure if she’ll continue. “As much as we’d like to do that stuff all the time, I don’t know that it’s plausible.” Although some may be worried about the future of Italian-Canadian food traditions, Gatto-White remains positive. “Food will always be important in maintaining and creating familial and social bonds for Italian-Canadians; I don’t think that will change. It’s in our DNA!”
Intorno alla tavola La dieta italo-canadese Sarah Mastroianni
Affermare che il cibo sia importante nella cultura italiana è un eufemismo. Secondo Loretta Gatto-White, coautrice dell’antologia Italian Canadians At Table: A Narrative Feast in Five Courses: “preparare e condividere il cibo è fondamentale per le nostre vite culturali”. Senza dubbio la nostra cultura s’incentra sulla tavola. La maggior parte delle persone, tuttavia, sarebbe d’accordo nell’affermare che ciò che mangiano gli italo-canadesi oggi non corrisponde necessariamente a quanto avviene nel vecchio continente. Qualcosa si è perso per strada? La dieta mediterranea A seguito delle abitudini alimentari e degli ingredienti usati nei paesi prospicienti il mar Mediterraneo, la dieta mediterranea viene spesso rappresentata con una piramide. All’apice si trovano dolci e carni rosse – due elementi che secondo la dieta, si dovrebbero consumare in piccole quantità. La dieta suggerisce di sostituire l’olio d’oliva al burro, di mangiare più pesce e carni bianche, e concedersi prevalentemente prodotti integrali. Alimenti quali frutta, verdura, fagioli e lenticchie sono inoltre essenziali nella dieta, con acqua e vino (bevuto con moderazione) suggeriti quali bevande. Anche Filomena Vernace-Inserra, nutrizionista specializzata della GTA, promuove i benefici della tanto discussa dieta mediterranea. “È una tra le principali diete ad essere
ancora un caposaldo per i benefici sulla salute ed è stata recentemente messa in prima linea tra le cose da raccomandare”, dice. Era, per molti italiani, un modo di nutrirsi nato dalla povertà o dal bisogno; ora è diventato stile di vita al quale molti nordamericani dovrebbero ambire. “Le cose erano diverse all’epoca”, afferma Tony Iannarilli, emigrato in Canada all’inizio degli anni ’60 e che, ancora oggi, coltiva il suo orto come faceva in Italia. “Non avevamo il cibo che abbiamo oggi. Non avevamo niente!” Samantha Testolina, italo-canadese di terza generazione e consulente finanziario di Montréal, interviene sull’argomento sostenendo: “La dieta italo-canadese, per esperienza personale, cerca di mantenere le tradizioni italiane integrando le comodità della dieta nordamericana.” Mangiare bene in un mondo che va di fretta Vernace-Inserra ammette tuttavia che l’attrazione verso la comodità e gli orari pressanti vedono spesso gli italo-canadesi optare per un più rapido, non necessariamente più sano e verace, pasto all’italiana. In qualità di specialista della salute, cerca di “spronare le persone al ritorno a una cucina di base”, ed anche a trascorrere più tempo seduti a tavola a chacchierare – una pratica abituale in molte famiglie italiane che offre numerosi benefici, al di là del valore nutrizionale del cibo consumato. Lo stesso vale per Fina Scroppo nel suo nuovo libro di cucina The Healthy Italian. Il titolo del suo libro, tuttavia, potrebbe far alzare qualche sopracciglio soprattutto all’interno della comunità italo-canadese. Non sempre il cibo italiano è salutare? Molti italo-canadesi concorderebbero nel citare quali esempi i barattoli di conserve genuine, di sugo e le bottiglie di olio d’oliva allineate sugli scaffali di molte cantine italo-canadesi. Iannarilli si fida delle qualità benefiche dei suoi alimenti fatti in casa se paragonati ai prodotti acquistati in negozio. “Sono al 100% più sani. Non ci sono conservanti,” ha dice. Di opinione simile è Scroppo. “Di base, la cucina italiana è sicuramente una cucina sana […] Il problema e il punto è che abbiamo preso quella dieta e l’abbiamo diversificata con ingredienti che non ci fanno bene,” afferma. Mi vengono in mente cose come la pizza in commercio ad alto contenuto di formaggio, le salsette a base di panna, così come la pasta e le verdure scotte. Sembra che il concetto di “al dente” si sia perso per strada!” reclama. Per non parlare degli spaghetti in scatola. Amanda Lombardi, italo-canadese di seconda generazione e insegnante di Toronto, nota lo stesso problema. “La gente in nordamerica tende a stereotipare. È solo [il cibo italiano] carne e pesce, […] ma c’è molto di più, soprattutto se vai in Italia e vedi cosa mangiano lì. Non consumano carne e formaggio in eccesso. L’eccesso nasce dall’essere qui.” Elvio Galasso, professore del famoso programma di Cucina Italiana presso l’Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec di Montreal, afferma che anche tra gli chef è in crescita la tendenza verso una cucina italiana più consapevole. “Il fattore salute è una questione molto importante. È quella la direzione verso la quale la cucina si sta dirigendo,” spiega. Nelle sue lezioni, aggiunge Galasso, prova sempre a “creare una connessione con l’Italia per mostrare come i piatti si trasformino, […] come si adattino ai nostri prodotti locali.” Anche questa esigenza, tuttavia, sta cambiando. “Prima era più difficile trovare gli ingredienti per piatti italiani. Adesso invece, si trova tutto ovunque”, dice Iannarilli. Per non parlare dell’aumento del numero dei ristoranti italiani, libri e programmi di cucina in Canada negli ultimi decenni. Una dieta sana va al di là del mangiare bene Assieme al bisogno di una dieta più sana ed equilibrata, c’è quello dell’attività fisica –cosa sempre più difficile da inserire nei nostri calendari fitti d’impegni. Secondo Marianna Gagliardi, che lavora come personal trainer a Toronto, gli italocanadesi stanno facendo un buon lavoro nel cercare di rimanere attivi, di solito andando in palestra per allenarsi. Gagliardi, che ha anche vissuto a Roma, sottolinea la differenza nelle abitudini sportive tra i due paesi, facendo riferimento al fatto che gli italiani sono più propensi a integrare l’attività fisica nella vita quotidiana, che sia passeggiando dopo cena o camminando per andare al lavoro al mattino. “Era piuttosto raro vedere italiani fare jogging o andare in bicicletta al mattino nel centro di Roma,” sottolinea, “di contro a Montreal e Toronto dove i canadesi sfidano freddo e traffico per poter fare moto.” Il futuro della cucina italiana all’interno della comunità italo-canadese “Il cibo ha sempre giocato un ruolo importante nella mia famiglia […]In sostanza, mangiare è ciò che facciamo meglio e ciò che siamo decisamente fieri di mostrare,” dice Testolina. “ Ciò che mi sembra un peccato”, aggiunge, “è che molti giovani delle nuove generazioni di italiani non abbiano alcun interesse a portare avanti certe tradizioni facendo, per esempio, la salsiccia e il formaggio in casa”. L’esperienza di Lombardi nel crescere a Toronto è stata simile. “Era sempre importante cenare assieme […] Ho ereditato il desiderio di sfamare le persone,” sorride. Ma quando si tratta di portare avanti la tradizione di fare e conservare la salsa, Lombardi non è sicura di continuare a farlo. “Per quanto ci piacerebbe dedicarci a quelle cose tutto il tempo, non sono certa sia fattibile.” Sebbene alcuni siano preoccupati per il futuro delle tradizioni culinarie italocanadesi, Gatto-White si dice ottimista. “Per gli italo-canadesi, il cibo sarà sempre importante per mantenere e creare legami sociali e familiari; non credo ciò cambierà. È nel nostro DNA!” (Traduzione Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo) PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
Italians’ Changing Appetite
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By Robin Poon
Italian food has gained popularity worldwide in recent decades, as the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have become better understood. In Canada, many Italian immigrants have long strived to hold on to their homeland’s traditions, while on the other hand younger generations of Italian-Canadians tend to be losing their parents’ culinary habits. Meanwhile, in Italy itself, the impacts of globalization and the recent economic crisis on eating habits are resulting in growing waistlines and health problems to match, as more and more people are adopting an unhealthy “North American” lifestyle. Is the Italian Diet really in danger? ood’s not the only way to be Italian-Canadian, but it’s a good start,” says Pal Di Iulio, president and CEO of the Columbus Centre and Villa Charities, a group of charities in Toronto that promotes Italian culture. Although Di Iulio came to Canada from Italy in 1956, he says his family still eats a fresh, balanced, “Mediterranean” diet today. “It’s not difficult because my wife, and to some degree myself, have made it a priority.” Yet, this priority seems to have become less and less important for a growing number of people back in the old country. The Organization for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD) estimates that overall, about 40 per cent of Italian adults are overweight or obese and it predicts that figure will jump to 45 per cent by 2020. A 2011 study indicated that 36 per cent of Italian children eight years and under were overweight or obese. Rather than seeing unhealthy eating as an adopted North American trend, Pasquale Bova, Italy’s trade commissioner for Canada, attributes it to the global agricultural and food industry’s use of “shortcuts” to improve profits rather than health. “The use of sugar, salt and corn syrup has increased drastically.” Pressed for time and money, Italians, especially young people, opt for processed fast-food options instead of making meals from scratch. He also blames advertising for increasing the appeal of relatively exotic fast food to lower-income and less-educated groups in Italy that are more likely to suffer weight-related health problems. “It’s complicated to cook vegetables. People don’t want to take the time,” says Bova. “However, with more consumers demanding healthy options, the food industry has responded. The resulting economy of scale could help bring down the price of good food so that it is affordable for more Italians,” he adds. Furthermore, the European Union has instituted a healthy eating program in European schools, and the Italian government has enacted their own healthy eating program. Bova says these initiatives are well intentioned, but will not prove effective if they do not extend to adults as well. These changing eating habits have even affected the domestic sale of wine, and traditional food products have suffered, especially during Europe’s recent financial cri-
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sis. But Italian companies have found new markets abroad. “One of the major marketing tools for us was the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nutrition pyramid (…) which was very close already to the Mediterranean diet,” says Bova, who recalls that when he was first posted to New York in 1985, he couldn’t buy real prosciutto anywhere in the city. Nowadays, he says products like prosciutto, dried tomatoes and pesto are widely available, and many smaller and medium-sized exporters have joined the larger Italian companies that first sold internationally. Ironically, while Italian food products are now more accessible, culinary traditions have faded among young Italian-Canadians. Danielle Nurisso, 32, recalls her paternal grandfather making wine and curing meat, while her grandmother made fresh pasta and loved cooking and baking. But Nurisso says she never had the chance to pick up those traditions because her grandparents did not pass them down to her father and aunt. Although some of Nurisso’s cousins have kept stronger ties to their Italian heritage and grow their own fruits and vegetables today, Nurisso says, “I just don’t have the know-how.” Now that these traditions are quickly losing ground across the pond too, Bova concedes that globalization has encouraged unhealthy eating domestically. Yet, this is also the result of lower purchasing power limiting accessibility to fresh, healthy products – a corollary to Europe’s recent economic crisis. A situation that does not seem to have affected Canada as much. And while younger ItalianCanadians may not be carrying on the tradition of making their own preserves or growing vegetables in their gardens, it is now paradoxically easier than ever to connect and reconnect with Italian culinary habits. With Italian food products now a common staple in most Canadian supermarkets, all it takes is a bit of effort and good will.
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Extra
ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
Virgin
To Your Health: Italian cuisine! Extra
Virgin
By Julie Aubé
10 of the most nutritious ingredients from la cucina del bel paese Delicious and easy to prepare, Italian cuisine draws its splendor from a range of ingredients that come together to form a rich and varied diet. As one might expect, such nutritious virtues have brought it legions of fans. Its success is also attributed to the Italian custom of enjoying meals in the company of friends and family. Tomatoes and tomato sauce It goes without saying that the quintessential ingredient in Italian cuisine, from north to south, is the tomato. Common in pasta dishes, it is also found in pizza, eggplant parmigiana and polpette, to name a few. Like all vegetables, the tomato is rich in nutrients and low in calories. Moreover, it contains lycopene, an antioxidant that – along with several other nutrients found in tomatoes – may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Once cooked (in a tomato sauce, for instance), the tomato’s lycopene becomes more readily absorbed by the body.
Rapini, spinach, arugula, artichokes and other greens Italian cooking uses whichever greens are in season to produce a range of specialties that alternately share the title of most popular contorni (side dishes). Rich in vitamins, antioxidants and polyphenols, it is no wonder that Canada's Food Guide recommends eating at least one green vegetable every day!
Extra virgin olive oil Olive oil, especially its extra virgin sub-type, is the queen of Italian cuisine. Its many incarnations delight gourmet palates in various ways with its rich flavours and wide range of aromas, at times fruity, at times spicy, depending on its origins and producers. Olive oils contain large quantities of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are known to lower cholesterol and contribute to a healthy heart.
Extra Virgin
Extra
Virgin
Legumes Though legumes may not seem particularly important to Italian cuisine, this class of vegetable is no less ubiquitous in the culinary tradition. Classic dishes like minestrone soup, pasta e fagioli and pasta e ceci or ribollita fiorentina incorporate them in abundance. Moreover, legumes stand out for their nutritional value, their high protein content and their generous amounts of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Fine Herbs Herbs, whether fresh or dried, are flavour enhancers that often make it possible to reduce the amount of salt used in recipes. Basil, a cornerstone of Genovese pesto, is another key ingredient in nearly any tomato sauce. Oregano, which is commonly found in pizza, among other dishes, is also ubiquitous in Italian cuisine, as is parsley, which is commonly used as a garnish on many dishes such as gremolata. Sage, another mainstay, is prominent in saltimbocca, and rosemary is often added to grilled meats to add a complementary aroma. 16
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Fish and seafood Often found in soups, risotto, pasta sauces, or as a main dish, fish and seafood are particularly favoured in Italy. Many are low in fats and high in proteins, while others (such as sardines, salmon, anchovies and mackerel) have higher fat contents. The fattier fish are no less nutritious. As is increasingly acknowledged, omega-3 fatty acids and other fish oils have extremely beneficial effects on the heart and brain.
Garlic Garlic plays a central role in Italian cuisine. Along with basil and tomato, it constitutes the basis of any good tomato sauce. As is the case with herbs, garlic is helpful in moderating the use of salt in many dishes. Garlic also contains generous amounts of phytochemicals (allicin, allium), which are considered to help prevent certain types of cancer.
Citrus Besides the famous limoncello (a lemon-flavoured digestif) and various pastries to which are added citrus zest, Italians also love fresh oranges and tangerines. Grown in the sunshine and overflowing with vitamin C, citrus fruits abound on the shelves of Italian markets and are always delicious at breakfast, as a snack or for dessert. They can also be incorporated into delicious salads along with other good ingredients like fennel, black olives, arugula and a drizzle of oil.
Artisanal additive-free deli meats The most harmful consequences of industrially processed meats may not come from their high fat content, but rather their chemical additives, which include nitrates, as well as texturing and conservation agents, and artificial flavouring. Italian deli meats are generally free of such preservatives, thanks to the more traditional methods of production used for drying and/or curing. These natural methods also give Italian cured meats more distinctive flavours and a bit of personality.
Wine Commonly consumed during meals, red wine is considered a food in its own right in Italy. As long as it is consumed in moderation (1-2 glasses of 150 ml per day for women and 2-3 for men), red wine is believed to contribute to a healthy diet. In addition to being delicious and soothing, wine is also packed with antioxidants from the resveratrol family, which have been praised for their beneficial effects for the heart.
Home cooking VS processed food Home cooking using basic ingredients remains at the core of the healthy eating habits associated with Italian cuisine. At the outset, the ability to carefully select the ingredients ensures higher quality meals. In addition to being often very high in sodium and containing shortenings, processed meals also tend to lack protein and vegetables. Finally, industrially processed foods, like frozen pizza or ready-made pasta dishes require
uniform appearance and standardized taste. To obtain these results, food processors use copious amounts of additives to standardize taste and texture, and prolong shelf life. While our busy schedules may make consuming TV-dinners necessary from time to time, taking the extra time and effort to cook a meal at home not only tastes better, but also is often healthier!
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The Italian Paradox Myths and reality about the Italian diet Learning to eat like an Italian, in the healthy, Mediterranean style, is big business. Amazon.com offers 5,198 books about the Mediterranean diet. 118 of those books focus on Italian cooking and nearly all have a picture of olive oil on the cover. By Laura D’Amelio
It’s
those given either one litre of extra virgin olive oil, or 200 g of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds every week had a significantly reduced risk of stroke and heart disease, compared to a group on a low-fat diet. That doesn’t mean there can’t be too much of a good thing. Meals high in carbohydrates (remember that big plate of pasta at the restaurant?), put you at risk of diabetes as bread, pasta and starches break down into sugar once consumed. Studies have shown that eating 160 g per day of processed meats, like sausage or cured meats, in conjunction with other such habits, leads to an increased risk of premature death. “Obesity, gluten intolerance and celiac disease are big topics [in Italy] and rates are rising,” says Grant. But it’s not just the foods Italians eat, it’s how they eat them. Italians take more time to eat, and eat with others, rather than eating on the go like North Americans. “[Italians] don’t snack as much and sit down together to more homecooked meals,” says Grant. “[They have a] small breakfast often standing up in the local bar – coffee and cornetti. Today lunch is just a sandwich as people don’t get home as much as they used to for lunch and more women work out of the home. Dinner is usually cooked at home and eaten sitting down with the family.” As for those large, long dinners: “Italians eat more courses, therefore more variety, but the portions are much smaller,” says Grant. “I think Italians walk a lot more too. Most cities here have pedestrian only areas where cars are banned and the country is, in general, mountainous. You are always climbing here.” Populations that follow the Mediterranean diet pattern also show the highest longevity. In fact, one of the world’s “hot spots” for longevity is Sardinia, Italy. Investigations into this area’s concentration of centenarians (those who live to 100 or older) have found less circulatory diseases there than in the rest of the country. In a popular news article from 2012, a set of nine Sardinian siblings between the ages of 78 and 105 credited their long lives to minestrone soup, vegetables, very little meat and a dedicated work ethic. The problem is, whether in Canada or Italy, while the older generations have maintained the Mediterranean habits of their youth, younger Italians tend to give up the traditional diet and lifestyle in favour of more convenient foods. “Things [in Italy] are changing too,” says Grant. “And faster than you’d like to think. Fast
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easy to see why there is such a demand for insight into what and how Italians eat: study after study shows Italians are healthier and live longer. Though Italians smoke more than other Europeans and spend less on healthcare, they have healthier weights and less diseases. And Italy is one of the top 10 countries in the world with the longest human longevity. But go to an Italian chain restaurant in North America and you’ll be served heaping amounts of pasta coated with cheese, a far cry from what is considered “healthy.” Movie and TV images of traditional Italian Sunday meals suggest big portions of meat, a lot of wine and opulent desserts are the norm. How do pizza and pasta translate into a healthy diet? “That’s not representative of Italian meals,” says Susan McKenna Grant, author of Piano, Piano, Pieno: Authentic Food from a Tuscan Farm and owner/chef of La Petraia restaurant in Sienna. “[Italians eat] less junk food, less soda, less sugar, do more natural exercise like walking and have a better understanding of what good food is,” she says. She also confirms that olive oil is one of the best foods Italians consume. Fresh vegetables, and plenty of them, are the stars of meals, not just pasta. A 1995 study of the Mediterranean diet “Italian Style” confirmed that Italians preferred a plant-based, low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. This means a high intake of vegetables, beans, fruit and cereals; medium-to-high intake of fish and unsaturated fats (that’s where the olive oil comes in); and low intake of meats, saturated fats and dairy products. The study also tracked the physiological effects of this food and found the benefits abound. For example, tomatoes, broccoli, wine, unprocessed olive oil, garlic and certain spices offer antioxidant effects. The high intake of plant-based meals also provided protective roles for health. Spanish research published in Food Chemistry magazine found that tomato sauce – the olive oil, tomatoes and garlic cooked together particularly – is loaded with compounds that have been linked to the reduction of tumours and cardiovascular diseases. Other analyses have linked the Mediterranean diet with a reduced risk of heart disease as well. In 2013, researchers went even further to test out particular “Mediterranean” foods. A five-year study of more than 7,000 people found that
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food chains are sneaking in. Supermarkets are carrying more ready-made and prepared foods. Fewer people are growing their own and ready-made frozen or fresh prepared meals are becoming more popular.� The impetus to live healthier and longer should be enough to encourage the traditional Italian diet, but the benefits may go even further than that. A
Concordia University study of Italian-Canadians suggests that ethnic identity is positively related to the consumption of traditional foods. Want to get healthy, live longer and feel close to your roots? Don’t buy a book about the Mediterranean diet. Instead, start cutting up some melanzane and invite your family over for a leisurely dinner.
Mediterranean Diet Pyramid Guidelines for adult population
Wine in moderarion s = servings
Potatoes 3s
White meat 2s Fish / Seafood 2s
Weekly
Weekly
Sweets 2s
Red meat 2s Processed meat 1s
Eggs 2-4s Vegetables 2s
Every Main Meal
Fruits 1-2s Vegetables 2s Variety of textures (cooked / raw)
Water
Regular physical activity
Every day
Olives / Nuts / Seeds 1-2s
Herbs / Spices / Garlic (less added salt)
Olive oil / Breads Pasta / Rice / Other cereals 1-2s (whole grain)
Every Main Meal
Every day
Dairy (preferably low fat)
herbal infusion
Biodiversity / Ecofriendly products / Culinary activities
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET Unidentified Customs Officer with family, 1963. Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (DI2013.1362.4).
Food Culture Shock Italian immigrants recall their first – and unmemorable – edible experiences upon moving to Canada By Vanessa Santilli
Along with adjusting to a new language and frigid temperatures, Italian newcomers to Canada also had to deal with a radically different cuisine. From sliced bread to extra sugary sweets, the sapore of Canadian food just wasn’t the same as back home for Italians who arrived in the land of opportunity. uring the Pier 21 years, 471,940 Italians came to Canada, making them the third largest ethnic group to immigrate between 1928 and 1971. Franca Della Rossa was among the large wave of Italian immigratings to Canada post-World War II. She still vividly remembers her first experience eating Canadian food at a public venue. “We went to shop (at Eaton’s) for my wedding dress…and my uncle suggested we visit the buffet,” recalls Della Rossa, who immigrated to Canada in 1960. “The fragrance in the air was excellent, but as soon as I tried it, it had no flavour whatsoever.” And as a result of her less-than-positive experience eating at Eaton’s, Della Rossa and her family didn’t eat out for many years. “When my daughter turned 20, she said, ‘I don’t want any presents. As a present, I would like the whole family to go out and eat.’ By this time it was the early ’80s. Things had improved.” Still, Della Rossa always considered herself one of the lucky ones. “I lived with my mother-in-law who was a great cook so I didn't have to suffer that long.” But of all the meals, she found lunchtime to be the biggest challenge. “I was accustomed to soup or something warm at noon and sliced bread didn’t do a thing for me… It was not satisfying for me. But it was convenient, I suppose.” “In order to understand the reaction, it’s important to understand what Italians were used to back home,” says Joyce Pillarella, an oral historian based in Montreal. “When many of the immigrants arrived, the white bread they were given really had a negative effect on them, mostly because it was a really sharp contrast to what they were accustomed to, she says. Bread had always sustained them as it was wholesome,” she explains. “It got them through a war. It got them through difficult times and so it was something they looked towards with confidence that it would get them through their day. Sliced bread made a big impression on them as they didn't see any nutritional value in it,” she adds. Fiorina Bomben, who came to Canada in the early ’50s, can also attest to being less than impressed with sliced bread. “My eldest daughter used to ask for ‘la torta,’” she says, a reference to the bread’s sweetness. On a day-to-day basis, Bomben recalls not having many options
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when making her packed lunches for work. “My boss used to say to me, ‘Bologna again, Fiorina?’ I used to like bologna for lunch or Polish sausage.” Soon enough, this feeling towards bread would create a new slang word. It’s commonly believed that the term “mangiacake” evolved from the sentiment that Canadian bread is sweet as cake, compared to the taste of Italian bread. “In fact, stories about the sweet white bread that the children refused to eat had made their way back to Italy and Italian immigrants were coming prepared,” writes researcher Carrie-Ann Smith on the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21's website. And these immigrants often came prepared with food from their homeland. “Newcomers often went to enormous efforts to conceal their food products from Canadian customs officials for fear of losing their beloved sausages, nuts, bread and other cherished food items,” writes researcher Jan Raska on the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21’s website. But this did not sit well with customs officials. “This middle ground often led to interesting exchanges between Canadian ‘gatekeepers’ – those entrusted to safeguard Canadian society and economy, including customs officers – and new arrivals from across the globe,” writes Raska. But as more and more Italian immigrants settled into their new life in Canada, Italian services sprung up to cater to this growing community. Bomben was happy to discover an Italian grocery store on College Street, as the items they were used to buying back home were not readily available at Canadian supermarkets. “They had olive oil from Italy,” she says. “They had everything.” When shopping at Canadian supermarkets, however, Bomben was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meat, fruit and vegetables. And as the Italian community grew, Italians also brought their food traditions with them, something that continues on to this day with well-stocked cantinas showcasing homemade sausages, wine and preserves. With a wide variety of bakeries and supermarkets stocking top quality Italian products – and Italian restaurants galore – Italians immigrants have not only managed to preserve their culinary traditions but successfully integrated them into mainstream Canadian cuisine and eating habits.
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
all’Italiana! Paolo Patrito
C’è a chi piace fritto, arrosto, oppure al forno. Avvolto in un cartoccio o in semplice foglio di carta, comprato in un locale o in un chiosco, oppure a bordo di un furgone riadattato. Parliamo dello street food, il cibo nato per essere acquistato e consumato per strada, che sta vivendo un periodo d’oro, soprattutto in Italia e tra i giovani che riscoprono le tradizioni gastronomiche dello stivale. sud a nord, da est a ovest, a fianco di locali secolari fioriscono un pò ovunque nuove attività dedicate a specialità che si mangiano con le mani o – tutt’al più – con piatti e forchette di plastica, seduti su una panchina o sdraiati al parco. Un viaggio alla scoperta del cibo da strada italiano non può che partire dalla Sicilia, regione che fu il granaio dell’Impero Romano e poi terra di incroci culturali e gastronomici tra Arabi, Normanni e Spagnoli. Uno dei simboli dell’isola è l’arancino o arancina, crocchetta di riso preparata in diversi modi (la più classica con zafferano, formaggio, ragù e piselli) e poi fritta. Se volete gustarne uno a Palermo un buon indirizzo è la pasticceria Alba. Già che siete in città, consigliamo un assaggio di pane e panelle (panino ripieno di frittelle di ceci) o di sfincione, pasta di pane ricoperta di pomodoro, sarde, cipolla e ricotta. Per gli stomaci forti un classico è il pani ca meusa, il panino imbottito di fette di milza vaccina cotte nello strutto. Il dolce mette d’accordo tutti: ogni angolo è buono per gustare un cannolo espresso, riempito al momento di ricotta dolce. Queste ed altre specialità possono essere mangiate in strada passeggiando per i principali mercati palermitani: Vucciria, Ballarò e il Capo.
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Risalire la penisola può essere un viaggio lungo e faticoso, ma una sosta ad Alberobello in Puglia metterà d’accordo cuore e stomaco. Passeggiando tra i bianchissimi trulli è obbligatorio sbocconcellare una bombetta, involtino di carne di capocollo ripieno di formaggio e salumi cotto alla brace. Le Marche offrono un’interessante cucina di mare e di terra, ma per strada si mangiano le olive all’ascolana, ripiene di manzo, maiale, un pò di pollo, parmigiano, vino bianco e noce moscata. Impanate e fritte, si sciolgono in bocca. Un consiglio: compratele nella gastronomia Migliori ad Ascoli Piceno e sgranocchiatele ammirando la monumentale piazza Arringo, cuore della Ascoli medievale. Centro Italia vuol dire anche porchetta. I panini ripieni di fette di maiale cotto intero allo spiedo e insaporito da erbe e spezie si trovano un pò ovunque dalla Toscana all’Abruzzo, ma la loro patria di elezione è Ariccia, piccola località nei Castelli Romani, a pochi passi dalla capitale. Qui la porchetta si può gustare nelle osterie chiamate fraschette, ma anche in chioschi e rosticcerie ambulanti. Se Roma ha il suo cibo da strada, Firenze non è certo da meno. Il lampredotto (terzo stomaco del bovino) regna sovrano. Cotto in un brodo con carote, sedano e cipolla e servito in mezzo al pane, può essere al sugo, sbucciato (cioè privato della
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET parte liscia, più grassa) o “con il cappello bagnato”, cioè la parte superiore del panino può essere intinta nel brodo di cottura. In città il suo santuario è il mercato di San Lorenzo. Da lì al Duomo il passo è breve, così potrete consumare l’umile lampredotto all’ombra del campanile di Giotto. In Italia esistono mille tipi diversi di panini, ma c’è una regione dove al pane si preferisce un goloso sostituto. In Romagna la regina della cucina, non solo di strada, è la piada. È un impasto di acqua, farina e strutto, preparato fresco ogni giorno e cotto su un testo, una piastra di metallo o di materiale refrattario che ricopre l’intera superficie della stufa. Può essere mangiata a tavola per accompagnare le pietanze, ma dà il suo meglio farcita di prosciutto crudo con l’eventuale aggiunta di squacquerone, un formaggio molle tipico della zona. Esiste anche una variante, il crescione (o cassone o cascione), una piada piegata a metà e sigillata come un raviolo. Fino a qualche anno fa era quasi impossibile mangiare una buona piada al di fuori del territorio d’origine, ma da un pò di tempo la “piadinamania” ha portato all’apertura di piadinerie discrete un pò ovunque nelle grandi città. Nulla di paragonabile, però, alla piada fragrante servita nei chioschi da Cesena a Riccione, passando per Rimini e Cesenatico e i paesi del circondario. Sull’altro mare, in Liguria, protagonista èancora la farina. A Genova, miscelata con acqua, lievito, sale e strutto, condita con abbondate olio extravergine diventa la celebre focaccia, ottima comunque, meglio se mangiata calda di forno girovagando tra i vicoli della città vecchia. A Recco la focaccia è una sfoglia sottile, ma ripiena di formaggio filante. Nel savonese, lungo la riviera di Ponente, si mangia invece la farinata, qui proposta in due versioni: gialla con farina di ceci e bianca con farina di frumento. Liscia o farcita, in ogni caso una delizia. Il fenomeno street food non sembra conoscere freni, nonostante le secche della crisi economica. C’è persino chi progetta furgoncini di design personalizzati per ogni tipo di cibo da strada, riconvertendo mitiche Ape Piaggio (www.streetfoodmobile.com) e chi progetta Bonpat (“a poco prezzo” in dialetto piemontese), un’applicazione per mappare i locali di street food del territorio: bonpat.tumblr.com.
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Alberto Sordi's Maccheroni Challenge in Steno's “Un americano a Roma” (1954)
Edible Expressions A look at favourite Italian food-related sayings By Rita Simonetta
Considering food is at the core of Italian society and that Italian ingredients and dishes are known the world over, it’s no wonder that the language is full of expressions related to food. The following are some of the most well-known phrases that are worth getting to know. A tavola non si invecchia No one can escape the fast pace of modern life, not even Italians who have adopted a more North American approach to life on the go. But for most, suppertime remains a time to sit, eat, enjoy and relax. It’s only fitting, then, that Italians have concocted the saying “a tavola non si invecchia” or “one does not age at the table.” And any North American who has enjoyed a supper at a friend’s house in Italy – and is still nibbling, sipping wine and chatting three hours later – can attest to the truth of this phrase. Buono come il pane The aroma and taste of freshly baked Italian bread fully explains the existence of the expression, “buono come il pane” or “as good as bread.” Italians use it in the same way North Americans use “as good as gold.” If an Italian describes a person or thing as “buono come il pane,” it doesn’t get much better than that. Conosco i miei polli “I know my own chicken.” What an odd thing to say? But things make more sense when you accompany it with an all-knowing look, a determined nodding of the head, and of course, say it in Italian with brimming confidence, “conosco i miei polli.” The expression means, “I know what I’m talking about,” and it’s a phrase uttered by Italian mothers all around the world. È andato liscio come l’olio Olive oil is considered one of Italy’s nutritious superstars, so it’s only natural that it’s referenced in conversation even when the situation at hand is not directly about food. If your board meeting this morning went smoothly or your first day on the job went without a hitch, an Italian would say “è andato liscio come l’olio” (it went smooth as oil). 24
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Fare una spaghettata If you’re among a circle of Italian friends (whether in Italy or Canada) and you’re invited “a fare una spaghtettata” (to eat spaghetti), you aren’t really being invited for just spaghetti. In fact, spaghetti might not even be served. It’s just a whimsical way of saying “getting together to eat.” The emphasis is on good food, good friends and good conversation. Sei sempre in mezzo come il prezzemolo Parsley is one of the most beloved of Italian herbs and it’s a ubiquitous part of the country’s cuisine. Italians put parsley – whether as a base ingredient or garnish – in antipastos, soups, pasta dishes, and fish or meat courses. This habit of being everywhere all the time is the motivation behind the phrase “sei sempre in mezzo come il prezzemolo!” (you are always in the way like parsley!). So, in other words, stop being a nuisance, mind your own business, and get out of the way! Sono pieno come un uovo No more for me, thanks, I’m stuffed, or as the Italians would say, “sono pieno come un uovo,” which translates as “I am full as an egg.” To be sure, it’s an odd expression and an even quirkier image. But considering the English-speaking world invented the phrase “stuffed to the gills” (a reference to fish being stuffed before being cooked) to express being full after a meal, “sono pieno come un uovo” is the clear winner. Tutto fa brodo Every one of us knows a frugal family member who reuses unprocessed stamps or is fond of regifting. Well, these are the sorts who gladly live by the expression “tutto fa brodo” (everything makes soup), which stands for “every bit helps.” The concept originates from the introduction of Italian peasant soups, many of which were based on inexpensive ingredients, but with the right dose of love, creativity and resourcefulness, they became hearty meals to feed a large family.
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ITALIAN-CANADIAN DIET
Recommended Italian Cookbooks By Gabriel Riel-Salvatore & Rita Simonetta
Cooking and food are among the finest expressions of Italian culture, vividly portraying the country’s history, regions and traditions. Here’s a collection of some recommended Italian cookbooks, from the classic guides to the most recent and popular blockbusters, which celebrate this wonderful culinary heritage.
Classics
Homemade The Silver Spoon (Il cucchiaio d’argento) Published by Phaidon, 2007
At Home with Maria Loggia By Maria Loggia Published by Cardinal, 2012
First published in 1950, The Silver Spoon (Il cucchiaio d’argento) has become the most successful Italian cookbook in Italy. Since its introduction more than five decades ago, it has been updated – and translated to English – to reflect changing culinary appetites. But make ample room in your cookbook library for this tome: it now boasts more than 2,000 recipes and 400 new full-colour photographs. The cookbook is considered a resource of authentic Italian cooking and contains recipes and dishes largely unknown outside of Italian borders.
Maria Loggia, who hails from Hudson, Québec, infuses her cookbook with a love of family. In fact, all the homemade recipes included in At Home with Maria Loggia were inspired by family members as well as friends. At the heart of Loggia’s cooking is a passion for seasonal ingredients and elegant simplicity, something that is at the core of her popular cooking classes, Tavola Mia.
The Talisman Italian Cookbook (Il talismano della felicità) By Ada Boni Published by The Crown Publishing Group, 1950
The Healthy Italian: Cooking for the Love of Food and Family by Fina Scroppo Published by Danvid & Company Inc, 2013
First published in 1928, Ada Boni’s Il Talismano is still considered the most accessible and popular Italian cookbook, so much so that it was commonly passed on within generations of families, from nonna to mother to daughter to granddaughter. Its appeal lies in Boni’s expertise – she was a professional food writer who guided aspiring cooks around the kitchen with ease. Equally important to the cookbook’s longevity is its inclusion of recipes that highlight the culinary traditions of Italy’s regions. Readers will find everything from a traditional fish soup from Syracuse, Sicily to a Genoese Easter spinach pie to spaghetti all’amatriciana, a beloved dish from Boni’s native Rome. The Talisman Italian Cookbook has been updated several times and now features more than 1,000 recipes.
Safe Bets
Star Chefs Made In Italy: Food and Stories by Giorgio Locatelli Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 2007
Giorgio Locatelli is known to foodies far and wide as an innovative chef whose lengthy résumé includes working at Michelin-starred restaurants throughout London, England. The Italian-born chef was raised in Corgeno, near the Italian-Swiss border, and began his culinary life helping out in his family’s restaurant. Nowadays, he is considered to be the best Italian chef in the UK. And his cookbook, Made in Italy: Food and Stories, has garnered the same critical and public acclaim. The 624-page illustrated book showcases Locatelli’s expertise and is peppered with personal stories based on Locatelli’s love of food and career. Made in Italy: Food and Stories is widely considered a modern-day Italian food bible. Pizza: Seasonal Recipes From Rome's Legendary Pizzarium by Gabriele Bonci Contribution by Elisia Menduni Published by Rizzoli, 2013 Gabriele Bonci has been called “the King of Pizza” in Italy, and that’s no small feat for a country that is synonymous with the legendary pie. He shot to fame with Pizzarium, his small pizzeria in Rome, which in the past 10 years has become a mecca for pizza lovers. In this cookbook, Bonci shares tips and tricks to create the perfect pie by outlining the proper terminology, ingredients, tools and ingredients. There are more than 80 recipes to satisfy pizza enthusiasts as well as inventive suggestions for fried pizzas, sandwich pizzas and pizza topping variations.
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The many nutritious aspects of Italian cuisine are the basis of Fina Scroppo’s cookbook. Scroppo, who was raised in an ItalianCanadian household in Toronto, was inspired by her roots as well as her life as a busy mom. The 150 recipes within the pages of The Healthy Italian reflect her passion for creating great-tasting and nutritious dishes while taking today’s fast-paced life into consideration.
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Lidia's Favorite Recipes: 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes By Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2012 Lidia Bastianich is a culinary powerhouse in North America with a slew of restaurants, a hit cooking show and cookbooks to her credit. The beloved American cookbook author and chef was born in Italy, lending her recipes and dishes an authentic flair. In Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, the culinary superstar features her favourite selection of sauces, desserts and everything in between. Fans will also appreciate information about seasonal foods and ingredient nutritional values. Made In Italy by David Rocco HarperCollins Publishers, 2012 Toronto’s David Rocco has made a career from combining Italian living with cooking. Made in Italy, much like Rocco’s TV show David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, serves as a cross between a cookbook and travelogue. The armchair traveller and foodie will appreciate the cookbook for its beautiful location photography of il Belpaese and over 200 recipes. It is a testament to modern-day regional Italian dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients without fuss.
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LIFE & PEOPLE
Darlene Madott Taking on different roles with finesse By Vanessa Santilli
Darlene Madott’s writing is rich in culinary meta-phors. This will be apparent on May 14 when Making Olives and Other Family Secrets (Ripasso) – with five new stories added to the original version – will be launched at the Columbus Centre. ’ve gone over – repassed – the amarone grapes of the original stories, and I’ve done some modifications and tweaking,” says the Toronto-based writer and lawyer on her collection of Italian-Canadian short stories. “But with the new stories, there is greater depth. And just like a ripasso wine, there is richer colour.” Madott, whose Sicilian and Calabrese nonni came to Canada at the turn of the century, describes the original short stories as being a young woman's collection. “I think we can mourn even ourselves,” says Madott. “As a mature woman now, I had a need to revisit the young woman that I was.” Without a doubt, she says, her Italian heritage has impacted both her writing and life in law. As a young articling student at a big firm in downtown Toronto, she was considered to be too intense. “By which I know they meant too Italian,” she explains. “So that intensity has informed not only my writing but also my law practice. I am a passionate advocate.” Her writing honours include the 2002 Paolucci Prize of the Italian American Writer’s Association and the Bressani Literary Award in 2008. But she regards her son as the greatest of her life’s accomplishments. With her chambers across the street from St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto, she says the three best years of her life were when her son attended the school. “I could look out into the playground and I could see him there. I could see if he was without his gloves or his hat…It was phenomenal as a single mom to have your kid within sight of where you are.” After all, she adds, “family is the fountainhead of my inspiration.” So, where did Madott find the time to write six books – with her seventh on the way – while raising a son and practicing law full-time? “I can only write it in the cracks of my life,” she says. “I have my legal practice – it’s what sustains me. It’s the routine. It's what puts bread on the table.” But her work as a lawyer provides her with enormous life satisfaction. “I do great work for my clients and I’m very proud of helping to carry them across the water and bringing closure to their matrimonial misery,” says Madott. “I’ve been toiling in the vineyards of matrimonial misery for 30 years now.”
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Photo by Frank Nagy
On the international circuit, this July Madott will travel to Vienna for the 13th International Conference on the Short Story in English. In honour of Canadian short story writer Alice Munro, who won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature, a large contingent of Canadians will be attending the event. Madott is also a proud member of both the Association of Italian Canadian Writers and the Canadian Italian Advocates Organization. Amidst her hectic schedule, Madott has always kept these words in mind: Do what you have to do in order to do what you want to do. “And really that has been my whole life. Doing what I have to do in order to pave the way to do what I love to do.” Everything else has always come before her writing. “But I’ve found that as I’m getting older, my inner voice is taking on its own imperative and there are moments when I just have to finish something.” As a writer, Madott likens herself to a coyote. “I track back in order to see from some kind of distance and then I frequently re-enter the same material and it comes out in different forms.” Looking forward, Madott will continue finding the time to write. “It might be first thing in the morning when I’m in the shadowland between dream and waking…Or I target a point in time when I’m going to sit down and then – inspiration or not – I will start to block it out.” PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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ARTS & CULTURE
St. Michael’s Choir School Hitting the right notes Text & photo by Maria Assaf
Even with construction materials covering its outer walls and metal bars cloistered in between seats, St. Michael’s Cathedral still sounds holy. he ascending choral tunes arise from the right corner of the church, next to the priest’s podium, where a group of teens and pre-teens are reviving ancient religious melodies. St. Michael’s Choir School, a traditional Toronto Catholic institution, has managed to keep customs alive for over 70 years. At the back of the church sits proud mother Diane Scaramuzza, who comes here every weekend to listen to her son sing. She says she always alternates between sitting up front and at the back. “You can hear the sound differently,” she says. Those sounds resonated at St. Peter’s Cathedral in April 2013 when St. Michael’s Choir became the first Canadian choir to sing for Pope Francis. They celebrated the school’s 75th anniversary in the Vatican. “We feel a great connection to the Vatican,” says school director Stephen Handrigan. With about 20 per cent of students of Italian origin, Handrigan says the school is quite diverse. “We remind the Italian community [in Toronto] of their connectedness to the Church.” “I will never forget it,” says Scaramuzza of the tour and trip to the Vatican. “It will stay with us all our lives. It was just a very special time.” Her son Louis, 12, was selected by one of the SMCS recruiters when he was about eight years old. He auditioned for the school along with some of his friends. “We thought it would be fun,” he says. The appeal for parents is evident. As they sing, the choir displays exceptional discipline for a group of young people. As soon as the ceremony begins, they suddenly stop chatting and begin performing diligently. The education at this all-boys school includes a conservatory-style musical component. At the elementary level, the children have two mandatory hours of musical teaching daily, and high school students have one hour. All of them are required to take piano lessons. “A lot of our boys go on to careers in music, become opera singers, jazz musicians, concert pianists,” says Handrigan. “It’s a big part of what we do.” At Christmas, the choir performs at Massey Hall. Handrigan says tickets always sell out. Even for those who do not become musicians, performing music becomes
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part of their lives. Handrigan says the school sometimes commissions musical pieces from former students. To Scaramuzza, musical education is one of the greatest assets of the school. “When you see someone play or sing, it’s such a gift. I think [Louis] will take it throughout his life. If it’s not a career, he can still use it in so many ways. Music is just a great skill to have. ” Inside the school buildings, there is a feeling of the past. Even though the building has undergone numerous renovations, it still preserves the neo-gothic style in which it was built. This style has been present since Monsignor John Edward Ronan founded the school in 1937. Handrigan says the school’s goal has not changed since its beginnings either. “Our goal is to preserve the music of the church and to safeguard it.” “The hope is that these boys are trained to go to their home parishes… and to be leaders of music,” he says. Up to Grade 8, students must be Roman Catholic. Once they are in high school, they are not required to be Catholic, but students still have to participate in the church choir. Kate Rosser-Davies, the school’s heritage and events manager, explains that Monsignor Ronan started the school with a single classroom teacher and 18 students. “Its enrolment doubled in the first year,” she says. The school now has 275 students. Rosser-Davies is the school’s living encyclopedia. After only two years of working here, she knows most of its historical background by heart. Her duties include organizing a massive music library of over 3,500 works in an array of languages with pieces ranging from medieval to present times. “We have books from all over the world. Anywhere there were Catholics,” she says. But she doesn’t consider the school a trip to the past. “It’s such an active place to work and the kids are so talented… It’s tradition, but it moves forward. It’s timeless,” she says. The choir is now preparing for an upcoming tour in Boston in April-May 2014.
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FUTURE LEADER
Photo by Gregory Varano
Anthony Bruno Chasing his dream By Luke Galati
As a child growing up in Woodbridge, Anthony Bruno always had a dream: he wanted to make it big as a sports broadcaster. Grade 10, a Careers class assignment at Holy Cross Catholic Academy accurately predicted his future. The assignment required matching a student’s skills and talents with a suitable job, researching the job and then telling the class about it. To no one’s surprise, Bruno, who had always played soccer, baseball and hockey, told the class that he was going to be make his mark in the world of sports. “Everyone’s dreaming big at that age, some probably thought I was crazy back then, but lo and behold it happened,” says Bruno, 23. Dreaming big paid off when he won the 2013 edition of Gillette Drafted, a reality show by Sportsnet to find Canada’s next sports broadcaster. After battling contestants across Canada with his knowledge of sports trivia and on-camera skills, Bruno won a one-year contract working for Sportsnet360 and a one-year spokesperson gig for Gillette. He’s now finishing his final semester at Ryerson University’s Radio and Television Arts program while working full-time under contract at Sportsnet360 where his job duties include writing and doing on-air updates. He worked for 16 consecutive days during the Sochi Olympics, which required him to wake up at 2:30 a.m. and drive into downtown Toronto every day. “You’ve got to start somewhere,” says Bruno. Naturally, his passion for broadcasting began with a passion for sports. Soccer was his first love, he says, thanks to being raised in Woodbridge where everyone was soccer crazy.
In
In time, he turned to softball. In his first season playing, he even surprised himself by hitting 18 home runs. He credits his success to being a hefty kid growing up, helping him muster up the power to hit all of those home runs. “I was a little bit chubby back then, my parents used to feed me a lot of pasta,” he says, laughing. Baseball was another favourite, and Bruno maintains his love for the game by playing in an Italian men’s baseball league every Sunday at Woodbridge College near his family’s home. “The commissioner of the league is Italian, my manager is Italian, it’s a lot of fun,” he said. Bruno’s still dreaming big and aspires to one day host the Toronto Blue Jays’ flagship show, Blue Jays Central, or cover the NHL with Rogers, who now own the exclusive rights to the nation’s hockey broadcasts for the next 12 years. Through it all, he credits his parents, Tony and Cathy, for their support and guidance. When he was in high school, they drove him to competitive hockey tournaments and games across Canada and the United States. “I was a bit of a suitcase back then,” he adds. When Bruno and his dad went to hockey tournaments in Detroit, Chicago and Lake Placid, N.Y., his mother would watch his twin sister Stephanie at home. “You need that support from your family and friends because without that, there’s no way that you can make it,” he says. For Bruno, the sky’s the limit, “I’m definitely in the right place. I’ve just got to keep working hard and it’ll all work out.” PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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FOOD
Whip it Good, Friuli Style! Baccalà mantecato (creamy whipped salt cod) on a bed of soft polenta Recipe by Chef Fabrizio Caprioli / Photography by Fahri Yavuz
Ingredients for baccalà mantecato
Instructions
• 1 pound (450 g) boneless baccalà (salt cod), soaked in cold water for at least 36 h to remove salt (leave container in fridge and change water every day)
1. When the baccalà is sufficiently soaked, cut into small pieces of approximately 6 inches.
• 1-2 plump garlic cloves • 1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil • 1 cup (250 ml) canola, corn or peanut oil • 2 l full fat milk (3.25%) for poaching baccalà • Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recommended equipment A heavy-duty electric mixer with the paddle attachment (for a flakier texture) or a food processor (for a creamier texture) 30
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2. In a medium cooking pot or deep skillet, warm milk to 90 °C. Add baccalà, and cook at a steady simmering boil for 40 minutes or more, until baccalà is easy to flake but still has body and shape. Don’t let it start to break apart. Lift it out of the cooking milk, and let it drain and cool in a colander. 3. Meanwhile, mix the two types of oils in a small cooking pot and bring to medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Let it cool, and remove garlic. 4. Set up the electric mixer and flake all the fish into the bowl. Beat with the paddle at low speed to break the fish up more. Then beat at medium speed while you gradually pour the oil in a thin stream.
5. Once you have incorporated all the oil, increase the speed to high and whip the fish to obtain a lighter consistency. 6. At this point the whipped baccalà should be smooth and fluffy, almost like mashed potatoes but with texture. If it is too dense, you can thin it with a small amount of cooking milk or a bit more oil. 7. Finally, season with pepper and beat it in to blend. If you use a food processor instead of a mixer, follow the same order of additions, and process as needed to form a light, smooth spread. 8. Serve right away or put the spread in containers and store sealed, in the refrigerator, for up to a week. You can also freeze baccalà mantecato; the texture will not be as creamy, but it will have good flavour and makes a delicious pasta sauce. To regain its creamy texture, simply cook with a bit of warm milk in a saucepan.
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Ingredients for soft polenta • 500 g yellow “medio-fine” polenta (preferably from Italy for a creamier texture) • 2 l water or chicken stock • 1-2 tbsp. unsalted butter • Salt to taste • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving (optional) • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (use as a garnish)
Instructions 1. In a cooking pot, bring water to a boil. Slowly pour polenta into the hot liquid, whisking briskly to prevent clumping. Reduce the heat to low, cover (to prevent a crust from forming at the surface) and cook for about 35 minutes. 2. Add butter (and cheese) stirring gently until incorporated and serve immediately for a creamier texture. 3. Spoon or ladle a mound of soft polenta on a plate or shallow bowl. Add a baccalà quennelle over the polenta and garnish with parsley, freshly ground pepper and a good unclear olive oil.
Additional suggestions Crostini bread
Polenta with ricotta
Toasted crostini bread and baccalà mantecato, topped with pitted taggiasca olives, prezzemolata and a good extra virgin olive oil.
Soft polenta with grated smoked ricotta, freshly ground pepper and a quality extra virgin olive oil.
See video of this recipe online at panoramitalia.com 32
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Mr. Joseph Rizzotto
IT’S HARD TO PLAY THE GAME IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE RULES…. People are unfortunately injured everyday, driving cars, crossing the street, walking in a mall or store, entertaining with friends at a club or even attacked by a dog. In each case, you are entitled to be compensated for your losses as a result of any injuries. At this point, you have to make a decision to start a personal injury claim. It is no easy matter. It is not a game…big insurance companies are almost always involved. Insurance companies create mazes that one has to go through to access benefits and compensation. They play with your health, peace of mind and future. The Rizzotto Law Firm with years of experience helping injured people, will guide you through the maze. They help you access tiers of benefits and compensation. Motor vehicle insurance is complex. The changes to motor vehicle insurance law in Ontario that came into effect September 1, 2010 added to the maze and consumer confusion. These changes especially affect the relationship with a person’s own car insurance carrier – the Accident Benefits carrier. If you or your family members have been injured, you have rights that need protecting within the time limits permitted by law. It would be in your best interest at this point to hire a trained professional lawyer to help you obtain the maximum benefits and compensation for your losses. Even the playing field. Joseph J. Rizzotto, B.A.(Hons), M.A., LL.B., LL.M. of the Rizzotto Law Firm is such a lawyer and has many years of experience dealing with insurance companies and claims. “It is important to hire someone that will carefully review and research each case individually in order that the appropriate action is taken quickly and is effective. Knowledge is key.”
CALL FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
To them it’s a game...
To you it’s serious. tel: 905.264.6799 toll free: 1.866.221.8588 www.rizzottolaw.com 3700 Steeles Avenue West, Suite 700, Vaughan, Ontario L4L 8K8
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LIVING ITALIAN STYLE
Go to panoramitalia.com and click on “Living Italian Style” to submit your profile!
Erika Marucci
Luca Condotta Nickname: Luc Occupation: Physiotherapy student Age: 23 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: Istrana (Treviso), Veneto Mom’s side from: Castelfranco (Treviso), Veneto Speaks: English Raised in: Caledon Favourite Italian dish: Penne alla vodka Favourite ingredient: Balsamic vinegar What do you like most about eating Italian? The experience of enjoying authentic Italian dishes with friends and family. Best Italian grocery store in Toronto: Garden Foods (Bolton) Best pizza in Toronto: My mom’s Best Italian restaurant in Toronto: Marcello’s Best caffè in Toronto: Four Corners Bakery (Bolton) Favourite gelato flavour: Pistachio Favourite vino: Amarone
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What is an absolute must in your kitchen pantry? Nutella Your Nonna’s famous dish: Homemade lasagna Your fool-proof recipe: Tortellini in brodo Italian product you wish you could find in Canada: Italians always find a way to get it here. Italian dish you want to learn to cook one day: Risotto Guilty pleasure: Tartufo Best food memory growing up: The first time I ate Nonna’s rabbit stew and polenta – life altering!
Nickname: Bella, Eri Occupation: Journalism student Age: 21 Generation: First Dad from: Albano, Lazio Mom from: Toronto, Ontario Speaks: Italian & English Raised in: Rome, Italy Favourite Italian dish: Lasagna and risotto alla crema di scampi Favourite ingredient: Peperoncino and tomatoes What do you like most about eating Italian? Even if the portions are always too big, in the end everything’s healthy, fresh and light. Best Italian grocery store in Toronto: Longo’s Best pizza in Toronto: Café Diplomatico Best Italian restaurant in Toronto: Vivoli Best caffè in Toronto: Dark Horse Espresso Bar Favourite gelato flavour: Stracciatella Favourite vino: My dad’s
Your Nonna’s famous dish: Homemade prosciutto and salsicce Your fool-proof recipe: Pasta alla carbonara Italian product you wish you could find in Canada: Porchetta Di Ariccia Italian dish you want to learn to cook one day: Homemade fettuccine with tomato sauce Guilty pleasure: Torrone Best food memory growing up: Every summer in Italy my mom and I would go for walks in a town called Genzano, close to Albano, Lazio. We would check out the cute boutiques on each side of the main street and enjoy an ice cream cone.
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Photography by Gregory Varano Makeup by Desi Varano
Location: Ital Florist in Woodbridge, Yonge and Dundas Square. A special thanks to Hard Rock Café in Toronto
Elizabeth Pulera
Sal Fabbri Nickname: Turi Occupation: Film & television editor Age: 28 Generation: Second Mom & dad from: Pachino (Siracusa), Sicily Speaks: English & broken Italian Raised in: Markham Favourite Italian dish: Risotto al forno Favourite ingredient: The annual homemade tomato sauce What do you like most about eating Italian? The leftovers! Best Italian grocery store in Toronto: Colangelo Brothers Best pizza in Toronto: Fratelli Village Pizzeria Best caffè in Toronto: Zaza Espresso Bar (Yorkville) Favourite gelato flavour: Pistachio Favourite vino: Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet Sauvignon Your Nonna’s famous dish: Baccala con Porri
LIVING ITALIAN STYLE
Your fool-proof recipe: Only amateurs use recipes! Italian product you wish you could find in Canada: The product of an Italian lifestyle: less work and stress, and more time to enjoy with family and friends. Italian dish you want to learn to cook one day: More like cure. I want to learn how to make and cure my own prosciutto and salami. Guilty pleasure: Cheese Best food memory growing up: Going to Nonna’s during Christmas and seeing the extended family. They pulled out all the stops and we would eat, drink and play until the early morning hours.
Nickname: Li Occupation: Holistic Nutritionist and Bioenergetics Practitioner Age: 27 Generation: Second Dad from: Roccabernarda, Calabria Mom from: Acapulco, Mexico Speaks: English, Italian & Spanish Raised in: Toronto Favourite Italian dish: Lasagna Favourite ingredient: Garlic What do you like most about eating Italian? That Italian food has so much flavour and I can never get sick of it. Best Italian grocery store in Toronto: Cataldi Supermarket Best pizza in Toronto: Regina Pizzeria Best Italian restaurant in Toronto: Sotto Sotto Best caffè in Toronto: Cappuccino Bakery (Nobleton) Favourite gelato flavour: Limone
Favourite vino: Bruno Giacosa Collina Rionda, Barolo DOCG What is an absolute must in your kitchen pantry? Nutella!!! Your Nonna’s famous dish: Pepe e patate fritti Your fool-proof recipe: Tiramisu Italian product you wish you could find in Canada: Vino cotto Italian dish you want to learn to cook one day: Pitta Cu olio Guilty pleasure: Baci chocolates! Best food memory growing up: Having my nonna’s famous lasagna at Christmas time
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FASHION
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Frames, fabbricati By Alessia Sara Domanico
Whether you fancy Persol or Prada, salute the return of sunny skies with a pair of shades from the Italian master house of Luxottica. tatistically speaking, a pair of Ray-Bans is sold every second,” declares a Luxottica marketing exec about sales from the Group’s most popular eyewear brands to a classroom full of students at Bocconi University, Milan’s answer to private ivy league business schools, which just so happens to have a partnership with the Schulich School of Business at Toronto’s York University. In what has been more than a decade of tough financial times for the Italian economy as a whole, success stories such as that of eyewear empire Luxottica are rare and worthy of examination. A leader in the design, production, distribution and sales of premium, luxury and sports eyewear, the 2013 facts and figures for Luxottica charted net sales of more than €7.3 billion (over $11 billion CDN) and over 70,000 employees worldwide – impressive numbers for a once small Italian venture. Luxottica began in 1961, founded by Leonardo Del Vecchio, an orphaned spectacle parts maker who would go on to polish his skills in the town of Agordo, Belluno, home of the nation’s eyewear industry. Del Vecchio’s original mandate stands true today: to protect eyes while also improving the way men and women, everywhere, look – a bold aim, but one that we see reinforced each and every time we see an average Joe throw on a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers at the beach and transform themselves into a would-be celebrity. Headquartered in Milan, with global operations throughout Europe, Asia and North America, Luxottica has forged a monopoly in the world of eyewear. Whether conscious of it or not, shoppers literally cannot go hunting for this must-have accessory without at least consulting one of Luxottica’s many international retail chains (Sunglass Hut and Lenscrafters) or trying on a pair of glasses from one of their many licensed brands. The top brands keep on coming back to these consummate professionals season after season to manufacture and distribute their UV Ray combatting accessories. Fellow Milan-based Prada commissions Luxottica to replicate its unconventional and colourful clothing collections in each set of spectacles; the French maison of Chanel entrusts them to make those chunky black, cat-eye curved specs; the Luxottica craftspeople are also the ones behind those glittering keys and floral motifs on the arms of the iconic Tiffany & Co. specs; and don’t forget the gilded and smart frames from Dolce & Gabbana that are always
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in Italia at the higher-end of the sun and optical spectrum. An onslaught of Olympic athletes from the past winter games in Sochi also accessorized with Luxottica’s specialist sports brand Oakley, while Team Italy had Luxottica licensed glasses from Giorgio Armani. This season’s musts from the Luxottica brands include the solid white-rimmed Aviators from Ray-Ban as well as the Ray-Ban Remix service which lets accessory buffs customize their glasses in different colours and styles. Square and teardrop style sunglasses from Stella McCartney also make for musts as part of a new summer collection that features five oversized, modern styles in a new colour palette of copper, blue, pink tortoise and bordeaux. The new Wave sunglasses for men from Burberry are also a lot of fun for summer as they feature vibrant and translucent colours and graphic dots with frames that are handmade in lightweight acetate with a bold brow detail. Also for men over at DKNY are the new Mirror sunglasses with a futuristic layered effect that is perfect for reflecting the cool blue waves. The always unconventional Miu Miu proposes the “Rasoir” style for this spring, a design consisting of semi-rimless black acetate cat-eyed frames which are highly original in their design, but therefore very hard to pull off for those run-of-the-mill circumstances.
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Eva Mendes Vogue Eyewear Launch, LA
1. OAKLEY 2. VERSACE 3. DOLCE & GABBANA 4. TIFFANY & CO 5. GIORGIO ARMANI 6. PRADA 7. RAY-BAN 8. PAUL SMITH 9. VOGUE
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Photograph of internees. 1943. Courtesy of The Giacomelli Family. Columbus Centre Collection
CULTURAL ARTS
Villa Charities Takes Italian-Canadians’ World War II Experiences Coast to Coast Canadians from across the country are learning about a dark, yet little-known part of our nation’s history – the labelling of Italian Canadians as “enemy aliens” during the Second World War – thanks to a travelling exhibit organized by Villa Charities’ Columbus Centre. The exhibit, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Experiences during WWII, highlights the impact of the June 1940 War Measures Act on Italian Canadians. It uses video, audio, text and photos to put a human face to their experiences. In April, the exhibit will be shown at Discovery North Bay Museum. During the war, about 31,000 Italian-Canadians were rounded up and labelled “enemy aliens” and approximately 600 were sent to internment camps.
The impact was felt deeply, particularly among those detained and the families they left behind, who were widely viewed as traitors. In North Bay, two members of the local Italian community, Judi Jessen (née De Marco) and Sandy O’Grady (née Mascioli), have added family artifacts to the exhibit and shared their stories directly with museum visitors at the exhibit opening. Sandy O’Grady, granddaughter of internee Leo Mascioli, remarked, “It is so important … to have this display come to North Bay because it’s a story that not enough people have heard about, including people in the Italian community. Because of the shame and horror done to Italian families, so many did not tell their own family.”
The exhibit is making 11 stops across the country. For more information, visit www.ItalianCanadianww2.ca under News and Discussion.
Hard Work Pays Off for Columbus Centre School Dancers
KIDS
Four members of the Columbus Centre School of Dance Competitive Company recently won scholarships for excellence at a high-level dance convention in Toronto. The scholarships were awarded to Mia Mazzefero and Sabrina D’Addario for Camp PULSE, and Daniela Sanelli and Kristina Scampoli for PULSE on Tour. The girls were chosen out of hundreds of dancers at the convention, where they mastered challenging choreography taught by industry-leading choreographers and dancers. “Our dancers all worked very hard and every one of them has demonstrated tremendous growth, both in our studio and at the convention,” said Kathryn Miles, Artistic Director, Columbus Centre School of Dance (CCS). “All of them represented CCS Dance in a way that makes our faculty very proud. We can’t wait to see them reach for new goals.” Mia, Sabrina, Daniela and Christina demonstrated how conventions can challenge, inspire, and provide new opportunities for dancers. Students move outside their comfort zone and are challenged to learn new choreography and perform to the best of their ability. “These young dancers showed a lot of maturity, as they did not let the presence of hundreds of other competitive dancers intimidate them,” said Tara Pillon, Assistant Dance Director. “Instead, they were inspired by watching and learning from the talent around them.” This was the first time Columbus Centre School of Dance has been represented at PULSE. Congratulations to all the Competitive Company members who attended.
This page sponsored by
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Artistic Talent, Close at Hand
Asllani says that the style is a secondary concern when he creates new artwork. “The most important thing for me is to express my feelings about the subject on the canvas,” he says. Botticelli’s masterpiece is a long distance from Asllani’s modernist leanings. But for him, reproducing it was no great stretch. “As Albanians, we are in touch with Italian culture all of our lives, so it is like breathing,”
VITA Community Living Services recently won top place in a national awards program honouring Canada’s best charities. “Our goal is for VITA to be fully accountable and transparent to our stakeholders,” said Kim Lenahan, VITA’s Executive Director. “We are proud and honoured to have received such a prestigious award.” The Voluntary Sector Reporting Awards (VSRAs) are Canada’s most prestigious charity award, recognizing the best non-profit annual reports. This year, 130 charities were nominated in five award categories. VITA was competing in the category for service organizations with revenue over $10 million. "If you want to know who some of Canada's best charities are, then all you have to do is look at the VSRAs,” said Steve Salterio,
VITA
Director of the CPA-Queen's Centre for Governance, at the Queen’s School of Business, which organizes the awards in partnership with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. “These are charities that have excelled at transparency and accountability." VITA earned the highest score possible in four areas: governance, management, structure and risk management. The February 7 award banquet was a tense time for Lenahan, Brian Naraine, Chair of VITA’s Board, Larry Andrade, Board Treasurer, and Thomas Kwok, Controller. They had attended the banquet three times before when VITA was shortlisted and then, last year, when it received honourable mention. Congratulations to everyone at VITA for this achievement.
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VITA Wins Top Honours
he says. “Since I was young, I have been in love with Italian artists.” Asllani describes himself as a perfectionist, which will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen his work. As a result, it may be a while before he is ready for another exhibit at the Carrier Gallery. “The second time, I want to represent myself even better than the first time,” he says.
S P E C I A L
Typically, the Carrier Gallery reaches outside its home in the Columbus Centre for the artwork it exhibits. Sometimes, however, artistic excellence can be found from within. Bujar Asllani, an employee at the Columbus Centre, is a standout among them. Asllani’s striking, modernist oil paintings were featured in a major Carrier Gallery exhibit last year. He is also the creator of a stunning, mural-sized reproduction of Botticelli’s “Primavera,” on permanent display in an atrium inside the Athletic Club. A native of Albania who moved with his family to Canada in 1999, Asllani studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Tirana, where he later became a professor and, ultimately, Head of the Department of Monumental Arts. While most of his painting is modern,
CARRIER
This special section is published by Villa Charities. For more than 40 years across the GTA, Villa Charities has provided care for seniors, programs and support for individuals with physical and mental challenges, educational and cultural programs and much more. The Villa Charities family includes Villa Colombo Services for Seniors, in both Toronto and Vaughan; apartments for independent seniors; the Columbus Centre, and the J.D. Carrier Art Gallery; and VITA Community Living Services/Mens Sana Families for Mental Health programs. For more information, please visit www.villacharities.com
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Buon 100° Compleanno, Angela Buon Compleanno, Angela Sisca! Angela became the eighth member of the Villa Colombo’s centenarian club on February 21. Surrounded by family, friends and Villa Colombo staff, Angela celebrated the occasion with an oversized birthday cake befitting her 100 years. The modern amenities of Villa Colombo today are a long way from daily life a century ago in the Calabrian town of Pietrafitta, where Angela was born. Back then, her family lived without electricity or running water. And they endured tragedy, with the death of Angela’s two younger sisters in infancy. In 1940, Angela married Antonio Sisca, and a year later their first child, Vittoria, was born. A second child, Davide, arrived after Antonio left to serve in World War II. After being released from a German concentration camp, Antonio returned home, and soon after, the couple had two more children, Immacolata and Rosalbino. Seeking a better life in the post-war years, Antonio immigrated to Canada in 1954, and seven years later, the entire family joined him in Toronto. Angela moved to Villa Colombo a year ago, three years after Antonio passed away. Though the adjustment was hard at first, today
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SENIORS
she enjoys being surrounded by Italian language, food and culture. Villa Colombo’s Whitney McQuarrie said it was a pleasure planning Angela’s birthday celebrations. “She is so nice, and still very sharp. She’s a beautiful lady with a wonderful family.”
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Spring into Fitness, One Step at a Time After an unusually harsh winter, many fitness enthusiasts are eager to exercise outdoors at the first sign of spring. That eagerness is understandable given the long wait. But it’s best to be cautious, according to the fitness experts at Columbus Centre Athletic Club. “The harsher the winter, like the one we just had, the more we have to be careful not to come back too fast, too soon,” says Jan Sebek, Columbus Centre Athletic Director. “Even people who are generally fit often do less over the winter.” Even fit people may need a period of adjustment to transition safely to open air workouts. Hitting the open
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ATHLETICS
road is more taxing than running on a treadmill, and parkland trails are bumpier than any spinning class. The body generally takes about two weeks to adjust to outdoor exercise, so give yourself time to build back a base of strength. Don’t try right away to get your outdoor routine to where it was last fall. Start slow and “listen” to your body for aches and pains. For example, if you have been running 5km on a treadmill, do not immediately increase your distance outside. Take your time, and build up gradually. For more information about the Columbus Centre Athletic Club, visit www.villacharities.com/columbus or call 416-789-7011 ext 213.
Even people who are generally fit often do less over the winter.
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FOUNDATION
Giro’s Top Fundraiser Gets Set to Pedal for Villa Charities Again Spring is in the air and Nick Sanci is getting excited to pedal for Villa Charities at this year’s Giro cycling event. For the past two years, Nick has earned the prestigious Maglia Rosa, which is awarded annually to Giro’s top fundraiser. To date, he has raised more than $28,000, and he hopes to earn top spot once again this year. “It is one way for me to do something that I absolutely love, and in turn, be able to help others,” says Nick. “Not only does riding put me in shape, but it is a great way to meet new people and help out a fantastic local charity.” Sign up for Giro Join Nick and more than 200 other cyclists at this year’s
Giro, and touch thousands of lives by helping to support the programs and services Villa Charities offers our community. This year’s Giro takes place on June 1, with 100 km and 60 km routes that start and end at Eagles Nest Golf Club in Vaughan. Along the way, cyclists enjoy the many “mangia e bevi” stops. Participants who achieve their fundraising minimum will receive a custommade, Italian cycling vest, a neck warmer, and breakfast and lunch at Eagles Nest Golf Club.
UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL Carrier Gallery Exhibits April 3 – May 5 • Watercolours by Marilena Isacescu • In the Mix by Joseph Catalano For information: 416.789.7011 ext. 300 rgraci@villacharities.com Easter Sunday Brunch Sunday, April 20 • Sala Caboto in Villa Colombo For information: 416.789.2113 ext. 6000 chioran@villacharities.com
MAY Carrier Gallery Exhibit May 8 – June 3 • Mixed Media by Renee Ziegenfuss For information: 416.789.7011 ext. 300 rgraci@villacharities.com Mother's Day (Sunday, May 11) • Sala Caboto – Buffet Brunch • Ristorante Boccaccio – Lunch For reservations: Agostino Chioran 416.789.2113 ext. 6000 / chioran@villacharities.com
To learn more visit villacharities.com or call 416.789.7011 ext. 337. PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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FRIULI
Tarvisio ski resort
L’identità Keeping Friulian friulana è ancora Identity Alive viva a Toronto in Toronto By Sarah Mastroianni
Sarah Mastroianni
Over 100 years have passed since waves of Friulian workers first started to leave their beloved corner of Italy in order to make a new life in Canada. They, alongside Italians from many other parts of the peninsula, worked tirelessly at backbreaking jobs to provide for their families and to lay the foundations (both literally and figuratively) of Canada in the 20th century. Although it would have been easy from an ocean away to allow the culture, traditions and language of their region to fade into the past, long ago Friulani in the GTA made a commitment to preserve their heritage – a commitment that, to this day, the community still takes pride in honouring.
Sono passati più di cento anni da quando ondate di lavoratori friulani iniziarono per la prima volta ad abbandonare il loro amato angolo d’Italia per crearsi una nuova vita in Canada. Accanto ad italiani provenienti da diverse parti della penisola, hanno instancabilmente fatto lavori estenuanti per sostenere le proprie famiglie e gettare le fondamenta (sia in senso figurato che di fatto) del Canada nel XX secolo. Sebbene, essendo separati da un oceano, sarebbe stato semplice per la cultura, tradizioni e lingua della loro regione cadere nell’oblio, tanto tempo fa i friulani della GTA si sono impegnati a preservare la propria eredità – un impegno che, ancor oggi, la comunità è orgogliosa di onorare.
lthough all Italian-Canadians have a strong sense of pride in their particular region of origin, I believe the sense of identity in the Friulians is particularly strong,” notes Olga Zorzi Pugliese, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto whose research has included work on Friulian antifascists in Canada, as well as mosaic artwork of Friulians in Canada. The Friulian culture has many aspects that contribute to its uniqueness. Lorraine Borotolussi, a family law divorce lawyer in Woodbridge, uses the examples of the stella alpina flower (edelweiss), and the folgolar (hearth) as two symbols of great importance in Friulan culture. “Il fogolar is historically and culturally an important part of the Friulian home,” she explained. “Historically, it was the source of heat in the home and was the place where the family gathered. It symbolizes the importance of family and much of the culture related to cooking, warmth and the gathering of family.” Speaking of the fogolar, Friulian culinary specialties also remain at the forefront of peoples’ minds when it comes to the singularity of Friulian culture. Listing mouth-watering examples such as polenta, muset (musetto) sausage, and brovada, both Bortolussi and Zorzi Pugliese affirm that cuisine plays a large part in preserving their cultural heritage.
ebbene tutti gli italo-canadesi provino un forte senso d’orgoglio nei confronti della regione d’origine, ritengo che il senso dell’identità nei friulani sia particolarmente forte”, nota Olga Zorzi Pugliese, professore emerito all’Università di Toronto la cui ricerca ha incluso lavori sugli antifascisti friulani in Canada, così come opere mosaiche di friulani in Canada. La cultura friulana ha molti aspetti che contribuiscono alla sua unicità. Lorraine Borotolussi, avvocato familiarista di Woodbridge, usa come esempio la stella alpina (edelweiss) e il fogolar (focolare) friulano quali simboli di grande importanza nella cultura friulana. “Il fogolar è storicamente e culturalmente una parte essenziale della casa friulana,” ha spiegato. “Storicamente, era la fonte di calore nelle case e il luogo attorno al quale la famiglia si raccoglieva. Simboleggia l’importanza della famiglia e tanto di una cultura legata alla cucina, al calore e aggregazione familiare.” A proposito del fogolar, le specialità culinarie friulane rimangono alla ribalta nella mente delle persone quando si tratta della singolarità della cultura friulana. Nel citare esempi da acquolina in bocca quali la polenta, il muset (musetto) e la brovada, sia Bortolussi che Zorzi Pugliese affermano che la cucina friuliana ha svolto un ruolo fondamentale nel preservare l’eredità culturale friulana. Zorzi Pugliese cita inoltre l’unicità della lingua friulana, “appartenente a un ceppo
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FRIULI
Spiaggia di Grado
Photo by Gregory Varano
differente (le lingue retoromanze) rispetto alla maggiornaza delle varianti linguistiche Zorzi Pugliese also cites the uniqueness of the Friulian language, “which regionali parlate nella penisola” quale uno dei fattori che contribuiscono al “senso belongs to a different branch (Rhaeto-Romance) with respect to most of the other d’individualità e indipendenza” friulani. regional languages spoken in the peninsula” as one of the factors which contributes Nato da questo forte senso d’idendità, il Famèe Furlane Toronto è un circolo socioto the Friulian “sense of individuality and independence.” culturale fondato nel 1932. Per molti friulani a Toronto, il circolo rappresenta un portale Born of this strong sense of identity, the Famèe Furlane Toronto, a social and della cultura friulana nella GTA. Molti sono gli obiettivi elencati nella dichiarazione d’incultural club, was founded in 1932. For many Friulians in Toronto, the club repretenti del circolo, inclusi: la promozione e protezione della lingua friulana, la trasmissione sents a portal into Friulian culture in the GTA. Listed in the club’s mission statedella cultura friulana alle nuove generazioni e ment are many objectives, including the l’organizzazione di eventi sociali, pedagogici e promotion and preservation of the culturali. Friulian language, the transmission of Mary Lovisa, Direttore alla Cultura nel Friulian culture to younger generations, consiglio d’amministrazione del Famèe, è nata a and the organization of cultural, educaToronto da genitori friulani. “I miei genitori e tional and social events. nonni mi hanno fatto sentire molto legata alle Mary Lovisa, Director of Culture mie radici friulane,” ha affermato Lovisa. “I on the Board of Directors at the Famèe, miei nonni hanno vissuto con noi e a casa si was born in Toronto to Friulian parparlava friulano. Abbiamo mantenuto le ents. “My parents and grandparents tradizioni friulane sia per quanto riguarda il made me feel very connected to my cibo che mangiavamo, che le tradizioni che Furlan roots,” said Lovisa. “My grandseguivamo.” La sua famiglia ne ha incoraggiato parents lived with us and we spoke the la partecipazione al Famèe Furlane e “l’orgoglio Friulian language in the home. We profondo e la grande importanza che la mia maintained Friulian traditions both in famiglia ha attribuito alla nostra eredità friuthe foods that we ate and the customs lana, durante il periodo della mia crescita, mi that we followed.” Her family encourhanno aiutata a sviluppare un forte senso aged participation in the Famèe d’identità friulana.” Furlane, and, “The deep pride and the “I friulani hanno un forte senso della great importance that my family placed famiglia, del duro lavoro e dell’integrità – bei on our Friulian heritage as I was growvalori tramandati tra le generazioni”, ha spiegaing up helped me to develop a very The Lovisa family to Lovisa. Adesso essa stessa madre, ritiene strong sense of Furlan identity.” importante infondere un forte senso d’identità friulana alle proprie figlie, cosa nella quale “Furlans have a strong sense of family, hard work and integrity – good values è certamente riuscita. La figlia minore, Melissa di 18 anni, insegna i balli friulani al passed down through the generations,” explained Lovisa. Now a mother herself, she Famèe; mentre, la figlia maggiore, Vanessa di 25 anni, è al momento Presidente del grupfinds it important to impart a strong sense of Friulian identity to her own daughpo giovanile del Famèe’s 20 Something ed opera come Direttore Giovanile all’interno del ters, and she has clearly succeeded. Her younger daughter, Melissa, 18, teaches consiglio d’amministrazione del circolo. Friulian dance at the Famèe and her eldest daughter, Vanessa, 25, is currently presIn aggiunta, Vanessa, è anche impegnata nell’attività della Società Femminile ident of the Famèe’s 20 Something’s youth group and serves on the club’s Board of Friulana, un’associazione femminile fondata 75 anni fa dalla bisnonna di Lovisa, Directors as Youth Director. Maria Cristante. “Il mio forte coinvolgimento e un profondo senso di orgoglio friulano Additionally, Vanessa, has also been involved with the Società Femminile mi hanno ispirata a portare avanti la mia passione attraverso i miei studi,” ha detto Friulana (Friulian Women’s Society) – a group that was established 75 years ago by Lovisa. Sono al momento una dottoranda per un dottorato di ricerca sullo studio delLovisa’s great-grandmother, Maria Christante. “My strong involvement and deep l’emigrazione friulana, con la speranza di mettere in evidenza gli importanti sacrifici sense of Friulian pride has inspired me to continue my passion throughout my fatti da questo gruppo di persone e l’impronta positiva da loro lasciata nella studies,” said Lovisa. “I am currently a PhD candidate studying Friulian migration società canadese.” with the hopes of showcasing the important sacrifices made by this group of peoMa la grande domanda che molti potrebbero porsi è perché la promulgazione ple and the positive imprint they left on Canadian society.” della cultura friulana sia ancora rilevante, molte generazioni dopo che i primi friulani But the big question that some may ask, is why the promulgation of Friulian hanno lasciato l’Italia. Secondo Mary Lovisa, la furlanitat riguarda natura e cultura. culture is still relevant, multiple generations after many Friulani left Italy. In Mary “Il DNA è la parte biologica della nostra creazione. La nostra eredità, d’altro canto, Lovisa’s opinion, furlanitat is all about nature and nurture. “DNA is the biological rappresenta una grande fetta di ciò che siamo e da dove veniamo,” ha affermato. “Ci part of our creation. Our heritage, on the other hand, is a large part of the rest of aiuta a spiegare perché pensiamo e facciamo le cose in un certo modo […] È parte who we are and where we come from,” she said. “It helps to explain why we think a essenziale della nostra identità.” (Traduzione Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo) certain way and do certain things […] It’s a critical part of our identity.” PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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Trieste
A cultural melting pot
Crogiolo di razze e culture
By Pericle Camuffo
Visiting Trieste for the first time, one gets the impression of not being in Italy, even though Trieste’s italianess was a bone of contention heavily fought for during the two World Wars. More similar to Vienna or Budapest than to other Italian cities, Trieste’s lineage to Austria goes back to the late 1300s – notwithstanding the brief French occupations throughout the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries. Austria finally returned the city to Italy on November 3, 1918.
Chi arriva a Trieste per la prima volta ha l’impressione di non essere in Italia, anche se per la sua italianità si è combattuto a lungo durante le due guerre mondiali. Più simile a Vienna e Budapest che ad altre città italiane, Trieste dichiara subito il suo lungo legame con la casa d’Austria iniziato verso la fine del 1300 e terminato, tranne le brevi occupazioni francesi tra Sette e Ottocento, il 3 novembre del 1918 con il ritorno della città all’Italia.
rieste’s main period of splendour is closely linked to the Austrian empire. Under Charles VI, it became the kingdom’s gateway to the Adriatic Sea and the main point for maritime exchanges with the Orient, attracting immigrants from around the world. Trieste’s cosmopolitan and intercultural nature persisted throughout the 19th century when it underwent significant economic and cultural growth. Thanks to its climate of tolerance and freedom, the city even became an asylum for the courts of the Bourbons and the Bonapartes. Dating back to Roman times, a period known as Tergeste, the many religious, cultural and urban traces left by the diverse cultures and ethnic groups that lived
infatti legandosi alle sorti dell’Impero austriaco che Trieste raggiunse il suo massimo splendore. Scelta come sbocco primario sull’Adriatico e resa centro nevralgico degli scambi marittimi con il vicino Oriente da Carlo VI, la città divenne centro di immigrazione di genti provenienti da tutte le parti del mondo. Tale massiccia immigrazione marcò il carattere cosmopolita ed interculturale della città che rimase caratteristica centrale anche quando, nel XIX secolo, Trieste conobbe una forte ripresa economica e fu coinvolta attivamente nella vita politica e culturale dell’intera Europa. Nel suo clima di tolleranza e libertà trovarono asilo anche le corti dei Bonaparte e dei Borboni di Spagna.
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FRIULI in Trieste reveal the city’s rich history. However, Trieste’s defining trait remains the Hapsburg’s multicultural imprint. Striking neoclassical, eclectic, and Liberty buildings embellish Trieste’s streets and squares. Piazza Unità, overlooking the sea and considered one of the prettiest in the world, is the best starting point to discover the rich architectural heritage of the city. Around the square are stunning examples of neo-classical architecture, such as the Palazzo del Governo, the Palazzo Stratti (headquarters of the Generali Insurance Company), the Palazzo del Municipio (city hall), and the Palazzo Lloyd Triestino. Two 18th century monuments are also found on the Piazza: the baroque Fontana dei Quattro Continenti (1751) and the column with the statue of Emperor Charles VI (1728). Another area where different architectural styles can be admired is Piazza della Borsa, in the old Borgo Teresiano. Churches, temples and synagogues in different styles, present throughout Trieste, are another testament to the city’s multicultural and multi-religious character. The Greek-Orthodox church of San Nicolò, the Serbian-Orthodox church of San Spiridone, the via San Francesco Synagogue, the Evangelical Church in Largo Panfili (Augustan confession), and the San Silvestro Waldensian church (Helvetic confession), are some of the most striking examples. Likewise, Trieste’s culinary traditions are the result of many interactions: Germanic, Austrian, Slavic, Hungarian and Greek influences intermingle in a unique way. Visiting Trieste will enable you to enjoy a trip among different flavours, aromas and colours: From the osmizze of Slovenian tradition, located in the Carso plateaus (private homes open only during short periods where local dishes and wines such as Terrano, Vitovska or Malvasia can be tasted), to the famous Viennese, Habsburg style 19th century caffès, such as Caffè Tommaseo and Caffè San Marco. The latter offer delicious Viennese pastries such as strudels, sacher, presnitz, lutizza, dobos or tigojanci served with a coffee prepared and served in several ways typical to Trieste. Some great writers have emerged from Trieste’s melting pot. By taking a walk through the city streets, one can see places and atmospheres described in the works of authors like Italo Svevo, Scipio Slataper, Umberto Saba, Claudio Magris, Fulvio Tomizza, just to name a few. Irish novelist James Joyce, who lived in the city sporadically from 1904 to 1920, found it to be truly inspirational. He finished writing Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in Trieste and it is also there that he wrote the most significant chapters of his masterpiece Ulysses. A bronze statue of him now stands on the bridge that crosses the Canal Grande. Poet Umberto Saba’s statue, with his legendary pipe, is located at the end of San Nicolò street, not far from his historic bookstore, the Libreria Antiquaria, while novelist Italo Svevo’s statue stands in Piazza Hortiz. Trieste would not be Trieste without the Adriatic Sea. It has been the port for continental Europe for centuries. If one drives or walks along the panoramic road from Sistiana to the city, one can stop at the various lookouts to fully appreciate the beauty of the gulf and the magnificent castles of Duino and of Miramare, which was, for a short time, the residence of Maximilian of Austria and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. The castle of Miramare, the Faro della Vittoria (victory lighthouse) and the Castle of San Giusto, in the centre of the old city, remain the three defining symbols of Trieste. Today, the Barcolana has emerged as a typical trait of the city’s identity. Not to be missed by passionate yachtsmen, this unique sailboat race (held every October) gathers racers from all around Europe. During the famous event, the gulf of Trieste shines with the colours of thousands of sails that are caressed by the fall Bora, Trieste’s famous northeastern wind. (Translation F.S.)
Nonostante ci siano testimonianze che raccontano la Tergeste romana, fondata come colonia intorno alla metà del I secolo a.C. (l’Arco di Riccardo, il Teatro romano ed i ritrovamenti di edifici nell’attuale Piazza della Cattedrale sul colle di San Giusto), ciò che rappresenta ancora oggi l’unicità della città è la sua eredità asburgica e soprattutto l’impronta multiculturale di tale eredità. Trieste è infatti attraversata dalla presenza di etnie e culture diverse che hanno lasciato le proprie tracce nel suo tessuto urbanistico, culturale e religioso. Edifici in stile Neoclassico, Eclettico e Liberty impreziosiscono piazze e vie della città. Piazza Unità, considerata, tra quelle affacciate sul mare, una delle più belle del mondo, è il luogo più adatto per iniziare la scoperta dei vari stili architettonici presenti a Trieste. Sulla piazza si affacciano il Palazzo del Governo, luccicante nel suo singolare rivestimento a mosaico, il Palazzo Pitteri, di sapore classicheggiante, il Palazzo Stratti di proprietà delle Assicurazioni Generali, il Palazzo del Municipio ed il Palazzo del Lloyd triestino. La piazza presenta anche due monumenti settecenteschi: la Fontana barocca dei Quattro Continenti (1751) e la colonna con la statua dell’Imperatore Carlo VI (1728). Piazza della Borsa, nell’antico Borgo Teresiano, è un altro luogo dove poter ammirare l’accostamento di edifici in stili diversi. Il carattere multiculturale della città è rappresentato anche dalla presenza di varie comunità religiose e dai loro luoghi di culto edificati rispettando le particolarità del paese e della comunità di provenienza. La chiesa greco-ortodossa di San Nicolò, quella serbo-ortodossa di San Spiridione, la Sinagoga di via San Francesco, la chiesa Evangelica di confessione Augustana in largo Panfili e quella della comunità di confessione elvetica e valdese di San Silvestro consentono di immergersi in realtà dense di storia e tradizioni differenti e meritano una visita attenta. Non meno ricca di intersezioni culturali è la tradizione culinaria di Trieste. Influenze germaniche, austriache, slave, ungheresi e greche raggiugono qui una sintesi unica in Italia. Dalle osmizze dell’altipiano carsico, di tradizione slovena (case private aperte solo durante brevi periodi in cui si possono gustare piatti locali e bere Terrano, Vitovska o Malvasia, tipici vini del Carso), ai famosi caffè cittadini di derivazione asburgica (caffè Tommaseo e caffè San Marco), dove è possibile ritrovare l’atmosfera viennese del XIX secolo, gustarsi strudel, sacher, presnitz, putizza, dobos e rigojanci accompagnati da un caffè preparato in uno dei molti modi in cui vien servito, Trieste rende possibile un vero viaggio tra sapori, aromi e colori. Non sorprende che all’interno di questo “crogiolo di razze” e culture molti grandi scrittori abbiano trovato motivi di ispirazione. Passeggiando per la città si ritrovano infatti atmosfere e luoghi descritti nei loro romanzi da Italo Svevo, Scipio Slataper, Umberto Saba, Claudio Magris, Fulvio Tomizza e altri. Anche James Joyce, che visse a Trieste dal 1904 al 1915 e dal 1919 al 1920, trovò la città luogo di intima e fervida ispirazione. Qui infatti terminò la stesura di Gente di Dublino e di Dedalus, ma scrisse anche i capitoli più significativi dell’Ulisse. Una sua statua in bronzo è ora visibile sul ponte che attraversa il Canal Grande. La statua di Saba, con la sua leggendaria pipa, è posizionata alla fine di via San Nicolò, a pochi passi dalla sua Libreria Antiquaria, mentre quella di Svevo è in Piazza Hortis. Trieste non sarebbe però Trieste senza il mare a cui deve la sua grandezza e prosperità come porto principale della Mitteleuropa. La bellezza del golfo si può ammirare nella stupenda strada panoramica che da Sistiana giunge in città, fermandosi nei numerosi lookout o scendendo nelle piccole e isolate baie e spiagge. Sul golfo si affacciano anche i castelli di Duino e quello più suggestivo di Miramare, dimora, anche se per un breve periodo, di Massimiliano d’Austria e di sua moglie Carlotta del Belgio. Miramare, con il Faro della Vittoria ed il castello di San Giusto, centro dell’antica città, rimangono i simboli riconosciuti di Trieste. A questi si è aggiunta, più recentemente, la Barcolana, importante regata (ogni anno in ottobre) e appuntamento imperdibile per i velisti di tutta Europa. Durante il suo svolgimento, il golfo di Trieste si accende nei colori di migliaia di vele che balbettano nella bora d’autunno.
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Gorizia
Un tranquillo e sereno mosaico culturale Annamaria Brondani Menghini
Città secolare al confine con la Slovenia, Gorizia è sempre stata la culla di popolazioni, lingue, etnie e religioni diverse. Capoluogo dell'omonima provincia nel Friuli Venezia Giulia, Gorizia, Gorica, Gorz o Guriza, si adagia in pianura lungo le sponde dell’Isonzo, incorniciata dall’altopiano di Tarnova e dalle ultime propaggini delle Alpi Giulie. Partiamo alla scoperta di questo piccolo gioiello italo-slovenotedesco-friulano. Un pò di storia Le origini di Gorizia risalgono al 1001, anno nel quale fu nominata per la prima volta in un diploma di donazione al Patriarca di Aquileia Giovanni, redatto a Ravenna dall’imperatore Ottone III. Interessante è anche notare che il toponimo “Gorizia” deriva dallo sloveno gora/collina, gorica/piccola collina, ad indicare la collina su cui svetta il castello medievale, più volte distrutto e ricostruito, seguendo le vicissitudini della città. Fu attorno ad esso che nei secoli si sviluppò la città con i suoi borghi storici, da Borgo Castello a Borgo San Rocco. Ricca di case, vigneti, campi, prati, pascoli, torrenti e fiumi, l’area di Gorizia ha favorito la costituzione della Contea di Gorizia e Gradisca, attiva fino al 1500, e la successiva inclusione nell’Impero Austro-Ungarico, fino al 1918. Dalla sua nascita Gorizia percorse dunque una lunga storia, caratterizzata da nove secoli di presenza tedesca al governo della città: prima i Conti di Gorizia, poi la Casa degli Asburgo. Solo negli ultimi novant’anni, con l’annessione all’Italia, dopo la fine della Prima Guerra Mondiale, Gorizia entrò a far parte di un nuovo Stato, l’Italia, con un’impostazione amministrativa e culturale molto diversa rispetto al suo consolidato passato. Purtroppo, gli avvenimenti del Novecento sono stati una catastrofe abbattutasi su Gorizia. Le due guerre mondiali l’hanno coinvolta in tragiche vicende come le dodici battaglie sull’Isonzo, nella Prima Guerra Mondiale, o la guerra partigiana nella 46
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Seconda Guerra Mondiale, con il doloroso epilogo dell’occupazione dell’armata jugoslava e delle foibe. Il successivo Trattato di Pace del 1947, comportò la perdita di tutto il proprio retroterra, assegnato dagli Alleati anglo-americani alla Jugoslavia. Gorizia assorbì poi in parte il dramma degli esuli italiani dall’Istria, Fiume e dalla Dalmazia, costretti a lasciare i propri beni in terra diventata straniera. Il confine territoriale tra Italia e Slovenia, istituito nel 1947, è rimasto attivo fino al 2004. Al giorno d’oggi, se esso non esiste più come valico fisico-politico tra due Stati, in forza della loro autonoma appartenenza all’Unione Europea, non si può dire tuttavia che sia stato superato come confine mentale. L’effettiva integrazione tra le due popolazioni rimane ancora difficile anche se molti passi avanti sono stati compiuti ad opera delle rispettive amministrazioni locali. L’identità linguistica Il censimento in riferimento alla lingua parlata sotto il Governo Austriaco all’inizio del Novecento rivelava proporzioni linguistiche molto diverse da oggi. Nel 1910, il 25% della popolazione parlava tedesco, il 19% l’ungherese, il 17% il ceco, il moravo o lo slovacco, il 10% il polacco, il 10% il croato, il serbo o il bosniaco, l’8% il ruteno, il 7% il rumeno, il 3% lo sloveno e solo l’1% l’italiano e il ladino. Attualmente la grande maggioranza dei poco più di 35.000 abitanti di Gorizia parla italiano e il tedesco è quasi completamente scomparso. Pochi goriziani conoscono e praticano ancora lo sloveno, mentre la gran parte dei 32.000 abitanti di
Nova Gorica, la sua controparte slovena, conosce bene l’italiano. Girare la città e dintorni Nonostante Gorizia sia stata parte di una storia così complessa, nella sua discreta eleganza non offre al turista significativi monumenti artistici, se non quelli eretti a seguito delle vicende che seguirono i due conflitti mondiali. Eppure la città è ricca di parchi e di ville nobiliari perché era considerata la Nizza austriaca dai Tedeschi che, in particolare nell’Ottocento, vi vennero ad edificare le loro seconde sontuose e lussuose residenze nobiliari. Ma il vero senso della bellezza di Gorizia sta nella relazione che essa offre con il suo circondario, da Oslavia a San Floriano al Calvario, da Nova Gorica alle alture prospicienti il Collio italiano e sloveno, al sinuoso ed affascinante corso del fiume Isonzo. Nei pressi dell’isola della Cona, dove il fiume si immerge nel mare, si trova un’ oasi faunistica di immensa suggestione, inserita all’interno della Riserva Naturale Regionale della Foce dell’Isonzo. In inverno e durante la migrazione primaverile, migliaia di uccelli migratori vi si rifugiano a svernare, tra panorami mozzafiato sul golfo di Trieste e scenografiche piste ciclabili. Sono proprio queste sue caratteristiche a conferire a Gorizia il vantaggio di offrirsi al turista con l’accoglienza dei suoi spazi verdi, dei suoi viali alberati e fioriti, con la sua atmosfera tersa, tranquilla e serena, con l’ulteriore beneficio di poter essere percorsa tutta a piedi o in bicicletta con comode pedalate.
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Aquileia By Pericle Camuffo
The second Rome, visited by emperors and popes Located at the southern border of the Po River Valley and at the entrance of the Grado lagoon, Aquileia is one of the most significant archeological sites in Italy. In 1998, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site for its historic importance as a Roman city and for the fundamental role it played in the expansion of Christianity in central Europe.
From ancient Roman colony to bishop’s residence The Romans founded the colony of Aquileia in 181 B.C. on a site already settled by Celts and Gauls. To counter the arrival and the settlement of about 12,000 persons originating from the Danube region, the Roman Senate decided to send a first contingent of 3,000 families of settlers to protect its Eastern border. The Latin colony prevented invasions and became the starting point for new Roman conquest and expeditions in what are today the regions of Carinthia and Southern Germany. In 89 B.C., Aquileia grew to the rank of municipium, marking the city’s importance and definitive development. Emperor Julius Caesar and Octavianus Augustus successively stayed there and, in 32 B.C., the latter proclaimed it capital of the X Regio Venetia et Histria. At the time, Aquileia’s population reached a peak of 120,000 residents. One of the most important fluvial ports of the Western Empire, the city became the main trading link between the Danube region and the Adriatic Sea. Within its walls, skills in shaping marble, terracotta and the production of building materials as well as glass crafts flourished. Jupiter’s temple and the forum that overlooked the Capitol were at the centre of a bustling social life, whereas the main entertainment places were the circus and the public baths. For over three centuries, Aquileia
remained a prosperous and culturally vibrant centre. During this period, Aquileia also turned into a major religious reference point, the meeting point of spiritual influences originating from the Middle East, Alexandria in Egypt, and Northern Europe. In the third century, Aquileia became a bishopric and at the beginning of the fourth century, bishop Theodorus ordered the construction of the first cathedral. Traces of the original building can still be seen inside the Romanesque Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, built between 1021-1031 by patriarch Poppone. The church was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1348. A unique archeological reserve Aquileia’s political, religious and economic importance came to an end as a result of the repeated barbarian invasions that began in the fifth century. Attila’s Huns completely destroyed the city in 452, forcing the clergy and the remaining survivors to flee to Grado and nearby islands along the coast. The past glory of the city is still visible today. The National Archeological Museum, which opened its doors in 1882, keeps extraordinary artifacts dating from the second century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. The floor mosaics in the
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FRIULI Lapidarius outside the museum and the ones inside the cathedral are particularly valuable. The remains of the fluvial port, the forum, the sepulchres and the dwellings of well-to-do Roman patricians complete the archeological itinerary. Aquileia is nowadays an international centre for the study and the history of mosaic art. During their visits, Pope John Paul II’s in 1992, and Benedict XVI’s in May 2011, both recalled the town’s ancient history and its role as a beacon of Christianity. Their words have prompted the arrival at Aquileia of throngs of tourists and pilgrims. Commemorating Aquileia’s Roman past Celebrating traditions, history and culture, Tempora Aquileia and A tavola con gli antichi romani (Eating with Ancient Romans) are two interesting yearly events that take place in Aquileia during the summer months. Started in 1988, A tavola con gli antichi romani aims to rediscover local culinary traditions, which mainly hail from the Roman culture. Several events are organised in restaurants of Aquileia and other neighbouring towns like Palmanova, Torviscosa and Grado. Each menu carefully follows recipes found in Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, a classic work of ancient Roman gastronomy, paired with wines from local producers. During the evening, waiters dressed as Romans serve patrons and the settings include flowers, drapes, music and oil lanterns – contributing to the full immersion in an ancient Roman atmosphere. Tempora Aquileia is essentially a historical commemoration of Roman Aquileia. During two to three days, around the end of May, the town recreates the lifestyle as it was during Roman times, with a military camp, a market, sketches of daily life, jousts, banquets and dances. The event is attended by tourists and by people from across the region. Aquileia is easily reached by car through the Palmanova highway, from the Trieste airport or by bus. A bicycle path connecting Grado to Aquileia was recently opened. Stretching along the lagoon, it constitutes one of the touristic highlights of the region. Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta
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Grado
Pericle Camuffo
L’isola del sole tra Venezia e Trieste Nota come “L’isola del sole”, per le sue spiagge esposte a sud ed abbondantemente soleggiate, Grado è oggi una moderna località turistica dell’alto Adriatico.
ituata tra Trieste e Venezia, riceve più di un milione di visitatori l’anno, la maggior parte durante i mesi estivi, ai quali offre, mare pulito, strutture alberghiere, servizi di ristorazione e stabilimenti balneari di profilo internazionale, attività culturali di alto livello, rievocazioni storiche, svago, riposo, divertimento. Tutto questo però, a differenza delle aree balneari di più recente creazione, si è innestato ed è cresciuto all’interno di una tradizione millenaria. Grado, infatti, ha svolto un ruolo fondamentale nelle vicende storiche, politiche e religiose della regione costiera fin dall’epoca romana. Inserita, con funzione di scalo merci (gradus, termine latino a cui deve il suo nome), nel sistema portuale di Aquileia già nel II e III secolo, diventerà rifugio degli aquileiesi durante
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le invasioni barbariche e baluardo dell’autorità imperiale nell’Adriatico settentrionale dopo la distruzione di Aquileia, da parte degli Unni di Attila nel 452. In seguito all’invasione longobarda del Friuli, fu sede del Vescovo aquileiese che vi si stabilì permanentemente dal 568 dando inizio al periodo di massimo splendore dell’isola. Le testimonianze più significative di tale rinascita architettonica si affacciano su Campo dei Patriarchi, da sempre il cuore della vita religiosa della comunità gradese: l’imponente Duomo dedicato a Santa Eufemia, la Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie e l’austero Battistero a pianta ottagonale. La fioritura monumentale, sociale e religiosa di Grado inizia a decadere con l’ascesa di Venezia. Verso la metà del XII secolo il Patriarcato di Grado si trasferisce stabilmente nella città di San Marco e nel 1451 viene definitivamente soppresso. A questo punto il declino di Grado è completo: epidemie, miseria, incursioni dei pirati e la costante minaccia del mare che erode i confini dell’isola mettono in serio pericolo l’esistenza degli abitanti, che nel XVI secolo si riducono a poco più di 1300. Dopo le brevi occupazioni dei francesi e degli inglesi, le cose iniziano a migliorare con l’inserimento di Grado, dal 1815, all’interno dei domini dell’Impero austro-ungarico. Gli Asburgo fanno dell’isola la spiaggia di moda dell’aristocrazia austriaca, dando inizio e sviluppo all’attività turistica. La crescita continua di strutture ricettive e di collegamenti con la terra ferma potenzia la fama di Grado come luogo di vacanza e richiama sull’isola intellettuali ed artisti di fama internazionale: da Ippolito Nievo a Scipio Slataper, da Pirandello a Freud a Pasolini. Nel 1936, con la costruzione del ponte girevole, viene completato, dopo venti secoli di isolamento, il collegamento con la bassa friulana. Negli anni Cinquanta viene terminata anche la strada che collega l’isola a Monfalcone e Trieste: Grado finalmente si apre alla modernità. Passeggiando tra le strette calli del centro storico, fermandosi per un aperitivo o per una cena in uno dei ristoranti situati a ridosso della vecchia cinta muraria, spesso ci si dimentica di tutto questo suo passato. Ma è sufficiente ritagliarsi uno spazio di silenzio, anche interiore, magari fermandosi sulla diga che si apre sul golfo di Trieste con a levante il Carso e la costa istriana ed a ponente le vette delle Alpi, o regalarsi una gita nell’immobilità della laguna dove acqua, terra e luce dialogano costantemente, per capire fino in fondo la realtà dell’isola, il suo pulsare lento, la sua storia, la sua sofferenza, il suo splendore. Biagio Marin, il poeta che nel dialetto gradese è stato il cantore di Grado, ha definito questa situazione d’anima “il non-tempo del mare”. Il legame profondo che unisce i gradesi alla loro storia è ben rappresentato nel perdòn de Barbana, la manifestazione religiosa più significativa e partecipata di Grado. Ogni anno, la prima domenica di luglio, una suggestiva processione su barche trasporta i gradesi al santuario dell’isoletta di Barbana, l’unico rimasto intatto delle molte chiese lagunari presenti fin dall’epoca romana, a sciogliere un voto contratto nel 1237 quando, alla Madonna del santuario, era stata chiesta protezione da una devastante pestilenza. Ma tracce del passato del piccolo villaggio di pescatori che Grado è stata per molti secoli, sono presenti anche nella tradizione gastronomica gradese. Se i ristoranti propongono sempre più spesso delle variazioni fantasiose della tradizione locale, con rimandi alla cucina internazionale, il pesce azzurro preparato alla piastra, al forno o fritto rimane un elemento essenziale. La semplicità della povera gente di mare prevale anche nel piatto gradese per eccellenza, il Boreto. Nato in tempi antichissimi nelle capanne di canne e fango dei pescatori di laguna, i casoni, viene preparato con il pesce meno pregiato, quello che non veniva venduto al mercato dell’isola ma tenuto per la propria famiglia, olio di semi, aglio, aceto e pepe. Accompagnato con polenta bianca ed un robusto vino rosso, è un piatto che nessun turista dimentica di assaggiare almeno una volta.
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Udine Percorso storico-artistico ed enogastronomico Pericle Camuffo
Piccolo gioiello nel cuore del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Udine è la porta d’accesso ad una cultura che si esprime attraverso inusuali ed antiche tradizioni che si possono scoprire passeggiando nel suo centro storico, entrando in una tipica osteria o semplicemente ascoltando i suoi abitanti conversare in friulano, non solo dialetto locale di origine neolatina, ma vera e propria lingua, riconosciuta oggi come una delle 12 lingue minoritarie presenti in Italia. La città del Tiepolo Conosciuta come la “Città del Tiepolo”, in quanto qui il grande artista passò un importante periodo della sua vita e raggiunse la sua maturità artistica (i suoi meravigliosi affreschi si possono oggi ammirare nel Palazzo Arcivescovile, nel Duomo, nell’Oratorio della Purità e nella pinacoteca del Castello), Udine conserva altri luoghi di straordinario interesse architettonico e storico. Tra queste, Piazza Libertà, considerata la più bella piazza veneziana di terraferma, con la quattrocentesca Loggia del Lionello, la Loggia di San Giovanni, la Torre dell’Orologio ed il Monumento alla Pace di epoca napoleonica, che è il luogo adatto per iniziare un itinerario ricco di suggestioni storico-artistiche. Dalla piazza, infatti, attraversando l’Arco Bollani si raggiunge facilmente il colle del Castello eretto, secondo le leggende, dai soldati di Attila per consentire al famoso capo degli Unni di osservare Aquileia in fiamme. Alla base del colle si sviluppa l’antica città medievale con la centrale e porticata via Mercato Vecchio, impreziosita da palazzi nobiliari e noto luogo di shopping nei fine settimana. Circa a metà della via si trova il Palazzo del Monte di Pietà con la sua cappella barocca, ed alle sue spalle si apre la Piazza Matteotti, detta anche di San Giacomo per l’omonima chiesa che vi si affaccia. Con al centro una fontana cinquecentesca, opera di Giovanni da Udine, ed avvolta da antichi edifici alcuni dei quali hanno le facciate affrescate, è un luogo magico in ogni momento della giornata. Alla fine di via Mercato Vecchio si apre il quartiere universitario dove si possono ammirare il Palazzo Antonini, disegnato dal Palladio, Palazzo Florio e la casa Trecentesca. Sempre da Piazza Libertà, attraversando via Manin ed una delle più antiche porte della città, si può arrivare in Piazza I Maggio, l’antico “giardino grande” che nei secoli ha ospitato importanti mercati, fiere e spettacoli. Sulla piazza si affaccia il settecentesco santuario di Santa Maria delle Grazie con il suo delizioso chiostro. Udine a tavola: tra frico e vino bianco Lungo questo itinerario, ma un po’ in tutto il centro storico di Udine, è possibile trovare numerose osterie, luoghi adatti per un veloce bicchiere di vino o per una sosta più lunga, un pranzo o una cena, e mete della gioventù udinese per l’aperitivo serale. In questi tipici localini, oltre all’atmosfera informale ed amichevole, si possono gustare i tesori dell’enogastronomia friulana: i leggendari prosciutti di San Daniele e di Sauris; il salame friulano, prodotto con carne miscelata con lardo e spezie; il frico, tortino di formaggio preparato anche con patate, mele o erbe aromatiche; il musetto, insaccato simile al cotechino nella cui preparazione vengono utilizzate anche parti del muso del maiale e da qui il suo nome, abbinato alla brovada, contorno di rape lasciate fermentare con vinaccia di uve rosse per un paio di mesi e poi tagliate e cotte; il Montasio o altri formaggi delle malghe carniche. Il tutto, naturalmente, accompagnato da importanti vini della zona e seguito da gustose grappe, spesso realizzate in casa o con procedimenti e ricette di antica tradizione. Non sorprende, dunque, che una della manifestazioni di maggior richiamo a Udine sia centrata proprio sull’aspetto enogastronomico. Ogni anno, a metà settembre, ha luogo infatti “Friuli DOC” (quest’anno festeggerà la sua XX edizione) che in quattro giornate presenta un programma estremamente ricco di sapori, spettacoli, musica ed altri eventi culturali. L’intenzione principale degli organizzatori è di creare un percorso di scoperta o di ri-scoperta dei prodotti e dei piatti della tradizione friulana. Gli stand sparpagliati nelle vie e nelle piazze del centro, aperti dalla mattina a notte inoltrata, vengono visitati da decine di migliaia di persone ogni giorno ed anche nelle osterie e nei ristoranti che aderiscono all’iniziativa si fatica a trovare un tavolo libero.
“Friuli DOC” è però principalmente la festa del vino. I vigneti del Friuli Venezia Giulia producono quasi 100 milioni di bottiglie l’anno ed i bianchi friulani sono considerati tra i migliori al mondo. Tra questi, il Ramandolo ed il Picolit hanno ottenuto lo status di Denominazione d’origine Controllata e Garantita, che ne evidenzia e certifica la loro eccellenza. Circondata dalle colline, non distante dal mare e dalle montagne, vicina ad Austria e Slovenia, Udine è oggi una città gradevolmente vivibile, nella quale le antiche tradizioni sopravvivono ma vengono costantemente aggiornate e riproposte, cosi da renderle parte integrante ed attiva di un percorso di crescita culturale e sociale.
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10 Flavourful Friuli Venezia Giulia Dishes By Amanda Fulginiti
The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia offers a feast of surprises. This true gastronomic goldmine nestled in northeastern Italy is separated into four provinces: Pordenone in the west, Udine covering the centre, and Gorizia and Trieste to the east. Though the province of Trieste is the smallest in the region, it serves as the capital. long with Italian, much of the population of this region speaks a local language called Friulian, and because of the close proximity to countries such as Slovenia and Austria, both Slovene and German are also frequently spoken. This diversity in culture is naturally reflected in their cuisine and is quite distinct from the rest of Italy. After years under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, many parts of this region boast hearty cabbage soups and wonderfully delicious and delicate pastries. Many do not know that San Daniele ham and the world-renowned Illy coffee empire originated here. Check out this list of 10 dishes that display the variety of flavours and aromas to be found:
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1. Jota (pronounced yota) Bean soup with sauerkraut typically served as an antipasto. An interesting flavour contrast between the sweetness of the beans and the sourness of the cabbage.
2. Brovada Pickled turnips. A true specialty of Friuli, used to accompany roast or boiled meats. It is made by cutting turnips into small slices (like sauerkraut) and slow cooking them in a pan with olive oil, bay leaves, and often a piece of pork.
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FRIULI 4. Polenta concia In this region, polenta is cooked by adding cheese; typically Montasio and Carnia. This is served alongside many second dishes.
3. Frico Simply put, it’s cooked cheese. Typically an antipasto, consisting of a wafer of shredded cheese with a bit of flour, baked or fried until crisp. The cheese most typically used comes from the region: Montasio (a creamy, unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese. The more it ages, the drier and more granular the cheese).
6. Boreto a la graisana A tasty white fish soup (fish used are typically mullet, bream, flounder, etc). As a first plate it is only a broth, but as a second it includes the fish. Once a poor man’s dish, it is cooked in a cast iron pot with a little sunflower oil, whole garlic cloves and fish flavoured with white vinegar and black pepper.
5. Cjarsons Ravioli made with a potato, cinnamon, raison and fine herb stuffing. This is a local specialty of Carnia, a region belonging to Udine. It is a sweet and savory mix that is particularly enhanced by added herbs that grow wild in Carnia.
8. Fagiano ripieno Stuffed pheasant is one of many stuffed birds enjoyed as a second course; recipes usually include locally produced grappa.
7. Lasagne ai semi di papavero In Trieste, lasagna is kept simple and sprinkled with a special sauce made with butter, sugar and poppy seeds.
9. Strucolo This is the region’s take on the Austrian strudel. It features a thin layer of dough rolled around a filling. Some strucoli are sweet while others savory, and some are baked, while others are boiled.
10. Gubana/Putizza e Presnitz Sweets are abundant in this region. Firstly gubana, “guba” meaning “piega” (to fold) in Italian, is a very traditional pastry that somewhat resembles a strudel, and generally comes with a minced apple filling and grappa. Whereas presnitz is a puff pastry rolled up with a filling of walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, figs, prunes, apricots, raisins, grated chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and rum. Legend has it that a baker of Trieste invented this wonderful cake in honour of Princess Sissi of Austria. This particular cake is especially enjoyed during Christmastime.
Wines & spirits Friuli Venezia Giulia wines are mostly white and remarkable for the number of grape varieties that are used in their blends, like Refosco, Terrano, Malvasia, Tocai and Rebula. Wine here is made using mostly non-traditional grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Bianco, but also some quintessentially Italian grapes such as Pinot Grigio and the region’s own Picolit, an extraordinary sweet wine that dates back to the 1700s. Typically their wines are fresh and fruity in style. Friuli’s signature white grape Friulano is a classic example of these refreshing wines.
The region also produces some of Italy’s most popular grappa, distilled from the skins, seeds, and stems of many types of grapes left over after wine making. Commercial production began in Bassano del Grappa in the 18th century and was considered a rough drink. Today many Italians, especially in the northeast, finish off most meals with a glass of carefully selected smooth, single grape distilled grappa. To be considered a Grappa D.O.C, it must be produced in the Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, or Trentino Alto Adige. Excellent distillations are produced in other areas, but they must be labeled “acqua vite,” and not “grappa”.
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Spilimbergo’s Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli By Stephanie Grella
From Antiquity to the 21st century, the art of mosaic has experienced a stylistic evolution that continues to bolster the self-expression and creativity of contemporary artists. Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in the town of Spilimbergo has consistently made an impact on the continuation of traditional mosaic techniques while paving the way for contemporary innovations. Lodovico Zanini was a teacher, writer and Friulian delegate of Società Umanitaria in Milan who first came up with the idea of a school dedicated to training students in mosaic art. In 1922, Ezio Cantarutti, the mayor of Spilimbergo, managed to turn Zanini’s idea into a reality. Since its inaugural year, La Scuola Mosaicisti explores the Italian history of mosaics while experimenting with international influences. One of the school’s biggest successes is Giovanni Gerometta, who shortly after graduating in the 1950s was asked to bring his artistic talent to Canada. A native from the province of Udine, Gerometta has spent more than 50 years studying and producing mosaic artwork. His creations are now displayed in public and private collections throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. Crafting a distinctive style was very important for him. “When I [make mosaics] for myself, I use mostly geese,” says Gerometta. “I live close to a river, so I get inspired by the Canadian geese when they migrate back.” He also produces still life, nature scenes and portraits that usually include clear geometric forms and intriguing movements of colour, which can be admired and purchased at the Galerie d’art Mont-Sainte-Anne, near Québec city. “Mosaic never really died out, but it seemed to be confined to Italy for a while,” says Sheila Campbell, a retired professor and current mosaic researcher at the University of Toronto. “Now there’s been a burgeoning interest in mosaic art internationally, and many of those people are trained in Spilimbergo.” In 1933, a team of artists from La Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli even crafted the mosaic dome of the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) ceremonial entrance hall in Toronto. “The range is absolutely mind-boggling,” reveals Campbell. Curating the ROM 2003 mosaic exhibition “The New Mosaic: Selections from Friuli, Italy,” she ven-
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tured to La Scuola Mosaicisti herself to handpick the artwork that would adorn the halls. “I had a call on that Tuesday and was asked, ‘Would you be free to leave on Saturday for Venice?’ I flew to Italy on Saturday. On Monday, we did all of the selection, and on Tuesday, we flew home,” says Campbell. Although it was a brief visit, Campbell fondly remembers the captivating pieces that were produced at La Scuola Mosaicisti as well as the artists themselves, relishing in the freedom of self-expression. “The students were doing self-portraits and a wonderful range of things,” says Campbell. “There was no difficulty in finding more than enough material for the exhibition.” Campbell recalls the audiences’ reactions at the 2003 mosaic exhibition. She still reminiscences their utter fascination with the Italian-made mosaics. “It was wonderful to watch people come into the show looking grumpy from the February weather and see how their faces would just light up from the colour and imagery of the art. That’s a marvelous transition.” Maplestone Gallery owner and curator Suzanne Steeves sees expressions like these every day when she opens the doors to her art gallery, the only one of its kind in Canada that specializes in mosaic art. “Looking at mosaics in slides does not have the same impact as seeing them first-hand, and no photograph ever does them justice,” says Campbell. “The light is constantly changing as the light in the room changes; it’s almost as if they’re alive. Paint absorbs light, but a mosaic reflects light”. Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli: www.scuolamosaicistifriuli.it maplestonegallery: www.maplestonegallery.com
See video of “Giovanni the Mosaicist” online at panoramitalia.com “The Lanzi family’s story is a remarkably accurate and beautiful account of a Tuscan family’s trials and tribulations during the rise of Fascism and into World War II. A truly fantastic read.” – Panoram Italia Magazine
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E-mail him at: giancarlo3719@gmail.com or phone him at (647) 403-6488 to ask for a personalized dedication.
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Famous Brands and Personalities From Friuli Venezia Giulia By Stephanie Grella
From modern literary figures and international fashion icons to Renaissance revolutionaries and leading cinematic artists, Friuli has bred trailblazers who have cultivated industry-leading innovations. Here are a few. Ermes di Colorêt: Born in Colloredo di Monte Albano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia during the Thirty Years’ War, Ermes di Colorêt (or Ermes di Colloredo) served as an imperial officer in the service of Emperor Ferdinand III of Hapsburg. During his time, Colorêt also served the Grand Duke of Tuscany as well as the Holy Roman Emperor before returning to the province of Udine to concentrate on writing poetry. During the latter part of his life, Colorêt wrote over 200 sonnets in Friulian and Italian, using the koinè, which would later become the most popular literary language as well as the basis for the Friulian dialect today.
Ottavio Missoni
Giovanni da Udine: As a result of studying under Raphael, Giovanni da Udine became a specialist in fresco painting and one of the most revolutionary sculptors of the Renaissance. While exploring underground tunnels and caves in Rome, da Udine and Raphael found the Domus Aurea (a large villa in Rome built between 64-68 AD) and discovered roman stucco, a technique used by the ancient Romans to reproduce a marble effect. After this discovery, da Udine moved to Florence and began painting frescoes and creating stucco decoration for artworks including La Sagrestia Nuova in Basilica di San Lorenzo as well as Rome’s Villa Madama, both pieces that continue to be admired by art historians today. Italo Svevo: Italo Svevo was the pen name of Ettore Schmitz, a businessman from Trieste, who wrote short stories, plays and novels, but his breakthrough came as a result of La Coscienza di Zeno (Zeno’s Conscience). The 1923 novel about a neurotic businessman who writes out his confessions was initially ignored by many Italian literary critics. However, once published in Paris with the help of Svevo’s friend James Joyce, La Coscienza di Zeno was acclaimed across Italy and France. Svevo’s novel is now celebrated as a seminal work of modernist literature. La Sedon Salvadie: Founded in 1982, la Sedon Salvadie is an eclectic group with instruments ranging from bagpipes, fiddles, accordion, guitar, and bass. Arguably the top folk band in Friuli and one of the best in Italy, la Sedon Salvadie has toured througout the world and performed on radio and television shows in Europe and North America. In a region where diverse ethnicities have congregated for many centuries, Friuli welcomes folk music that bridges a wide range of cultures through folk bands and artists. Modiano playing cards: Italian playing cards first appeared in the late 14th century when each region in Italy was an autonomous province. Just as each region had its own dialect, its playing cards distinguished themselves from the rest of the nation. Although used worldwide, Modiano is a Triestan tradition with its roots running deep in the cartography business. Founded by S.D. Modiano in the 19th century, Modiano cards are distinguished by their style, colour, and quality. Today, Modiano has maintained a reputation of Italian tradition and lasting innovation.
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Ottavio Missoni: Born in what is now Dubrovnik, Croatia, Ottavio Missoni competed in the Olympics as a professional hurdler before beginning his fashion line in Trieste in 1958. Success from Missoni’s line of Venjulia tracksuits led the designer back to the Olympic games in 1948, where the Italian Olympic team wore Missoni’s collection. In 1958, the first Missoni-labelled collection was offered in one of Milan’s most popular clothing stores, La Rinascente, propelling the line’s exposure until it was featured in Vogue Italia during the 1980s. Ottavio Missoni died in 2013, but more than 60 years after the clothing line’s founding, the Missoni name continues to set trends on the runway. Pier Paolo Pasolini: Pasolini, inspired by the panoramic landscapes of Casarsa in the province of Pordenone, began writing poetry at the age of seven. Later on, while his high-school classmates and friends joined the school football team, Pasolini established his own group dedicated to literary discussions. After publishing several poetry collections, Pasolini went on to direct legendary films throughout the ’60s that depicted the neorealistic movement of the 20th century. Some of Pasolini’s most legendary films include Mamma Roma and Il Fiore delle mille e una notte, which was released in English as Arabian Nights.
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La memoria e il divenire dell’immigrazione al Centro di Cultura Canadese dell’Università di Udine Alessandra Ferraro
Dagli apporti dell’immigrazione italiana in Québec e in Canada intesi come una riscrittura dell’esperienza pregressa nel nuovo contesto geografico, al mosaico considerato sia come metafora della società canadese che come contributo artistico dell’immigrazione friulana, fino all’autotraduzione che da esperienza quotidiana di ogni emigrato a Montréal e Toronto diventa pratica letteraria precipua della scrittura migrante : sono queste alcune delle linee di ricerca che hanno contraddistinto l’attività del Centro di Cultura Canadese fin dalla sua creazione, nel 1997. Studiare il fenomeno migratorio Friulano Animato da un gruppo di studiosi della letteratura quebecchese e canadese anglofona e presieduto successivamente da Valerio Bruni, Alessandra Ferraro e Anna Pia De Luca, il Centro ha trovato il suo collante nell’interesse condiviso dei suoi aderenti nei confronti del fenomeno migratorio che ha interessato in modo particolare il Friuli Venezia-Giulia. Di questo interesse sono testimonianza i volumi pubblicati nella “Collana di studi del Centro di Cultura Canadese / Center of Canadian Culture Series / Études du Centre de Civilisation Canadienne” che accolgono gli atti dei convegni organizzati, ma anche traduzioni di saggi dedicati ad autori e correnti di pensiero di particolare rilevanza in Canada e in Québec come, ad esempio, il filone della traduzione femminista foriero di radicali innovazioni nell’ambito degli studi sulla traduzione. Al racconto cinematografico dell’emigrazione nelle Americhe sarà invece consacrato il prossimo convegno che si terrà a Udine dall’8 al 10 ottobre 2014 e che permetterà al pubblico italiano di assistere alla proiezione di piccoli capolavori di questo filone narrativo. L’iniziativa, dal titolo suggestivo “Ascoltami con gli occhi. Scritture migranti e cinema nelle Americhe,” si propone come un ulteriore tassello dell’indagine sui vari aspetti del fenomeno migratorio condotta dagli studiosi udinesi a cui si affiancheranno Filippo Salvatore, Paul Tana e Anita Aloisio. Transcultura, nomadicità e translinguismo In “Itinerranze e transcodificazioni. Scrittori migranti dal Friuli Venezia Giulia al Canada (2008)” l’équipe udinese, diretta da Alessandra Ferraro e Anna Pia De Luca, ha riscoperto e valorizzato le radici regionali di Mario Duliani, Philippe Poloni e di Genni Gunn e ha sottoposto ad un’analisi approfondita la produzione artistica e letteraria di scrittrici quali, ad esempio, Dore Michelut, Bianca Zagolin o Caterina Edwards. L’esperienza migratoria è stata per tali autori e autrici un serbatoio al quale hanno attinto per produrre opere innovative che intersecano lingue, culture e origini diverse nell’elaborazione di una nuova identità. Lo studio delle creazioni artistiche e dei percorsi biografici degli emigranti friulani e italiani ha consentito, quindi, di considerare gli esiti letterari e artistici dell’emigrazione inserendoli nello 56
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sfondo più ampio della transcultura, della nomadicità e del translinguismo, concetti chiave della cultura contemporanea. Sede internazionale della riflessione sull’immigrazione Nel corso degli anni il Centro si è affermato come una sede internazionale della riflessione sull’immigrazione, di incontro e di discussione tra scrittori, intellettuali e critici europei e canadesi che hanno partecipato ai numerosi convegni, tavole rotonde, conferenze organizzati e documentati nel sito del Centro che ha anche una pagina su Facebook (ccc.uniud.it/ it-it.facebook.com/centrodiculturacanadese). Dell’importanza di quest’asse di ricerca è persuaso il neoeletto Rettore dell’Ateneo udinese che tra i progetti del suo mandato ha quello di realizzare un grande complesso culturale nel cuore della città di Udine che possa accogliere, attorno al patrimonio librario presente, la memoria dell’emigrazione friulana e italiana. Dotata di spazi di incontri e di proiezione, la Biblioteca internazionale dell’Università di Udine non avrà quindi soltanto il compito di conservare le tracce di un fenomeno che ha interessato milioni di italiani e i loro discendenti, ma si presenterà come la sede ideale per studiare e elaborare i nuovi paradigmi di pensiero nati nell’alveo della migrazione. Friulana certo, ma la cui portata diventerebbe universale. In tal modo l’emigrazione, evento che è per la sua stessa essenza dislocato, sradicato, in between, in sospeso, in itinere, a cavallo tra continenti, identità e individui, un nonluogo per antonomasia, secondo la definizione dell’antropologo Marc Augé , avrà un suo “luogo” identitario, relazionale e storico. La Biblioteca internazionale dell’Università di Udine (Italians in the World Library) Archivio multimediale di esperienze, di percorsi, di vite e di opere, la Biblioteca internazionale dell’Università di Udine, Bibliothèque des Italiens dans le monde, Italians in the World Library, raccogliendo il patrimonio dell’emigrazione, diventerà quindi un luogo di memoria, spazio reale e simbolico per ricordare un movimento che ha segnato prepotentemente la storia della regione e dell’Italia tutta e che si configura come uno dei principali fatti storici della nostra epoca.
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I grandi vini bianchi del Friuli “Vin e amĂŽs, un paradĂŽsâ€? (Aver vino ed amici è un paradiso) – proverbio friulano Gaia Massai
Il Friuli Venezia Giulia (piÚ comunemente chiamato Friuli) è una regione molto particolare nel panorama italiano in quanto crocevia tra la cultura slava, austriaca, tedesca e il resto dell’Italia. La storia cosmopolita del Friuli si riflette anche nella produzione vitivinicola che presenta un incredibile assortimento di vitigni autoctoni ed importati. on solo il 2% dei vini prodotti in Italia annualmente, il Friuli è comunque considerato il luogo di nascita di alcuni dei migliori vini bianchi del Belpaese. Una situazione dovuta alla scelta da parte di molti produttori di puntare sulla qua-lità piÚ che sulla quantità , mantenendo una bassa resa di uva ad ettaro, in particolare nelle otto zone Doc (e una sola Docg) situate per lo piÚ nella parte meridionale della regione. Ma anche grazie a una nuova tecnica di vinificazione, sviluppata negli anni ’60, che prevede un processo fermentativo del mosto senza le bucce che produce un vino piÚ fresco, chiaro e pulito e, cosa piÚ importante, che non si ossida rapidamente.
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Collio Goriziano & Colli Orientali del Friuli Le due Doc friulane piĂš rinomate sono indubbiamente il Collio Goriziano Doc (o semplicemente Collio Doc) e i Colli Orientali del Friuli Doc. Due zone geograficamente privilegiate per la produzione di vini bianchi grazie al loro microclima tempe-rato e un suolo di natura argillosa mista ad arenarie. Tra i vitigni piĂš conosciuti e apprezzati in questa zona si trova il Tocai Friulano (che non ha nulla a che fare con i quasi omonimi d’Alsazia e d’Ungheria), ormai chiamato solo “Friulanoâ€? dopo il decreto UE del 2007. Dal Friulano si producono vini eleganti e ricchi, dal caratteristico retrogusto di mandorla amara. Altre varietĂ autoctone della zona sono la fragrante Ribolla Gialla e la Malvasia Istriana che, grazie al sapore lievemente metallico, si abbina egregiamente alle tipiche ricette marinare adriatiche. Ritroviamo anche il lieve e delicato Verduzzo e il Picolit, che prende il nome dalla dimensione e resa ridotta dei suoi grappoli, e da cui si produce il famoso vino da dessert Ramandolo, unica Docg del Friuli dal 2001. Inoltre, molti vitigni a bacca bianca importati danno risultati eccellenti nel Collio, sia come blend che vinificati
singolarmente: Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon e Chardonnay, solo per citarne alcuni. Friuli Isonzo Doc, Friuli Grave Doc & Carso Doc Altre zone vinicole interessanti del Friuli sono il Friuli Isonzo Doc, il Friuli Grave Doc e il Carso Doc. I vigneti dell’Isonzo Doc si trovano nelle pianure alluvionali create dall’omonimo fiume, innestati in terreni ricchi e profondi ideali per il Sauvignon, il Chardonnay e il Pinot Bianco (anche prodotto in versione frizzante e semi-frizzante), cosÏ come per vitigni aromatici d’oltralpe come il Gewurtztraminer, il Riesling e il Welschriesling. Spostandoci a nord-ovest troviamo il Friuli Grave Doc, la piÚ estesa zona vinicola della regione. Anche qui il terreno è di origine alluvionale e il clima è protetto dalla catena alpina a nord e mitigato dal mare a sud, come per altre zone vinicole del Friuli. Qui però è interessante notare che il terreno, caratterizzato da un’ ampia superficie sassosa, esalta l'escursione termica tra il giorno e la notte favorendo cosÏ qualità di uva con una spiccata aromaticità , che risultano in vini profumati ed eleganti. Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay e Riesling sono tra i vitigni a bacca bianca piÚ utilizzati nella zona. Infine ricordiamo l’area del Carso Doc situata all’estremità sud-orientale della regione lungo la penisola istriana; famosa per i suoi vini bianchi di Malvasia Istriana, Traminer e Vitovska, di chiare origini slave. Produttori del Collio Doc e Colli Orientali del Friuli Doc presenti in Ontario e nel QuÊbec : Livio Felluga e i pionieri Gravner e Jermann. Produttori friulani degni di nota : Plozner *Grave Doc), Borgo San Daniele (Isonzo Doc), Castelvecchio (Carso Doc)
Hwy 7 @ Pine Valley Drive,Woodbridge Behind McDonalds s WWW ZERO COM -ON &RI AM PM 3AT 3UN AM PM PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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FRIULI
Sipping True Brew The coffee industry from Trieste to Canada By Leah Kellar
If you can’t get enough of the finest “Italian caffè”, then a trip to Trieste just might be your cup of…well, espresso!
stablished in the 1700s as Europe’s first coffee cluster, Trieste remains, for many Italian coffee lovers, merchants and connoisseurs, the world’s most important trade centre for coffee. The high concentration of specialized firms working in the business makes it the only city in the world to have a complete supply chain, gravitating around its historic port. Trieste’s unique geographic location near the border of Slovenia and designation as free port in the nineteenth century gave the town a competitive edge that enabled it to dominate the coffee trade in Europe. Over the centuries, coffee not only contributed to the economic and cultural growth of Trieste but also became a ubiquitous social ritual in the city, which now stands as a true reference in terms of coffee making. The first coffee shops in Trieste mainly started opening in the second half of the eighteenth century, replicating the fashionable shops already found in Venice and taking on an unmistakable Viennese flair in their interior décor and service to customers. Today, Trieste’s Industrial Coffee District establishes the modern benchmark for what constitutes the best Italian espresso. A 2012 LonelyPlanet.com entry even listed the city of Trieste as the world’s most underrated travel destination. On this side of the pond, finding a good cup of Triestine coffee has become easier than ever over the past few years. Sandy McAlpine, spokesperson for the Coffee Association of Canada, says roasting companies such as Illy and Lavazza, Trieste’s flagship brands, have done disproportionately well in Canada because of the strong presence of Italians on the market and the growing popularity of the beverage among non-Italian drinkers. This global cultural trend is growing in Canada and clearly here to stay. “Thirty years ago, when I was in the business, hot chocolate was more popular. Coffee has really been adapted into the mainstream and become a global subculture. People are intrigued and they’re just in love with the product,” said McAlpine, who likens Italian coffee to cultural dishes like Japanese sushi. “Espressos are now part of the global culture, but do not hold the status of a regular commodity.” And coffee lovers have developed a taste for Trieste blends such as Illy. “Illy caffè is the reference for the excellence and culture of coffee, thanks to the constant innovation and the quality of its products,” says Lindsey Schwartz, spokeswoman for Illy in Canada, adding “With such a large Italian community in Canada, it is quite normal that the tradition of espresso coffee has followed them here.” The authentic Italian caffè feel that began in places such as Trieste can be found in modern caffès in Toronto and Montreal that maintain a traditional Italian atmosphere and service to complement the coffee. “Now with so many caffès popping up, it is hard to compete, but we haven’t gone down the Indie road, which is what a lot of coffee shops are trying to achieve,” said Carolee Tindale, manager of B Espresso Bar in Toronto. “We’re sticking to our roots, and so we don’t offer all of these flavoured coffees.” Meanwhile, Caffè Italia in Montreal has adapted the taste of their unique blend to appeal to a broader clientele. “I’ve been drinking coffee for 45 years; it’s an acquired taste,” says owner Nadia Serri. “Half of the time, most people don’t know how to make an espresso. I won’t say it’s an art, but you have to know what you’re doing.” While Trieste coffee is appreciated in the largest metropolises in Canada, no other place can quite replicate the history, culture, beauty and service of the first caffès in the Port of Trieste. If you want the full and most authentic experience, a trip to this prosperous seaport in the Mediterranean that has established a reputation for, arguably, the finest coffee in the world, is the best place to savour your favourite roast.
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Trieste’s main historic caffès Caffè Tommaseo Piazza Tommaseo, 4/c
Caffè San Marco Via Battisti, 18
Caffè Tergesteo Piazza della Borsa, 15
Caffè degli Specchi Piazza Unità d’Italia, 7
Caffè Stella Polare Via Dante, 14
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ADVERTORIAL
Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. By Rosanna Bonura
Offering a brighter future in dental education Founded in 2004, the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc.’s goal is to provide the highest levels of dental education, offering students the knowledge and skills that meet and exceed the current practice, while promoting continuous education and research.
wned and operated by Lidia DiNicolo, a Registered Dental Hygienist and Dr. Boris Pulec, a Dentist, the school is registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005. With years of experience in the industry, DiNicolo and Pulec decided to open the college at a time when private dental hygiene schools were limited. “We wanted to offer current comprehensive dental education to students. It’s a very rewarding profession and there are many different job opportunities out there today,” says DiNicolo. Considered an Accredited Dental Hygiene Program in Canada, the school’s Dental Hygiene program has received Accreditation from The Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. The curriculum meets all national competencies, ensuring the best of education for its graduates. Upon graduation students are eligible to write both the Canadian and American National Dental Hygiene Board examinations. The college offers three programs: Dental Hygiene, Dental Assistant Level 1 & Office Administration, and Dental Assistant Level 2. Its 18-month continuous Dental Hygiene program allows students to enter the program, complete it and begin their career. This time span, which includes a week off in between semesters, is one of the many benefits of the college’s program. “It’s very beneficial because a lot of the publicly funded schools have gone to a three year program. We have students that come from across Canada and they prefer it this way,” adds DiNicolo. The Dental Hygiene program teaches students how to provide complete dental hygiene care to all patients including a full assessment with x-rays: scaling and polishing of teeth, fluoride treatments, dental sealants and sports guards. The program also teaches orthodontic services and has an orthodontics hands-on mount module where students learn how to put braces on and take them off. Instructors of the program are all dental hygienists or dentists. The program also includes a Dental Hygiene Practice Management course, teaching students the business skills associated with the profession. The Dental Assistant Level 1 & Office Administration course prepares graduates to assist the dentist at chair-side in all dental procedures. Students learn to take x-rays, do sterilization, and consult with patients about treatments. The office administration component of the program teaches students how to run the front desk of a dental office and take on all office administrative duties. The program also includes field training in a dental office. The program is offered for four hours per day, allowing flexibility for those who need to work but want to go to school at the same time. The program is also taught one course at a time, making it easier for students to learn. Dental Assistants continue to be jobs that are in demand says DiNicolo. “There seems to be an influx of job opportunities in the market for people looking for careers in dental assisting.” For graduates wanting to advance in this field, the college offers its Dental Assistant Level 2 program, also known as an Intra Oral Dental Assistant. In this program, students train and work on real patients to learn additional skills as it pertains to a patient's mouth, including polishing, fluoride treatment, and preventive fillers. One of the many benefits of the program is that it is offered on weekends, allowing students to work as a dental assistant level 1 while taking the level 2 program. “It was designed that way because we understand that people have very busy lifestyles and this way they can continue to work while getting their education,” says DiNicolo. The college adheres to the highest standards when it comes to the quality of teaching equipment, classroom sizes, and teaching staff. Their 20,000 square feet educational facility boasts state of the art technology including digital x-rays, digital
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panoramic x-ray machine, 3D Consult-PRO patient education software, iMac computers, 26 computerized dental chairs, pre-clinic lab with 26 mannequin head stations and much more. They are also 100 percent paperless in their clinic. “Being in the industry ourselves, we understand how the industry is changing and constantly evolving so we want to make sure our graduates are up to date with what is truly happening in the industry itself,” says DiNicolo. The dental assisting programs have fairly small classroom sizes and the dental hygiene program has excellent student to instructor ratio. The teaching staff are all highly educated and experienced professionals who have been with the college for years and are very dedicated to the program. They all have at minimum, a teaching certificate or a Bachelor of Education.
The Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxilaries Inc. offers a comprehensive community program where students have the opportunity to experience oral screenings with both the senior population, children and adults with severe disabilities. Students also have the opportunity to provide full dental hygiene services to patients at the Evangel Hall Mission. "We're the only private school who take students offsite to work and provide these services, preparing them for their future in private practice. Being involved in the community prepares students for the various avenues the industry has to offer. "We try to expose our students to many different areas as possible so that when they're working and feeling like they love the profession but would like to do more, they can reflect back to their education and know that there are more opportunities out there," adds DiNicolo. For those interested in beginning their career in dentistry, the Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. is the place to consider. “If someone loves working with people then this is the profession to be in. Both dental hygiene and assisting are very well respected professions. Knowing you can make a difference with someone's oral health and their total health is a pretty amazing feeling at the end of the day.” The college offers services to the public, something that is particularly beneficial for those on a budget. The cost is $27 for adults and $22 for children and a maximum of $35 if x-rays are required.
Toronto College of Dental Hygiene and Auxiliaries Inc. is located at 300 Steeprock Drive in Toronto. They can be contacted at: 416-423-3099. Visit them online at: www.toronto-college-dental.org. PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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ONE MORE DAY
If I Had One More Day Se avessi un altro giorno Per mio marito Nicola Pastore Siamo stati felici assieme per 50 anni; poi sei andato via senza un avviso. Non una parola d’addio! Seduto sul letto dell’ospedale, ti sei accasciato sul mio braccio, non ho più sentito il battito del tuo cuore e ho capito che mi avevi lasciato per sempre. Ora, tu mi manchi. All’ improvviso, mi hai lasciato. Non abbiamo avuto il tempo di dirci addio, e questo è ancora più doloroso per me, e per i nostri figli e nipoti. Ora, se tu tornassi, anche per un giorno - ma che dico! anche un minuto- , ne approfitterei per dirti quanto mi manchi e ti sarei vicino, abbracciandoti per sentire ancora per una volta il battito del tuo cuore e dirti che è stata una vita bella, quella trascorsa insieme con te. Sei stato l’uomo ideale per me. E il papà perfetto per i nostri figli. Questo non te l’ho mai detto, ma sono sicura che tu lo sapevi, e capivi, dal mio fare e dire, il bene che ti volevo. Ma se tu tornassi, ti direi questo: Sei stato il mio paradiso con il bene che mi davi. Sei stato il mio purgatorio perché perdonavi i miei sbagli. Ora sono all’inferno senza di te. Anna Pastore
Un giorno in più con la mia cara suocera Maria Nastasi Maria era una donna meravigliosa, di poche parole. Aveva un grande cuore e la risata contagiosa. La famiglia era la cosa più importante per lei. Quindi è giusto, che se potessi avere un giorno in più con lei, sia una giornata piena di abbracci, di baci, di risate con tanto affetto in compagnia dei sei figli, 15 nipoti e 17 pronipoti. Vorrei ringraziarti per tutte le tue lezioni di vita e le storie che hai condiviso con me sul duro lavoro, sui sacrifici, le tragedie e i traguardi raggiunti. Mi hai insegnato che i beni materiali o le dimensioni non fanno una casa, ma sono l'amore e le risate condivise con la famiglia e con gli amici a farlo. Mi hai insegnato che i pettegolezzi della gente non sono importanti. Quello che conta è saper ascoltare i sentimenti che abbiamo dentro di noi, cogliere uno sguardo affettuoso, un sorriso speciale o una tenera carezza. Eri una donna speciale, hai influenzato la vita di tante persone, specialmente la mia. Colgo l’occasione per ringraziarti per l'onore e il piacere che mi hai dato dalla prima volta che ci siamo conosciute, per avermi trattata come una figlia. È un esempio che imito e condivido oggi con le mie nuore Rachel e Kamilla. Se potessi rivederti per un altro giorno il mio cuore batterebbe forte forte e ti darei un ultimo bacio, ti abbraccerei come ho fatto tante volte. Tutta la tua famiglia ti vuole bene. Che onore e che piacere è stato per me essere stata trattata come una delle tue figlie. Grazie mamma, non ti dimenticheremo mai. Rachel Iamundo
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In memory of my wonderful husband Jay If only I had one more day, every second would be spent together. As we would watch the sunrise and I held him close to me, I would tell him how much I loved him and how perfect he is. His beautiful blue eyes that were always smiling at me, to the sweet kisses he shared and his infectious laugh... I would love to hear, see and feel that again! The whole day would be all about our happiness of doing things together: listening to music, cooking a meal (being Irish/Scottish and a great cook, he loved Italian food), watching a Nascar race that hopefully resulted in a win by his beloved JR, looking at our numerous fishing pictures and all his big catches! Sharing all our wonderful memories from the last 27 years together. We had many, for which I am truly grateful. I would like this one more day to last an eternity once again united. The sun is going down and while I try to hide the tears that are streaming down my cheeks, I want to tell him, “I love you loads, babe, and thank you for sharing your life with me. I was one very lucky woman.” Amy Barrett
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EVENTS
Carnevale celebrations at St. Margaret Mary Students at St. Margaret Mary elementary school in Vaughan enjoyed the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy’s famous Carneval tradition on February 21. The school, which has been celebrating the event for the past 20 years, went all out by coordinating various events including plays, mask-making and project presentations. The Italian and French departments banded together to ensure students not only had fun but also learned about the centuries-old Venetian festival. “We have lessons about the Carnevale, what it is, what it means,” said Italian teacher Cathy Romano. “Students in the primary grades make masks while the older students did research projects about the various Carnevale characters.” About 450 students from junior kindergarten to Grade 8 joined in the activities; they got assistance from proud grandparents who helped make delicious pizzelle (traditional Italian wafer cookies). The pizzelle were enjoyed to the tunes of Sebastian Carubia, a well-known accordion player in the GTA. With another Carnevale edition wrapped up, Romano, who has been a teacher for 30 years, said she’s already looking forward to next year’s turnout. “I’m very lucky because I get to see a lot of my former students whose children are now my students.” (Rita Simonetta)
Commedia dell’arte in the GTA Although its aim is to make you laugh, students in some schools across the GTA were taught there is much more to the craft of commedia dell’arte (or “Italian comedy”) than the punch line. “There’s a message of social consciousness as well,” said Frank Spezzano, the organizer of The Art of the Mask, a series of commedia dell’arte workshops and performances held from March 17 to 22 across several schools and community centres. Believed to have originated in Italy during medieval times, commedia dell’arte is a humorous presentation that is based on sketches and is also characterized by masked types. Spezzano, a retired dramatic arts teacher, along with actor Mace Perlman, helped make the workshops and series of performances a success. Perlman, who is also an educator, has performed and taught across the world, and used his talents to act out the improvisations chosen for the workshops on his own. Spanning centuries and even continents, those who know and study commedia most closely can assert its influence in nearly everything, from Shakespeare to popculture. Remembering a scene from Hamlet at one school, which ended in a comedic spoof, Spezzano said that it was just one example of how commedia dell’arte’s impact can be felt and still be made relevant today. (Alexandra Christopoulos)
Vaughan in Motion to Cure Cancer On Saturday, February 8, about 700 guests came out to enjoy Vaughan in Motion’s Hollywood Gala to Cure Cancer. “This year’s event was so successful,” said Peter Badali, president of Vaughan in Motion, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families. The evening’s net proceeds went to cancer equipment for the Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital Chemotherapy unit and for a cancer facility in the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital. As part of the Hollywood Gala theme, community members walked down the red carpet as their favourite characters and stars including Batman and Catwoman. And preparations are already underway for next year’s edition. “We hope to have an even larger turnout next year,” said Badali, “and enjoy the 15-piece band, a martini bar, food, and dancing for everyone of all ages, while raising money for a cure.” (Celia Commisso)
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Leonora Frangella Rose Moscone 1 855 326-2663 7500 Highway 27, Unit 1 Vaughan, Ontario L4H 0S2 info@ecocondos.ca ecocondos.ca PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M
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SPORTS
Maserati
By Alain Raymond
The century-old legend
Carlo Maserati’s mechanical genius proved to be something of an inspiration for his younger brother Alfieri who followed his lead into engineering, after his older brother succumbed to tuberculosis at a young age. With three of his six remaining brothers – Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto – Alfieri formed Officina Alfieri Maserati on December 1, 1914, in their hometown of Bologna.
Birth of the Trident Initially, the Maserati brothers concentrated on aero engines and manufacturing spark plugs, but soon became involved in maintaining cars for clients involved in auto racing. Their own first car, the Tipo 26, powered by a 1.5 litre in-line 8-cylinder engine, ran the famous Targa Florio road The Tipo 26, the first race car designed and race in Sicily in 1926 and won its first time built by the Maserati brothers. out. It was driven by Alfieri Maserati and brought considerable prestige to the Maserati name and its new symbol, the Trident. In those early years of European racing, competition came from the likes of Bugatti and Alfa Romeo as well as the impressive German armada of Auto Union and Mercedes, both heavily supported by the German state. Unable to compete against such giants, Maserati turned to the smaller 1.5 litre “voiturettes.” Still, the cost of racing was such that in 1937 the three remaining Maserati brothers (Alfieri had passed away in 1932) accepted an offer by the Modenese industrialist Orsi family to take over the company and secure its finances. The Orsi years The brothers committed to stay with the company as technical directors for ten years, during which time they created a new 8-cylinder in-line 3-litre engine and the Maserati 8CTF capable of facing the formidable German machinery. Crossing the Atlantic in 1939, the 8CTF driven by American Wilbur Shaw lined up for the 500 Miles of Indianapolis and won The 3500 GT was the first commercially the famous American classic. Shaw and successful Maserati road car. Maserati repeated this feat in 1940. In 1947, at the end of the ten-year agreement with the Orsi family, Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto Maserati left the company bearing their name to create Officine Specializzate per la Costruzione di Automobili Fratelli Maserati SA (OSCA). They went back to their passion of designing and building sports and racing cars. Meanwhile, wishing to finance his racing activities, Omar Orsi introduced the A6 1500, the first Maserati road car, at the 1947 Geneva Auto Show. Ten years later, in 1957, came the Maserati 3500 GT, the first commercially successful car and the basis for many more to follow. On the racing scene, a new World Drivers’ Championship (today’s Formula 1) was created in 1950. Alfa Romeo with Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Fagioli and Juan Manuel Fangio were the first winners, followed in 1953 and 1954 by newcomer Ferrari. In 1954, Maserati won the first two races of the season but had to wait till 1957 for total victory at the hand of the brilliant Argentinean Juan Manuel Fangio driving the 62
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Maserati 250F. This magnificent car was created by Gioacchino Colombo, the mechanical genius who would later design the legendary V12 engine for Enzo Ferrari. Having won the ultimate championship in 1957, Maserati retired from Formula 1 and concentrated on sportscar racing with the amazing Tipo 60-61, nicknamed “Birdcage” due to its unusual chassis consisting of more than 200 tubular sections, which ensured outstanding rigidity with an extremely light weight. On the heels of the successful 3500 GT road car came the new Maserati 5000 GT powered by a V8 engine. The first car was built in 1959 specifically for the Shah of Iran. Then came the Sebring, the Mistral and the first Quattroporte, the world’s fastest four-door sedan, and the 1967 Ghibli considered by many as one of the most beautiful cars to ever come out of Italy. The Citroën years In 1968, the Orsi family decided to sell Maserati to French automaker Citroën. During its short seven-year tenure, Citroën presided over the launch of two mid-engine sports cars, the Bora and the Merak, followed by the Khamsin. In 1975, following the unsuccessful Citroën SM powered by a Maserati V6 engine, the French firm abandoned Maserati to an Italian company headed by Alejandro de Tomaso who surprised the automotive world with the Maserati Biturbo sedan. The Chrysler years Lee Iacocca, the “saviour of Chrysler”, had close ties with Alejandro de Tomaso from their days at Ford. Iacocca asked de Tomaso to build a car powered by a Maserati engine for the American market and invested $35 million in a joint venture. But de Tomaso pulled out of Maserati in 1993 by selling his shares to Fiat, prompting Chrysler to withdraw from its Italian adventure after only four years. The Fiat and Ferrari years The Maserati saga finally came to a conclusion in 1997 when Fiat merged the Trident with the Cavallino Rampante, thus putting an end to decades-long rivalry and creating a united Italian sports car powerhouse. The 1998 Maserati 3200 GT, powered by a twin-turbo V8, was the first product of this union. The sleek two-door coupé proudly wearing the Trident led the way for one of the most beautiful sedans to grace the road: the 2004 Pininfarinadesigned Maserati Quattroporte. Most recently, joining the expanding Maserati range is a “baby Quattroporte,” the all-new Ghibli, squarely aimed at the mid-range luxury segment. Over two decades after the ill-fated Chrysler TC by Maserati imagined by Lee Iacocca, Chrysler and Maserati are interconnected again via the newly formed Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). One can now safely say that Maserati is back in business on a global basis heralding a second century for one of the oldest and most storied automotive brands in history. On this momentous occasion, let’s wish Alfieri, Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto and their legendary Trident buon 100° anniversario.
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