Panoram Italia Toronto October/November 2014

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THE ITALIAN-CANADIAN MAGAZINE MAILED TO HOMES & BUSINESSES IN THE GREATER TORONTO AREA

THE NEW EMERGING ITALIANS

LE MARCHE THE ART OF VINO

ITALIAN WINE

GUIDE 2014 COVER: LA FAMIGLIA DI STEFANO FOUR OF US • QUATTRO DI NOI

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2014 • VOL.4 • NO.5 PM40981004 PM40981004

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2014 Vol. 4 NO. 5 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER’S NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Tony Zara

LIFE & PEOPLE

EDITORIAL

Fig Maestro Alfredo Tamburini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Zara

Lucia Cesaroni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

26

Future Leader: Simona Flumian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

WINE

MONTREAL MANAGING EDITOR & WEB MANAGER Gabriel Riel-Salvatore

A Di Stefano Family Tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

PROOFREADER Aurelie Ptito

Sam Maggisano’s Passion for Winemaking . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 An Ode to Homemade Vino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Shop Like a Vino Connoisseur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Health Kicks of Vino Rosso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 A Taste of Italy in Ontario’s Wine Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

ART DEPARTMENT ART DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN David Ferreira

2014 Italian Wine Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

VILLA CHARITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 LIVING ITALIAN STYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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LE MARCHE Le Marche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Arts & Culture in Le Marche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Toronto’s Marchigiano Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 The Culinary Charm of Le Marche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Soul Food alla Marchigiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Pesaro, città della ceramica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 La tradizione dei teatri

PHOTOGRAPHY Gregory Varano MAKEUP Desi Varano

Grapes by Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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TORONTO MANAGING EDITOR Rita Simonetta

ADVERTISING VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & SALES Earl Weiner

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Gabe Palummo

CONTRIBUTORS Dante Di Iulio • Sarah Mastroianni • Lucy Screnci • Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo • Alessia Sara Domanico • Daniela Di Stefano • Sal Difalco • Amanda Fulginiti • Luigi Palazzini • Maria Assaf • Liz Allemang • Fabio Forlano • Giacomo Pasquini • Filippo Salvatore 26 Duncan Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 2B9 Tel.: 1.800.775.9428 I Fax: 416.438.3188 or by e-mail at: info@panoramitalia.com Legal deposit - Bibliothèque nationale du Québec / National Library of Canada - ISSN: 1916-6389

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

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DeRose

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Yearly Wine Making Ritual Brings Back Many Memories!

F

or our parents and grandparents, there was a time when making wine was not only a source of pride but also a necessity. As we all know, Italians have a tendency to modestly believe that they are the best at what they do. In the old days, if one was a tailor for instance, he’d fervently believe that no one else could sew a suit better than he.

If you dared get your hair cut somewhere else, your regular barber would always find fault with the other’s technique.

The same applies to stone masons, brick layers and cement finishers; talk to anyone of them and they too were the best.

Tony Zara This was especially true of homemade cured meats and – what this issue’s cover centres on – wine making. The wine could have been so bad that it wasn’t fit to dress a salad, but to the man making it, it was Sassicaia. He’d say: “Bevi, bevi. Questo vino e come un cognac!” – alluding to the high percentage of alcohol. To his children and grandchildren, it meant suffering through another glass of homemade wine. If you were lucky, and you usually were, your parents or grandparents would make wine for the entire family, meaning you’d necessarily always have a supply of your favourite soft drink (usually Sprite or 7up) to mix in to soften the blow. It must be said, however, that some actually got it right after many years of trial and error. We must applaud the families that are continuing this important tradition, and we hope this issue motivates others to do the same.

Please indulge me in recounting my favourite wine story regarding my father – it isn’t for the faint of heart.

My family immigrated to Canada in August 1962. By the time October had arrived, I could hear my father lamenting the fact that he hadn’t had a glass of wine in months. To make matters worse, it didn’t look like he would for the foreseeable future. A lack of funds to buy grapes and equipment, as well as no actual place to

make it since we were living in a basement apartment, made it impossible to even consider. The only option was for him to ask paesani, who were already established, for a gallon. His pride would not allow this.

As luck would have it, one Saturday morning, my dad’s older brother came with just the news he needed to hear. A childhood friend, who had immigrated years earlier, invited them over that same afternoon to come visit. It was a bit far and they needed to transfer several buses, but they hadn’t seen him in years, so they decided to make it a day. A couple of hours later, they arrived at their destination and, of course, their friend did what every proud Italian immigrant would do when friends would visit: show off every nook and cranny of his new home. Guess where they eventually arrived. Yes, the cantina. The host, anticipating my father’s situation as well as wanting to show off his amazing wine, proceeded to pour ten ounce glasses of wine as if it were water. Needless to say, he started cutting homemade sausages and soppressata to make sure the vino went down easily. A few hours later they emerged not only feeling no pain but also with a gallon in hand.

There was only one problem: they would have to endure the way home in old 1950s buses, which emitted a strong odour of diesel fuel while stopping and going a thousand times before reaching their destination. My fathers’ version was always that my zio became sick, much to his embarrassment, and my zio would proclaim the exact opposite. I’ll never know which version was true, but the following morning, I went to make a phone call for my mom at the local phone booth, which happened to be right next to the bus stop, and I couldn’t possibly miss the huge wine stain on the side walk. I can assure you it wasn’t from the gallons of wine that their friend so generously gave them.

The following October, my father was able to buy grapes, his friends lent him the equipment and our landlord gave him space to operate. And the rest is history!

Salute e cent’anni!

W

C

T

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LIFE & PEOPLE

Fig Maestro

By Sal Difalco

D.H.

Lawrence immortalized the common fig (Ficus carica) in his poem entitled “Figs,” an ode to the fruit’s sensuality and mythic allure. For Lawrence, the fig symbolized a potent feminine force, seductive, soft, sweet, and ultimately addictive. The fig tree is ubiquitous in the Scriptures, and according to some historians, the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was not an apple but a fig. For aficionados, peeling and eating a ripe fig represents the apex of eroticism.

Whether or not this is true, no one can deny the fig’s honeyed charms.

So what does 65-year-old Woodbridge resident, Alfredo Tamburini, a barber by trade, know from figs? Let’s just say the siren song of the fig seduced him some 25 years ago, and after unveiling some of her secrets he hasn’t looked back.

That’s how long he’s been growing his beloved figs, along with a farmer’s roster of vegetables. “I grow everything,” he says, “from tomatoes, eggplants, radishes and beans, to four types of hot peppers. I’ve redesigned my entire property to accommodate all the vegetable gardens.” Point taken. Somewhere beneath all the lush vegetation lurks Tamburini’s house. “It’s a lot of work, and I enjoy it.

But, I must confess, my real passion is figs.”

Tamburini, who came to Canada from Cosenza, Calabria, in 1965, and still maintains a barber shop in Aurora, did not inherit a green thumb or an orto/giardino tradition from his family, nor did he consult books or other gardeners for his foray into fig horticulture. “I learned by trial and error,” he says. “And started with a single fig plant from Calabria.”

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Over the years, Tamburini experimented and honed his craft, with his share of failures, but in the end mastered the delicate and demanding art of growing figs, a fruit more commonly associated with the Middle East or the Mediterranean, not someone’s backyard in Woodbridge, Ontario. Tamburini now boasts 10 different varieties of figs, with a total of 40 fig trees, all kept in pots. And all this without a greenhouse or the use of hydroponics. His latest innovation: fitting the pots with wheels that allow for easy transport. “In the winter I used to bury the plants,” he says, “but now I wheel them into the garage and cover them with carpets.”

And how does his family feel about his passion, or rather his obsession?

“My grandchildren Michael and Olivia love it!” he laughs, and although his wife Liliana’s car has yielded its winter parking spot to the figs, she is supportive. “She loves to eat figs,” Tamburini says. While his sons Alessandro, 40, and David, 35, are unlikely to extend the tradition, his daughter Sonia, 28, tends the gardens when Tamburini vacations to Cosenza each summer. “I love it,” she says. “It brings him joy, so it brings me joy. But it’s a lot of work – a round-the-clock proposition. It takes an hour and a half just to water the plants.”

Tamburini doubts Sonia will continue the tradition, and she admits that managing vegetable gardens of this magnitude holds no interest for her. But she has felt the sweet pull of the figs. “I think I will take on the figs, at some point,” she says with a laugh. “It’s really all about the figs, after all.”

Photography by Gregory Varano

Alfredo Tamburini

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LIFE & PEOPLE

“

“

Sonia and Alfredo Tamburini

The fig is a very secretive fruit.

—“Figs” D. H. Lawrence

Ah yes, the figs. At fig harvest in mid-September, Tamburini shares the bounty, delivering bags of figs to his two social clubs and distributing them to family and neighbours. He claims that one of his fig trees, a variety of Mission originating from Italy (also known as Black Mission or Franciscana, aubergine-skinned with luscious strawberry-red flesh), yielded fruit almost as big as peaches, figs of a “fantastic sweetness.”

Despite his generosity with his sumptuous figs, Tamburini doesn’t invite too many folks to view his gardens. “No no no no,” he says with comic emphasis. “I keep the gates closed.” This is, after all, his private sanctuary, his refuge. A place of secrets. Or perhaps he takes the words of John 1:48 to heart: “It was an enjoyable thing to rest, meditate on God’s word, and pray in the shade of the fig tree.” Or in his case, the shade of 40 fig trees.

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LIFE & PEOPLE

Lucia Cesaroni Bringing back tradition

By Maria Assaf

As

a child, Lucia Cesaroni would watch, in awe, the classic operas her parents took her to see. As an adult, the Toronto-born soprano is living her childhood dream of becoming a professional opera singer.

Cesaroni has sung for crowds of 20,000 people with world-class orchestras such as London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where she was the soprano soloist at the European tour of Orff ’s Carmina Burana. She has performed iconic roles such as Maria in West Side Story, Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, and Anne Trulove in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. This fall, Cesaroni will be playing Rhinemaiden Woglinde in Wagner’s Das Rheingold with Pacific Opera Victoria.

The dream took shape when she was eight years old and her parents took her to see Puccini’s Tosca. “In hindsight, we laugh,” says the 31-yearold. She says Puccini is not the lightest of operas. “There’s torture, murder and suicide and love affairs. In the very last scene, the soprano jumps off a building and then curtain,” says Cesaroni.

But as a child, instead of scaring her, this opera captivated her. “It was like I was in a dream. I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen and for weeks it was all I wanted to talk about. It was a very seminal moment in my life. I just said: ‘I want to do that.’ And ever since then I’ve been involved in the arts,” she says.

Cesaroni, who has a Masters degree in opera from the University of Toronto, began playing piano as a child and then became part of the theatre program at Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill. There, she began performing lead roles in musicals and Shakespeare plays. “They gave me a chance to perform a role from start to finish. [I was] able to learn what that’s like and have that experience, you know, with an orchestra,” she says. “They gave me a great foundation in performance. They were a window into what my future could be like,” she says.

In her early 20s, she began singing professionally at a small opera company in the city called Opera York.

Today, in between her performances across the globe, Cesaroni spends some of her time in Toronto trying to get other young Italian-Canadians like 14

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her interested in opera. “I believe very strongly that young ItalianCanadians are underrepresented in the opera. Especially as patrons and ticket buyers and opera goers,” she says.

Cesaroni is one of the leaders of The Ensemble Circle, a community of opera and arts supporters. “We want more young Italian-Canadians to go,” she says. “Because it’s our heritage. It’s a part of what makes Italians Italian.

I think it’s a great cultural export and something that should be honoured and saved and given a greater place in the world,” she says.

She thinks small opera companies are the key to getting younger audiences involved in the opera. “These opera companies mix genres, they’ll have visual media and dancers. They’re smaller, they have small budgets and they hire very high quality [artists]. We are lucky; we have an embarrassment of riches in Canada. We have so many great artists here,” she says.

Cesaroni also sits on the committee for Young Patrons at the Canadian Opera Company. “It is a very exciting time, currently, for opera in Toronto,” she says. “Not only because of the very high standards of the Canadian Opera Company but also because of all the innovative small opera companies run by people like me. Run by young 20- and 30-somethings.”

She is planning her own independent recital at a dance studio in November with her fiancé, who is a tenor. “We are trying to bring in other influences in different spaces, not just in the theatre,” she says. Their repertoire will include dancers and visual media and it will also portray classical Italian works by Giuseppe Verdi and Pietro Mascagni. “We’ll do some Neapolitan folk songs,” she adds.

She believes small enterprises like this will help take opera from being seen as intimidating, to becoming accessible and affordable for young people. “It’s happening all over the place, it’s happening in New York,” she says. “If you produce something of high quality, even if it’s something people have never heard; even if it’s opera that young people have never heard of, if it’s quality, it will succeed.”

Cesaroni is hopeful about the future of opera in Canada. “It’s really inspiring to see, and what’s exciting is that in the audience there are young people. I think we’ve found a way to make opera cool again.”

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FUTURE LEADER

Simona Flumian A bright future

By Daniela Di Stefano week before the 2011 CIBC Run for the Cure, Simona Flumian noticed a post on Facebook from a friend who was participating. “I had nothing to do that weekend, so I decided I would sign up,” says the fourth year student at the Schulich School of Business.

In those few days before the race, Flumian raised more than $2,000 for Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation research. “It was great to be around everyone, and to see the survivors was a very emotional and rewarding experience.”

After the run, Flumian received an unexpected phone call from event organizers informing her that she had been one of the top student fundraisers in Canada, and was a recipient of the CIBC Education Award scholarship under the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure PostSecondary Challenge.

That surprise recognition gave Flumian the extra encouragement to continue her involvement in the run throughout her time as a university student, with a personal goal to raise $20,000 for breast cancer research before graduation. In the past four years, Flumian has been a three-time recipient of the CIBC Education Award, and a three-time top student fundraiser in Canada as a member of the Schulich Charity Association team. “So far I’m at $6,000 for this year’s run, and I have made it past my $20,000 goal by $2,000.

I’m very happy!” says Flumian, who lives in Vaughan with her family. “I see the advancements that are being made in breast cancer research and it is fascinating. I continue to have such a connection to this fantastic event.”

Flumian says her penchant for volunteering and fundraising was instilled in her from a young age by her parents. “I’ve raised funds for Hemoglobal, worked in a soup kitchen in Chicago, and built a home for Habitat for Humanity in New Jersey,” says the 21-year-old who attended St. Thomas of Villanova College before heading to York University.

Since she was a young teen, Flumian has been on the volunteer committee for the Villa Leonardo Gambin FLTC Charity and Long-Term Care Residence in Woodbridge – a role with special significance as her father, Paul, has been the executive director of the charity since 2004.

“My father’s mother was in a long-term care facility, and when she passed he became involved with Villa Leonardo Gambin in her memory,” says Flumian. “Helping out with the charity fundraisers and galas is my way of supporting my family and participating.”

Throughout the years, Flumian has been able to see first-hand the impact her contributions and the contributions of others have made. “When I first started, the funds were being raised to build the residence, and when that was completed I would go there and get to see all the residents happily interacting,” she says. “It’s so fantastic that this facility exists and that my volunteer work has played a small part in the overall success.”

Her part as a volunteer has also helped Flumian to continue building strong ties in the Italian-Canadian community and celebrating her heritage.

“It’s a big part of who I am, and was always important to me growing up,” says Flumian, who fondly remembers going to Italian language classes at the Columbus Centre on Saturdays, and vacations to Italy with her parents and grandparents as a child to see relatives and explore the homeland.

In her third year of university, Flumian took part in an exchange program with L'Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milano and spent a semester studying at the school as well as travelling throughout Italy and Europe with her peers. “I took a pastry making class in Paris, and learned how to dance the waltz in Vienna,” she says. On my next trip I want to visit Sardegna and Cinque Terre, and also return to the hometowns of my grandparents in Basilicata, Friuli and Veneto.”

A

Photography by Gregory Varano

“

It was great to be around everyone, and to see the survivors was a very emotional and rewarding experience.

“

As Flumian is in her fourth and final year of her Bachelor of Business Administration degree she’ll be busy prepping for the LSATs and considering her applications for law school. She hopes to practice tax law, and has spent the last two summers interning at Deloitte in Toronto to get a taste for the auditing and tax law industry.

No matter how busy she gets with work and studying; however, there will always be time to pursue volunteer positions she says. “It has become part of my life to aid those in need.”

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Photography by Gregory Varano

WINE

A Di Stefano Family Tradition Una tradizione della famiglia Di Stefano

By Sarah Mastroianni cantina void of a healthy stock of homemade wine is unthinkable for many Italian-Canadians. It was, at least, for brothers Maurizio and Sergio Di Stefano, 56 and 53, who, five years ago, faced a dwindling supply of wine on their cantina shelves. As their now 87-year-old father began to put the breaks on his yearly winemaking tradition, the brothers decided it was time to restock the family cantina shelves themselves. “As the cupboard became bare, my brother had this idea that we really should continue this tradition on our own,” said Sergio. So they did. “He’s [Maurizio] taken the lead on the project and he asked us to be part of it, right from the beginning,” explains Sergio.

The “us” he’s referring to includes himself and his son Marco, 21, who, along with Maurizio’s son Adrian, also 21, make up the core Di Stefano family winemaking troupe. “They’re both very helpful boys,” says Sergio of his son and nephew.

“They seem to enjoy being part of it.” “A friend has also joined our little winemaking group and I’m hoping other friends will join too,” adds Maurizio.

Making their own wine; however, is not a tradition that the Di Stefano family brought with them when they emigrated from Italy. Although not yet teenagers when they arrived in Canada, the Di Stefano brothers clearly remember how their family’s wine-related rituals in Italy differed from the ones they adopted in Canada. “We used to live in Rome, and we didn’t make wine in Italy,” says Maurizio. “We lived in an apartment. My dad would drive just outside Rome and buy a small damigiana […] We started making wine after we came to Canada in 1968. When we bought our own house, one of the first things my dad did was build a cantina.”

Thus, the family jumped on the bandwagon and started making their own wine and even their own sopressate. “It was the [Italian-Canadian] culture here in Canada […] the friends and neighbours were doing it,” he explains.

Over the years, Maurizio and Sergio have learned the tricks of the trade and honed their winemaking skills, both through the process of trial and error, and with the hard-earned wisdom passed down from their father. At this point, says Sergio, “It’s become something that is very natural.”

How do the Di Stefanos ensure the wine comes out just the way they like it?

“We started off and are still working with grape juice only,” explains Maurizio.

Over the years, the family has used juice from various grape varieties including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and last year, Zinfandel. Although they haven’t opened the 2013 batch yet, they think this year they’ll return to the family favourite: Cabernet Sauvignon.

Step one consists of bringing the pails of grape juice to Maurizio and Adrian’s home, where they then pour the contents into the waiting demijohns. “We don’t fill it right up to the top,” explains Maurizio, in order to leave room for the fermentation process to happen. “Basically, we keep it there for four to six weeks. During that time the wine is fermenting, bubbling,” he says.

They then rack the wine for the first time, and let it ferment for approximately another four weeks. “We add packets of wine stabilizer, which is basically an

A

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na cantina priva di una ricca scorta di vino fatto in casa è inconcepibile per molti italo-canadesi. Lo era, quantomeno, per i fratelli Maurizio e Sergio Di Stefano, di 56 e 53 anni, i quali, cinque anni fa, si sono trovati di fronte all’esaurimento delle scorte di vino sugli scaffali della propria cantina. Poiché il loro padre, adesso ottantenne, aveva cominciato a porre un freno alla sua tradizione annuale di fare il vino, i fratelli hanno deciso che era giunto il momento di rifornire gli scaffali della cantina di famiglia da soli. “Non appena la credenza si è svuotata, mio fratello ha avuto la pensata che avremmo dovuto davvero continuare questa tradizione per conto nostro,” ha detto Sergio. E così hanno fatto. “Lui [Maurizio] ha preso le redini del progetto e ci ha chiesto di farne parte, sin dall’inizio,” ha spiegato Sergio.

Il “noi” al quale si riferisce include se stesso e suo figlio Marco, 21 anni, il quale, assieme ad Adrian, figlio di Maurizio, anch’egli ventunenne, rappresenta il cuore del gruppo vinicolo della famiglia Di Stefano. “Sono entrambi di grande aiuto,” ha affermato Sergio riguardo suo figlio e suo nipote. “Sembra gioiscano nel farne parte.”

“Anche un amico si è unito al nostro piccolo gruppo vinicolo e spero che pure altri amici si aggreghino,” ha aggiunto Maurizio.

Quella di produrre il proprio vino, tuttavia, non è una tradizione che la famiglia Di Stefano ha portato con sé quando emigrata dall’Italia. Sebbene giunti in Canada non ancora adolescenti, i fratelli Di Stefano ricordano perfettamente come i rituali per la produzione del vino della loro famiglia in Italia differissero da quelli adottati da loro in Canada. “Vivevamo a Roma e non producevamo vino in Italia,” ha affermato Maurizio. “Vivevamo in un appartamento. Mio padre andava in macchina appena fuori Roma e comprava una damigiana piccola […] Abbiamo cominciato a fare il vino dopo che siamo venuti in Canada nel 1968. Quando abbiamo comprato casa nostra, una delle prime cose che mio padre ha fatto, è stata quella di costruire una cantina.” È così che la famiglia ha accolto l’idea vincente ed ha cominciato a produrre il proprio vino e finanche la propria soppressata. “Era la cultura [italo-canadese] qui in Canada […] amici e vicini lo facevano,” ha spiegato.

Con gli anni, Maurizio e Sergio hanno imparato i trucchi del mestiere ed hanno acquisito le loro abilità vinicole, sia attraverso esperimenti e sbagli, che attraverso la tanto sudata conoscenza tramandata loro dal padre. “A questo punto,” ha detto Sergio, “è diventato qualcosa di molto naturale.”

Come si assicurano i Di Stefano che il vino venga fuori proprio come piace loro? “Abbiamo cominciato usando, e ancor oggi usiamo, solo il mosto d’uva,” ha precisato Maurizio. Nel corso degli anni la famiglia si è servita del mosto proveniente da diverse varietà d’uva incluse Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, e lo scorso anno, Zifandel. Sebbene non abbiano ancora aperto la partita del 2013, pensano che quest’anno torneranno a quello preferito dalla famiglia: il Cabernet Sauvignon.

Il primo passo consiste nel portare i bidoni di mosto d’uva a casa di Maurizio ed Adrian, dove quindi si riversa il contenuto nelle damigiane. “Non le riempiamo fino all’orlo,” ha continuato Maurizio, allo scopo di lasciare spazio al processo di fermentazione. “In pratica, lo teniamo lì da quattro a sei settimane. In quest’arco di

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WINE antioxidant […] and we leave it there in the cantina for another four weeks or so,” he adds. After those four weeks, the wine should be clear and any sediment should be settling to the bottom. Then it’s time to rack it again.

This time, though, the process is a bit different. “I add some oak wood chips to each damigiana, so we’re getting a bit of that woody, oaky flavour to the wine,” explains Maurizio.

The family then stores the wine for another seven or eight months, but the length of time they let it sit all depends on one thing: the amount of wine they have left over from the year before.

Once they decide the wine has aged long enough, they start the bottling and corking process. “We have also created our own Di Stefano label,” says Maurizio proudly.

Brothers Maurizio and Sergio aren’t the only ones who are proud of their family’s winemaking endeavours. Both of the younger Di Stefanos, Adrian and Marco, routinely bring bottles of the family wine to friends’ houses for parties and get-togethers.

Although the family seems to have the process down pat, it hasn’t been without its hiccups. Right before Christmas last year, while Adrian and Maurizio were moving a demijohn, the handle snapped and the demijohn broke. Father and son watched helplessly as over 50 litres of wine filtered down the cantina drain. “It was really bad,” says Adrian.

Despite that episode, the Di Stefanos aren’t discouraged and still consider winemaking a very positive experience. “There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment,” said Marco, noting that the whole process also helps him feel closer to his Italian culture. “I feel like it’s something I should be doing as an Italian,” he says.

Adrian agrees, “We’re proud of the finished product […] it’s almost like it’s your baby. It’s being able to say, ‘This is what we have made. ’ ” But it’s not all work and no play. “There’s a social aspect as well,” assures Maurizio. “We’re family, so we get together […] After we have worked for a couple of hours […] we have something to eat, we share some stories and open up a bottle of wine from the previous year,” he says.

His brother agrees, “It’s enjoyable. It’s not looked at as a chore. We turn it into a visit. It’s an enjoyable bonding time.”

The best thing about the whole process? According to Maurizio, it’s quite simple. “There’s that sort of togetherness,” he says. “We work together and we enjoy the fruits of the labour together.”

tempo, il vino fermenta, gorgoglia,” ha detto.

Poi filtrano il vino per la prima volta e lo lasciano fermentare per altre quattro settimane circa. “Aggiungiamo confezioni di stabilizzatori per il vino, in sostanza degli antiossidanti […] e lo lasciamo lì in cantina per altre quattro settimane o giù di lì,” ha spiegato. Dopo quelle quattro settimane, il vino dovrebbe essere chiaro e tutti i sedimenti dovrebbero giacere sul fondo. Quello è di nuovo il momento della filtrazione.

Questa volta, tuttavia, il processo è leggermente diverso. “Aggiungo trucioli di legno di quercia in ogni damigiana, così da dare quell’aroma ligneo e di quercia al vino,” ha chiarito Maurizio.

La famiglia dunque conserva il vino per altri sette, otto mesi, ma la durata del tempo di riposo dipende da un fattore: la quantità di vino rimasta dall’anno precedente.

Una volta deciso che il vino è invecchiato abbastanza, comincia il processo di imbottigliamento e confezionamento. “Abbiamo anche creato la nostra etichetta Di Stefano,” ha dichiarato orgoglioso Maurizio.

I fratelli Maurizio e Sergio non sono gli unici ad essere fieri delle imprese di produzione del vino della famiglia. Entrambi i più giovani dei Di Stefano, Adrian e Marco, portano abitualmente le bottiglie di vino di casa a feste o incontri a casa di amici.

Sebbene la famiglia sembri conoscere bene il procedimento, non sono mancati gli intoppi. Proprio prima di Natale lo scorso anno, mentre Adrian e Maurizio spostavano una damigiana, il manico si è staccato e la damigiana si è rotta. Padre e figlio hanno assistito inermi alla caduta di oltre 50 litri di vino nello scarico della cantina. “È stato davvero brutto,” ha confidato Adrian.

Nonostante questo episodio, i Di Stefano non si sono scoraggiati e considerano ancora quella di fare il vino un’esperienza molto positiva. “C’è un senso di orgoglio e realizzazione,” ha detto Marco, facendo notare che l’intero processo inoltre lo aiuta a sentirsi più vicino alla cultura italiana. “Per me, è come se fosse una cosa da fare in qualità di italiano,” ha affermato.

Adrian concorda, “Siamo orgogliosi del prodotto finito […] È come se fosse tuo figlio. Vuol dire essere in grado di dire: ‘Questo è ciò che abbiamo fatto.’ ” Ma non è tutto lavoro e niente divertimento. “C’è anche un aspetto sociale,” ha assicurato Maurizio. “Siamo una famiglia, per cui ci riuniamo […] Dopo aver lavorato per un paio di ore […] mangiamo qualcosa, ci raccontiamo storie ed apriamo una bottiglia di vino dell’anno precedente,” ha detto.

Suo fratello concorda: “È piacevole. Non è visto come un dovere. Lo trasformiamo in una visita. È un momento gradevole di riunione.”

La cosa migliore di tutto il processo? Secondo Maurizio, è abbastanza semplice. “C’è una sorta di solidarietà,” ha concluso. “Lavoriamo insieme e insieme ci godiamo i frutti del nostro operato.”

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Photography by Gregory Varano

Sam Maggisano’s Passion for Winemaking

By Sarah Mastroianni mateur winemaker Sam Maggisano is waiting on Mother Nature. After all, it’s up to her to decide when his winemaking season will start. “The season looks sooner than last year by one to two weeks,” Maggisano predicts. But until his grape supplier in California calls to say the fruit is ready, Maggisano and his group of fellow winemakers will just have to be patient.

He’s no stranger to the process though – on the contrary. Forty-four-year-old Maggisano’s been making wine in the Toronto area since he was 19. “When I was in school, one of the guys I used to work with was an amateur winemaker with a club. He won medals. It kind of piqued my interest,” he says.

It may have taken a conversation with a co-worker to get the wheels turning

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in his head, but he admits he’s got winemaking in his blood. Back in Sant’Andrea, Calabria, Maggisano’s grandfather was the town winemaker. “He would sell by the jug or the gallon,” explains Maggisano. “He came to Canada and continued that winemaking tradition here.”

As it often goes, that tradition was passed from Maggisano’s grandfather, to his father, to him. “At nineteen I made my first batch of Zinfandel,” he says proudly. Having quickly received the seal of approval from his father for that very first wine, Maggisano became the winemaker for the family. “The tables turned. It was my dad helping me instead of me helping my dad,” he says.

Over time, Maggisano’s group of winemaking partners has also grown to

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WINE include his brothers-in-law and a couple of his good friends. “Now when we bottle the wine even the kids are there helping,” he says, happy with the thought of the next generation carrying on the tradition. “They know the process already. It’s fun for them.”

But how exactly does he do it? The process is quite involved. Unlike some other amateur winemakers, Maggisano uses grapes, not grape juice, in the initial phases. Together with a group of other local winemakers, he orders grapes from California through a broker he’s come to trust over the years.

“We buy really good product. If you’re starting off with a great product, you know your wine’s going to be good.”

Once the grapes arrive, they’re put right into the crusher/destemmer, which does exactly that – crushes and removes the stems from the grapes.

Once that’s over, Maggisano puts the grapes and juice into large bins in his garage to bring them up to a temperature somewhere in the mid-20s. “They come out of the trucks cold. Then we add yeast so that it ferments, and let the juice and skin sit together for 7 to 10 days,” he explains. “The contact between the berries and the juice is where From left to right: Bruno Maggisano, Danny Brancatella, Mark Rossi, Sam Maggisano, Fars Goriel, Homer Pauls your flavour comes from.”

After the initial fermentation process is finsays. “You think, ‘what did you do different that I didn’t do?’ You might like the ished, Maggisano presses the grapes, then separates them from the wine. “Yes, in other guy’s [wine] better.” ten days it’s come from juice, very sweet, to wine,” he says. Then, the remnants of Finally, the wait is over. “Our wine typically ages for a year,” Maggisano the grapes go to compost, and the young wine is put into barrels – French or explains. “Then, after that, we bottle it. Everybody comes and helps bottle.”

American oak – to settle, clarify and age.

Talking about “everybody” is a popular refrain for this winemaker, who The waiting starts again, but the work doesn’t stop for someone so passionenjoys the convivial atmosphere that his winemaking brings. For certain parts ate about his wine. “My mind is always on winemaking and thinking about next of the process, “it’s usually a whole Sunday event,” he says. “Ten or twelve guys year’s batch,” he admitts. Throughout the year, Maggisano likes to sample a variand some of their wives come over, and we have a big lunch together, sample ety of store-bought and homemade wines as research for his own. He is espesome wines […] then we get back to work,” he laughs. And once the work is cially interested in wines made with the same types of grapes he uses to see how done, everybody gets to reap the rewards. the results vary. “Everybody’s techniques are different. It challenges you,” he

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Walking through Woodbridge during the autumn months is a delight for all senses.

By Luigi Palazzini alking through Woodbridge during the autumn months is a delight for all senses. Just don’t take in a deep breath or you’ll swallow a wasp or two. October is wine-making season in Woodbridge, where empty grape crates line the neighbourhood streets like mini condo projects. The art of making homemade wine has not dwindled, in fact, it is experiencing a rebirth.

Let’s begin with a typical time-tested and effective procedure. The first step is to ensure we have the proper equipment. I use a state-of-the-art grape crusher complete with an old fridge motor, thereby rendering manual turning obsolete. It’s ear piercing loud, but heck, it beats the numbness in your arms. Then it’s on to the wine press, which in most families is passed down from generation to generation. Lastly, we need containers to store the wine in. Demijohns work, as do old glass water cooler bottles, which can still be found. Glass is the material used the most – never use plastic. Only convenience store wines come in plastic bottles.

Now we can begin to make our wine. The ideal location is the garage, for the simple reason that we can raise the door a notch to let in some fresh air or push out the know-it-all Zio Giuseppe. We begin, well, at the beginning, with the buying of the grapes. I have a regular supplier with whom I have an understanding: he gives me good prices and I buy from him. Be careful not to buy grapes that “fell off the truck” because, well, they fell off the truck and the end result tastes like a cross between turpentine and vinegar. The choice of the types of grapes can be tricky, and it’s really hit or miss, unless you have Nonno’s recipe, which is the best in the world.

W

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An Ode to Homemade Vino

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WINE Then it’s time to roll up our sleeves and start crushing. Keep your shoes on because we have our electric crusher. I like to divide my three types of grapes equally in 10-litre plastic drums that I share with my in-laws and they share with their in-laws. These drums have to be thoroughly washed and cleaned or we get that funky aftertaste. Once the grapes are crushed and separated, the drums are covered, usually with the evening tablecloth, and the mixture is left to ferment or rise for a couple of days. The mixture will rise to the top leaving the liquid or mosto at the bottom. This liquid is siphoned into buckets and is later transferred, equally, into demijohns or old glass bottles.

Next comes the wine press. We begin this part early on a Sunday, break for a nice pasta lunch, and finish it off in the afternoon. After siphoning as much of the mosto as possible and gasping for air, we carefully ladle the mixture into the press, being careful not to drop any or face the wrath of the family members watching your every move. Unfortunately, our wine press is not motorized and we have to do the cranking by hand. It’s a great muscle builder but forget about lifting anything for a week after. As the first bucketfuls of mixture are pressed, the juice begins to flow. That is added in equal parts to the demijohns and containers at hand. As the mixture is pressed, more is added until all of it is stuffed into the press. But we have to get every last drop, so the wine press is taken apart, the block of lees broken down, shaken up, and put back into the wine press to get one last gallon of juice.

The mosto is left to again ferment in the glass containers for several days, until the wine has stopped fermenting or “bubbling,” as we call it. Adding too much to the containers can result in the mosto overflowing, which is one heck of a mess to clean up, and let’s not forget, heaven forbid, the loss of wine. Once this process is complete and there is no hissing sound when you put your ear to the containers, they are transferred to a storage area or cantina. Every house built by an Italian has to have at the very least two cantinas: one for the canned produce, oils, homemade cheese and fresh meats, and the other for the homemade wine. After the final fermentation is complete, in my case usually 8 weeks, the wine is ready to be served. Some choose to bottle the wines directly, while others leave it in the demijohns and siphon a bottle when needed.

At the end of it all, we have taken part in a cherished family custom that is a beloved Italian ritual. And our wine-stained hands serve as a reminder that the wine on our table is ours.

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Shop Like a Vino Connoisseur Tips for buying wine

By Rita Simonetta ’ve all been there before – on a confusing and often intimidating mission to buy a bottle of wine. Wandering down aisles upon aisles of selections, picking up a bottle here and there, lifting it up and examining it in an attempt to decode the secrets within. For the average consumer, buying wine can be a daunting task. Here’s a list of factors to consider so you’ll be able to shop like a vino connoisseur.

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Reviews & ratings Before deciding to check out a new restaurant, you’ve likely done your homework by researching reviews. The same holds true when it comes to buying wine. There are plenty of reliable and accessible wine resources available from credible wine magazines, their corresponding websites as well as wine ratings.

“Generally speaking, the wine points system is a good starting point for the novice; a higher score usually means a better wine,” says Edward Feinstein The Wine Doctor, a wine writer, author and consultant from Toronto. Nick Hamilton, a Montreal wine consultant and sommelier, adds, “Don’t forget to read the descriptions. The rating is just a number. The description is what really tells you what to expect from the wine.”

Wine talk You don’t have to turn into influential wine critic Robert Parker (whose nose and palate are insured for $1 million) to discern a good bottle of wine, but you’ll have to gain a bit of knowledge of wine terms. Is it full-bodied, fruity, light, tannic, and so on? The vintage (which describes the year a wine was made) is also a good indicator. Take note that the quality of the wine may vary from year to year. Wine experts and reviewers will score wines accordingly. Also, it’s imperative to find out about the different types of varietals (the type of grapes used to make the wine) as well as the flavours they impart. Sometimes there is only one varietal used to make a particular wine, such as Pinot Noir in Burgundy, while at other times different varietals are blended together like in Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot).

On the receiving end If you’re buying wine as a gift, you’ll have to find out if the person it’s destined for is old-school and prefers wine from Italy, Germany and France, or if he or she has a taste for new world wine from California, South Africa, Australia, and even Canada, to name a few. If you have no way of finding out, consider that Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine and that Chardonnay is the most popular white. If the gift is for yourself, you can go on a tasting adventure.

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Variety is good The world of wine is truly global and you’ll only know what you like by venturing out. New world wines from California, as well as Australia, South Africa, Chile and Argentina are esteemed by critics and consumers alike. It’s also helpful to know what is popular on the grapevine, and right now it’s Italian wines.

Canadians are buying Italian wines more than ever before according to Vinexpo, the international wine and spirits exhibition. “This can be attributed to the improvement in the quality of Italian wine, the reinvention or update of many familiar styles, greater attention to international markets, and the appreciation of Italian wine by Canadian opinion-makers,” says Igor Ryjenkov, category manager for European Wines at the LCBO. Affordable quality With quality wines hailing from so many different parts of the world, the competition has meant more affordable prices for consumers. This is not a surprise to Antonio Muriello, an Italian sommelier currently living in Ottawa. “Price is absolutely not to be considered as determinant of value. Much like a rating system, it gives you a starting point.” Michel Beauchamp of the Société des alcools du Québec points out that “the ‘floor’ price of a better-quality wine is now around $15 and not a week goes by without my being pleasantly surprised by a little gem that stands out from the crowd because of its quality, typicity, originality.”

Marvelous match We’ve all heard that red wines pair with red meat while white wines are eternally destined for fish. But this adage is only a guideline and can be too simplistic once you learn more about wine. A basic rule is that what you’re drinking and what you’re eating should balance one another. If the menu calls for a tomato-based sauce or steak, then reach for a Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti, which will hold their own against these hearty dishes. As you learn more about pairing, you’ll gain confidence in choosing wines that highlight a dominant flavour in a dish, as in sipping a crisp Riesling that has hints of citrus while enjoying a dish featuring white fish in a citrus-based sauce.

Contrasting is also fun; for instance, sweet dessert wine is delicious with salty cheese. Remember that pairing is not an exact science so enjoy the adventure. “Many pairing conventions, while they still make sense in general, are much more fluid today,” says Ryjenkov. “With the multitude of wine styles and food preparations, you can match a red with fish, or a white with meat.

But there is still nothing that goes better with tomato sauce than a Chianti or another Sangiovese-based red.

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The Health Kicks of Vino Rosso

By Rita Simonetta ed wine has been hailed as a powerhouse elixir since the early ’90s when research began into The French Paradox, a phenomenon whereby French people, who consume a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol, remain remarkably healthy. The secret, research suggested, pointed to red wine, which contains the antioxidant resveratrol.

But as of this past May, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine released an extensive study on participants who lived in Italy’s Chianti region (the very region that produces the iconic Chianti wine). The results were disappointing. They showed that there were no links between levels of resveratrol and a decrease in heart disease or cancer.

So has it all been just hype? Much ado about vino rosso? Not so fast. There is hope in a glass of red wine after all. “It’s important to note that we don't yet know what is responsible for the link between red wine consumption and a decreased incidence of stroke and heart disease – only that there seems to be one,” says Abby Langer, a registered Toronto dietician.

And beyond resveratrol, red wine contains a host of other polyphenol antioxidants. “If you study red wine, there are many different types of wines and the chemical makeup depends on how the wine is produced,” explains registered Toronto dietician Shauna Lindzon. “If the wines are in contact with the seeds and skins for longer periods of time, they will have more of the healthy polyphenols. The anthocyanins and tannins are a separate category than the resveratrol.

These may have their own health benefits.”

If you already enjoy a glass of red wine now and then, consider Health Canada’s recent guidelines on alcohol consumption: men shouldn’t have more than three drinks per day (a glass of wine is limited to three and a half ounces) while women should not exceed two drinks per day.

Langer suggests, “For the maximum levels of antioxidants, choose the red wines that have been fermented longest and with the most tannins.”

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Pillitteri Estate Winery

A Taste of Italy in Ontario’s Wine Country

By Liz Allemang ith the proliferation of Italian wine producers in Ontario’s chief growing region – Niagara – old world techniques and vines are being integrated with new world vineyards and technology. And it makes sense: While viticulture was introduced to Sicily in 800 B.C., the Ontario industry has only really boomed since 1975 when Inniskillin Wines was granted their winery license. Italian winemakers are even beginning to influence development in another Viticultural Area, Prince Edward County, with the recent opening of Anthony Auciello’s TerraCello Winery. The following four producers have their roots planted in both countries.

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Ziraldo Donald Ziraldo apologizes as soon as he picks up the phone. The local winemaking legend – he co-founded Inniskillin in 1975, hugely influential in the development and success of the Canadian wine industry – is a proud new papà. “We may be interrupted,” he says and, as if on cue, a coo. “My baby used to be Inniskillin,” he says, “Now it’s this one.”

That may be the case (Ziraldo parted ways with Inniskillin in 2006, though he still lives on the property), but he has seen several projects through from inception to fruition.

Take, for example, his nowsold-out 2007 Riesling Icewine.

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Or his 2012 organic Riesling table wine, a unique off-dry with a crisp finish, available at select LCBO stores.

In 2011 he was enlisted to advise a Canadian mining company that owned land with a vineyard in Portugal’s Duoro Valley. He is now the managing director of Senhora do Convento, which produces ports and red table wines.

Apart from fatherhood, one current passion project is his Bianco di Fagagna, a Picolit, the quintessential varietal of Friuli.

In 2004, the winemaker received honorary citizenship in Fagagna, the town where his parents were born. At his ceremony, the president of the region of Tesini mentioned the many men from the community who travelled abroad to build Canada. Wouldn’t it be appropriate, then, if Ziraldo came back to Friuli and did something for his people?

After a fortuitous chance encounter with a count, from whom he acquired growing lands adjacent to his castello, Ziraldo’s first vintage of the resurrected Picolit was vinified in 2008. It is now available through Vintages and at select LCBO locations in Ontario.

Ziraldo, who grew up on an Ontario farm, owns a Tuscan villa and traverses the globe regularly, describes himself as a “Furlan, with Canadian skin and Italian blood.”

Pillitteri Estate Winery Like so many of the wineries in Niagara, Pillitteri Estate Winery comes from humble beginnings. In 1965, two Sicilians, Gary Pillitteri and Lena Agro, immigrated from Raccalmuto with their three children (who are now the CFO, CMO and CEO of the winery). They settled in Niagara-on-the-Lake and purchased a small fruit farm. In 1988, the family produced their first ice wine. They now make about a dozen different styles, sold in 32 countries. In 1993, they launched the winery, growing from an initial production of 16,000 cases annually to 100,000. “The biggest part of the puzzle for the Ontario industry is finding the varieties that work,

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WINE [such as Gewürztraminer], focusing on them, and making them the best in the world,” says Charlie Pillitteri, CEO and president of sales. “The last twenty years have taught us a lot... most of us started as amateurs, but we saw potential and we’re growing.”

The brand’s success has allowed them to experiment with different varietals, such as bringing over vines common in the north of Italy eight years ago, with an expected fall 2015 release. “[These grapes] are a wonderful starting point, but they won’t taste like they taste in Italy. They will be very Canadian. We brought them to Canadian soil and we’re making them in a Canadian way.”

Colaneri Estate Winery For the Colaneri family, winemaking and, in fact, the making of their winery has been a labour of love. Joseph and Maria Colaneri acquired the 40-acre vineyard in 1980 after immigrating to Canada in 1967 from Frosolone with their two sons. The sons would eventually marry two sisters and all live together on the estate with their children. “When I was growing up, the attitude was, ‘Oh, you can’t grow good wine there,’” says Chris Colaneri, the grandson of Joseph and Maria. For a long time they grew juice grapes, but in 2004 they planted proper vines and opened their retail space in 2010. The business remains a family affair. Their wines are

made in the Italian appassimento style, a process that entails handpicking the grapes and gently drying them in a controlled greenhouse and processing them.

The result is a bigger, more intense wine. “We lose about one third of our yield on average. It’s labour-intensive and expensive, but with us being a small family winery, we want our name to represent quality,” says Colaneri.

Vieni Estates Wine and Spirits The name says it all. Pasquale Raviele’s beautiful Beamsville winery, which opened in 2013 after he started making wine in 2010, encourages guests to come. The bed and breakfast located on the property, community events, and the wines encourage guests to linger. While Italian hospitality is integral to the Vieni experience, the Italian influence is much broader than that. The winemaker, Mauro Salvador, trained at Scuola Enologica di Conegliano, but Italy’s effect is perhaps most evident in their products, which include graspa, the designation for “grappa” made outside of Italy. “We were looking for a way to make graspa locally,” says Raviele, “Why not distill the fruits of Ontario? We have such an abundance.” The product has proved a point of distinction, along with other remarkable offerings like a sparkling icewine (“We do it in autoclaves… the way they make Prosecco in Italy,” says Raviele) and a forthcoming graspa icewine. Vieni is also the sole Canadian producer of Aglianico, a bold red, whose vines traveled from Basilicata and Campania to Niagara, a tribute to Raviele’s own southern provenance.

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WINE

Grapes by Path Jump onto one of these stellar wine routes for an oenological experience unlike any other

By Alessia Sara Domanico he annual vendemmia, or grape harvest, has begun once again this autumn season in Italy’s wine regions. It’s an intense and important time for winemakers that will bring forth many a celebrated bottle from the rich, full-bodied Barolo and Barbaresco of Piedmont, to the bubbly Prosecco of Veneto. For our wine enthusiast readers, we map out a few unforgettable wine routes in north and central Italy that have just the right balance of sips and sights.

T

more gentle hills awaits travellers along this route, where grapes are grown alongside other crops. A route that is very easy on the eyes, the view sweeps down over the tranquil marchlands of Treviso as you commence your ascent.

Veneto: the Prosecco Route Starting in order, we begin our journey with the aperitif precursor to any proper Italian meal: Prosecco aka Italy’s answer to Champagne. Appealing to a wide range of palates for its versatility, fruitiness and lightness, this sought-after bubbly originates from a picturesque valley of over 5,000 hectares that stretches from the town of Valdobbiadene, past the marchlands of Treviso and Conegliano, right up to the northern town of Vittorio Veneto. The Prosecco Route brings together wine tastings at local village cantine, hearty meals at rural osterias and trattorias, and tourist stops to take in the glory of ancient castles, churches, abbeys and jaw-dropping villas.

Choose from one of these four routes to embark on a quest to find your favourite bottle along with other pleasant surprises: Conegliano to Refrontolo: This itinerary consists of breathtaking views along mild and gentle rolling hills for enjoyable driving. The route starts in the town of Conegliano, home to the prestigious Scuola Enologica (School of Oenology). The tour ends in Molinetto della Croda at the foot of a twelve-metre waterfall. Refrontolo to Colbertaldo: Bask in all the shades of green through this lush itinerary that runs through the Quartier del Piave, a string of hills lined with rows and rows of vines grown along their steep slopes, almost reaching to the roads. This celebrated place is home to many famous Italian authors, poets and opera-singers and is teeming with meadows and vineyards. Valdobbiadene to Campea: This itinerary will take you up to where the famed Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG is cultivated; this strain is recognizable by its light straw colour and fruity floral taste. Campea to Conegliano: A set of

Piedmont: the lovely Langhe Staying towards the north but moving onto your main course, we find ourselves in the stunning Langhe area of Piedmont, home to some of Italy’s most storied reds: Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera to name a few. With hundreds of wineries to choose from, we suggest going for a bit of the best.

From the region’s capital in Turin, drive to the area of Monferrato aka Barbera wine country. In addition to great wines, this is also the site of Berta, famous for its amaretti di Mombaruzzo and grappa. The charming town of Nizza Monferrato has a wine museum as well as a gastronomy museum. For those of you interested in what the wine goes into, one of Italy's top barrel makers, Gamba, is located at the Abbazia di Santa Maria di Vezzolano. If you drive further south, make a stop at Canelli to visit the historic cellars of the Coppo winery. Then, for those seeking a little luxury, head straight for Santo Stefano Belbo, for the views, but more importantly for a stay at the Relais San Maurizio, a beautifully restored 17th century monastery, which today is a 5-star hotel. Its in-house restaurant also stays with our wine theme as it is set in the monastery’s old cellar.

The towns of Alba and the smaller Asti are both definitely worth the sidetrip for their medieval vibe and unpretentious characters. Barolo is only a short drive south of Alba, but it is also a good base for touring the old medieval town of Cherasco as well as the famed areas of La Morra, Monforte and Dogliani, further south. This is quite a concentrated area and offers a wide choice of producers, collectively known as the ‘Barolo Barons’.

Speaking of Barolo, our top pick for wining and dining is Fontanafredda.

This winery produces 6.4 million bottles of wine every year, of which 60% are sold in Italy. Located just outside the town of Alba and about an hour from the city of Turin, Fontanafredda got a new lease on life after being purchased by gourmet food giant Eataly. We suggest stretching those legs for this vineyard, so

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WINE get out of the car and take a hike along the Bosco dei Pensieri trail, a one-hour walk that takes you through Fontanafredda’s forests and vines. You can wrap up your visit with a fabulous meal at their on-site Eataly restaurant, perfetto!

Tuscany: a Classic Chiantigiano Arguably the most famous of wine regions in Italy, Tuscany is best known for its Chianti Classico DOCG, a red wine: made from 80% Sangiovese red grapes and other local red grapes, Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Between Florence and Siena, the Chianti region is one of the most beautiful and famous areas in Tuscany with wine culture running deep in its veins. It boasts countless farms, wineries, cellars and traditional restaurants so you just need to equip yourself with a good Chianti map and a big appetite to start your wine tasting tour. Greve in Chianti is one particularly lovely area that counts many excellent wineries as well as the buzz of a Tuscan hotspot where all the expats want to set up house in refurbished villas. Three kilometres from Greve is the fairytale-like Villa di Vignamaggio, which sits atop a hill and is said to have been the home of the Mona Lisa – Kenneth Branaugh used the gardens here for his film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Vignamaggio is both a winery and hotel and covers over 130 hectares of vineyards which produce Chianti Classico wine. It offers custom-made wine tasting tours and lunches upon request.

If you have the time, be sure to visit Panzano, one of the most populous towns in Chianti. Drop into the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, which is so much more than a butcher’s shop: owner Dario has become world famous with chefs such as Jamie Oliver, and his two in-house restaurants situated alongside the shop have drawn out some serious A-Listers, from Dustin Hoffman to Bruce Springsteen.

Umbria: unravel the secrets of Sagrantino The region of Umbria boasts two DOCG denomination wines: Torgiano rosso riserva and the exquisite Sagrantino di Montefalco secco and passito.We focus on the coveted Sagrantino on the last leg of this tour.

So now that we’ve given you the lowdown on where to point your compass, grab a companion and hit the road for your vino adventure!

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WINE GUIDE

Legend DOCG: Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita

Types of wine

Service

Notation

Price Ranges

Red wine

Ready to drink

☆ Ordinary (75-79)

0 to $15

☆☆ Good (80-84)

White wine Sparkling wine

DOC: Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata

☆☆☆ Very good (85-89)

Ready to drink or keep until indicated

☆☆☆☆ Excellent (90-94)

☆☆☆☆☆ Sublime (95-100)

Sweet wine

IGT: Vino a Indicazione Geografica Tipica

20 to $25 25 to $30 30 to $60

$60 + Wait or start drinking Rosé when indicated N.B.: The prices incidated are subject to changes relative to the LCBO price policy. The wines are rated according to a universal scale system.

P.O.: Private Order

Italian Wine

Puglia

Guide 2014

Sangiovese 2013 Pasqua

PRICE RANGE

About wine critic Gabriel Riel-Salvatore Managing Editor and resident wine expert at Panoram Italia magazine, Riel-Salvatore has been involved in the wine industry for 15 years and has travelled extensively to various wine regions of Italy. He regularly participates as a judge in Canada’s International Wine Championship in Quebec City. He organizes numerous gastronomical and wine tasting events and from 2008 to 2010, he served as president of the Montreal Slow Food Convivium.

0-15$

Puglia IGT $13.95 LCBO #441428 Nose offering nice strawberry jam aromas. Soft, round mouth. Perfect with a nice plate of pasta or a pizza. ☆☆ 84

Piemonte

Piemonte

Sicilia

Sicilia

Viticoltori Acquesi Brachetto d'Acqui NV MGM Mondo del Vino

Batasiolo Bosc Dla Rei 2013 Batasiolo

Montalto Pinot Grigio 2013 Barone Montalto

Moscato d'Asti DOCG $14.95 LCBO# 277194 Sweet, peachy bouquet with nice yeasty and floral undertones with hints of ginger. Fresh, creamy Moscato with nice honey fragrances and a gentle fizzy, mineral finish. Ideal with fresh fruits or with panettone. ☆☆☆ 85.5

Sicily IGT $8.95 LCBO # 73148

Montalto Nero d'Avola Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Barone Montalto

Brachetto d'Acqui DOC $12.90 LCBO #441428 Frothy, semi-sweet sparkling wine with notes of red cherry, rose and citrusy undertones. Smooth, suave creamy mouth with a vibrant finish. Ideal with fresh fruits or with pastries. ☆☆ 84

Terre Siciliane IGT $11.95 LCBO #145490

Toscana Santa Cristina 2012 Antinori Toscana IGT $13.20 LCBO # 76521

Nice red berry nose with black olive undertones.

Good, vibrant wine with a fun peppery finish. Try it with a juicy beef burger with crispy pancetta or pasta alla putanesca. ☆☆ 84

Red berry accents intertwine with barnyardy, vegetal undertones. Medium to full-bodied wine with coating tannins. Ideal with a beef tenderloin. ☆☆ 84

Sicilia

Cusumano Syrah 2013 Cusumano

2018

Lively, fruity, peachy bouquet with banana undertones. Vibrant, zesty wine with a sharp acidity. Try it with finger foods or stuffed, deep-fried zucchini blossoms. ☆☆ 84

Jammy cherry aromas with faint hints of sweet spice.

Fruity, lively medium-bodied red with a fresh finish.

Ideal with grilled pork chops or a nice plate of pasta. ☆☆ 83

Aglianico Rosato 2013 Terre D'Aione

PRICE RANGE

15-20$

Campania

Campania

Fiano di Avellino 2013 Terre D'Aione

Greco di Tufo 2012 Terre D'Aione

Campania Aglianico IGT $18.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302)

Fiano di Avellino-DOCG $18.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302)

Greco di Tufo-DOCG $19.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302)

Fruity and slightly spiced bouquet with blackberries, plums, cloves and cinnamon notes. Dry, warm, soft red with a great concentration and a structured, wellbalanced body with soft tannins. Pair with grilled veal chops.

Particularly fruity and floral bouquet with exotic fruit and broom highlights. Dry, warm, soft white wine with a fresh and strong aromatic persistence. Ideal with grilled octopus or breaded seafood.

Intense, fruity bouquet with apricot notes. Soft, structured white wine with adequate freshness and strong aromatic persistence. Good with lobster and spring onion spaghetti or braised black cod.

PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

Sicily IGT $8.95 LCBO # 621151

Campania

Aglianico 2012 Terre D'Aione

Campania

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15 to $20

Aglianico Rosato IGT $17.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302) Fruity nose with notes of black cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Soft, with tasty concentration and long-lasting olfactory persistance.

Best with salmon steaks.

Trentino Alto-Adige

2018

Primo 2012 Barone de Cles Teroldego Rotaliano DOC $19.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302) Primary flavours of fresh red fruit, wild cherries and black pepper. Fresh, fruity, light red wine. Ideal with saltimbocca alla romana or roasted Cornish hen.

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WINE GUIDE 2016

Umbria

Umbria

Berganorio 2013 Tenuta Le Velette

Rosso di Spicca – Sangiovese 2012 Tenuta Le Velette

Orvieto Classico DOC $16.00 P. O. (Noteworthy Wines – 519.914.1204) Soft, lemony bouquet intertwines with nice floral and mineral undertones. Vibrant Granny Smith fragrances with a lively citrusy finish.

Ideal over steamed mussels or braised black cod. ☆☆☆

86

Umbria

2016

Rosso Orvietano DOC $16.00 P. O. (Noteworthy Wines – 519.914.1204) Nice bouquet of red berries with refreshing violet undertones. Medium-bodied red with chalky tannins and a lively acidity. Best with bucatini all'Amatriciana. ☆☆☆ 86

Veneto

Il Prosecco NV Mionetto Extra Dry

Accordo - 100% Sangiovese 2008 Tenuta Le Velette Rosso Orvietano DOC $20.00 P. O. (Noteworthy Wines – 519.914.1204)

Conegliano Valdobiadene DOC $13.50 P. O. (Select Wines & Spirits – 604.687.8199)

Rich, meaty bouquet of ripe red fruits with streams of cedar and fresh tobacco. Juicy, full-bodied red with coating tannins and a soft floral finish.

Pair it with lamb cutlets or pasta with ragù alla Bolognese. ☆☆☆ 88

Fun, sweet bouquet of Granny Smith apple with hints of green almond.

Light, fizzy prosecco with a sweet zesty finish. Ideal for aperitivo or with a scallop ceviche. ☆☆ 84,5

Veneto

Veneto

Famiglia Pasqua Villa Borghetti Passimento 2012 Pasqua

Costa Mediana 2011 MGM Mondo del Vino

SUN IN A GLASS!

2017

Veneto IGT $15.50 LCBO # 141952

Valpolicella Ripasso DOC $16.95 LCBO # 377648

Jammy plum and fig aromas with hints of red liquorice. Sweet, fruity, straightforward red wine of medium intensity. Best with pizza or barbecued sausages.

Inviting bouquet of plum and cherry aromas with chocolaty undertones. Soft, round medium-bodied red with chewy tannins and a lovely floral finish. Pair it with a glazed rack of piglet.

☆☆☆

☆☆☆

85

SICILIAN

87

STEVE THURLOW’S

TOP 50 Values at LCBO Winealign.com July 4, 2014

Veneto

Mo NV Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso $17.95 LCBO # 266023 Nice foam with a soft, yeasty bouquet mixed with apple and acacia aromas.

Smooth, frothy wine with a sharp vibrant finish. Best with steamed mussels or a creamy shrimp risotto. ☆☆☆

PRICE RANGE

20-25$

86,5

Piemonte

2018

Barbera d'Alba 2012 Pio Cesare Barbera d'Alba DOC $24.95 LCBO # 938886 Inviting bouquet of tomato and red berries with savoury hints of speck.

Tasty, medium-bodied red with coating tannins. Ideal with an osso bucco. ☆☆☆ 88

Trentino Alto Adige

2017

Maso Scari 2011 Barone de Cles Teroldego Rotaliano DOC $24.95 P. O. (DNA imports – 416.902.0302) Violet, raspberry and plum aromas mix with almond undertones. Structured, full-bodied red wine with a long persistence. Ideal with spicy Gulasch.

LCBO #621 #621151 151

LCBO #73148

Av Available ailable in select L LCBO CBO stores. Prices subject to change without notice.

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WINE 2018

Toscana

Villa Antinori 2011 Antinori Toscana IGT $24.90 LCBO # 53876 Red and black berry aromas intertwine with fresh tobacco and vegetal undertones. Good, fullbodied red wine with chunky tannins and a spicy ending. Ideal with braised lamb or veal shank. ☆☆☆

88 2018

EmiliaRomagna

Primo Segno - 100% Sangiovese, Organic 2011 Villa Venti Romagna Sangiovese Longiano DOC $27.50 P. O. (Noteworthy Wines – 519.914.1204) Lovely nose of ripe red berries offering a complex mix of floral and earthy mineral undertones. Intense, mouth-filling red wine with robust tannins and a lively, oaky finish. Perfect with tagliatelle and ragù. ☆☆☆89

2021

Toscana

Marchese Antinori 2011 Antinori Tenuta Tignanello Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG $29.95 LCBO # 512384 Handsome aromas of ripe blackberries intertwine with fresh tobacco and chocolaty accents. Beautiful, tasty mouth-filling Chianti of great depth and character.

Perfect with an herbcrusted rack of lamb. ☆☆☆☆ 92 2018

Toscana

Toscana

2020

2016

Bramito del Cervo 2012 Antinori Castello della Sala

Bolgheri Rosso DOC $29.95 LCBO # 354662

Umbria IGT $21.95 LCBO # 176792

Deep, concentrated bouquet mixing cassis, chocolaty aromas and smokey balsamic undertones. Rich, mouth-filling juicy red wine ideal with a Gulasch or beef tenderloin. ☆☆☆☆ 90

Nice mango aromas intertwine with lofty vanilla undertones. Good, balanced white wine with a lively green almond finish.

Pair it with seared tuna or a creamy saffron risotto with scampi. ☆☆☆ 88

2019

Emilia-Romagna

Felis Leo - Sangiovese /Merlot/Cab Franc 2009 Villa Venti Colli Romagna Centrale DOC Rosso

$32.50 P. O. (Noteworthy Wines – 519.914.1204) Deep, rich bouquet of red and black berries with smokey ground coffee accents. Full-bodied wine with herbaceous extracts and muscular tannins. Best with wild boar stew or gamey meats. ☆☆☆ 88

Veneto

2020

Piedmonte

Barolo 2010 Batasiolo

PRICE RANGE

25-30$

Toscana

2019

Il Grigio 2009 San Felice

Barolo DOCG $29.95 LCBO # 178541

Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG $26.95 LCBO # 716266

Rich, kirsch aromas intertwine with hints of cinnamon and earthy undertones.

Well-structured, affordable Barolo with coating tannins and a sharp acidity. Ideal with a roasted leg of lamb coated with a black olive and truffle tapenade. ☆☆☆ 88

Rich, inviting nose of ripe red berries with hints of violet, ground coffee and streams of cedar. Tasty, well-balanced Chianti with a soft lingering cocoa finish. Best with braised lamb or a wild boar stew. ☆☆☆☆ 90

2020

2020

Piemonte

Palazzo della Torre 2010 Allegrini

Barbaresco Tenuta Roncaglie 2008

Veronese IGT $24.95 LCBO # 672931

Poderi Colla Barbaresco DOCG $44.95 LCBO # 715763 Elegant bouquet displaying lofty kirsch accents with hints of rose petal and truffle undertones. Powerful Barbaresco with chalky tannins and a long-lasting finish. Pair it with a brasato di guancia di vitello and a tortino di topinanbur. ☆☆☆☆ 90

Rich and complex figgy aromas intertwine with chocolaty, minty undertones. Luscious and palatable red wine with loads of jammy flavours and good, chewy tannins. Best with an osso bucco or barbecued, marinated pork chops. ☆☆☆☆ 91

Toscana

2021

PRICE RANGE

30-60$

Veneto

2018

Veneto

2022

Brunello di Montalcino 2008 Fattoria dei Barbi

Pian delle Vigne 2009 Antinori

Famiglia Pasqua 2010 Pasqua

Amarone della Valpolicella 2010

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG $49.95 LCBO # 928028

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG $59.95 LCBO # 651141

Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG $34.85 LCBO # 360958

Montresor Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG $39.65 LCBO # 240416

Luscious bouquet of ripe red berries with elegant accents of cedar and ground coffee.

Inviting, juicy, mouth-filling Brunello with chewy tannins and a graceful lingering finish. Best with braised lamb or rabbit and olives, once aged. ☆☆☆☆ 94

Warm, heady bouquet of ripe plum and dry fig with hints of sandalwood. Juicy, round, mouth-filling Amarone with a sweet nutmeg finish. Ideal with osso buco. ☆☆☆ 88

Complex bouquet mixing plum and raisin aromas with floral, mineral and smokey undertones. Tasty, lively Amarone with a sharp acidity and a nice peppery ending.

Serve with fegato alla venesiana or braised beef short-ribs. ☆☆☆ 89

Classic red berry, rose petal and cedar aromas intertwine with slightly rustic undertones. Traditionnal Brunello displaying interesting vegetal undercurrents evolving onto a spicy peppery finish. Good with a Dijon-mustard and pepper coated roast beef. ☆☆☆ 89

Veneto

2022

Toscana

Selezione Antonio Castagnedi 2010 Sant'Antonio Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG $43.95 LCBO # 685107 Deep maraschino cherry aromas intertwine with soft streams of sweet spice and balsamic undertones. Sweet and tasty Amarone with a lively acidity and a refreshing spicy finish. Good with an osso buco or a brasato di manzo. ☆☆☆☆ 91

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Umbria

Il Bruciato 2013 Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso

PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

PRICE RANGE

60$+

2022

Toscana

2016 - 2026

Argentiera 2010 Argentiera

Tignanello 2011 Antinori

Bolgheri rosso DOC $70.00 LCBO # 115907

Toscana IGT $102.95 LCBO # 986786

Suave blackberry bouquet with cassis, cedar and spiced mint accents. Juicy, mouth-filling full-bodied Bolgheri with complex toasted oak and black pepper fragrances. Ideal with a Fiorentina steak or duck breast. ☆☆☆☆ 92

Lavish bouquet mixing ripe plum, blackberry and violet aromas with complex toasted cocoa and menthol undertones.

Rich, sapid red wine with muscular tannins and great overall balance conferring it a beautiful aging potential. Best with a juicy, peppery beef tenderloin. ☆☆☆☆☆ 96

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WINE Toscana

Niagara Peninsula

2018-2025

Ornellaia 2011 Ornellaia

Briganti Red 2012 Vieni Estates

Bolgheri Superiore DOC $189.95 LCBO # 722470

VQA $10.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521)

Dense and evocative bouquet mixing ripe blackberries with streams of cassis and complex mineral and grilled oak undertones. Powerful, structured Bolgheri with muscular tannins and a lavish, spicy finish. Ideal with rare to medium-rare dry-aged steak. ☆☆☆☆☆ 95

CANADIAN

WINES

Red berry aromas intertwine with herbal, asparagus undertones. Soft, light to medium-bodied red with a vibrant acidity and a rather short finish. Best with a meatloaf or stuffed bell peppers. ☆☆☆ 83

Niagara Peninsula

2018

Aglianico Riserva 2010 Vieni Estates Vinemount Ridge VQA $24.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521) Soft cherry aromas intertwine with pine and cut grass undertones. Tasty medium to full-bodied red with a lively acidity and an herbaceous finish. Good with stewed meats or aged cheeses. ☆☆☆ 87,5

Niagara Peninsula

Niagara Peninsula

Niagara Peninsula

Niagara Peninsula

Momenti 2013 Vieni Estates

Sparkling Cabernet Icewine 2013 Vieni Estates

Mista Graspa Vieni Estates

Icewine Graspa 375 ml Vieni Estates

Sparkling wine Extra Dry VQA $13.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521)

Vinemount Ridge VQA $69.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521) Unique and complex Sparkling Cabernet Ice wine. Rich, suave plum aromas intertwine with hints of crème brûlée accents.

Gooey, sligthlty fizzy inviting mouth of candid fruits. Perfect with semi-sweet chocolate cake. ☆☆☆☆ 92

Distillate / Product of Canada $39.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521)

Distillate / Product of Canada $49.95 P. O. (Vieni – 905.563.6521)

Nice, yeasty nose with apple, dry ground cherry and white mulberry aromas.

Lovely creamy sparkling wine with a nice touch of residual sugar. Good with fresh fruits and pastries. ☆☆☆ 86,5

Tangy nose of grape pomace with hints of pear spirits. Warm, raspy distillate with a sharp, spicy finish.

Perfect as a digestive. ☆☆☆ 86

Delicate, ethereal aromas of sweet pomace and prune spirits. Smooth, round distillate with a warm, spicy finish. Perfect as a digestive. ☆☆☆ 88

Come - Vieni - and experience Vieni Estates Wine & Spirits.

VIENI ESTATES WINES & SPIRITS is located at 4553 Fly Road in Beamsville.

The winery is open to the public daily all year 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 905-563-6521, e-mail info@vieni.ca or visit www.vieni.ca.

Wines are available for purchase at the estate’s wine boutique as well as the LCBO.

Order any 3 bottles of Vieni wine online and delivery is free in the GTA. PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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Columbus Centre Member Receives Order of Canada

Paul Cavalluzzo, one of Canada’s most distinguished labour and constitutional lawyers, and a long-time Columbus Centre member, has been appointed to the Order of Canada.

Paul, joined by his wife, Jean and family, received the honour from Governor General David Johnson in a recent ceremony.

Paul has worked tirelessly to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians. As lead counsel on the Walkerton and Arar Inquiries, he helped to develop recommendations on the future safety of our drinking water, as well as on national security. He has championed the rights of farm workers in Ontario.

Both Paul and Jean are prominent and proud members of the Italian Canadian community. Jean, a former CBC writer and researcher, applied Paul Cavalluzzo and family with GG David Johnson

her skills to “Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: Memories of World War II”, a Columbus Centre project commemorating the experiences of Italian Canadians during the war.

Sometimes small things get big results. A 3X5 foot garden, created this spring at a VITA Community Living Services residential home, produced loads of vegetables, and much more.

VITA members discovered the pride of tending the garden and enjoying the fruits of their labour. The corporate volunteers who set it up learned first-hand about VITA and the wonderful members we serve.

The garden was created through the United Way of York Region’s Annual Spring Day of Caring, where staff from corporate sponsors take on projects with United Way member

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agencies like VITA. It’s a great way for corporations to gain hands-on experience with member agencies, learn about what we do, and help out with a special project.

VITA members and staff chose the project

and the vegetables to be planted, and pitched in with tending and harvesting.

Though small, the garden produced vegetables in great abundance.

This kind of community participation benefits everyone – the VITA members who love their garden, and the volunteers who gained an understanding about VITA and our members.

For more than 40 years across the GTA, Villa Charities has developed and 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 Toronto; Villa Colombo Vaughan/Di Poce Centre; Caboto Terrace, Casa DelZotto and Casa Abruzzo apartments for independent seniors; the Columbus Centre; 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

S P E C I A L

This special section is published

by Villa Charities.

S E C T I O N

The Garden of Eatin’

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Hidden Gems of Artistic Talent at the Columbus Centre

The Columbus Centre is well-known for its cultural arts programs in music, dance, art, language and cooking. As home of the Carrier Gallery and Ristorante Boccaccio, it’s also a popular place to enjoy the visual and culinary arts.

Few people, however, are aware of the artistic talent that abounds among

Columbus Centre staff. Among the hidden gems are the Graphic Arts Department’s Giancarlo Piccin and Brian Boyd, Carrier Gallery Curator Rosa Graci and employee Bujar Asllani.

These artists, whose paintings are diverse in both style and subject, show that the cultural current runs deep at the Columbus Centre.

Giancarlo Piccin (giancarlopiccin.com) is an internationally collected artist who describes his work as “investigating the relationship between people and their surroundings.” He seeks to see the world through new eyes and reflect the present in his work.

Brian Boyd, who hails from the West coast, has “a meticulous attention to detail and obsessive quest for perfection.” His paintings, collected worldwide, build on an award-winning career in graphic arts, advertising, editorial and children’s book illustration.

Bujar Asllani is a former fine arts professor who creates modernist oil paintings. For Bujar, however, style is secondary.

To wit: his stunning reproduction of Botticelli’s “Primavera” in the Columbus Centre.

Rosa Graci discovered that art was in her blood at age four. A former senior artist in advertising, Rosa’s inspiration “comes from everyday life and nature” along with the Group of Seven, the French Impressionists and modern art.

PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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Fond Recollections of Columbus Centre Summer Camps

The happy sounds of children in Columbus Centre summer day camps still echo through our halls and outdoor areas. Camp staff and volunteers worked extra hard to ensure the kids had a great time filled with learning and fun.

Soccer, tennis, mixed sports, cooking, dance, and visual arts and crafts kept the campers busy and engaged. Plus there was new programming: cartoon animation, rockband, visits from Reptilia and the Toronto Fire Dept., and off-site trips.

Though school is back in full swing, many of those same kids still frequent the Columbus Centre today for weekend and after-school cultural and athletic programs.

We wish the kids a great school year, and hope to see them back for March Break and Summer Camp 2015!

Family Thanks Villa Colombo with Tree of Life Donation Isabella Aiello received “warm and loving” care from staff at Villa Colombo, where she lived for the past 13 years until passing away this summer.

Now her family, grateful for that care, will honour her and their father, Agostino, with a donation to be commemorated on Villa

Colombo’s ”Tree of Life.”

“Our family is grateful to Villa Colombo and their warm and loving staff for the excellent care they gave Mom,” says Carlo Aiello, Isabella’s fourth child.

Isabella Aiello A native of Calabria, Isabella came to Canada in 1955 with her first two sons, after Agostino had emigrated here to find work. She spent most of her adult life raising six children and caring for Agostino, preparing countless meals and managing a mountain of domestic chores.

At age 77, when Isabella could no longer live independently, she moved into Villa Colombo. There, she enjoyed concerts, festivities, the gardens and Church, and received the therapies she needed.

“We realized Mom got to have a long term holiday of sorts,” Carlo says. “She was finally delivered from her household duties.”

Soon the family will say thanks by adding a leaf, with Isabella and Agostino’s names on it, to the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life, magnificent bronze and brass sculptures, stand tall in the lobby of Villa Colombo Toronto. Donations are commemorated with tributes inscribed to family members and friends on leaves, stars and rocks.

Learn more about how to honour your family member or friend on the Tree of Life. Contact Jean Jarvis, Villa Charities Foundation, at 416.789.7011 ext. 321. Tax receipts are issued for donations over $20.

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Carlo Aiello

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Columbus Centre Boxing Coach Wins Top Coaching Award Columbus Centre boxing coach and instructor Rico Mancini has received Ontario’s most prestigious coaching award. Reflecting his leadership qualities, coaching achievements and personal development, the Coaches Association of Ontario recently named Rico as winner of the 2014 Anthony Higgins Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rico teaches boxing to both recreational and competitive athletes, from 12 to almost 70 years old. He draws participants with his infectious passion for the sport.

“I love the people I work with and I love boxing,” Rico says.

“Every coach wants to develop a champion athlete. But it’s also important that recreational participants enjoy boxing so that they, in turn, will become ambassadors for the sport.”

Rico’s coaching has produced several provincial champions and, working with other coaches, national champions. He has made many friends along the way.

Villa Charities is proud to call Rico one of our own.

Rico’s boxing classes at the Columbus Centre are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Sunday mornings. He also provides one on one personal training.

Rico Mancini

New Chef Adds Zest to Caffè Cinquecento

UPCOMING EVENTS Carrier Gallery Exhibits Ron Clavier (Oct. 7-Nov. 4) Sooghie Hahn & He Ja Kim (Oct. 8-24) Academy of Realist Art (Oct. 8 – Nov. 3) Giancarlo Piccin (Oct. 8-Nov. 3) Luis Ramirez (Nov. 6-Dec. 1) For information: 416-789-7011 ext. 300

Ristorante Boccaccio Calabria Theme Dinner (Oct. 24) Caffè Cinquecento has long been a favourite stop for Columbus Centre visitors seeking a quick breakfast, lunch or snack. Now it is undergoing a refresh, with a revamped menu, new daily food specials and a modern twist on classic Italian dishes.

Lazio Theme Dinner (Nov. 28) Festa del Tartufo (all Nov.) For reservations/information: 416-789-5555

The effort is being led by Chef Sophia Kudla, who is now focusing full-time on the Caffè with support from Ristorante Boccaccio Capo di Cucina Tom Quan.

Visitors to Caffè Cinquecento’s tavole calde (hot table) will experience an updated twist on Italian cuisine, with seasonal produce taking centre stage.

Now there’s more reason than ever to stop in at the Caffè for a casual meal, or to order a delicious take home dinner from Nonna 2 Go (or order by phone: 416-789-7011 ext. 235).

Columbus Centre Fall/Winter Program Guide Available at Columbus Centre & villacharities.com

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LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

Go to panoramitalia.com and click on “Living Italian Style” to submit your profile!

Anthony Saraco Nickname: Ciroc or Saraco Occupation: Business Marketing Student at Humber College Age: 22 Generation: Second Dad from: Gagliato (Catanzaro), Calabria Mom from: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Speaks: English & Italian Raised in: Etobicoke Clothes: Zara V-neck, All Saints cardigan, Top Man jeans, Steve Madden shoes, Gucci watch, Louis Vuitton belt.

Favourite boutique: Zara Passion: Cars, hockey and music Goal in life: To open my own business or become a stock broker.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I can play multiple instruments including drums, guitar and piano.

Pet peeve: Individuals who are not punctual.

Favourite restaurant: Vibo Favourite dish: Pasta ai frutti di mare Best pizza in Toronto: The Standard Pizza and Pasta Bar Best caffè in Toronto: Cafe Diplomatico 36

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Best panino in Toronto: San Francesco Foods Favourite vino: Masi Amarone Preferred drinking establishment: The Drake Hotel You know you are ItalianCanadian if: You start your morning with an espresso and some biscotti.

Favourite Italian city or town: Sorrento Musical preference: Drake, The Weekend, John Mayer Favourite Italian song: Il Mondo Nuovo by Neffa Italian soccer team: Juventus Sexiest Italian: Giada De Laurentiis Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: Waking up on the last Saturday of summer to make passata in the garage.

Antonietta Ferretti Nickname: Anto, Ferretti Occupation: Elementary school teacher Age: 28 Generation: Second Parents from: Loreto Aprutino (Pescara), Abruzzo Speaks: English, Italian & French Raised in: Toronto

Clothes: Aritzia dress, scarf and jacket, La Canadienne boots.

Favourite boutique: Mendocino Fashion idol: Giovanna Battaglia Passion: Cooking, education and art Goal in life: To inspire others to be the best they can be.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I plan on getting my hunting license.

Favourite restaurant: Mistura Favourite dish: My mother’s lasagna Your best dish: My pizza!

Best pizza in Toronto: Terroni Best caffè in Toronto: Dark Horse Favourite vino: Pinot Grigio Preferred drinking establishment: Church Aperitivo Bar Last time you went to Italy: 2004

Favourite Italian city or town: Pescara of course!

Favourite Italian song: Come sei bella by Massimo Di Cataldo Sexiest Italian: Gabriel Garko What you like most about Panoram: It’s a rich source of media that presents and celebrates Italian-Canadian culture through its past, present and future. It allows for today’s generation to appreciate how much Italian history and culture have transformed over the centuries.

Best memory growing up Italian-Canadian: Spending time in the kitchen with my nonna Antonietta, a woman who was full of wisdom and love. Whether it was having an espresso or making pizzelle, she always had the best advice.

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Photography by Gregory Varano

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

Makeup by Desi Varano

Daniella-Francesca Massa

Victoria DiGiovanni Nickname: Vikki, Bic and Vitto Occupation: University student, respite worker and actor Age: 19 Generation: Second Dad from: Corvara (Pescara), Abruzzo Mom from: Toronto, Ontario Speaks: English & some Italian Raised in: Brampton Clothes: Topshop top, Thrifted dress-shirt, Pacsun pants, The Gap jacket, H&M shoes.

Favourite boutique: Jonathan + Olivia Passion: Fashion, exercising, cooking and acting Goal in life: To become successful in my field of interest and to visit Australia at least once.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I am able to lift 138 lbs at the gym.

Pet peeve: Slow walkers and loud chewers Favourite restaurant: Chako Favourite dish: I will never turn down good old-fashioned spaghetti and meatballs.

Your best dish: My chicken pesto tortellini. I love experimenting and making up my own recipes.

Best pizza in Toronto: Marcello’s Pizzeria Best caffè in Toronto: Merchants of Green Coffee Favourite Italian saying: “Chi più sa, meno parla” Last time you went to Italy: 1999 Favourite Italian city or town: Corvara, because my dad was born there Musical preference: I enjoy pop/rock, hip hop and indie music Italian soccer team: AC Milan Sexiest Italian: Mattia De Sciglio How long have you been reading Panoram? I recently started reading it with my dad; he’s been reading it forever.

Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: The food and making homemade sauce with my family.

Nickname: Dee, Nella, Gina Occupation: Receptionist Age: 22 Generation: Second Dad from: Vallelonga (Vibo Valentia), Calabria Mom’s side from: Simbario (Vibo Valentia), Calabria Speaks: English & Italian Raised in: North York Clothes: Garage dress, Aldo boots, Le Chateau jacket.

Fashion idol: Marilyn Monroe Passion: Music, sports and fashion Goal in life: To visit my parent’s hometown in Italy.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I was in the Miss Canada Pageant in 2009.

Pet peeve: Feet and clowns Favourite dish: Everything nonna makes Your best dish: My tiramisu Best pizza in Toronto: Marcello’s Pizzeria Best caffè in Toronto: Nino D’Aversa Best panino in Toronto: Rustic Bakery Favourite vino: Nonno’s homemade vino

You know you are ItalianCanadian if: You start your sentence in English and end it in Italian.

Favourite Italian song: Voglio Vederti Danzare by Prezioso ft.

Marvin Italian soccer team: AC Milan Sexiest Italian: Stephan El Shaarawy Best way to feel Italian in Toronto: Waking up to an espresso and nonna’s homemade biscotti.

How long have you been reading Panoram? Since it first came out.

Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: Going to nonna’s house on Sundays with the whole family – lots of food and extremely loud.

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FASHION

1.

3.

2.

Some Swin 4.

5.

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From monochrome shift dresses to the flannels and prints of the past, the creative directors of fashion’s best-known houses have camped out in the retroland this season.

By Alessia Sara Domanico inevitable: every season, one long-gone decade resurfaces on runways and showrooms across the globe. The Fall/Winter 2014-15 collections have a clear mascot and it’s the ’60s, that anomaly of an era that started off taking cues from the glamorous ’50s and then slowly progressed into more minimalist, pop trends with lots of British influence thanks to the reigning celebrities of the decade such as the Beatles and mini-skirt clad “it girl” model Twiggy.

Gucci has captured the glam and simplicity of it all for men and women by using a solid colour block palette such as powder blue, but making it more luxe by employing artisans to dye the finest leathers in this hue. For women, they’ve matched it up with a pair of knee-high powder blue snakeskin boots for that Bond girl look. Dior brought back the denim jacket and lined it with sheepskin for the gents, and Made in Italy suitmaker Lardini from Le Marche brought back pastels and cheeky colours such as coral, violet and lime green for men’s suit jackets.

Ladies should pair a pale lipstick with a mini-dress and smart jacket (or poncho à la Emilio Pucci) and then choose whether it’s a day for flats (relaxed chic or errandrunning), heels (out to lunch with the girls or meeting your man for an aperitif), or ankle boots (concert going or sightseeing somewhere new). Get some inspiration from

It’s

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a sleeveless pleated black dress from Valentino with subtle slits to slip your arms through or a fitted cardigan like the classic-meets-camp McDonald’s inspired collection from Moschino, add a touch of colour such as tangerine in the footwear – as proposed by Dior – or be a vintage darling in a pair of pointy ballerinas, topped with a bow of course! Make sure to match your stocking to your dress, shoes and your bag if possible. If you can get into it, leopard is back in a big way – just look at Salvatore Ferragamo and Roberto Cavalli, the king of all things leopard.

And boys, I also beseech you to embrace a little pattern in your life, if polka dots are too much for a jacket, try smaller spots on a dress shirt or tie and make flannel and plaid your friend whether it’s a fall coat or a soft scarf to hang on your shoulders or knot around your neck. And you can’t go wrong with a touch of sailor stripes – Marina Yachting is a good springboard for your search. Shiny, patent black leather for accessories is a great way to throwback to the decade; Trussardi and Zilli can help you get some ideas.

Remember that the ’60s were when unisex really took off, so androgyny is a good frame of mind to be in as you consult your wardrobe – and very good for this season as we all cover up.

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FASHION

7.

8.

9.

nging 10.

L E G E N D

Sixties 1. ROBERTO CAVALLI

SERGIO BEN E T T I Warehouse

2. PUCCI 3. GUCCI 4. VALENTINO 5. CASADEI 6. ALVIERO MARTINI 7. GIORGIO ARMANI 8. MARINA YACHTING

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.

9. MORESCHI

70% OFF

10. DIOR 11. TRUSSARDI

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Shearling Coats From Italy Sergio Benetti 205 Spadina Ave (two short blocks north of Queen) Toronto, ON M5T 2C8 (416) 598-4831 Tuesdays through Sundays 1 pm to 4 pm (Closed every Monday) For private appointments, call Sergio at (416) 928-5080

w w w. s e r g i o b e n e t t i . c o m PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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Newlyweds Sposi novelli 2014

Send us your Mandateci le vostre wedding pictures! foto di matrimonio!

Submit your picture on www.panoramitalia.com click on ‘Magazine’ followed by ‘Newlyweds,’ or by mail, and include their names and wedding date. To be published in our December/January issue.

Cost: $35 (tax incl.)

Deadline: November 7, 2014

Angela Gentile & Antonio Sebastiani Month/Day/2014

Si prega di inviare la foto a www.panoramitalia.com e cliccare prima su ‘Magazine’ e poi su ‘Newlyweds’, oppure spedirla per posta con i nomi degli sposi e la data di matrimonio. Per l’edizione di dicembre/gennaio.

Costo: $35 (tax incl.)

Scadenza: 7 novembre 2014

Tanya Luongo & Franco Subrani Month/Day/2014

Catherine Verdone & Donato Terrone Month/Day/2014

26 Duncan Street Toronto, On, M5V 2B9 info@panoramitalia.com

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ADVERTORIAL

Prep Academy Tutors Go Above and Beyond

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“

I quickly found that I was fully booked … so I decided in 2010 to start it as a business where certified teachers could go into students’ homes...

Eliana Bernardo

At-home tutoring organization aims to mentor and empower students

By Lucy Screnci

P

rep Academy Tutors’ motto of being “professional, flexible and personal,” is a winning formula that has enabled the operation to transform into a franchise business that sees certified teachers work with hundreds of students at the primary, secondary and university level. “I have always had an interest in working with children,” says Carly Dougherty, Prep Academy’s founder, who began babysitting in her teens and ran recreational programs for children while completing her undergraduate degree. She went on to obtain a Master of Child Psychology and Education.

She began to apply her academic foundation and experience as a private tutor, noticing a high demand for a reputable tutoring service. “I quickly found that I was fully booked … so I decided in 2010 to start it as a business where certified teachers could go into students’ homes,” Dougherty says.

Although she was keen on growing the organization, Dougherty was adamant about retaining the core values of a humble family business – her husband Adrian, who holds a Master of Business Administration, serves as president.

In the next few years, they gradually enlisted like-minded individuals with academic and career backgrounds in education to run each branch, beginning with Midtown Toronto, West Toronto, York Region, and most recently, Vaughan.

Heading Vaughan’s Prep Academy branch is Eliana Bernardo, who echoes the Doughertys’ entrepreneurial spirit as well as their passion for teaching children.

Bernardo earned a Bachelor of Education in the Primary/Junior program and a Master of Education with a focus on organizational studies, but she knew she didn’t want to take on the conventional career path of a teacher. “I knew from the start I never wanted to be in the conventional classroom. I have a passion for education and learning but wanted to exhibit that in a different realm.

I also like the idea of having control of something of my own to grow and develop with. Prep Academy Tutors was the right fit for what I was looking for.”

Bernardo also recognized the significant advantages to an in-home tutoring service. “The student gets one on one attention in the comfort of his/her own home with little or no distractions. It is convenient for parents because they are not hassled with drop off and pick up, therefore, offering more time in the evening for families to spend together.”

Bernardo says her upbringing in a family that still runs a successful and prominent business – Bernardo Funeral Homes, which has served Toronto’s Italian community since 1968 – has influenced her unique ambition and strong drive to lead.

She still remains active in the community, participating in local events and school fairs. Bernardo also likes forming personal connections with clients, something she is familiar with after years of involvement in her family’s business. “I enjoy coordinating children and tutors by listening and figuring out who would be the best fit,” says Bernardo, who interviews potential employees

and matches roughly 20 tutors based on each child’s requirements. “It all goes back to finding the right fit for the student. If the student feels comfortable with the tutor the process should be an easy and enjoyable one. At the end of the day the tutor is there to help. We like to think of our tutors as mentors, a friend so to speak, who makes learning easier, as opposed to the teacher at the front of the class that can sometimes come across as intimidating.”

Adding to its transparency, Prep Academy features a short blurb about each tutor on each branch’s website. This personal touch also eases the process of introducing a tutoring service to a child.

Bernardo also works with the parents to understand what the tutoring should focus on. After obtaining preliminary information from parents, the first session is designed to further gauge specific areas to work on.

Parents are provided with weekly updates in the most direct way, whether it’s in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone. “At Prep Academy Tutors we value the importance of good communication. We want the parents to be fully informed of the progress and the direction of the tutoring sessions. We know it can be hard to chat at the end of the session as evenings are busy and hectic so our tutors in turn like to call or send an e-mail update ensuring that the parents are always kept in the loop and that the student’s development and improvement is always kept in line.”

Prep Academy Tutors employs tutors who are Ontario Certified Teachers or who have completed post-secondary studies in education. As well, many tutors have additional qualifications, including English as a Second Language teaching certification, and credentials to prepare students for standardized testing and entrance examinations. Prep Academy also offers reading, literacy and spelling mastery programs.

Prep Academy Tutors doesn’t impose a mandatory number of sessions, and children can continue to receive tutoring even after their goals have been met. There are numerous testimonials on each branch’s website, written by grateful parents thrilled about their child’s progress or admission into a school.

“The key to achieving success is having the confidence to know that you are capable of achieving that success,” Bernardo says. “That is where the tutor can be helpful. They work along side the student guiding them, making them realize that making mistakes is all about the learning process. We need to make those mistakes in order to grow academically and be a well-rounded learner.”

For more information about Prep Academy Tutors please visit vaughan.prepacademytutors.com or call 905-581-5516.

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ADVERTORIAL

Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services Launches Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home A wide-ranging funeral service under one roof

By Rita Simonetta he loss of a loved one is a challenging time for anyone and planning for the funeral and burial can be a daunting task. Providing a caring, helpful and professional approach to ease this process is where Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services comes in to help. As of this past September 3, the opening of Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home has made it the first Catholic funeral home in the Archdiocese of Toronto.

“Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral ServicesArchdiocese of Toronto provides bereavement services to approximately 2 million Catholics living in the greater Toronto area,” explains Amy Profenna, Manager, Marketing & Public Relations.

“Our oldest property is St. Michael’s Cemetery in Toronto, established in 1855; we are approaching our 160th anniversary.”

The Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home, which includes the Chapel of St. Joseph, will further improve the care, guidance and services offered to grieving families. This enhancement was made possible as a result of the new Funeral Burial and Cremation Services Act in 2012, which permits cemetery operators to own and operate funeral home establishments on cemetery property.

The new facility, located at 211 Langstaff Road East in Thornhill, will offer both funeral and cemetery services under one roof, all in keeping with the Catholic faith.

“Particularly within the Greater Toronto Area, it is very challenging and stressful for a bereaved family that has just lost a loved one to make at-need arrangements with a funeral home, cemetery, church, monument dealer and reception hall,” says Richard K. Hayes, Executive Director. “All of this within 24-48 hours while dealing with traffic congestion, scheduling and family matters. The convenience of having a full service cemetery/funeral home combination at one location is what our Catholic families have been demanding.”

Services include funeral masses in the funeral

T

home chapel, burial and cremation services, visitation, vigil services and rosaries. In keeping with its commitment to caring and compassion, Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services is accommodating and flexible when it comes to honouring the wishes of the family. Although Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home has a priest and deacon on staff, families are welcome to have their parish priest say prayers at the visitation. And if a family is particularly

attached to a parish, the funeral mass can be held at the parish of choice and Holy Cross Funeral Home will hold the visitation. If the family wishes to hold the funeral at Holy Cross but have the burial at another facility, Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services is prepared to go to any cemetery. The facility also offers full service reception and catering within the funeral home.

In addition, Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home also offers pre-planning funeral and burial arrangements, a service that has many benefits for the future.

“Pre-arranging creates a level of comfort and peace of mind because your final wishes are recorded,” says Joseph Isgro, Manager, Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home. “It also takes away any uncertainty for those family members who are not sure of your wishes and it eliminates any guesswork. Pre-planning your funeral is not a difficult process. It is similar to arranging a will or for-

mulating a life insurance policy. Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services offer extended interest-free monthly payment plan options.”

As a testament to its faith and the values of those it serves, Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services invited Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins to bless the funeral home on September 3.

“The significance of this blessing will allow us to celebrate the Eucharist here in the Chapel of St. Joseph to better reflect our faith and bring our Lord to our families,” explains Amy Profenna. With this new beginning, Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services is committed to providing the compassionate care they have always been known for – and extending it.

“With the opening of Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home and the Chapel of St. Joseph, we begin a new chapter in the history of the Archdiocese,” says Profenna. “We begin a new ministry that will allow us to more completely serve and care for our families, when a loved one has been called home to God. This expansion of our ministry is simply another way by which the Church conveys its concern and care for those who have died, and for the faith and well-being of those left behind.”

Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home is located at 211 Langstaff Road East in Thornhill. Our new funeral home is conveniently situated within our Holy Cross Cemetery in Thornhill. Located south of Highway 407, the cemetery runs from Yonge Street to Bayview Avenue with entrances off both Yonge Street and Langstaff Road. Enter through the Langstaff Road entrance to access the new funeral home. For further information or to visit the funeral home please contact us at 905-889-7467 or visit our website at www.catholic-cemeteries.com PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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LE MARCHE

Le Marche

Images courtesy of Fototeca ENIT

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Capitani del Popolo palace and piazza del popolo, Ascoli Piceno

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... As one sets foot in Le Marche, one notices a sharper, more animated character, a more penetrating gaze ...

By Filippo Salvatore

Marche region is part of Central Italy and has a delightful blend of northern atmosphere and southern charm. Sea, mountains and hilly rural landscapes dominate its geography and these three aspects have shaped the temperament of its population.

Author Guido Piovene, in his book Viaggio in Italia (1957), defined Le Marche as being Italy in one region: “If one had to decide which Italian landscape was the most typical, one would have to choose Le Marche with its range of landscapes; (...) Le Marche is a distillation of Italy.” Giosué Carducci, Nobel Prize Winner and one of the great poets of 19th century Italy, described the central region in these terms: “This land blessed by God is full of beauty, variety, liberty, with protecting mountains slowly lowering towards the sea, an embracing sea, with greeting, rising hills and shining valleys.”

Le

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regione delle Marche fa parte dell’Italia centrale ed offre un misto di atmosfera settentrionale e fascino meridionale. Il mare, le montagne e i paesaggi collinari di campagna ne dominano la geografia e le tre caratteristiche hanno plasmato il temperamento della popolazione.

Lo scrittore Guido Piovene nel suo Viaggio in Italia (1957), ha definito “Le Marche” come l’Italia in una sola regione: “Se uno dovesse decidere quale paesaggio italiano sia il più caratteristico, sceglierebbe le Marche (…) le Marche sono un distillato d’Italia.” Giosuè Carducci, vincitore del Premio Nobel e uno dei massimi poeti del XIX secolo in Italia, ha descritto le Marche in questi termini: “Così benedetta da Dio di bellezza di varietà, di ubertà, tra questo digradare di monti che difendono, tra questo distendersi di mari che abbracciano, tra questo sorgere di colli che salutano, tra questa apertura di valli che arridono.”

La

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LE MARCHE The infidelitas marchianorum Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837), born in Recanati in Le Marche, and Dante Alighieri, the greatest of all Italian poets, had this to say in defining the temperament of the marchigiani: “They are the shrewdest and the most ingenious of all the Italians. As one sets foot in Le Marche, one notices a sharper, more animated character, a more penetrating gaze than their neighbours’ and more so than the Romans’, although they live in a great capital.” For centuries, this region had been under the temporal rule of the popes. Two key figures that shaped its political and administrative organization were Pope Innocenzo VI (1352), who preferred to go back to Rome from Avignon, and Cardinal E. Albornoz, who managed to pacify a land wanted by many warring lords. What the popes often stressed as the infidelitas marchianorum – a negative trait – is, on the contrary, considered to be the proud, indomitable temperament of Le Marche.

Marvels of nature Le Marche features 180 kilometres of coastline, stunningly beautiful beaches, 26 cities facing the Adriatic Sea with elegant resorts, ideal places for a relaxing vacation, the port of Ancona and nine other harbours, 500 piazzas, over 1,000 important monuments, over 100 small and medium-sized towns, replete with great, impressive works of art, thousands of churches, over 160 shrines, dozens of archeological sites, and 71 splendid theatre halls. The region has the largest number of museums and art galleries in Italy, 315 libraries with upwards of 4,000,000 volumes; several protected areas and two National Parks: Monti Sibillini and Monti della Laga; four regional parks: Monte Conero, Sasso Simone and Simoncello, Monte San Bartolo, Gola della Rossa and Gola di Frasassi; three nature reserves; and more than 100 floristic areas.

A small region steeped in history Le Marche is a small rectangular-shaped region accounting for nearly 3% of the Italian peninsula. It only has two important ports: Ancona and San Benedetto del Tronto, and yet its fishing industry ranks fourth (after Sicily, Apulia and Emilia-Romagna) nationally. History, culture and the countryside have blended to create an extraordinary reality wrought by its inhabitants over the course of three millennia. The population of Marche is just over 1.5 million, or about 2.5% of Italy’s 60 million. The region is divided into five administrative provinces: Ancona, the regional capital, Pesaro-Urbino, Macerata, Fermo and Ascoli Piceno. Other important cities moving from North to South are: Fano, Loreto, Fossombrone, Fabriano, Jesi, Osimo, Recanati, Tolentino, Camerino, Fermo, Porto San Giorgio, Castelfidardo and San Benedetto del Tronto.

Infidelitas Marchianorum Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837), nato a Recanati nelle Marche, e Dante Alighieri, il maggiore di tutti i poeti italiani, hanno detto quanto segue riguardo al temperamento dei marchigiani: "Sono i più scaltri e i più ingegnosi di tutti gli italiani. Non appena si mette piede nelle Marche si nota una personalità più acuta e vivace, uno sguardo più penetrante rispetto ai loro vicini e ancor più ai romani, sebbene questi vivano nella grande capitale."

Per secoli, questa regione è stata sotto il controllo del papato.

Due figure di spicco che ne hanno forgiato l'organizzazione politica ed amministrativa sono state: Papa Innocenzo VI (1352), il quale preferì tornare a Roma da Avignone, e il Cardinale E. Albornoz, il quale fu in grado di portare la pace in una terra desiderata da tanti signori in guerra.

Ciò che i papi hanno spesso sottolineato come infidelitas marchianorum (inaffidabilità dei marchigiani) – caratteristica negativa - rientra, al contrario, nel loro temperamento indomito ed orgoglioso.

Meraviglie della Natura Le Marche offrono 180 km di costa, spiagge di una bellezza stupefacente, 26 città che si affacciano sul mare Adriatico con alberghi eleganti, luoghi ideali per una vacanza rilassante, oltre il porto di Ancona e altri nove porti, 500 piazze, più di 1000 monumenti importanti, oltre 100 città di piccola e media grandezza, ricche di opere d'arte grandiose e ragguardevoli, migliaia di chiese, 160 reliquiari, decine di siti archeologici, e 71 splendidi teatri.

Le Marche possiedono il maggior numero di musei e gallerie d'arte d'Italia, 315 biblioteche con 4.000.000 di volumi; numerose aree protette e due parchi nazionali: i Monti Sibillini e i Monti della Laga; quattro parchi regionali: Monte Conero, Sasso Simone e Simoncello, Monte San Bartolo, Gola della Rossa e Gola di Frasassi; tre riserve naturali e più di 100 aree floristiche “...Non appena si mette piede nelle Marche si nota una personalità più acuta e più vivace, uno sguardo più penetrante..."

Una piccola regione immersa nella storia Le Marche sono una piccola regione; quest' area a forma di rettangolo corrisponde a circa il 3% della penisola italiana. Ha solamente due porti importanti: Ancona e San Benedetto del Tronto, e tuttavia la sua industria ittica è la quarta (dopo la Sicilia, la Puglia e l'Emilia-Romagna) a livello nazionale. La storia, la cultura e la campagna hanno contribuito a creare una realtà straordinaria forgiata dai suoi abitanti nel corso di tre millenni.

La popolazione delle Marche è poco più di 1.5 milioni, rappresenta circa il 2,5 per cento dei 60 milioni di italiani. La regione è divisa in cinque province amministrative: Ancona, capoluogo di regione, Pesaro-Urbino, Macerata, Fermo ed Ascoli Piceno. Altre città importanti andando da nord a sud sono: Fano, Loreto, Fossombrone, Fabriano, Jesi, Osimo, Recanati, Tolentino, Camerino, Fermo, Porto San Giorgio, Castelfidardo e San Benedetto del Tronto.

Pesaro-Urbino Pesaro ha preso il nome dal fiume Pisarus. Fu territorio piceno finché romanizzato. Goti, Bizantini, Longobardi e Franchi lottarono per la sua egemonia. Divenne poi città-stato e successivamente appartenne ai casati dei Malatesta, Sforza, Borgia e Della Rovere. Il celebre musicista Gioacchino Rossini nacque a Pesaro nel 1792.

A circa 30 km nell'entroterra, su una collina, sorge Urbino,

Fountain by Lorenzo Ottoni, Piazza del Popolo, Pesaro

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LE MARCHE Pesaro-Urbino Pesaro took its name from the river Pisarus. It was a Picene territory until it was Romanized. Goths, Byzantines, Longobards and Franks fought for its possession. It then became a city-state and later belonged to the Malatesta, Sforza, Borgia and Della Rovere dynasties. The famous musician Giacchino Rossini was born in Pesaro in 1792. About 30 kilometres inland on a hill is Urbino, traditionally the cultural capital of Le Marche. The cathedral, and especially the ducal palace, are important architectural monuments.

Humanists and artists of the highest calibre, like Leon Battista Alberti, Piero Della Francesca and Paolo Uccello, among others, were attracted to the Montefeltro Dynasty in Urbino, and especially Duke Frederick II (his portrait by Piero della Francesca is in the Uffizi Museum in Florence). Duke Frederick’s library was the richest in Europe and under his patronage the architect Luciano Laurana built the Ducal Palace, one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance. Urbino’s university was founded in 1505. In 1626, the Duchy of Urbino, once a sovereign state, became part of the Papal States; it was robbed of many of its treasures and swiftly decayed. After the unification of Italy, Urbino rose again and is today an important cultural centre.

tradizionalmente città culturale delle Marche. La Cattedrale e soprattutto il Palazzo Ducale sono importanti monumenti architettonici. Umanisti e artisti di grande calibro, come Leon Battista Alberti, Piero della Francesca e Paolo Uccello, tra tanti, furono attirati ad Urbino dalla famiglia dei Montefeltro, e nello specifico dal duca Federico II (il cui ritratto realizzato da Piero della Francesca si trova al museo degli Uffizi di Firenze). La biblioteca del duca Federico fu la più ricca d'Europa e sotto il suo mecenatismo Laurana costruì il Palazzo Ducale, uno dei capolavori del Rinascimento.

L'Università di Urbino fu fondata nel 1505. Nel 1626, il ducato divenne parte dello Stato Pontificio, venne derubato di molti dei suoi tesori e decadde velocemente. Dopo l'unità d'Italia, Urbino risorse ed è tutt’oggi un importante centro culturale.

Per secoli, la storia di queste città è stata influenzata dai signori locali spesso solo nominalmente sotto il potere papale, e da vescovi e papi guerrieri che vi costruirono castelli e fortezze.

Ancona Le origini di Ancona risalgono agli antichi Greci attratti dalla bellezza del golfo ai piedi del Monte Conero. Divenne città romana nel 113 a.C. Fu distrutta dai Saraceni nell' 839. All'inizio del XII secolo, fu ricostruita e divenne libero comune e porto franco. Tra il 1532 e il 1860, la città fece parte dello Stato Pontificio, e successivamente fu annessa al Regno d'Italia. I monumenti più importanti di Ancona sono l'anfiteatro romano, l'arco dell'imperatore Traiano e la magnifica cattedrale romanica (XI-XIII d.C.) dedicata al patrono San Ciriaco.

Macerata La città si trova a circa 20 km dalla costa su colline ondulate. Il nome Macerata probabilmente deriva da maceriae, o rovine, in ricordo della distruzione dell'antica Helvia Recina. Nel 1138, Macerata divenne città-stato libera. I casati dei Varano e degli Sforza vi governarono. La città divenne dunque parte dello Stato Pontificio e crebbe dal XVI al XIX secolo. La Loggia dei Mercanti, costruita nel XVI secolo, è ancora nel cuore di Macerata nella Piazza Centrale, e Santa Maria delle Vergini ne è la chiesa più importante. Si può ammirare uno splendido panorama dalle mura che ancor oggi circondano i suoi viali. Questa distinta cittadina è particolarmente orgogliosa del proprio teatro neoclassico all’aperto, lo Sferisterio, dove hanno luogo numerosi eventi culturali.

Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace) & Duomo di Urbino (Cathedral), Urbino

Ancona Ancona’s origin dates back to the ancient Greeks who were attracted by the beauty of the gulf at the foot of Mount Conero. It was taken over by Rome in 133 B.C. It was destroyed by the Saracens in 839. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, it was rebuilt and became a free maritime city-state. Between 1532 and 1860, the city became part of the Papal States, and then joined the Kingdom of Italy. Ancona’s most important monuments are the Roman amphitheatre, Emperor Trajan’s arch and the magnificent Romanesque cathedral (XI-XIII c.) dedicated to the patron saint San Ciriaco.

Ascoli Piceno Lungo le colline ondulate e la valle del fiume Tronto, a 25 km dal Mar Adriatico, sorge Ascoli Piceno, un’austera e nobile città dominata dal suo centro storico medievale. Entrando ad Ascoli, si va indietro nel tempo. Ciò è particolarmente vero nella prima domenica di agosto quando si combatte il Torneo Cavalleresco della Quintana. Oltre 1.000 partecipanti in costume “lottano” contro l’effigie pesante e girevole di un saraceno.

Costruita dai Piceni, Ascoli divenne città romana nel 286 a.C. La via Salaria l’attraversava e Porta Genina, uno dei suoi ingressi, sorge ancora intatta. Il Battistero, il Palazzetto Longobardo, il Palazzo del Comune, il Palazzo dell’Arringo e la chiesa dei Santi Vincenzo ed Anastasio sono i monumenti principali. Numerosi magnifici palazzi barocchi come Palazzo Panichi, furono costruiti nel diciassettesimo secolo. Ascoli ebbe un ruolo

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LE MARCHE

importante per l’economia durante il periodo romano e il tardo medioevo.

Una spiccata consapevolezza storica ed ecologica preserva sia il passato architettonico di Ascoli che l’integrità del territorio circostante (il parco naturale dei Monti della Laga al confine con Abruzzo e Lazio).

Entrando ad Ascoli si va indietro nel tempo. Ciò è particolarmente vero nella prima domenica di Agosto quando si combatte il Torneo Cavalleresco della Quintana.

...Non appena si mette piede nelle Marche si nota una personalità più acuta e più vivace, uno sguardo più penetrante...

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Beach in Numana, province of Ancona

Macerata The city, nestled on rolling hills, is located about 20 kilometres from the seashore.

The name of the city probably derives from the Latin term maceriae (ruins) and is a reminder of the destruction of the old ancient town of Helvia Ricina. In 1138, Macerata became a free city-state. It was ruled over first by the Varano family, and later on by the Sforza family. The city then became part of the Papal States and grew from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The Loggia dei Mercanti, built in the sixteenth century, is still in the heart of Macerata in the Central Square, and Santa Maria delle Vergini is its most important church. A magnificent panorama can be admired from the walls that still surround its avenues. The classy little city is particularly proud of its neo-classical, open-air stadium, the Sferisterio, where important cultural events take place.

Ascoli Piceno Along the rolling hills and the valley of the Tronto River, 25 kilometres from the Adriatic Sea, stands Ascoli Piceno, an austere, noble town dominated by its medieval historical centre. Entering Ascoli, one goes back in time. This is especially true on the first Sunday of August when the Torneo Cavallesco della Quintana is fought. Over 1,000 costumed participants “fight” a heavy, revolving effigy of a Saracen. Built by the Picenes, Ascoli became a Roman city in 286 B.C. The Via Salaria crossed it and the Porta Genina, one of the gates, is still standing intact. The baptistery, the Palazzetto Longobardo, Palazzo del Comune, Palazzo dell’Arringo and the church of Saints Vincenzo and Anastasio are the main medieval monuments. Several magnificent baroque palaces such as the Palazzo Panichi were built in the seventeenth century. Ascoli played an important economic role during Roman times and in the late Middle Ages. Today, both Ascoli’s architectural past and surrounding territory (the natural park of the Monti Della Lega bordering on Abruzzo and Lazio) are carefully preserved and protected.

A view of the old town of Numana, province of Ancona

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LE MARCHE

Town of Fabriano by night, province of Macerata

Arts & Culture in Le Marche

By Filippo Salvatore Pageants Fortresses and castles ainly during the summer months, many historical pageants and specFor centuries, two ancient roads, the Via Salaria and the Via Flaminia, shaped tacular jousts are staged in the old town centres to commemorate relithe historical reality of the region. The Via Salaria, built by the Italic Piceni gious festivities during the carnival season. Often the pageants are tribes, was also used by the Romans to link Rome with the Adriatic Sea associated with the history of the noble families that used to rule the area. In (referred to as the Salt Coast), whereas the Via Flaminia became the consular Urbino, the Festa del Duca takes place on the third Sunday of August; this is a road to reach the Ager Gallicus and ended at Fano. At the Furlo Gorge, it is pospageant with 15th century costumes, parades and jousts. Other similar celebrasible to walk along a stretch of this road. The natural scenery of Le Marche contions are the Trionfo del Carnevale at Frossombone; the Caccia al Cinghiale sists mainly of farmland, and wandering through the hills, one comes across (boar hunt) at Mondavio; the Torneo Cavalleresco della Quintana at Ascoli numerous small, awe-inspiring walled towns with red-tiled roofs, often with Piceno, and the Seduzione del Castello at Gradara, where Francesca di Rimini Romanesque churches, bell towers and municipal town halls. Like scenic baland her brother-in-law Paolo (as Dante narrates it in his Inferno) are said to conies, they overlook the green valley slowly descending towards the coast. have fallen in love and were killed by Francesca’s jealous husband. This is not, For centuries, the history of these towns was shaped by local lords and rulof course, an exhaustive list because practically every town of Marche celebrates ing families, often only nominally under papal rule, and by warrior bishops and a form of paganism, historical pageantry or religious event, like the Translation popes who built castl s and fortresses. In the 15th century, the Malatesta ruling of the Holy House at the shrine of Loreto.

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Rocca Roveresca Castle, province of Ancona

family benefitted from the suggestions of the great architect Filippo Brunelleschi and built the fortress of Fano, in present-day Pesaro, in the province of Urbino. The Sforza asked the great Luciano Laurana to build the Rocca Costanza at Gradara and at Pesaro, the Montefeltro used the talent of Francesco di Giorgio Martini for their defensive works, the fortress of Sassocorvaro, the Rocca Fregosa, the ducal palace at Urbino and Urbania. The Della Rovere had the imposing fortress at Mondavio built. Other remarkable fortresses are those of Senigallia, Offagna, Falconara (the Rocca Priora with portal by Luigi Vanvitelli), Jesi, Tolentino and especially Ascoli Piceno. Urbino, Pesaro, Urbania, Fossombrone and Senigallia, ruled by the Montefeltro and the Della Rovere still have their ducal palaces, some of the best examples of Renaissance architecture.

Numerous towns in Le Marche hold music festivals from April to September. There are over 70 functional opera houses in Le Marche (there were 113 in the 19th century), where opera, symphony concerts, dances and dramas are staged. They were built between the 18th century and the 1930s, according to a typical Italian model: a round parterre and private loggias.

This is an amazing musical and architectural patrimony unique in Europe and in the world.

The Rossini Opera Festival, held in Pesaro in August, is one of the high points of classical music in Italy. In summertime, important theatre festivals are held at Urbino, Pesaro, San Benedetto del Tronto and other smaller towns. At Fano, there is a yearly Jazz by the Sea festival, and in Civitanova there is the famous dance festival, Civitanova Danza. Mention must be made of a unique architectural complex, the Mole Vanvitelliana. Designed in 1733 by architect Luigi Vanvitelli on a pentagonal plan and located in the port area of Ancona, it served as a lazaretto (a quarantine building that treated people with leprosy) in the 18th century and has become today a centre for exhibitions and cultural events.

Le Marche is a region studded with museums. Art treasures are kept in the 242 museums in both historic cities and small towns or villages. The most important is the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche located in the Palazzo Ducale at Urbino. It holds masterpieces by some of the greatest Renaissance painters, especially of the Venetian school. Other important museums are to be found at Pesaro, Urbania, Fano, Ancona, Jesi (the richest collection by Lotto), Fabriano, Matelica, Camerino, Ascoli Piceno and Fermo.

Music, theatre and the arts Le Marche is a region steeped in culture and the birthplace of great historical figures and illustrious artists. Emperor Frederick II of the Swabian Dynasty that ruled the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Sicily in the 13th century – referred to as Stupor Mundi, one of the most significant historical and cultural figures of the European late middle ages – was born in Jesi. The great romantic poet Giacomo Leopardi was born at Recanati, as was the tenor Beniamino Gigli. Twentieth-century playwright Ugo Betti (1892-1953) was born at Camerino and so were contemporary novelists Libero Bigiaretti and Paolo Volpone. Architect Donato Bramante and painter Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael), two of the most outstanding representatives of the High Renaissance in Rome, were both born in Urbino in the late 15th century. In the field of classical music, it is important to remember two illustrious composers, Gaspare Spontini from Maiolati, and Gioacchino Rossini from Pesaro.

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The Rossini Opera Festival, held in Pesaro in August, is one of the high points of classical music in Italy.

Accordion Museum in Castelfidardo, province of Ancona

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XX September square in Fano, province of Pesaro-Urbino

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Toronto’s Marchigiano Community

By Danila Di Croce estled between five of Italy’s most renowned regions is a jewel of the peninsula, otherwise known as Le Marche. And yet, this region of Italy is very rarely illuminated and seems to be one of Italy’s best-kept secrets; just as its natives in Toronto are quite the rare find.

Immigration of Marchigiani into Canada began in the 1950s and continued until the mid-1960s, with individuals settling mainly in Montreal as well as some in Toronto, according to L'Associazione Regionale dei Marchigiani (A.L.M.A. CANADA INC.), which is based in Montreal. “While we don’t have a specific number, we would estimate the number [of Marchigiani in Canada] to be around 30,000 - 40,000,” says president Anna Perrotti.

In Toronto, some of those immigrants began associations of their own; however, only a few remain these days. Club Macerata, which has been around for 35 years, is an example of the few that have withstood the test of time. The club holds various activities throughout the year, including an annual picnic.

Board Member Norvegia Compagnoni, whose parents immigrated from the Sarnano region, explains, “We usually have over 100 people at our picnic; however, overall, there aren’t too many [Marchigiani] around. We used to have a larger membership…now it is mainly made up of the kids and grandchildren of past members.”

Regardless of the Marchigiano population in the city, natives from this region are hard to spot as they are often quite introverted. “Marchigiani are conservative and very individualistic,” notes Victor Gentili, a retired senior

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LE MARCHE human resources consultant for the City of Toronto, who was born in Orciano di Pesaro, in the province of Pesaro-Urbino. “[We] are not the boasting type,” he explains, “A Marchigiano would never organize a ‘Festa degli Marchigiani.’”

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean they don’t have reason to celebrate their people. Perrotti explains, “The Marchigiani have greatly contributed to the landscape of Canada in that we are hardworking individuals…many have [built] the infrastructures and industries that have helped shape the economy of this country. Our culture is rich in traditions and values. We pride ourselves on many activities that are based on [them]. One of the most prevalent is the Tombolo, [a type of crochet] that is a dying art and is one that requires a great amount of skill and precision. Our cuisine is one that sets us apart from the rest of Italy.”

Giacomo Pasquini, head chef of Toronto’s Vertical restaurant, brings the tastes of Le Marche to the GTA. Pasquini, who hails from Senigallia, in the province of Ancona, serves guests traditional dishes including one of his grandmother’s recipes, “Coniglio potacchio” (rabbit in a white wine sauce).

According to Pasquini, “Le Marche is an undiscovered, very rich region.” Thankfully he finds bits and pieces of his homeland here in Canada.

“If I go fishing, I remember my summers going fishing in Italy; when I go to the farm here, I am reminded of my grandparents’ farm back home.” In fact, visiting the local farm is something he does once a month. He says that appreciating local goods is a Marchigiano trait. “There are many festivals in Le Marche involving a local movement,” he says. “It’s all about eating what’s in the garden.”

Gentili agrees, adding, “If you’re by the sea you enjoy fish feasts; if you’re in the mountains, you taste the mushrooms. Many of the feasts in Le Marche are cuisine-based rather than religion-based, which is typical in other parts of Italy.”

Aside from food, Le Marche is also very well known for its shoes, and is often referred to as the shoe capital of the country. It is no surprise then that the owners of Naturino shoes in Woodbridge, whose headquarters are in Le Marche, have roots in the Macerata region. Virgilio Ciarrocchi visits Le Marche annually with his wife Lisa, who explains, “Many shoe manufacturers used to be in Le Marche. Some have closed now, but the distributors and

head offices are still there. That’s why there are a lot of shopping outlets in the region. A lot of big brands, like Cesare Paciotti and Tods, originate from Le Marche.”

With offerings from food to fashion, the Marchigiani are truly a unique people rooted in an even more unique landscape that deserves a lot more attention. As Compagnoni explains, “When I say Le Marche, [people] have no idea. I always have to say North of Arbuzzo or Southwest of Tuscany, but when people visit, they always rave about it.”

Gradara Castle, province of Pesaro-Urbino

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The Culinary Charm of Le Marche

By Amanda Fulginiti

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elatively tourist-free, unknown and always playing second fiddle to its more popular neighbour Tuscany, Le Marche is blessed with bounty from the mountains, farmland and sea. The cuisine of Le Marche is a humble one, born from a peasant tradition so waste is frowned upon.

Marchigiani are said to eat more meat than any other Italians and enormous platters of meats (grigliata mista di carne) are common menu items when frequenting any one of their ristoranti. From spring to Christmas, Le Marche hosts a variety of feste or outdoor celebrations where the common theme is local produce, food and wine that visitors can sample. Here is a list of edible favourites not to be missed while traversing this region.

Lonza Salt-cured fillet of pork reigns supreme in terms of antipasti.

Another typical one to try is ciauscolo, a soft, spreadable pork salame flavoured with fennel, garlic and vino cotto, a local nonalcoholic “cooked wine” made from grape must with a unique sweet-and-sour flavour.

Olive all’ascolana Soft DOP green olives of Ascoli Piceno are pitted and stuffed with a filling of meat and cheese, dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and deep-fried to a golden brown in sunflower oil.

This is a typical antipasto or snack. Many buy in cartoccio so they can be eaten on the go.

Truffles Pesaro is the biggest truffle producer in Italy, particularly of the prized white truffle in direct competition with Alba. The capital in the Marches for truffles is Acqualagna, between Pesaro and Urbino, where the famous market is held.

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Brodetto all’anconetana This is the region’s most famous fish stew, which typically includes red and gray mullet, cuttlefish or squid (or both), oil, garlic and saffron served on either fried or toasted bread. This is a typical menu item in Ancona where the stew is made with 13 varieties of fish (one for each person at the Last Supper) – no more, no less. This is a specialty of the restaurant Uliassi in Senigallia that has two Michelin stars. In August, many head to Pesaro for the annual Brodetto and Fish Soup Festival.

Vincisgrassi A rich baked lasagna that consists of 12 layers of pasta sheets that are interspersed with veal ragù, chicken liver or lamb sweetbreads, and truffles or wild mushrooms.

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LE MARCHE Formaggio di fossa A strong-flavoured cheese aged by being walled up in limestone holes in the ground.

Passatelli A pasta famous in Urbino. It is strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg cooked in broth.

Piccione ripieno Pigeon typically stuffed with thyme and sage and wood-roasted in Cortegiara Amorone.

Coniglio in porchetta A very typical secondo piatto of the region. There are many different versions, but all are very flavourful because they are prepared with wild fennel.

Crema fritta Literally translated as “fried cream,” this is a Marchigiana delicacy that is typically paired with the local fritto misto, a mixed fried platter of zucchini, onions, olive all’ascolane and veal or lamb kebabs. The cream is cooked and left to sit in the fridge overnight, then gently coated in egg and breadcrumbs and deep-fried on skewers.

Calcioni and piconi Desserts that are not overwhelmingly sweet and often use sweetened cheeses like pecorino or ricotta as ingredients.

Frustenga A cake, typically served during Christmas time, made with raisins, figs and walnuts. It can be served hot or cold.

Wines The region is known for its full-bodied reds like Ancona's Rosso Conero, the popular Rosso Piceno, and the sparkling Vernaccia di Serrapetrona. However, the real stars are its white wines, especially Verdicchio (dei Castelli di Iesi or di Matelica), considered by many to be the best wine to be paired with seafood. Bianchello del Metauro is a traditional straw-coloured white that is excellent with shellfish. Spirits of Le Marche include homemade Grappa, but the most popular is Mistra, an anise liqueur used as a digestive.

Casciotta d’Urbino A type of Caciotta cheese, produced in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino. This semi-soft cheese is made from 70% sheep’s milk and 30% whole cow’s milk.

‘Cascio’, which means cheese from an ancient past, has been produced since the times of the Dukes of Montefeltro. It’s a sweet cheese with flavours of fresh green grass, nuts and wild flowers.

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www.zitosmarketplace.ca PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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alla Marchigiana Recipes prepared by Giacomo Pasquini, head chef of Toronto’s Vertical restaurant. He hails from Senigallia, in the province of Ancona.

Ricette preparate da Giacomo Pasquini, capocuoco del ristorante Vertical di Toronto. Nativo di Senigallia, provincia di Ancona.

Passatelli in brodo di vongole (Serves 4 / 4 porzioni) Ingredients / Ingredienti (passatelli) • 200 g (1 cup) breadcrumbs (from stale bread) / di pangrattato (da pane raffermo) • 200 g (1 cup) grated Parmigiano Reggiano / grattugiato • 50 g (1/2 cup) flour / farina • 4 eggs / uova • 1 tsp nutmeg / noce moscata • Lemon zest from a 1/4 of a lemon / Scorza di limone da 1/4 di un limone • Salt and pepper to taste / Sale e pepe a piacere Ingredients / Ingredienti (brodo) • 1lb clams / vongole • 1 garlic clove / spicchio d’aglio • 1/2 chopped onion / cipolla tritata • 1 sprig of rosemary / rametto di rosmarino • 4 tbsp. (2 oz) extra virgin olive oil / olio extravergine d’oliva • 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine / vino bianco • Parsley / prezzemolo Instructions / Istruzioni (passatelli) Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together until the texture is smooth and compact. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, and let it rest for about 4-5 hours.

When ready, divide the dough in two, and using a passatelli presser (or a potato ricer), press all the dough through. Then place the passatelli on a tray and set aside.

Mettere tutti gli ingredienti in una grande zuppiera e mescolare, fino ad ottenere una consistenza omogenea e compatta. Avvolgere l’impasto con pellicola trasparente, e lasciarlo riposare per circa 4-5 ore. Una volta pronto, dividere l’impasto in due, e usando un pressa passatelli (o uno schiacciapatate), pressare tutto l’impasto. Quindi riporre i passatelli su un vassoio e metterli da parte.

Instructions / Istruzioni (brodo) In a large pan, heat oil and garlic clove, then incorporate the onion and cook until golden. Add the clams, rosemary, and wine. Allow the wine to evaporate (add some water if needed). Once the clams start opening, remove pan from heat, and separate the clams from the broth. Take half of the clams out of their shells and set aside.

Cook the passatelli in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain them and place them in the frying pan with the clam broth. After cooking them for 1 minute in the broth, add half of the clams. Transfer the broth and passatelli to a serving dish, and garnish with the remaining clams, a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil and parsley.

Riscaldare l’olio e lo spicchio d’aglio in un grande tegame, dunque unire la cipolla e cuocere fino a doratura. Aggiungere le vongole, il rosmarino e il vino. Fare evaporare il vino (aggiungere dell’acqua se necessario). Non appena le vongole iniziano a schiudersi, rimuovere il tegame dal fornello, e separare le vongole dal brodo. Sgusciare metà delle vongole e metterle da parte.

Cuocere i passatelli in acqua bollente per 2 minuti, quindi scolarli e metterli in una padella assieme al brodo delle vongole. Dopo averli fatti cuocere nel brodo per 1 minuto, aggiungere metà delle vongole. Trasferire brodo e passatelli su un piatto da portata, e guarnirli con il resto delle vongole, una spruzzata di olio extravergine d’oliva e prezzemolo.

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Photography by Giulio Muratori

Soul Food

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Brodetto di pesce alla Senigalliese (Serves 4 / 4 porzioni) Ingredients / Ingredienti • 4 small blue crabs / piccoli granchi blu • 1lb grouper / cernia • 1lb clams / vongole • 1lb mussels / cozze • 4 whelks / buccini • 2 squids cut in 1-inch pieces / seppie tagliate in pezzi da 1-inch • 1 whole mackerel cut in 4 / sgombro intero tagliato in 4 • 1lb of skate / razza • 8 shrimp / gamberi • 1 red onion, finely chopped / cipolla rossa, finemente tritata • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped / spicchi d’aglio, finemente tritati • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil / olio extravergine d’oliva • ½ cup white wine / vino bianco • 3 tbsp. of white vinegar / aceto bianco • 1 tbsp. tomato paste / concentrato di pomodoro • 1 cup San Marzano canned tomatoes / pomodoro San Marzano in scatola • 1 bay leaf / foglia d’alloro • 1 tsp. thyme / timo • 1 tbsp. chopped parsley / prezzemolo tritato • Salt and chili / Sale e peperoncino Instructions / Istruzioni Heat olive oil with garlic and onion. Once golden, add the crabs, whelks and tomato paste. Cook for two minutes or until the paste starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the vinegar and let it evaporate, then pour in the wine and let it evaporate as well. Add the San Marzano canned tomatoes, letting them cook for a couple of minutes.

Incorporate the bay leaf, thyme, skate, squid, mackerel, and shrimp. Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Then add in the clams, cover again, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Once the clams start opening, add the mussels, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

Once the mussels are open, the broth is ready.

Transfer to a serving dish, add the parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with grilled bread.

Riscaldare l’olio d’oliva con aglio e cipolla. Una volta dorati, aggiungere i granchi, i buccini e il concentrato di pomodoro.

Cucinare per due minuti o finché il concentrato comincia ad attaccarsi al fondo della padella. Versare l’aceto e lasciare evaporare, quindi versare il vino e far evaporare allo stesso modo. Aggiungere i pomodori San Marzano in latta, lasciandoli cuocere per un paio di minuti.

Aggiungere la foglia d’alloro, il timo, la razza, le seppie, lo sgombro e i gamberi. Coprite e cuocere per 7-8 minuti.

Quindi aggiungere le vongole, coprire nuovamente, e cuocere per 5-6 minuti. Non appena le vongole cominciano a schiudersi, aggiungere le cozze, coprire e cucinare per altri 5 minuti.

Non appena le cozze si aprono, il brodo è pronto.

Trasferire su un piatto da portata, aggiungere il prezzemolo e spruzzare con olio extravergine d’oliva. Lasciare riposare per 5 minuti prima di servire. Da gustare con pane abbrustolito.

PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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Pesaro, città della ceramica La storia del centro marchigiano e il suo legame con l’arte della maiolica Fabio Forlano ffacciata sul mar Adriatico. Stretta tra due colli costieri, il San Bartolo e l’Ardizio. Attraversata dal fiume Foglia. Pesaro è una città che già dal punto di vista geografico si presta ad assumere un ruolo cruciale nella vita della Regione Marche. Di tradizioni antichissime, l’originario villaggio piceno è cresciuto nel corso dei secoli passando – tra le altre – sotto la dominazione romana, bizantina e papale. Come tutte le principali città del centro Italia, anche Pesaro ha vissuto un momento di particolare prosperità durante il Rinascimento. I Della Rovere la scelsero come sede centrale del loro Ducato e contribuirono in maniera decisa allo sviluppo culturale dell’intera area.

La vena artistica e imprenditoriale della città non si è mai esaurita. Basti pensare che qui è nato Gioacchino Rossini – tra i più grandi compositori della storia, detto appunto il Cigno di Pesaro. Oggi – comunicano dall’ufficio turistico – Pesaro offre ai visitatori una vasta gamma di attrazioni. Spesso la si sceglie per il mare – Bandiera Blu anche nel 2014 – o per le grandi manifestazioni, come il Rossini Opera Festival e la Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema. Ma poi si finisce per restare affascinati anche dal patrimonio artistico del centro storico.

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La tradizione ceramista Fin dal Medioevo, Pesaro è conosciuta come città della ceramica, in particolar modo della maiolica. Quest’arte ha sempre goduto della protezione e dello stimolo da parte delle signorie che si sono succedute nella zona. Nella seconda metà del Quattrocento, il prestigio della scuola pesarese crebbe vertiginosamente e la città si affermò come uno dei centri ceramici più importanti della penisola italiana. Nuovo vigore arrivò con il Settecento, secolo del ritorno alla natura e del decoro floreale. Pesaro divenne famosa in Europa per le raffigurazioni del “ticchio” (arbusto) e della rosa – da lì in poi, elevata a simbolo dell’arte cittadina. Nel Novecento la ceramica riprese nuovo slancio grazie a personalità come Ferruccio Mengaroni, che riuscì a riprodurre gli antichi colori dei manufatti cinquecenteschi. Il maestro morì prematuramente a Monza, nel 1925, schiacciato dalla cassa che conteneva una sua opera, Medusa. In suo nome è nata una Scuola d’Arte da cui sono passati i grandi nomi del panorama novecentesco, come Nanni Valentini.

Oggi i pezzi più importanti sono custoditi nei Musei Civici, dove è esposta una collezione di oltre 300 opere provenienti dal vecchio Ducato di Urbino (che comprendeva anche Pesaro, Casteldurante e Urbania), da Deruta e dalle altre principali fabbriche italiane. Simbolo dell’esposizione è proprio la Medusa di Mengaroni, collocata nel cortile interno.

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Una scuola d’arte La vocazione artistica della città è rintracciabile anche nell’offerta formativa che riserva ai suoi giovani. Il Liceo Artistico “Mengaroni” è il discendente diretto di una tradizione scolastica consolidata, nata alla fine dell’Ottocento.

“Oggi abbiamo circa 600 alunni – spiega la professoressa Parrilli – provenienti dalla provincia di Pesaro ma anche da fuori Regione, dalla bassa Romagna”. Il liceo, intitolato all’artista pesarese nel 1930, dà la possibilità di accedere a cinque percorsi didattici: Architettura e ambiente, Audiovisivi e multimediale, Arti Figurative, Grafica, Design. “Gli alunni – aggiunge la docente – già negli ultimi anni di corso hanno l’opportunità di effettuare internship presso aziende e laboratori specializzati”. Chi intende proseguire il percorso di studi, invece, trova sbocco naturale nell’Università e nelle Accademie di Belle Arti. Le evoluzioni del mercato portano, inevitabilmente, la maggior parte dei ragazzi a preferire campi più ricercati, come moda e design. Ma tra i banchi di scuola pesaresi c’è ancora chi non vuole dimenticare l’antica tradizione della ceramica e la sceglie come materia di studio.

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LE MARCHE

La tradizione dei teatri Culla della cultura marchigiana Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo

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isitare le Marche è come entrare in uno scrigno. Tesori culturali, artistici ed architettonici abbondano con sobrietà e decoro. Scoprire che è la regione con il maggior numero di teatri attivi rispetto al numero dei residenti, sorprende chi non la conosce ancora bene.

La passione per il teatro è parte integrante delle Marche, come fosse uno dei suoi paesaggi, tanto da assicurarle l’appellativo di “regione dei 100 teatri”.

“Nonostante il difficile momento storico che ha comportato un ridimensionamento sulle iniziative culturali, esiste effettivamente un notevole fermento culturale nei teatri marchigiani”, sostiene Roberto Giovannozzi, Assessore alla Cultura ad Ascoli Piceno.

Ma da cosa nasce questa passione? La progettazione ed edificazione di luoghi destinati all’intrattenimento si colloca tra il Settecento e l’Ottocento, contestualmente allo sviluppo di una classe borghese. “È il tempo in cui il teatro esce dalle corti nobiliari sempre più in declino, e diventa lo spazio della nuova classe sociale, la borghesia. Nel teatro della città la borghesia celebra se stessa: si diverte, mostra la sua ricchezza con vestiti sfarzosi e belle carrozze,” spiega l’Assessore alla Cultura di Macerata, Stefania Monteverde. “…Guardano sul palcoscenico il racconto di una società in cui si riconoscono tutti, ricchi e non”, continua Monteverde. “Per questo, nelle Marche, ogni città ha un teatro, spazio di vita dell’intera comunità”.

Il marchese Amico Ricci, storico marchigiano dell’800, scrisse: “Verso la fine del XVIII secolo, la nostra gioventù, non so se più ingentilita o meno occupata, abbandonò quasi del tutto la ginnastica, […] spiegò un gusto particolare per le sceniche rappresentanze. Quindi avvenne che i teatri allora incomodi, soggetti a frequentissimi incendi, […] abbisognarono di maggiore solidità, comodità e decenza”.

La storia del Teatro Ventidio Basso di Ascoli Piceno ne è un ottimo esempio: evoluzione stabile di una scena mobile, utilizzata all’occorrenza a partire dal 1500.

Poiché quest’ultima era una struttura in legno, e considerato il notevole utilizzo, presto il timore di incendi fece sì che l’amministrazione cittadina optasse per l’edificazione di un più sicuro teatro in muratura. Passarono anni prima che il teatro in legno chiudesse e, grazie al contributo delle famiglie nobili, si procedesse alla costruzione del teatro, il cui progetto fu affidato a Ireneo Aleandri.

La passione per le scene era tale che i due melodrammi dell’inaugurazione del 1846 furono rappresentati prima del completamento della facciata del teatro.

Fu solo nel 1851, infatti, che vennero avviati i lavori per la realizzazione della facciata neoclassica in travertino, con colonne ioniche che delimitano un pronao.

Aleandri progettò anche lo Sferisterio di Macerata, il quale, nato per il gioco del pallone con il bracciale (sport di squadra tra i più antichi in Italia), è oggi una grande struttura all’aperto, dove annualmente si ospitano importanti eventi teatrali.

Macerata ospita un’ altra gemma: il Teatro Lauro Rossi (1765), commissionato ad Antonio Galli (“il Bibiena”) da 46 nobili e il cui progetto fu riadattato e realizzato dall’architetto Cosimo Morelli. Si tratta di un esempio intatto di teatro all’italiana, gioiello tardo Barocco ricco di stucchi e abbellito dalla policromia di finti marmi, in cui prevalgono l’azzurro, il verde e l’oro. È come guardare dentro un caleidoscopio: facciate semplici racchiudono gioielli nati dal genio di grandi artisti. Così, si possono ammirare decori floreali, stucchi, balaustre a rilievo, soffitti stellari arricchiti da medaglioni decorati, gioielli d’acustica ancora vivi, custoditi da una regione attenta ed orgogliosa del proprio patrimonio artistico.

“Ogni cultura ha bisogno di un grande lavoro perché non vada perduta, ma continui ad essere viva”, conclude Monteverde. Solo a Macerata, 40.000 abitanti, si tengono annualmente quattro rassegne teatrali tra le quali una, “Teatro Ragazzi”, destinata al pubblico delle scuole, audience fondamentale per la continuità di una lunga tradizione.

DREAMS ROMANCE MEMORIES

CUSTOM DESIGNING FOR ALL OCCASIONS PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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Doctor Francesco Bellini

By Adam Zara

D

octor Francesco Bellini isn’t the most high-profile of individuals among Italian-Canadians. He’s a little more under the radar than one would expect considering his striking laundry list of accomplishments. The native of Ascoli Piceno arrived in Canada in 1967 at age 20 with a Chemical Engineering diploma and no knowledge of English, and would go on to earn a PhD in Organic Chemistry and co-found BioChem Pharma in 1986, one of Canada’s most successful pharmaceutical companies. In 1996, BioChem commercialised the antiviral drug Epivir (3TC), which to this day is the cornerstone for AIDS therapy worldwide.

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His contributions to science have earned him the honours of Cavaliere del Lavoro, the Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Order of Canada, among others. Today, aside from being Chairman of healthcare-centred Picchio International, Bellus Health and Klox Technologies in Canada, Bellini also presides over FB Health and a state-of-the-art winery, Domodimonti, in Le Marche, Italy. If that wasn’t enough, in February of this year, he also acquired Ascoli Piceno’s soccer club, which had fallen into disrepair months earlier. We caught up with the active dottore from his residence in Ascoli Piceno.

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LE MARCHE PI: Considering your extensive experience in the field, do you believe we are close to finding a cure for HIV/AIDS? FB: I think AIDS is very much treatable, like any chron-

ic disease, such as diabetes. But to find a real cure, I don’t think we are closer today, than we were 20 years ago.

Viruses are very difficult to kill. It’s like trying to eliminate influenza; you can try, but it always comes back. You need antibodies, vaccines...and this one keeps mutating.

PI: Where did the idea of opening your own Italian winery originate?

FB: We made wine in my family as far back as I can

remember. My grandfather made wine, my father made wine, we all made wine for ourselves. And it has always been my dream to produce wine on a larger scale. I was always collecting wines and buying the most expensive, best wines, but they were giving me stomach aches, headaches and all kinds of problems, so I told myself: “Why not make my own wine? And I’ll make it without chemicals, as little sulfates as possible” ... and that’s what I did! I built it, and I only wanted it for myself and my friends, and now I probably built it too big!

PI: What would you say sets your winery and brand apart from others in the region or in the country for that matter?

FB: Well the winery is state-of-the-art and we produce

fantastic wines. Air Canada sells our wine in business class – a white wine named LiCoste and a red wine named Picens. The only problem with my wine is that I am so taken up by other projects that I don’t have time to spend on marketing and sales, and you know that in Italy, if you don’t have the right people you don’t go anywhere. We have very good clients in the U.S., in Montreal, and now in Alberta.

about 25 years ago. And then, slowly, that started to [unravel]. The team was in Serie A and it was a good team. It then moved down to Serie B, and then the economy of the region deteriorated. The valley was at one time full of companies and today half of them are gone.

Sometimes I think that the switch to Euro wasn’t very good for Italy. The strong currency and all the rules weren’t good. Today, there is a lot of unemployment here.

Ascolani were very proud people and very proud of their team, and then all of a sudden, they dropped down to Serie C, third division, and then went bankrupt. The morale of the people was very, very low. So I said why not? Together with some local investors, we put up the money to build a very good team. You have to see the people crying of joy in the street...

PI: What are the hopes for this season in Lega Pro? Is a promotion to Serie B in 2015 realistic at this point?

FB: We have a three-year program to do it. But you

know, with a little bit of luck, why not this year? We have a very good team! We have a good coach, scoring power.

PI: There’s a YouTube video of thousands of fans chanting: “Facci sognare! Bellini facci sognare!”

(Make us dream! Bellini make us dream!)

FB: Yes, but my wife Marisa one day said “Sogniamo

insieme!” (Let’s dream together!) and that’s our new motto. Why not dream together? It’s everywhere around town.

PI: At this stage in your life, how do you balance being the chairman of all these companies while running your own winery in Italy and owning a soccer club?

Talking big pharma, wine and soccer PI: Domodimonti’s wines are branded as “Natural Wines.” Is it economically viable to produce wines with hand-pick grapes, a low yield and with the least amount of additives possible?

FB: It would have been economically viable had it been in California, or probably in Tuscany, but coming from Le Marche... It’s a region that produces excellent wines, but they have no name; that is the problem. And the channels of distribution are controlled. Le Marche is not considered to be a top wine producer and I would like to challenge such things – even with tastings between our wines and any wines produced in Italy. It just takes time.

PI: Your newly acquired soccer team must be taking up quite some time.

FB: Here in Ascoli, this is a big deal. We bought it when

the team was reduced to nothing and now I think we are one of the best organized teams in the league. This year we are considered one of the teams that could win the championship.

PI: What prompted you to purchase Ascoli Picchio FC? FB: I didn’t do it for glory or money. What pushed me

were the people of Ascoli. This city was a wealthy city

FB: With the Internet, smart phones, you only need good people to run things. If you have good people and good organization, it’s doable. In Canada we are lucky because it’s not a big deal to find good people. The problem is in Italy, because they are less used to a certain structure, from my experience. FB Health is run by a young guy, and if it was someone else I would never have opened it. He had spent a couple years with us in North America, and I liked him, so he came back to Italy and we started this company. For soccer, the general manager of the team was a journalist for Tuttosport newspaper.

I didn’t want anyone that had already run a soccer team because I wanted to do something completely different.

PI: Of all your business ventures throughout your life, which one would you say you are most proud of?

FB: All of them. Of course BioChem Pharma was a huge

success, and Klox will be a big success too, but I think the best money I ever spent was on the soccer team. To see these people crying of joy...where do you see that?

Families, kids everyone in the town square shaking your hand...it’s completely changing my way of life! This team has history behind it. It was founded in 1898 and people have this history in their heart – it’s been transmitted through generations.

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SPORTS

A Community Through Calcio and Culture A glimpse into the past of Toronto Italia and the future of Toronto Azzurri Soccer Club

By Dante Di Iulio

T

for premier teams not provided by the semi-pro Canadian National Soccer League. Bosa was granted permission to move Toronto Italia from the NSL. Soon afterwards, Toronto City, Montreal Cantalia and Hamilton Steelers formed to begin the first season of the Eastern Canadian Professional Soccer League.

A crowd of 16,509 watched the opening game at Varsity Stadium between Toronto Italia, comprised mostly of Italian-Canadian players, and Toronto City, which recruited a number of established players from England, including Danny Blanchflower, Tommy Younger and the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews.

During the first three years, Toronto Italia remained the most popular team, attracting over 6,000 spectators per game. But, as the years went on, attendance

To inspire, support and delight our customers when expressing life’s most important sentiments

Italo, Ester & Eligio Paris

he history of soccer in Canada has been intimately tied to immigration.

Originally, the growth of the sport came naturally from the British, but an influx of immigrants after the Second World War further helped to shape and develop the “beautiful game.” From 1950 onwards, traditional teams disappeared and were replaced by teams formed by communities from Portugal, Hungary, Serbia and most notably, Italy.

Formed in 1956/57, Toronto Italia began playing in the Canadian National Soccer League, winning the League in 1957 and the playoff championship in 1960. However, with a wider popularity growing among the immigrant population and negligible television rights, George Gross, a sports columnist, and Peter Bosa, a politician, saw the need to create a more professional atmosphere

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SPORTS Photography by Joe Mancuso The ribbon-cutting ceremony in April, which officially launched the Toronto Azzurri Youth Sports Village.

dwindled and the league disbanded in 1966. Toronto Italia would return to the NSL in 1968, and under the leadership of Gino Ventresca and Rocco Lofranco, would go on to win a total of 16 championships over 28 years.

While Toronto Italia was moving back to the NSL, a new club was forming in the Oakwood and St. Clair Avenues (Robina Avenue YMCA) area with the belief that soccer could help shape the lives of young men. This vision, developed by Aldo Principe, Joe Vaccari and Sam Ciccolini, became the Westwood Young Generation Soccer Club. Ranging from U12 to U17, the WYGSC created winning teams at every age group, all unified by their heritage and love of the game. As these young players aspired to rise to the top, a senior team was formed under the name of Toronto Azzurri. Throughout its history, the organization has produced some of Canada’s best soccer players including Robert Iarusci and Carmine Marcantonio.

In 1999, Toronto Azzurri formalized themselves with a constitution, with the objective of giving back to the community and building a soccer centre of excellence. In 2002, they joined with Centro Scuola Azzurri at the Columbus Centre under the leadership of Alberto Di Giovanni. With Di Giovanni’s guidance, heritage and language classes were administered after soccer practice in the hopes of enriching the cultural lives of the young athletes. In 2004, in order to maintain high performance teams, a partnership with the North York Hearts was born, resulting in a national championship that same year.

While soccer was their mode of shaping youth, Toronto Azzurri still aimed to create a place the soccer community could call home. Aided by the friendship developed with Sgt. Stephen Hicks, founder of the forKICKS Athletics and Education Organization, the club’s efforts were re-engineered towards the community. Through Hicks and former Toronto city councilor Peter Li Preti, Toronto Azzurri signed a 20-year lease with the City of Toronto for five acres of land at the Keele Street Reservoir, to form the Toronto Azzurri Youth Sports Village, which opened this past April. The million-dollar indoor/outdoor com-

plex, which is funded by club members, private funds and donations, benefits youth, many from the Jane and Finch area, through skills development, health, fitness and fun.

Led by Tony G. Graci, president, and former Toronto Italia player Robert Iarusci, chairman, the Sports Village has been a labour of love from the beginning. The two men, who have been friends since they were 13, have dreamed of replicating the Robina Avenue YMCA experience that was used by the Westwood Young Generation of 45 years ago. Now they have it. “There are children from various backgrounds and nationalities all getting along beautifully, playing a beautiful game,” said Graci. “Ultimately, if we can remove children from the streets and the street gang environment, and put them in a safe and friendly environment, we hope to direct them along a positive road.”

During the summer, the forKICKS program runs a free summer soccer league that is staffed mainly by volunteer police officers. With this expansion comes the first Canadian Cruyff Court, funded by the Johan Cruyff Foundation, which is a mini outdoor soccer court that is intended to teach leadership skills through soccer.

Graci explains that within five years (and with the hard work of the board of directors and the help of Councilor Anthony Perruzza), the Toronto Azzurri hopes to build a dome bubble to house indoor leagues over the winter and obtain another 10 acres of land to house more fields. With the recent addition of dance and arts programs, the Toronto Azzurri Soccer Club is now a yearround sports and culture related complex for the community.

“My greatest joy is simply sitting at the side of a soccer field watching children of all races and backgrounds cooperating as a team,” said Graci. “The language you speak does not really matter. All communication is exchanged by the body language of soccer.”

For more information, visit www.torontoazzurri.com.

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ONE MORE DAY

If I Had One More Day with a Loved One...

Giovanni Raniolo February 7, 1927 - March 15, 2007 If I could choose to have one more day with anyone that had passed, I would choose to spend it with my beloved Nonno. We would spend the day at home, surrounded by his three greatgrandchildren, who he never had the chance to meet. I would love to see him interact with my kids, sing them silly songs.... "Tu sei come una farfalla, che vuole bene solo a me ...." I would make him his favourite meal, the meal that he always used to make us: conchiglie ripieni and pour him a nice glass of wine. I would tell him that I love him with all of my heart and that his love helped shape me into the person I am today. I would hug him and tell him that I miss him so much and that I always think of him and talk about him to my kids. Nonnino ti porto sempre nel mio cuore. Until we meet again.

Pinuccia

Pascal Belvolto July 12, 1911 - October 23, 1961

Saverio Filippelli May 24, 1930 - November 10, 2013 If I had one more day to spend with my one-of-a-kind Nonno, it would mean the world. I still picture him being next to me. Nonna’s house isn’t the same.

I miss a lot of things he used to do, the way he organized his garden, the times he repeated his childhood stories and how he made me feel like I was the luckiest grandson to have a Nonno like him. I would tell him how much I love him and miss him. You were my superhero and now my guardian angel.

Ti amo Nonno!

Saverio

If I had one more day with you, we would go, together with the whole family, to our cottage in the country. You would plant pansies, your favourite flowers, and we would eat spaghetti with meat sauce and braciole looking out the window at people passng by. Another day, we would go shopping. Another day, we would go to the Saint-Joseph Oratory and then to the cemetery to pray for your parents. Those are the memories that come back to me 53 years later. I wish you had been present for so many things in my life. We could have gone to Italy together and talked about your childhood and your dreams. One more day to appreciate your generosity and your love. One more day to share your heritage and your presence. One more day to tell you how much I love you, because I was too young when you left. Thank you for being there, even though it was too short. I remember your last words…

Your daughter, Carmela Belvolto

If I Had One More Day...

What would you do if you could spend one more day with a deceased loved one? Send your text (max 200 words) and high resolution pictures to info@panoramitalia.com 62

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