Panoram Italia Toronto Oct/Nov 2016

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

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

WINE GUIDE

2016 ENCHANTING

BASILICATA COVER: DON ZIRALDO OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2016 • VOL.6 • NO.5

www.panoramitalia.com

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Lando

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 Vol. 6 NO. 5 EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Words of Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Daniele Zanotti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Removing the Stigma of Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Future Leader: Geoff Carnevale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

LIFE & PEOPLE

Cover story - Don Ziraldo: From the Ground Up . . . . . . . . . 22 Italian Wines Get Boost in Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Italian Wine Guide 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

WINE

How the Day of the Earthquakes Shook Me . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Canadians Unite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Lessons to Learn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

EARTHQUAKE

31 47

VILLA CHARITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 LIVING ITALIAN STYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Matera: The reawakening of the Sassi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Basilicata’s Medieval Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Flavours of Lucania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 An Ode to Muro Lucano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Basilicata Community in the GTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Delicious Lucania Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER & EDITOR Tony Zara

EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Zara MONTREAL MANAGING EDITOR & WEB MANAGER Gabriel Riel-Salvatore PROOFREADERS Rossana Bruzzone Aurélie Ptito

Artist Lucia Paterra Catania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Intervista con Laura Pausini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Vittoria Zorfini TRANSLATORS Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo Athena Mellor

ART DEPARTMENT ART DIRECTION & GRAPHIC DESIGN David Ferreira

PHOTOGRAPHY Giulio Muratori

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Anthony Zara Gianpietro Nagliati-Bravi Fred Lamberti

BASILICATA

54

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Pal Di Iulio TORONTO MANAGING EDITOR Rita Simonetta

CONTRIBUTORS Rebecca Alberico • Daniel Calabretta • Karolyn Coorsh • Erica CupidoDanila Di Croce • Sal Difalco • Francesco Di Muro • Alessia Sara Domanico Beatrice Fantoni • Biancamaria Grasso • Marisa Iacobucci • Sabrina Marandola Shayne McGreal • Romina Monaco • Paolo Patrito • Paul Salvatori

ARTS & CULTURE

Hockey Hotbed at St. Michael’s College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

SPORTS

EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

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EDITORIAL

Make Wine, Not War Fate il vino, non fate la guerra In

October, during San Martino, “ogni buon ottobre, durante San Martino, “ogni buon mosto è vino!” Quante mosto è vino!” How many times have you volte avete sentito questa massima? Ogni autunno, non si poteva heard that maxim? Every fall, at my parentrare nella cantina dei miei genitori (sotto la veranda) senza ents’ home you could not get into the basement canprima offrire questo augurio di San Martino al mosto che fermentava. Il mio tina (sotto la veranda) without first wishing this San primo ricordo di vino fatto in casa mi rimanda a quando si pestava l’uva a piedi Martino augurio to the fermenting mosto. My nudi in cantina durante l’ottobre del 1957. first recollection of homemade wine-making was In questa edizione di Panoram Italia vogliamo augurare un buon San stomping grapes barefoot in the cellar during the Martino a tutti i produttori di vino, giovani e vecchi (o grandi e piccoli). Tutti month of October 1957. abbiamo apprezzato il nettare degli dei e nel corso degli ultimi decenni, i vini e For this edition of Panoram Italia we would specialmente i vini importati dall’Italia, hanno sostituito birra e altri alcolici like to wish happy San Martino to all wine makers come drink preferiti da gustare durante i pasti.

– young and old. We have all enjoyed the nectar of Ricordate quando nel 1970 si provava a fare colpo con una bottiglia di vino the gods, and over the last score of years, wines, francese Mouton Cadet! Poi arrivarono i Castelli Romani e i Colli Albani! Ed and especially Italian imported wines, have ora abbiamo una selezione infinita di vini di varia denominazione, prezzo, displaced beer and other alcohol as the favourite drink to enjoy with meals. qualità e sapore.

Remember in the 1970s when you tried to impress her with a bottle of French Generazione di italiani negli Stati Uniti e nel Canada producono del vino wine Mouton Cadet! Then came fatto in casa con mosti califorCastelli Romani, Colli Albani! niani nelle loro cantine e i loro And now we have an endless garage per bere e, qualche selection of wines of various appelvolta, per vendere. lations, prices, quality and taste.

Molte volte l’orgoglio Generations of Italians in associato alla parole “fatto in the U.S. and Canada have been casa” sta per l’ego di chi lo fa e making homemade wine with non per la qualità dell’aceto California grapes in basements prodotto. I mosti californiani and garages to drink – and somesono arrivati al nord in treno times even to sell. Many times per decenni. A volte sono stati the pride associated with the word mischiati con dell’uva fragola “homemade” stood for the ego dell’Ontario o con varietà of the maker and not for the coltivate nei cortili. quality of the aceto produced.

E poi le cose in Canada California grapes have been sono cambiate. Questo grazie coming north in railway cars for a persone come Don Ziraldo decades. It was occasionally (la storia della copertina di mixed with Ontario’s very own questo numero) che poruva fragola or backyard grown tarono la passione per il vino varieties. di produzione familiare, ad un And then things changed in altro livello, con ottimi vini Canada. That’s thanks to people like Left to right: Sergio Orlando, Joseph Longo, Ralph Ciccia, Michael Marrese, premiati di ottimo in tutto il Larry Mancini, Pal Di Iulio and Luigino De Faveri (not in photo) driving the float truck.

Don Ziraldo (this edition’s cover mondo, nel processo, creando story) who took the passion for una nuova industria. wine from a family cantina proLa produzione dei vini duction to craftsman, artistry award-winning wines and, in the process, dell’Ontario ora si estende da Prince Edward County alle cascate del Niagara, created a new industry. ad ovest lungo la 401 nella zona del lago di Erie North Shore e Windsor, e Ontario wines, whose production now stretches from Prince Edward County testimonia la presenza di quest’industria. to Niagara Escarpment, west along the 401 to the Lake Erie North Shore and Ziraldo e coloro che hanno seguito, hanno contribuito a costruire Windsor area, is testimony to that industry. Ziraldo and those who followed built quest’industria attraverso l’importazione di vini dal vecchio mondo, the industry by importing vines from the old world and introducing – and adaptintroducendoli – e adattandoli al clima, ai paesaggi e ai valori del Canada. ing them – to the weather, landscape and values of Canada. Much in the tradition Simile a Giovanni Caboto ed Enrico Tonti, Ziraldo era un’avventuriero, of Giovanni Caboto and Enrico Tonti, Ziraldo was an adventurer, explorer, piouno scopritore un pioniere e un visionario. neer and visionary.

Speriamo che leggerete e gusterete la guida dei vini preparata dal nostro We hope that you will read and enjoy the wine reviews prepared by our wine esperto e sommelier Gabriel Riel-Salvatore. Alziamo un bicchiere “ma uno alla expert and sommelier Gabriel Riel-Salvatore. Let’s raise a bicchiere “but one at a volta”, come diceva mio nonno, alla nostra salute e alla nostra fortuna. time,” as my nonno used to say, to our salute and good fortune.

Fate il vino, non la guerra e apprezzatelo e condividetelo con amici, e mi Make wine, not war. Enjoy and share it with friends, and please, do not drink raccomando non bevete alla guida. and drive.

Pace e bene.

Pace e bene.

Pal Di Iulio, Associate Editor, Panoram Italia Pal Di Iulio, Associate Editor, Panoram Italia 10

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Words of Wisdom

LIFE & PEOPLE

Photos by Paul Salvatori

Name: Luigi Prozzo Occupation: Marble Cutter City: Toronto (North York) The key to a successful business is that you do the job right the first time, especially when you’re dealing with something that lasts forever. If, say, someone building a veranda skimps on one or two bags of cement, he’s going to have to go back and fix it after a few years. That’s not good. You have to please your customers. You have to do your job with love. Honest, lifelong work makes you happy.

Name: Maria Elisa Maltese Occupation: Registered Nurse City: Vaughan Care isn’t just looking after a person’s physical needs, right at this moment. It’s being present for them as a person. It could be holding a patient’s hand when he or she is alone and the sad news of the condition he or she are dealing with is sinking in. Even though, as a nurse, care involves maintaining emotional boundaries, it is still about showing empathy, understanding what patients are going through and responding to them in a way – sometimes by just listening – that makes their predicament less difficult to bear.

Name: Mario Gentile Occupation: Former City Councillor City: Toronto (North York) In prison, you’re forced to examine yourself hard and figure out how you can redeem yourself, including giving back to the community you let down. And that’s what I want to do through teaching others, especially students entering politics: to always be honest, respect the law, and avoid those traps – like payoffs for favours you shouldn’t do – that seem like “no big deal” to people of influence. I am a person who has taken responsibility for his past. Today I ask for forgiveness, a second chance.

Name: Salvatore (Sal) Amenta Occupation: Retired Teacher City: Stouffville I was too young at 15 to appreciate a pearl of wisdom when it was offered to me by none other than Johnny Lombardi. I was tending the fruit stand at his grocery store at College and Grace streets, when Mr. Lombardi criticized the disorder of the stand. He didn’t buy my excuse that it was impossible to keep tidy with customers picking the best and tossing the rest. “Nothing is impossible,” he shot back. “We must do the impossible!” Too polite to talk back, I thought, ‘That's crazy, how can I do the impossible?’

The answer came to me 10 years later while writing my PhD dissertation: we know what we can do only when we push ourselves to the limit. Thank you Mr. Lombardi.

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LIFE & PEOPLE

Daniele Zanotti United Way Toronto & York Region CEO still inspired

By Erica Cupido

M

any of Daniele Zanotti’s workdays involve speaking in front of large groups. As the President and CEO of United Way Toronto & York Region, communicating in a way that inspires and helps others is part of his job. It’s also where his Italian heritage shines through. “Language really says a lot about us,” says the 48-year-old. “How we gesticulate or shift in tone, it’s all part of the beauty of our culture.”

In June, Zanotti was named President and CEO of the newly merged United Way Toronto & York Region, the organization’s largest chapter in the world. Before that, he gained experience as senior vice president of resource development and marketing, a role that involved overseeing and promoting United Way’s fundraising campaign. Amid days spent meeting with corporate leaders, volunteers and digital marketers, Zanotti says having the chance to speak about United Way’s influence in local communities continues to motivate him. “It’s humbling to stand before a group and show them how far their dollars are going, and how many lives those dollars are changing,” he says. “It gives us a chance to talk about the work we’re doing to prevent homelessness or youth unemployment. That’s exciting.”

Since graduating with a master’s degree in social work from the University of Toronto, Zanotti has worked with a variety of charities and community outreach organizations. When asked whether a specific person or event prompted him to study social work, he says, “Some would say it’s bred in the bone. People are often born with a desire to serve.” Over the years he’s gained experience working at Family Day Care Services and Villa Charities, where he was CEO of Villa Charities Foundation and was part of the team behind Villa Colombo Vaughan.

“If there’s an epiphany for me in all of my work it’s that community is the answer; bring people together, they will find the right solution,” he says. In March 2007, Zanotti became CEO of United Way York Region. He quickly started conversations about joining forces with the Toronto chapter, explaining to colleagues that the merger could strengthen both groups. In July 2015, that goal became a reality. The organization’s record $100 million raised last year validated his point. Today, United Way Toronto & York Region serves communities from Kensington Market to Keswick. They also work with 240 agencies, 14

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over 25,000 volunteers and over 175,000 donors. While issues like poverty and youth unemployment affect areas across the region, Zanotti says what those situations look like, and how they are addressed varies depending on each community.

Growing up, Zanotti witnessed how his parents – who came to Canada from Lover, Trentino Alto Adige and Ofena, Abruzzo, and met in Huntsville in the mid-1950s – worked hard to provide him with every available opportunity.

“Today, the gap between working hard and succeeding is a lot different,” he says. “It’s not a direct result of working hard. Today, people can work darn hard and still not get a chance to succeed. So our work becomes more critical [and] complex.”

At home in Vaughan – where Zanotti lives with his wife and their two teenage children – Italian traditions are part of his family’s life, but they’re also changing over time.

“The culture that my parents brought with them is no longer the Italian culture. Culture changes, it’s fluid,” he says. “More important for me is being grounded in the language, in the history and in the role of family. It’s not unique to Italians, but the role of family is such a cornerstone of our culture.” He encourages his children to continue learning the language as well. “As shy as they might be to speak it, the ability to understand it is critical,” he says.

“Sometimes I’ll see a hand gesture or a cadence that they use, and I can almost see my parents, and how time spent with them has informed how [my daughter and son] speak.”

The circle of people who have impacted the way Zanotti expresses himself stretches far wider than his family. He recalls seeing a woman and her young daughter leaving a homeless shelter to live at a safe house years ago. The child was dressed in a Batgirl outfit, and saying, “Surrender! That’s not part of my vocabulary.” The girl’s mother – whose daughter is now in university – still keeps in touch with Zanotti and his colleagues at United Way. A recent email from her opened with the line, “Surrender! That’s not part of my vocabulary.”

Zanotti says, “She’s moved on with her life and that, to me, is enough to fuel me for the next 25 years. That change is all you need.”

Photography by Shawn McPherson/United Way Toronto & York Region

Changing Lives with

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LIFE & PEOPLE

Photos courtesy of the Friendship Bench

Removing the Stigma of Depression in the Italian-Canadian Community

Sam Fiorella with his wife Susan and daughter Vanessa at the unveiling of the Friendship Bench at Humber College in Toronto

By Beatrice Fantoni

N

ot long after Sam Fiorella found out his 19-year-old son Lucas had taken his own life, he posted a note to his Facebook page. In it, he spoke of Lucas’ unexpected death and encouraged his fellow parents to speak to their kids about mental health. “My first thought was, ‘I don’t want this to happen to anybody else,’” says Fiorella, who describes Lucas as a strong student, athletic, hard-working and sociable. “There wasn’t anything calculated in that.

I just wanted to help others.”

Living in the Italian-Canadian community, talking openly about his son’s suicide and his hidden struggle with mental illness netted him some criticism from family, he says.

After all, the combination of Catholicism and a culture of self-reliance made suicide – and mental illness in general – a taboo subject. But Fiorella explained his motivation and eventually his parents admitted to him there had been others in the family who suffered silently and who died not accidentally (as they used to speak of it) but by suicide, like Lucas had.

People like Fiorella are seeing the attitude change in the Italian-Canadian community when it comes to mental illness.

After Lucas’ death, Fiorella went on to launch The Friendship Bench initiative for mental health on high school, college and university campuses. Lucas was a student at Carleton University when he died and was remembered by his friends as a person who, paradoxically, stuck by and supported his peers when they were struggling with stress, anxiety about school and suicidal thoughts.

The yellow benches are not just a tribute to Lucas, Fiorella says, but a constant reminder to students that there are on-campus mental health services and they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help.

Younger people are more likely than older folks to speak openly about mental well-being because the public awareness campaigns and media coverage have helped normalize it, says Melissa Petriglia, a psychotherapist at the Vaughan Counselling Centre.

In other words, there seems to be a generational divide among ItalianCanadians when it comes to awareness and acknowledgement of mental illness, which the Canadian Institute for Health Research estimates will affect 1 in 5 Canadians at some point in their life. “I think people feel they’re going to be judged,” says Petriglia, statings one of the main barriers to getting help.

Among Italian immigrants, she says, it might have been seen as a sign of weakness to admit to feeling depressed, for example, so people would just try to muddle through, suffering in silence, because there were other priorities.

Things are changing, however. Referrals from family doctors seem to have played a big role in getting older generations of Italian-Canadians to seek out support for mental health problems, she says. In fact, it’s common for people to be surprised when they learn their troubled sleep or chest pain is mental in nature rather than purely physical. “They’re relieved to know there’s an answer for this, there’s a name for this, there’s a treatment for this.”

As we become more educated about mental health, adult children are getting better at spotting signs in their parents, so they’ll bring them in for consultations, Petriglia says.

Coming from the same cultural background as her clients and being able to speak with them in Italian can really help in therapy, she adds.

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For example, knowing how Italian families typically function or how religion plays a role in the grieving process can help her develop more effective coping strategies with her clients.

Family issues, financial stress and caring for an aging spouse are among some of the common problems she helps her clients with.

Major public awareness campaigns, like Bell’s annual Let’s Talk initiative, have done a lot to make mental health a topic of open conversation. “Stigma is the single largest barrier for people to access treatment,” says Mary Deacon, chair of Bell’s Let’s Talk mental health initiative.

According to a 2015 survey by Nielsen for Bell Let’s Talk, 70 per cent of respondents said they felt attitudes toward mental health have improved and 57 per cent indicated the stigma has decreased. Just over 80 per cent of respondents said they are more aware of the issue.

Talking openly helps break down the silence, Deacon says, and it also helps people see that those who struggle with mental health are not weak or moral failures.

After losing her aunt to suicide in 2014, Jennifer Parolari says she and her family look at mental health in a totally different way now.

“It is a sickness,” says Parolari, whose aunt Eda Cucakovich was a very successful model and fashion producer in Toronto and Europe. As a family, they’re now comfortable saying it was an illness that took Eda’s life when she was 58, not herself.

It’s possible Eda’s Italian upbringing made her reluctant to be open about her depression with those outside her family, Parolari says, but she was also a very strong and independent woman who was well known in the fashion community. She was the first CHIN Miss Italia, she modelled all over the world and went on to produce the annual bridal shows at Toronto’s convention centre and the Miss India-Canada pageant. “She always felt she could do it on her own,” Parolari says, adding that Eda’s husband and family stuck by her through her illness. She was afraid of people labelling her “crazy,” she says.

Her aunt used to tell her she wished she had cancer rather than a mental illness, Parolari recalls, because people are instantly empathetic when they hear the word cancer. But when it comes to mental illness, she says, it’s not unusual to still hear comments like “snap out of it”.

The family grew very frustrated with the health-care system, Parolari adds, because Eda could not access help unless she voluntarily admitted herself to treatment. Instead, she would insist she was OK, Parolari recalls, and there was nothing more the family could do. “It was so frustrating,” she says. “Nothing helped.”

After her death, Parolari helped organize a fashion show in Eda’s memory and establish a scholarship in her name at Humber College for students in the fashion program. The family opted to focus more on this aspect of Eda’s life than making the show a benefit for mental health, she says. “Ultimately,” she says, “we didn’t know the battle she was having within herself.”

For more information about depression or The Lucas Fiorella Friendship Bench, contact Sam Fiorella at www.thefriendshipbench.org/contact or #YellowIsForHello.

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FUTURE LEADER

An unwillingness to fail

By Daniel Calabretta

“S

uccess is not the key to happiness,” philosopher Albert Schweitzer for homes, commercial and investment properties, and debt consolidation. Frank once said. “Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you Carnevale, the president, who specializes in private lending, founded the business are doing, you will be successful.” For Geoff Carnevale – vice in 1978. However, despite having a staff of only four people, Admore averages 150 president of Admore Financial Services Inc. (Admore) – it’s been his love for to 200 transactions a year and has a database of over a 1,000 clients. his profession, and the mortgage industry as a whole, that has led to his At the heart of this family business, is a strong bond – between father and son prosperity and success.

– that runs deep. “We kind of leverage each other’s strengths. It works out well At only 35, Carnevale is the vicebecause when I leverage his strength, if he president of a reputable mortgage agency says something, I might argue with him on and the newly minted president of the it. But I know, I trust his opinion.”

Independent Mortgage Brokers When he is not working, Carnevale What’s amazing about SickKids is since I Association of Ontario (IMBA). “I’ve seen enjoys exercising, coaching hockey and, his started the tournament, I’ve realized how a lot of different personality types and most cherished past time, golf – a hobby traits be successful in my business and in that he’s incorporated into his fundraising many people have dealt directly with that other businesses,” the nine-year licensed initiative for SickKids Hospital. In 2013, hospital. And you realize how much work agent says. “I think the one characteristic Carnevale and his friend Steve Massaroni they actually do. that you need is an unwillingness to fail.” started an annual golf charity tournament But the career that has given him to benefit SickKids. such satisfaction was not the one hein“What’s amazing about SickKids is tended to pursue from the beginning. In since I started the tournament, I’ve fact, Carnevale graduated in finance and economics from Ryerson University in realized how many people have dealt directly with that hospital. And you realize 2007 and expressed an interest in becoming an investment advisor or stockbroker. how much work they actually do.” To date, Carnevale and Massaroni have raised Carnevale says that his father “never pushed” him to pursue a career in the over $35,000. mortgage industry, instead, not long after he graduated university, some of Carnevale, whose father hails from Pico, Lazio, is also a proud Italian. It’s a Carnevale’s relatives suggested he consider working alongside his father. “I started part of his identity where he feels inextricably linked to others of the same backworking with my dad (just to see if I liked it) and I loved it,” says Carnevale, who ground. “You’re part of a community,” he says. “And in the community you’re in it’s specializes in traditional mortgages. amazing. It’s so generational. I’ll know someone and my father knows his father.”

One of the many reasons he is so passionate about his career is that it gives In terms of future aspirations, Carnevale hopes to keep the ideal balance him the opportunity to help people. “Whether it’s people buying their first house between work and his personal life. “From a business point-of-view, my goal has and they’re nervous about the process, or whether it’s someone who needs to clean always been to increase every year and to keep on growing and improving. But, at up some of their debts and you’re able to consolidate everything for them – seeing the same time, my goal is to also improve my quality of life. As much as I want my that relief and appreciation from clients, it’s really gratifying.” business to be successful, I want my marriage and my relationship with my family Admore is a lending brokerage firm that helps individuals obtain financing to trump all of that.”

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Photography by Giulio Muratori

Geoff Carnevale

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Toronto OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 17-32_Layout 1 2016-10-11 10:32 AM Page 21

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Photography by Giulio Muratori

From the Ground Up Da cima a fondo Karolyn Coorsh

A glimpse into the Uno scorcio sul mondo del world of winemaker viticoltore Don Ziraldo.

Don Ziraldo

D

on Ziraldo has managed to live life in reverse, and that’s fine by him.

After decades of travelling the world and promoting Niagara region wine as co-founder of Inniskillin winery, the 67-year-old winemaker is enjoying the fruits of his labour. That includes spending time with his wife Victoria – a documentary filmmaker and marketing director for Ziraldo Wines and Senhora do Convento – and watching his young son Aspen grow each day. “I just tell people I lived life backwards, so I now have a lot of time on my hands to spend with my family,” Ziraldo says. “I admire people who can actually raise a family and run a business. I now have a three-and-a-half year-old and spend all of my time with him and Victoria, which I might not have been able to do when I was travelling around the world promoting Canadian icewine.” But Ziraldo is no slouch. Far from it.

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on Ziraldo ha organizzato la sua vita al contrario, e gli va bene così. Dopo decenni trascorsi in giro per il mondo a promuovere il vino della regione di Niagara in qualità di cofondatore della Inniskillin, il viticoltore sessantenne si gode adesso i frutti del proprio lavoro. Tra questi: trascorrere del tempo con la moglie Victoria – documentarista e direttore marketing della Ziraldo Wines e del marchio Senhora do Convento – e vedere il figlioletto Aspen crescere di giorno in giorno. “Alla gente dico semplicemente di aver vissuto la vita alla rovescia, per cui adesso ho un sacco di tempo a disposizione da trascorrere con la mia famiglia” afferma Ziraldo. “Ammiro le persone che riescono contemporaneamente a tirar su famiglia e a gestire gli affari. Adesso ho un figlio di tre anni e mezzo e trascorro tutto il mio tempo con lui e Victoria, cosa che non sarei stato in grado di fare quando viaggiavo in giro per il mondo a promuovere l’icewine canadese.” Ma Ziraldo non è un fannullone. Lungi da lui esserlo.

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Born in St. Catharines, Ont. to Italian immigrant parents, Ziraldo was raised and worked on the family farm and later studied agriculture at Guelph University. Today, the Order of Canada recipient is considered a pioneer in Canadian winemaking, having won countless international awards and industry accolades. A vigorous work ethic is something that was instilled in Ziraldo at a young age, first by his parents and then by circumstance. “My father died when I was 15 so as the eldest son, I had to take over as the head of an Italian family,” Ziraldo said. “I finished university – my mom insisted that I do that. She would manage the farm and I would come home on the weekends.”

Though he was born in Canada, Ziraldo is heavily influenced by his Italian roots. “My first language was Friulano,” he says, referring to Friuli, the region of northern Italy from which his parents hail.

Ziraldo’s ties to Italy are such that he and his wife and son now visit the country for a month each year, where Aspen attends a Montessori school. “I always say my cultural heritage is Italian, my Canadian identity is pioneering.”

That pioneership began in the early 1970s when Ziraldo ran Ziraldo Farms and Nursery. One day, Karl Kaiser, an Austria-born winemaker, approached him for his services. “Kaiser came to me to buy plants; we got talking and one thing led to another,” Ziraldo says.

With Kaiser making the wine and Ziraldo selling it, the pair established Inniskillin Wines Inc., receiving the first winery licence in the region since Prohibition. “At the time it was significant, and we were just young and naive enough to think that we could do it,” Ziraldo says.

His first vineyard of Riesling, Chardonnay and Gamay was harvested in 1977, creating the “heart of what would be Inniskillin’s philosophy of producing premium wines from premium grapes grown in the Niagara Peninsula,” reads a passage on the wine company’s website.

In 1984, Kaiser vinified the first icewine from Vidal grapes frozen naturally on the vine. After a brief stint setting up a winery in California, Ziraldo was back north of the border in the late 1980s, in time to help usher Canadian wines onto the international stage. In 1991, Kaiser’s Vidal Icewine received the most prestigious award in the wine world at Vinexpo – the Grand Prix d’Honneur. In 2009, Inniskilin icewine won another landmark prize – the Premio Speciale Gran Vinitaly in Verona.

Suddenly, the world took notice of Niagara wines. Ziraldo says the international community was fascinated with icewine and it was easy to make the connection to Canada’s climate. “When you say ‘cold’ and ‘icewine,’ psychologically, it fits,” Ziraldo says. It wasn’t all that difficult to sell, he adds, “but you had to, like anything else, spend the time and nurture the marketplace.”

In doing so, Ziraldo became known for his efforts in establishing Canada as a credible wine exporter and the Niagara peninsula as an innovative cool climate wine region.

In 1988, he began a seven-year stint as founding chair of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). In 1999, Inniskillin Hall opened at Brock University’s the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, a program in which Ziraldo served as co-chair. He was also key in building the Niagara Culinary Institute and served as Capital Campaign Chair.

“We built those because it’s important for us to have our own people trained in our own region,” he says. Ziraldo left Inniskillin in 2006, but retirement wasn’t in the cards. He started Ziraldo Wines, planting a vineyard on the original Inniskillin property.

In 2004, Ziraldo was made an honourary citizen of Friuli. The region is the birthplace of a white grape variety called Picolit. In his parents’ hometown of Fagagna, Ziraldo planted a Picolit vineyard and produced Bianco di Fagagna, which was later sold at the LCBO. “It was a tribute to my mom and dad,” he says.

Today, Ziraldo remains active in his community and is still involved in promoting the Niagara region. He and his family also frequently visit Portugal, where he manages Senhora do Convento winery and monastery in the Douro Valley.

Ziraldo’s outlook for Canadian winemaking is hopeful. “Now we’re getting some really interesting people with money coming to the Peninsula.”

He estimates there are about 150 wineries in Niagara, “so there’s a lot of good competition and good competition generates quality.” At the end of the day, Ziraldo is happy to work in his vineyard, his son by his side.

“It’s nice. It’s the soil, it’s the earth – it’s very grounding.”

Nato a St. Catharines, Ontario, da immigrati italiani, Ziraldo è stato allevato nella fattoria di famiglia, dove ha anche lavorato, e successivamente ha studiato Agraria all’Università di Guelph. Insignito dell’Ordine del Canada e vincitore di innumerevoli premi internazionali e riconoscimenti del settore, è oggi considerato un pioniere dell’industria enologica canadese.

Sin da giovanissimo è stata instillata in Ziraldo, innanzitutto dai suoi genitori e poi dalle circostanze, un’etica del lavoro rigorosa. “Mio padre è morto quando avevo 15 anni, quindi, essendo il figlio maggiore, ho dovuto sostituirlo mettendomi a capo di una famiglia italiana,” afferma Ziraldo. “Ho completato gli studi universitari – mia madre ha insistito affinché lo facessi. Lei gestiva la tenuta e io tornavo a casa nei fine settimana.”

Sebbene nato in Canada, Ziraldo è fortemente influenzato dalle proprie radici italiane. “La mia prima lingua è stata il friulano” afferma, facendo riferimento al Friuli, regione di origine dei suoi genitori. Il legame di Ziraldo con l’Italia è tale che, ogni anno, lui, sua moglie e il figlio visitano per un mese il paese, e ad Aspen il piccolo di casa frequenta una scuola Montessori. “Sostengo sempre che il mio retaggio culturale è italiano e la mia identità canadese pionieristica.”

Quel pionierismo ha avuto inizio nei primi degli anni ’70, quando Ziraldo gestiva le Fattorie e il Vivaio Ziraldo. Un giorno, Karl Kaiser, viticoltore austriaco di nascita, gli si è rivolto per ricorrere ai servizi da lui offerti. “Kaiser è venuto da me per comprare delle piante; abbiamo chiacchierato e da cosa è nata cosa,” afferma Ziraldo.

Con Kaiser alla produzione del vino e Ziraldo alla vendita, la coppia ha fondato la Inniskillin Wines Inc., ricevendo la prima licenza per un’azienda vinicola nella regione dai tempi del Proibizionismo. “A quei tempi è stato significativo e noi eravamo abbastanza giovani e naif da credere di potercela fare,” sostiene Ziraldo. La vendemmia nel suo primo vitigno di Riesling, Chardonnay e Gamay è avvenuta nel 1977, generando “il cuore di ciò che sarebbe stata la filosofia della Inniskillin di produrre vini pregiati da uve pregiate coltivate nella penisola di Niagara,” come si legge sul sito web della compagnia vinicola.

Nel 1984, Kaiser ha vinificato il primo icewine ottenuto da uva Vidal fatta congelare naturalmente nel vitigno. Dopo un breve lasso di tempo in California per metter su un’azienda vinicola, Ziraldo è ritornato a nord del confine alla fine degli anni ’80, in tempo per favorire l’approdo dei vini canadesi sulla scena internazionale.

Nel 1991, in occasione del Vinexpo, l’icewine Vidal di Kaiser ha ricevuto il premio più prestigioso nel mondo dei vini – il Gran prix d’honneur. Nel 2009, l’icewine Inniskillin ha vinto un altro importante premio – il Premio speciale Gran Vinitaly a Verona.

All’improvviso, i vini della regione di Niagara sono stati notati nel mondo.

Ziraldo sostiene che la comunità internazionale è rimasta affascinata dall’icewine e che risultava abbastanza naturale associarlo al clima del Canada. “Quando associ le parole ‘freddo’ e ‘icewine’, mentalmente, ha senso,” dice Ziraldo. “Vendere non è stato poi così difficile,” aggiunge, “ma bisognava, come in tutto, dedicarci del tempo ed educare il mercato.”

Nel farlo, Ziraldo si è distinto per il suo impegno nel far sì che il Canada venisse riconosciuto quale esportatore di vini credibile e la penisola di Niagara una regione vinicola, sì fredda ma innovativa.

Nel 1988, ha cominciato una fase durata sette anni nelle vesti di presidente fondatore della Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). Nel 1999, la Inniskillin Hall ha aperto l’Istituto di Viticoltura ed Enologia nei Climi Freddi all’Università di Brock, un programma del quale Ziraldo è stato copresidente. È stato inoltre cruciale per la fondazione dell’Istituto culinario di Niagara ed ha fatto da Presidente in una massiccia raccolta fondi. “Li abbiamo creati perché per noi è importante avere, tra i nostri, gente la cui formazione ha luogo nella nostra stessa regione,” spiega. Ziraldo ha lasciato la Inniskillin nel 2006, ma il pensionamento era improbabile. Ha avviato la Ziraldo Wines, piantando un vitigno nella proprietà originale della Inniskillin.

Nel 2004, Ziraldo è stato nominato cittadino onorario del Friuli. La regione è il luogo di nascita di un tipo di varietà d’uva a bacca bianca chiamata Picolit, per cui nella cittadina di Fagagna, da cui sono originari i suoi genitori, Ziraldo ha piantato un vitigno di Picolit e ha prodotto il Bianco di Fagagna, che è stato in seguito venduto da LCBO. “È stato un tributo ai miei genitori,” dice.

Oggi, Ziraldo rimane attivo all’interno della sua comunità ed è ancora coinvolto nella promozione della regione di Niagara. Assieme alla sua famiglia, inoltre, visita di frequente il Portogallo, dove gestisce il monastero e la cantina vinicola Senhora do Convento nella Valle del Douro.

Le previsioni di Ziraldo per il settore vinicolo canadese sono ottimiste.“Adesso nella nostra penisola si vede un bel po’ di gente molto interessante e con i soldi.”

Stima che nella regione di Niagara ci siano circa 150 cantine vinicole, “quindi c’è tanta sana competizione e una buona competizione genera qualità.” Alla fin fine, Ziraldo è felice di lavorare nel suo vigneto, con il figlio al suo fianco. “È bello. È il suolo, la terra – ti dà stabilità.” Translation by Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo PANORAMITALIA.COM

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Pictures courtesy of the ICCO

The ICCO held a tasting for Cheese Boutique, organized for the Montefalco Consortium.

Italian Wines Get Boost in Ontario New law allows grocery stores to carry wine

By Shayne McGreal

T

he government of Ontario’s new plan to allow wine sales in grocery stores could be a positive opportunity for Italian wine producers to gain more exposure here, trade experts say. “I’m very positive the Italian wineries and their representatives will tackle the opportunity and make the best of it as they always do,” said Piero Titone, a trade analyst at the Italian Trade Commission. “Italian wines will benefit to the point where consumers will purchase, let’s say Italian ingredients or Italian products in the (grocery) store, or they want to have an Italian dinner or Italian dish (and) they will want to enhance that experience.” He said because Italian cuisine is popular, grocery stores might give more shelf space to Italian wines.

Corrado Paina, executive director of the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario (ICCO), also said Italian wineries could capitalize on this expansion.

“Canada is becoming an interesting market for the Italian agro food sector,” said Paina, adding that Italy is Canada’s seventh-largest trade partner. “And wine has become a very important contributor of this exponential growth.”

According to data from the ICCO, sales of Italian wines in the LCBO Vintages section totalled $93 million in 2015 – an increase of nine per cent from 2014. Sales of Italian wines on the LCBO’s general list totalled $250 million in 2015 – an increase of three per cent from 2014.

The government’s plan is to allow 300 grocery stores across Ontario to sell wine (currently 60 grocery stores are selling beer and cider). Stores make a bid with their financial terms and the successful applicants apply for authorization 24

PANORAMITALIA.COM

to sell wine supplied by the LCBO. The province will begin with 70 stores in the fall, 35 of which will be authorized to sell only Ontario wines, while the other 35 will be a mix of domestic and international. “People in Ontario will now be able to buy wine with their cheese at the same place at the same time at the same checkout,” said Premier Kathleen Wynne in February of this year at the announcement of this new initiative. “We are further strengthening and diversifying Ontario’s wine marketplace.”

When it comes to smaller-scale wineries, the province mandates a minimum of 20 per cent shelf space in half of the initial 70 stores be reserved for their wines.

Yet both Titone and Paina believe the smaller players will have a more challenging time making the most of this initiative. “It’s easier for a larger company to gain access to the shelf of the supermarkets due to their financial forces and because of their ability to work within these retail chains,” said Titone.

However, they are not ruling out the possibility the smaller players can have some success thanks to this new expansion. “If they will be able to get together in consortia they will be able to approach Ontario, taking advantage of the opening of the wine market and of the possible reforms that are going to take place,” said Paina.

Titone believes that perhaps this will mark the beginning of a more open system. “Once the fog clears and we see what’s on the shelf, we will know how the game is being played a little bit,” he said. “Who’s in, who’s out.”

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ITALIAN WINE GUIDE 2016 Managing Editor and resident wine expert at Panoram Italia magazine, Gabriel 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.

Legend DOCG: Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita

Types of wine Red wine

Ready to drink

White wine

DOC: Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Sparkling wine

IGT: Vino a Indicazione Geografica Tipica

Rosé

P.I.: Private Import

Service

Ready to drink or keep until indicated

Liqueur Start drinking or Keep until indicated

Rating

Price Ranges

☆ Ordinary (75-79)

0 to $15

☆☆ Good (80-84)

☆☆☆ Very good (85-89)

☆☆☆☆ Excellent (90-94)

☆☆☆☆☆ Sublime (95-100)

$15 to $20 $20 to $25 $25 to $30 $30 to $50 $50 +

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.

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WINE Abruzzo Fantini Chardonnay 2015 Farnese Chardonnay IGP $7.95 LCBO#569087 Fun, fruity nose with crisp notes of apple. Accessible, racy mouth with a short, lively finish. Great with fish tacos and fish and chips. ** 84

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Pinot Grigio Attems 2015 Attems Venezia Giulia IGT $19.95 LCBO#707950 Rich bouquet mixing apple and pear aromas with green banana undertones. Full, round mouth with zesty limy undertones.

Great along baked seabass and coriander pesto. *** 88

Marche Il Brecciarolo 2013 Velenosi Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC $13.95 LCBO#732560 Inviting red berry bouquet mixed with rose petal highlights and graceful mineral undertones. Juicy, gourmand red wine with loads of fruit, chewy tannins and a fresh floral finish. Great along a seared marinated bavette. *** 88

Abruzzo

Emilia-Romagna

Fantini Montepulciano 2015 Farnese

Casale Vecchio 2014 Farnese

Sangiovese Riserva 2013 Umberto Cesari

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC $8.45 LCBO#621912 Gentle nose recalling black cherries laced with earthy, vegetal undertones. Round, medium-bodied red showcasing cocoa and cherry pit fragrances.

Perfect along barbequed meats. ** 83

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC $10.95 LCBO#612788 Juicy, jammy nose of red berries with nice cherry accents mixed with floral highlights and vegetal undertones. Sharp cherry flavours chewy tannins and a good peppery finish. Enjoy along a plate of pasta al ragù. *** 86

Abruzzo

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Lazio

Jermann Chardonnay 2014 Jermann di Silvio Jermann

Tellus 2013 Falesco

Venezia Giulia IGT $28.75 LCBO#429902 Round, creamy nose of ripe apples mixed with soft citrusy undertones and streams of vanilla. Elegant buttery white wine with zesty highlights and a smooth, creamy lingering finish. Ideal along seared saffron scallops or vitello tonnato. **** 90

Lazio IGT $18.60 LCBO#713916 Fleshy bouquet with nice expressions of jammy red fruits alongside vegetal and peppery accents. Juicy, attractive mouth displaying slightly grippy tannins and a nice spicy finish.

Good with abbacchio alla Romana (Roman style lamb with a creamy rosemary and anchovy sauce). *** 89

Molise

2025 Pentro Campi Valerio

Piemonte

Consignment 416-557-5145 Apparition Wines & Spirits

Barbera d'Asti DOCG $13.45 LCBO#348680 Fresh nose of red berries with hints of yeasty breadcrumbs and vegetal undertones. Tangy medium-bodied mouth with firm tannins and a sharp acidic backbone. Serve it along agnolotti di stracchino. *** 86

2019

Complex, traditional bouquet of stewed red fruits laced with secondary aromas of dry porcini and silky vanilla undertones.

Graceful, fruity mouth with vanilla highlight, smooth alluring tannins and an impressive lingering finish. Pair it with a roasted rack of veal. **** 94

Sangiovese di Romagna DOC $19.95 LCBO#33399 Bright, lively fruit accents recalling black berries mingle with smoky and floral undertones. Round, muscular mouth offering slightly angular tannins and a nice spicy finish. *** 87

2020 Talento Rosé Millesimato 2010 Peri Bigogno

Lombardia

Vino Spumante di Qualità Consignment 416-557-5145 Apparition Wines & Spirits

$52.00 Elegant and complex bouquet of wild berries laced with yeasty notes of brioche. Classy, structured sparkly with a lofty creamy texture, fine bubbles and a long lasting refreshing finish. Try it with grilled shrimps, fine finger foods or on any good occasion. **** 90

Piemonte

Costalunga 2013 Bersano

$165.00

Roero Arneis 2015 Massucco Roero DOCG $20.50 LCBO#248087 Crisp nose of apples and gooseberries laced with green almond and gunflint undertones. Fresh, mineral mouth with a lively lingering finish. Pair it with grilled shrimps. *** 88

2020 Barbera d’Alba Serra 2012 Massucco

Piemonte

Piemonte

Barbera d’Alba DOC Consignment 905-597-3921 Barrel of Grapes Spirits & Wines

2021 Nebbiolo d’Alba Trono 2013 Massucco Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC Consignment 905-597-3921 Barrel of Grapes Spirits & Wines

Roero 2013 Massucco

Terramore 2015 Massucco

Roero DOCG $28.00 LCBO#248095 Charming fruity bouquet of red berries filled with flowery highlights and hints of sweet spice. Sharp, tangy mouth with angular tannins, sour cherry fragrances and a vivid acidic nerve. Ideal with a juicy rib eye steak. *** 87

Rosso IGT $39.95 LCBO#194737 Delicate bouquet of red berries with notes of eucalyptus, rose petals and spicy undertones.

Round, opulent mouth with a warm peppery bite and a bright, balanced lingering finish. Great with a gamey gulasch. *** 89

Piemonte

$24.00 Delicate bouquet of fresh raspberry mixed with silky vanilla and violet undertones. Bright, racy mediumto full-bodied Barbera with rigid tannins and a bittersweet finish.

Serve it along medaglioni con pomodoro e caperi. *** 88

$27.00 Classic nose of cherries with soft hints of rose petal and wood cask undertones. Vibrant mouth with harsh tannins, cherry fragrances and a peppery finish.

Pair it with a brasato di manzo. *** 87

2019

2021

Piemonte

2025

The perfect urban destination to shop Italian style!

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WINE

2023 La Luna Dei Tempi 2015 Massucco

Piemonte

Rosso IGT $42.00 LCBO#194711 Concentrated nose of blackberry jam, croissant and cedar undertones. Rich, plumy mouth with chocolate ganache fragrances, smooth round tannins and a vibrant, refreshing finish. Try it along duckbreast and blackberries. **** 90

Piemonte

2020 Il Sole Dei Tempi 2015 Massucco

Puglia

Puglia

Bianco IGT $42.00 LCBO#248129 Complex earth cherry and dry apricot aromas laced grilled nuts and gunflint undertones. Juicy, fruity mouth with ripe orange fragrances and a lively, lingering finish. Serve it along roasted turkey with orange, herbs and almonds. **** 90

Fantini Sangiovese 2015 Farnese

Fantini Negroamaro 2015 Farnese

Puglia IGT $8.45 LCBO#512327 Light nose of red berries with smoky, vegetal undertones. Round, tangy medium-bodied red with a racy, lively finish. Pefect with pizza or meat ragù. *** 84

Puglia IGP $8.95 LCBO#143735 Vegetal nose with red berry accents and clay mineral undertones. Mellow, juicy mouth with a good fruity character. Good with grilled chicken or pasta. ** 83

Sardegna

Puglia

Puglia

Mezzomondo Negroamaro 2014 M.G.M Mondo del Vino

Fantini Numero Uno 2014 Farnese

SRL/Accolade Puglia IGT $9.95 LCBO#588962 Leafy bouquet with meaty accents and soft red berry highlights. Round, fruity mouth with chewy tannins and a vegetal finish. Pair it with a savoury porchetta. ** 83

Puglia IGP $12.95 LCBO#442491 Rich, expansive bouquet of blackberry jam with charcoal and black pepper undertones.

Gourmand, juicy mediumbodied red with loads of sweet fruit and a nice peppery finish.

Good along rapini and spicy sausage. *** 86

Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2011 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva DOC $16.95 LCBO#425488 Sweet nose of strawberries mixed with gentle cinnamon spice and faint mineral undertones. Lively mouth displaying rich fruity fragrances and chewy tannins balanced by a vibrant spicy finish. Serve it with braised lamb or grilled meats. *** 88

Sicilia Fantini Ste Grigio 2014 Farnese Terre Siciliane IGP $9.95 LCBO#391631 Vegetal bouquet with notes of dill and green peach.

Stemmy, grapy mouth with a slightly bitter finish. Great with fried sardines. ** 81

Toscana

Toscana

Straccali Chianti DOCG 2014 Rocca delle Macie

Vernaiolo Chianti DOCG 2015 Rocca delle Macie

Sicilia

Sicilia

Cusumano Syrah 2015 Cusumano

Sedàra 2014 Donnafugata

Sicilia IGT $13.10 LCBO#145490 Nice nose recalling black and red berries with hints of sage and vegetal accents.

Juicy mouth with chewy tannins and a lively peppery finish. Good served along pasta alla norma or stuffed eggplants. ***85

Sicilia IGP $15.95 LCBO#900274 Rich plumy bouquet filled with floral highlights and sweet tobacco undertones.

Warm full-bodied red with chewy tannins and a fresh peppery finish. Serve it along papardelle al ragù. ***88

Toscana

Toscana

Toscana

Toscana

Ruffino Chianti 2014 Ruffino

Chianti Riserva 2013 Rocca delle Macie

Aziano 2014 Ruffino

Chianti Classico 2014 Rocca delle Macie

Chianti DOCG $15.10 LCBO#1743 Savoury nose mixed with red berry highlights and dry rose petal undertones.

Lively, fruity mouth with firm tannins and a racy acidic nerve. Good with a platter of fatty, savoury could cuts. *** 85

Chianti Riserva DOCG $15.95 LCBO#111641 Nice flowery nose mixed with fresh red berries and violet undertones. Smooth, mellow medium-bodied red with a rather short, cherry pit finish. ** 84

Chianti Classico DOCG $18.15 LCBO#307025 Fresh red berry nose laced with smoked meat undertones. Fluid, balanced mouth with chewy tannins and a lively, racy finish. Serve it along with Bolognese pasta. *** 86

Chianti Classico DOCG $18.95 LCBO#741769 Tangy red berry bouquet mixing floral accents and savoury undertones. Fresh, fragrant mouth with red berry flavours ending on a crisp spicy finish.

Try it along with pappardelle and hare ragù. *** 86

2019

Chianti DOCG $13.95 LCBO#621227 Rich nose of dark and red berries laced with smoky highlights and floral undertones.

Lively tangy mouth with chewy tannins. Best with tomato based pasta. *** 85

Chianti DOCG $14.95 LCBO#269589 Solar, slightly leathery nose laced with red berry aromas.

Round, racy red with stewed strawberry flavours. Ideal with pesto and prosciutto chicken parcels. *** 86

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WINE Toscana

2020

Il Ruffino 2014 Toscana IGP $19.45 LCBO#27797 Graceful nose of ripe dark fruits laced with silky smoky undertones. Rich, peppery mouth with chewy tannins and a bitter-sweet cocoa finish. *** 87

Toscana

2022

Modus 2012 Ruffino Toscana IGT $29.95 LCBO#912956 Rich, complex nose of dark berries filled with streams of cedar, chocolate ganache and sweet tobacco undertones.

Round, balanced mouth with muscular yet chewy tannins, juicy ripe fruit and a smooth peppery finish. Ideal along a rare rib eye steak. **** 91

Toscana

2023 Riserva Ducale 2013 Ruffino

Toscana

Chianti Classico DOCG $24.95 LCBO#943613 Dense red berry aromas cleverly intertwined with soft rose petal highlights and mineral undertones.

Bright, well structured Chianti with good round tannins and a lofty floral finish. Pair it with a crusted rack of lamb. *** 89

Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG $25.20 LCBO#451952 Inviting nose of ripe red berries with lofty violet undertones. Well structured, yet powerful mouth with muscular tannins, charming red fruit and a fresh lingering finish. *** 89

Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG $27.95 LCBO#716266 Classic nose of ripe Sangiovese with bright red berry highlights, soft rose petal accents, well integrated oak laced with complex vegetal undertones. Expansive mouth filled with ripe fruit, firm tannins and a smooth vegetal finsh. Good with barbequed duck breast. **** 90

2022 Villa Donoratico 2012 Argentiera

Toscana

Bolgheri DOC $40.65 LCBO#135409 Deep, complex bouquet of blackberries with streams of mineral and vegetal undertones. Soft, round full-bodied red with chewy tannins and a lingering well-balanced finish. Ideal with barbecued lamb chops or a rare to medium rare roast beef. **** 91

Trentino

Veneto

Pinot Grigio 2015 Concilio

Soave Classico DOC 2014 Cesari

Trentino DOC $13.95 LCBO#637595 Lovely apricot bouquet with fresh, floral undertones. Tasty, round white wine with a crisp, zesty finish. Pair it with baked salmon. 2014 ** 84

Soave Classico DOC $11.95 LCBO#438952 Inviting nose of fresh apples mixed with hints of yellow peach. Lively, racy mouth with a bright zesty finish.

Try it along spaghetti with spicy mussels. ** 84

2018 Bramito del Cervo 2015 Castello della Sala

Veneto

Umbria IGT $22.00 LCBO#139088 Luscious, buttery nose of ripe mango paired with peachy aromas and honeycomb undertones. Rich, fragrant mouthfeel of great character ending on a refreshing finish.

Serve it along tuna sushi, salmon maki and a papaya & mango salad. *** 89

Veneto IGT $13.60 LCBO#589101 Rich, peachy nose with hints of mandarine and banana highlights. Juicy, round, fruity Pinot Grigio filled with crisp nectarine and lemon zest fragrances. Pair it with a salmon steak. *** 87

Umbria

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2023 Rocca Guicciarda 2013 Ricasoli

Toscana

PANORAMITALIA.COM

Lumina Pinot Grigio 2015 Ruffino

2024

Il Grigio 2012 San Felice

2022 Brunello di Montalcino 2010 Castello Banfi

Toscana

2023 Ruffino Oro 2011 Ruffino

Toscana

Chianti Classico Riserva Gran Selezione DOCG Constellation Brands 47.95 LCBO#353201 Lofty nose of ripe red berries, with savoury prosciutto highlights and violet undertones.

Elegant, structured mouth with soft round tannins and a warm spicy finish. Great with a gamey gulasch. **** 90

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG $54.95 LCBO#378257 Deep, captivating nose of ripe blackberries, plums and strawberries laced with lofty smoky accents and violet undertones.

Full, charming Brunello with coating, powerful tannins, wellintegrated oak and a tasty lingering finish. Perfect with glazed braised lamb. ****92

Umbria Ruffino Orvieto 2015 Ruffino

Umbria Vitiano 2013 Falesco

Orvieto Classico DOC $13.05 LCBO#31062 Fresh, lively nose of gooseberries and apples with crisp mineral undertones.

Rich, onctuous Orvieto with an edgy mouth-feel and a fun, fruity finish. Good with penne pana e salmone. *** 85

Umbria IGT $13.25 LCBO#950204 Rich, earthy bouquet combining blackberries and cherry aromas with fresh tobacco undertones.

Muscular red with robust tannins and a juicy, savoury finale. Best paired with wild boar stew or gamey meats. *** 87

Veneto

Veneto

San Vincenzo 2015 Anselmi Veneto IGT $15.45 LCBO#948158 Rich peach bouquet mixed with dry apricot undertones. Tasty, attractive mouth full of juicy ripe fruit with refreshing mandarin aromas on the finish. Enjoy it with cappone ripieno al mandarino. ***88

Justo Appassimento 2013 Cesari Appassimento IGT $15.95 LCBO#451732 Charming nose of black berries with savoury highlights and toffee undertones. Rich, spicy mouth with grippy tanins, a vibrant acidity and a gourmand fruity character.

Great along a juicy marinated bavette steak. *** 88

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WINE Veneto Ruffino Prosecco NV Ruffino Prosecco DOC $16.95 LCBO#0467811 Sharp, fragrant bouquet with soft floral extracts and crisp notes of fresh cut lime and orchard fruits. Fun, tickling bubbles followed by a rich, fruity mouthful and a refreshing acidy. Great with finger food or for any good occasion. *** 86

2021 Mara Ripasso 2014 Cesari

Veneto

Ripasso Superiore DOC $18.95 LCBO#506519 Rich, jammy bouquet of ripe red berries laced with notes of violets and geranium. Fresh, lively mouth of medium body with a nice peppery finish. Enjoy along with a seared pork loin. *** 87

2023 Il Sestante I Pianeti Valpolicella Ripasso 2013

Veneto

Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso DOP $18.95 LCBO#267070 Graceful bouquet of cherries and blueberries laced with silky notes of vanilla and sweet spice undertones.

Fresh, round fruity mouth with nice chewy tannins, a lively acidic nerve and a rich chocolaty finish. Ideal along duck breast and blackberries. **** 90

Valpolicella DOC $19.95 LCBO#438473 Nice nose of fresh wild berries with hints of plum and slightly green, stemmy undertones. Soft, attractive feminine mouth with silky tannins and a vibrant acidity. Great along a bresaola carpaccio or vitello tonnato. *** 87

Veneto

Allegrini Valpolicella 2015 Azienda Agricola Allegrini

Veneto

2021 Monti Garbi Ripasso 2013 Sant'Antonio

Veneto

2021 Valpolicella Ripasso 2013 Monte Del Fra

Veneto

Veneto

Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso DOP $19.95 LCBO#29850 Bright chocolaty nose paired with notes of cherry and smoky, tar undertones.

Smooth, round mouth with nice cherry blossom fragrances, chewy tannins, a fresh acidity. Ideal with a glazed rack of lamb. *** 88

Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore DOC $20.95 LCBO#165662 Deep, heady bouquet of dark berries mixed with violet undertones and soft peppery highlights. Charming, fragrant mouth filled with rich ripe fruit, a fresh acidity and fines notes of sweet spice. Great along a gulasch di selvaggina. *** 89

2024 Amarone della Valpolicella 2012 Montresor Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG $36.35 LCBO#240416 Nice expansive plumy nose with dry figs and dark cherry aromas mixed with hints of coffee and grilled nuts undertones. Fleshy and gourmand red wine with loads of sweet fruit and a lovely sweet spice finish. Serve with braised lamb. **** 90

Amarone Classico DOCG $38.95 LCBO#426718 Deep vegetal bouquet laced with dark cherry aromas and stemmy eucalyptus undertones. Rich, round mouth with cocoa fragrances, chewy tannins, a vibrant acidity and a sweet spice lingering finish. Good with crusted rack of lamb. *** 89

Veneto

2023

Jema 2011 Cesari Corvina Veronese IGT Consignment 416-706-2147

$39.95 Profile Wine Group Gorgeous bouquet of ripe red fruits with silky streams of vanilla, violets, sweet tobacco and hints of cedar. Rich, powerful mouth filled with muscular tannins, mature fruit and a racy refreshing finish. Great with ossobuco. **** 92

2025

2026 Farina Amarone Della Valpolicella 2013

Veneto

Azienda Agricola Farina Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG $39.95 LCBO#995910 Rich, suave expansive nose of dry figs and maraschino cherries filled with lofty sandalwood undertones. Round, fruity mouth with cherry and dark chocolate fragrances, chewy tannins, a vibrant acidic backbone and a refreshing peppery finish. Serve it along a crusted rack of lamb. **** 93

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC $42.45 LCBO#317057 Opulent bouquet of maraschino cherry topped with notes of dry date and walnut mixed with fresh floral undertones.

Warm, charming, sweet and fragrant Amarone with a rich spicy finish. Try it with a crusted rack of lamb. ****92

Veneto

Costasera 2011 Masi Agricola

2024 Amarone Classico 2012 Cesari

2026 Amarone Il Bosco 2010 Cesari

Veneto

Amarone Classico DOC Profile Wine Group Consignment 416-706-2147

$74.95 Dense, complex vegetal bouquet filled with plumy aromas laced with gentle streams of dry figs, lofty mineral highlights and cocoa undertones. Elegant, velvety mouth showcasing powerful, chewy tannins, dense dark chocolate extracts and a round lingering finish. Ideal served with a leg of lamb covered with a black olive and truffle tapenade. ***** 96

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EARTHQUAKE

Photography by Danilo Balducci

Town of Amatrice after the earthquake on August 24th

How the Day of the Earthquake Shook Me

By Dr. Paul Salvatori, PhD

I

learned of the news of the recent earthquake in Italy the morning I was going to a funeral wake. My father came to pick me up. The first thing he asked was, “Have you heard what happened in Italy?” On the way to the wake, he told me. The earthquake was major. It had already taken over a hundred lives and hit the region where my father’s from: Le Marche.

Thankfully our family there is safe.

Still, it was difficult to process what I was hearing, especially so early in the morning. Thinking that your family is going to be in the zone of a natural disaster is not on your mind every day. We are used to living without having to worry about the people we love being at the mercy of frightening, seismic activity.

Going to the wake with news of the earthquake on my mind cast a palpable gloom over the beginning of my day. It was a harsh reminder that each of us is mortal – our time here is limited and the moment of death is itself never certain. Such is to be human.

Having paid our respects to the deceased and family, my father and I sat among the mourners. I admit I felt more sad for the family than the deceased himself, since I only knew them for the kind people they are, but had never had the opportunity to meet him.

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I asked my father next to me how the man died. Alzheimer’s, he whispered, was responsible.

Apparently, the disease had progressed to such a degree that eating had become nearly impossible for him. He could barely open his mouth. The body in the casket, sadly, showed it. He had become a fraction of the vital person he was in the photo slides, scrolling across a television screen in the quiet room.

Already, at the wake, I felt that the earthquake in Italy and the deceased before me in Toronto were connected in some meaningful but troubling way.

On my way home, as I talked to my father about the way nature seems constantly to take innocent lives, the connection became apparent to me: Nature’s cruelty was responsible for both the dead man I had just seen and the numerous fatalities of the earthquake. It is a cruelty that allows it to blindly will what it wants, unconcerned whether it takes one life or many in the process.

Italian philosopher and poet, Giacomo Leopardi (coincidentally from Le Marche himself), aptly captures this in the personification of nature: “I never gave a thought to the happiness or unhappiness of man. If I cause you to suffer, I am unaware of the fact; nor do I perceive that I can in any way

Toronto OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 17-32_Layout 1 2016-10-11 10:33 AM Page 31

“

EARTHQUAKE

Helping you is what we do.

Parliamo italiano

Domenic Salvadore Sales Representative

416-496-9220 647-966-4991 domenicsalvadore@royallepage.ca www.angelosol.com 624B Fleet Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 1B9

Royal LePage Terrequity Realty

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Photography by Danilo Balducci

give you pleasure. What I do is in no sense done for your enjoyment or benefit.”

Leopardi’s view illuminates that all of us are subject to nature’s indifference. I believe, however, there is a positive flipside to this truth.

In the face of suffering brought about by nature, including losing others through death, we retain the power or freedom to appreciate each day we have and all that is good in it – friends, family, health, etc. As challenging as this may be at times, it is one thing nature cannot take away from us.

That is why the possibility of true happiness, based on gratitude for the good we already have, is in our hands. Nature, regardless of its frightening potential, can doom no one to permanent misery, in which nothing seems of value.

Were that so, we would not see so many in Italy saving people from beneath the rubble of the earthquake. They are living examples of the heroism that can, in the worst of times, triumph the devastation of nature.

They make this world a beautiful, more hopeful place.

“

We are used to living without having to worry about the people we love being at the mercy of frightening, seismic activity.

Toronto OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 17-32_Layout 1 2016-10-11 10:33 AM Page 32

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EARTHQUAKE

“

When you look at those images on television, it’s hard not to be affected by what you’re seeing.

By Rebecca Alberico been just over a month since tragedy struck central Italy, and the emotional aftershock of the August 24 earthquake is still being felt throughout the world.

The 6.2 magnitude quake that struck the towns of Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto took the lives of nearly 300 people, injured almost twice as many and shattered the hearts of thousands more.

In an instant, countries around the globe provided assistance, including monetary donations, manpower and supplies to aid the hundreds of displaced families.

There were expressions of unity and compassion everywhere. Monuments in North America and Europe shone green, white and red onto their cityscapes. The social media hashtag #ItalyStrong flooded newsfeeds globally, as supporters tweeted and shared their sentiments. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver began serving Amatrice’s famous pasta all’amatriciana in his restaurants, with proceeds of every dish going towards disaster relief efforts. Soon enough, restaurants around the world followed suit.

Right here at home, community groups, associations and ItalianCanadian organizations began to assemble relief teams, fundraisers and donation accounts.

“Even though we’re thousands of miles away, we’re compelled to offer help and hope to those that now have to begin to rebuild their lives and their communities,” said Fausto Gaudio, President of Italian Canadian Savings and Credit Union (IC Savings) and member of the Central Italy Earthquake Relief Fund (CIERF). “I think that speaks to the kind of respect the Italian community has.”

Much like the initiative that was organized for the victims of the deadly 2009 earthquake in Abruzzo, prominent figures in Toronto’s Italian community joined forces once again to launch a relief fund for the most recent victims of tragedy in central Italy.

The CIERF, organized by various Italian-Canadian organizations, businesses and community leaders, including Villa Charities, the National Congress of Italian-Canadians (Toronto) and IC Savings, came together as a unified group and mobilized within days. “When you look at those images on television, it’s hard not to be affected by what you’re seeing,” explained Gaudio.

“We knew we had to do something.”

It’s

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It’s a sentiment echoed by Anna Perrotti, President of the Associazione Regionale dei Marchigiani (A.L.M.A Canada) in Montreal, who’s been hard at work spearheading several initiatives. “A disaster hit our region, and we’re just hoping we can make even a little bit of a difference,” she said.

In conjunction with a local restaurant in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-deGrace area, the association has already hosted three luncheons for relief efforts.

Proceeds from all of the fundraising efforts will be directed to the Red Cross.

In the GTA, Fausto Gaudio said he’s amazed to see the solidarity from not only the Italian-Canadian community, but also from people of all backgrounds and cultures.

It’s something that Silvana Tibollo, President of the National Congress of Italian Canadians (Toronto), has also noted.

Most notably, Tibollo received a phone call from the host of local Caribbean radio station G98.7FM, requesting information on how the station’s listeners could provide assistance.

“He told me, ‘We’re all brothers and sisters, and we want to help,’” said Tibollo, who was touched by the generosity of Torontonians outside the Italian community.

Eligio Gaudio, CEO of Villa Charities and the President of the CIERF, will be visiting the central Italian towns in the coming months to get a firsthand look at the devastation. Although it’s still too soon to confirm specifics about where the funds will be allocated, Gaudio is adamant they will be invested in infrastructure that is most needed.

“Our initiative is to provide a lasting contribution, that will have a profound impact on the hardest hit communities in Central Italy,” said Gaudio.

Funds to the Central Italy Earthquake Relief Fund can be donated online at www.centralitalyearthquakerelieffund.com or through any branch of IC Savings in Toronto. All donations to the fund are tax deductible.

In Montreal, donations (in the form of cheques or money orders) can be sent to SOS Italia, c/o Buffet Gabbiano, 1550 rue Lapierre, LaSalle, Quebec, H8N 2R2.

Photography by Danilo Balducci

Canadians Unite in the Wake of Tragedy Abroad

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EARTHQUAKE

Tragedy raises questions and concerns about Italy’s safeguards

By Rita Simonetta

I

taly, a land of ancient beauty and modern know-how, has again been devastated by an earthquake that forces the country to do some soulsearching. Quakes are a common occurrence in Italy, one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe. Yet, the aftermath of each tremor has everyone wondering if this industrialized country with ingenuity and ready access to resources could do more to minimize the impact to life and property.

Lazio’s picturesque town of Amatrice, with its centuries-old hamlets and churches, was all but erased. Amatrice is not far from L’Aquila, Abruzzo, the 13th century city that was hit by a quake in 2009, killing more than 300 people and leaving over 50,000 homeless. So why is the damage so severe time and again?

Frail infrastructure In the 1970s, Italy updated its anti-seismic protocols. “The point of anti-seismic measures is to avoid collapse,” explained Alison Bird, an earthquake seismologist with the Geological Survey of Canada. “It’s a life-saving situation.”

But much of the town of Amatrice collapsed in the recent quake. And tremor after tremor exposes these types of shortcomings. Proposals to reinforce ancient sites, homes and buildings is met with resistance by those worried that it would strip these places of their history and charm, and thereby negatively impact tourist dollars. Moreover, when it comes to personal property located on active zones, homeowners are responsible for all upgrades. It’s a costly investment with no subsidies or incentives. And it isn’t regulated.

According to experts, it’s these older buildings and structures that pose the biggest threat. “I believe that the codes are generally applied, but they do not improve the quality of the existing buildings until they are reinforced or reconstructed,” explained Professor Gian Michele Calvi, who teaches Structural Design in Pavia, Italy, and is the director of the Centre for Research and Graduate Studies in Understanding and Managing Extremes. “The government 34

PANORAMITALIA.COM

has not been significantly funding any systematic intervention to reduce the seismic risk, and in any case, whatever has been provided has been oriented to public buildings, not to privately owned residential buildings.”

According to Lakehead University Geology Professor Mary Louise Hill, “Damage associated with the earthquake is not just a function of magnitude (energy), but also related to the type of construction. The old masonry buildings, while historic and beautiful, were not designed to withstand the shaking of an earthquake of this magnitude.”

Then there’s the massive investment required to construct new public buildings according to anti-seismic specifications. In a country with a Byzantine bureaucracy that’s struggling with high unemployment and stifling debt, the situation is challenging.

The Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) is a research organization focused on anti-seismic devices. According to ENEA, when it comes to Italy’s public buildings, “over 70 per cent of the buildings wouldn’t withstand the earthquakes that can hit them, including schools and hospitals.”

ENEA research director Paolo Clemente said there are many reasons for this, including the fact that Italy’s risk of earthquakes has increased in the past few decades. As the problem worsens year after year, Italy is endlessly trying to play catch up.

Clemente pointed out the example of the Irpinia earthquake in 1980. “At that time, only 25 per cent of the territory was considered seismic and most of the existing buildings, at least 60 per cent, had been built before 1980.”

Frustration A day after the earthquake, journalist Sergio Rizzo wrote a column in Corriere della Sera – one of the country’s most respected newspapers – where he expressed his frustration with the system: “In a country where in the past 40

Photography by Danilo Balducci

Lessons to Learn

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A painful reminder of L’Aquila The Italian government has already opened an investigation into one of the most confounding aspects of the earthquake: The Romolo Capranica grade school in Amatrice, which was rebuilt in 2012, was destroyed. However, it was supposedly reinforced according to regulations set out after the L’Aquila earthquake. There are loud rumblings about whether proper safeguards were followed, and even more heated suspicion over how the construction consortiums won the contracts in the first place.

It brings to mind the university dormitory in L’Aquila (also allegedly rebuilt according to modern procedures) that was pummelled by the 2009 earthquake, killing over seven students.

Italy’s anger over L’Aquila resulted in laying part of the blame on the country’s scientists who were convicted of failing to provide sufficient warning.

They were later released on appeal. Seven years after the L’Aquila tragedy, dissatisfaction lingers. Italy’s Civil Protection agency set aside almost a billion euros for reinforced structures. But some of those structures are now at the centre of legal proceedings. And to this very day, there are areas of the city that have yet to be rebuilt.

Photography by Danilo Balducci

Where to go from here?

While visiting the towns hit by the quake, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi promised to rebuild the communities. He announced an initial 50 million euros for reconstruction relief, and tasked the country’s anti-corruption agency with monitoring the distribution of these funds.

Researchers and experts hope that after this latest tragedy, Italy has learned valuable lessons that will ensure a very different outcome the next time around.

“It’s a difficult challenge,” noted Clemente. “We must do all we can, starting with a large project, which can be concluded only by future generations.”

Gabriele Ponzoni, the General Secretary of the European Federation of Geologists, believes positive change is only possible through a change in mindset.

“We need to move from a perception of the planet based on the present to one based on the future. We need to consider what will happen in the years to come and what choices we are making now to ensure our safety.”

“

Over 70 per cent of the buildings wouldn’t withstand the earthquakes that can hit them, including schools and hospitals.

“

years there have been at least eight devastating earthquakes ... the only lesson we have learned is to save lives after the fact. We are far behind in the other lessons.”

EARTHQUAKE

KIRSCH CANADA

Kirsch, Major Player in the Canadian-Italian Market With over seventy-five years of experience, David Kirsch For-warders Ltd. has set the standard in developing a door to door multimodal transport Services. From the freight booking, be it consolidation or full load, through to customs clearance and delivery, Kirsch has carved a niche for itself as the market leader.

DAVID KIRSCH OFFICES IN MONTREAL -TORONTO - VANCOUVER Dorval Québec 514 636-0233 Mississauga Ontario 905 678-6162

From left:

Dorothy Tonino Trade Lane Manager Frank Saravo president and CEO KIRSCH Canada, Giancarmine De Fabritiis Trade Lane Manager.

Thunderbird Langley B.C. 604 371-2171

www.kirsch.ca info@kirsch.ca

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Villa Charities Teams Up to Aid Earthquake-Stricken Central Italy Villa Charities has banded together with other Italian Canadian organizations, businesses and community leaders to help devastated communities in central Italy recover from the massive earthquake in late August.

Under the banner of the Central Italy Earthquake Relief Fund, the team is reaching out to all Canadians to contribute to a legacy that will help heavily damaged towns and villages in Umbria, Lazio and Marche get back on their feet.

“The pictures and stories of lives lost, families destroyed and communities laid in ruin have deeply affected all of us in the Italian Canadian community, and have stirred us to action,” says Eligio Gaudio, CEO of Villa Charities and President of the Relief Fund.

“We are reaching far and wide within our immediate community and beyond it to raise funds for a substantial contribution to assist people in the affected communities.”

The focus of the initiative is to provide a lasting contribution that will have a positive and profound impact on the hardest hit communities of Amatrice, Accumoli, Arquata del Tronto and Pescara del Tronto, their economies and residents. The Relief Fund will determine how the funds can best be deployed after immediate relief efforts conclude.

Villa Charities has already held two fundraisers in support of central Italy: the “Artists for Italy” dinner and entertainment event on Sept. 30; and a month-long dining special at Ristorante Boccaccio in which $10 from every serving of Spaghetti all' Amatriciana, the signature dish of Amatrice, was donated to the Relief Fund.

Villa Charities has a long history of assisting Italian communities hit by earthquakes that goes back to Friuli in 1976, Campania, and Basilicata (1980), Sicily (1990), Molise (2002) and Abruzzo (2009).

How to Donate Funds can be donated through the Relief Fund’s website at www.centralitalyearthquakerelieffund.com or at the Columbus Centre front desk or through any branch of IC Savings in Toronto, Individuals and organizations are also encouraged to organize their own fundraising events in support of the initiative. All donations are tax deductible.

Columbus Centre in Full Swing as Fall Programs Get Underway drums, bass, woodwind, organ, accordion, clarinet, trumpet, brass, violin, voice and more. For anyone wanting to give it a try, free trial music lessons will be offered during the week of Nov. 21.

Art classes for adults are offered on Tuesday afternoons and evenings through the fall, and for kids aged 9-14, classes are held on Saturdays.

The Columbus Centre Athletic Club offers an extensive choice of athletic and wellness programs including several forms of aerobics, fencing, martial arts, yoga, Pilates, personal training, massage therapy and much more. And in the pool, there are Red Cross swimming and lifesaving lessons for kids, adult/teen lessons, private swimming lessons, masters swim, aquafit, and personal training.

It’s “back to business” at the Columbus Centre following the post-Labour Day kickoff of fall Athletic and Cultural Arts programs.

The Centre is once again buzzing with activity with fall dance, music, art, athletic and aquatic classes underway.

DanzArts Toronto dance classes are available in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, acro and musical theatre. Music classes are available for piano, guitar, 36

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Limited spaces are still available in many programs. But don’t wait too long to sign up!

For more information, visit www.villacharities.com or see the Columbus Centre Fall/Winter Program Guide. Or contact the Cultural Arts department at 416-789-7011 x248 / cultural@villacharities.com, the Athletic Club at 416-789-7011 x229, and Aquatics at 416-789-7011 x215.

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Change is Underway Today to Better Serve Our Community Tomorrow A Message from Villa Charities Chair Aldo Cundari Change is in the wind at Villa Charities. We are on a path to build a strong and vibrant future for our organization and, ultimately, to better serve our community.

Villa Charities’ Board of Governors is streamlining our organization’s governance.

We are determined to align and harmonize all members of our family on the same path, with a shared vision, mission and strategic approach.

An important step in achieving this goal was taken in August 2016 with the Board’s passage of a new Strategic Plan. The Plan charts a course to the future, with a centrally coordinated management, operations, marketing and services model that will benefit all parts of our family. It is time that this approach, long proven in the business world, be applied to Villa Charities.

The changes we are undertaking are necessary. As successive generations of Italian Canadians become less connected to Italian culture, we must

ensure that we remain relevant to the core community we serve along with the broader community interested in Italian culture.

To re-engage with them, we are focusing on three pillars: • Family and engagement – regaining the connection with second and third generation Italian Canadians through Villa Charities programs; • Cultural – learning and celebrating the Italian language, fine arts and culinary arts; • Community – establishing Villa Charities as the pre-eminent, unifying voice and the caring arm of Italian Canadians, our culture and our heritage in the community, and bringing other community organizations under the Villa Charities umbrella.

With these pillars as our guide, I look forward to a bright future ahead for Villa Charities as a beacon of Italian culture and provider of Italian culture-based services in our community.

On behalf of the Villa Charities Board of Governors and our Affiliate Boards, senior management and staff, I offer sincere thanks to all members of the Villa Charities community for their patience, trust and ongoing support as we bring positive change to our organization.

Aldo Cundari Chair, Villa Charities Board of Governors

Columbus Children’s Centre recently celebrated the graduation of 38 preschoolers along with their proud parents and teachers. Each child was called up to the stage to receive their diploma, followed by singing, cupcakes and refreshments. Here, proud mom Sandra Ferrarese enjoys the moment with her daughter, Victoria Miranda.

SPECIAL SECTION

There were plenty of smiles and fun in the sun at the 2016 Columbus Centre Summer Day Camps. Kids participating in the camps enjoyed a summer filled with sports and cultural activities, special events and outings.

This special section is published by Villa Charities.

For more than 40 years across the GTA, Villa Charities has provided care for seniors and offered educational and cultural programs in music, dance, visual arts, culinary arts, athletics, and much more.

The Villa Charities family includes Villa Colombo Services for Seniors in Toronto; Villa Colombo Vaughan; Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo apartments for independent seniors; the Columbus Centre; and J.D. Carrier Art Gallery.

For more information, visit www.villacharities.com PANORAMITALIA.COM

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Villa Charities Sets New Strategic Priorities to Guide Revitalization Villa Charities’ Board of Governors approved a new Strategic Plan in August to guide the organization into the future.

The new Plan, which includes a revised mission, vision, core values and strategic priorities, is a key stepping stone in Villa Charities’ revitalization.

The following is a summary of the Plan’s key elements: Mission To celebrate and promote the Italian Heritage, Culture, Language, Arts, Food and Family Values.

Vision To be the voice of the Italian Canadian community.

Core Values • Honesty, Integrity and Transparency • Mutual Respect • Compassion and Empathy • Continual Improvement • Community Leadership - being part of something special Strategic Priorities • Culture To be the Italian-Canadian cultural centre in Toronto and the GTA.

• Financial Sustainability and Asset Stewardship To implement a framework to ensure a financially sustainable and relevant future.

• Communication To strengthen Villa Charities brand awareness in Toronto and the GTA.

• Governance To have and be seen as having optimal transparency and accountability with all key stakeholders

• Leadership To provide services essential to Italian-Canadians in Toronto and the GTA.

The Plan is a living document, to be reviewed annually by the Management Team and the Board.

Accomplished Marketing Executive, Mary Pompili, Joins Villa Charities Mary Pompili, an accomplished marketing and communications executive who has served in leadership roles at Canada’s Walk of Fame, Luminato Festival and Holt Renfrew, has been appointed Vice President, Marketing at Villa Charities Inc. Pompili brings proven leadership experience in building successful brands and developing highly effective marketing, communication and fundraising strategies at both corporate and not-for-profit organizations.

“I am delighted to welcome Mary to Villa Charities and our community,” says Eligio Gaudio, President and CEO, Villa Charities Inc. “With her wealth of leadership experience and marketing expertise, Mary will play a pivotal role in reinvigorating our organization and in reaffirming our unique place in the GTA’s Italian community.”

Pompili has developed, launched and built several well-known brands.

Most recently, as Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Canada’s Walk of Fame, Pompili oversaw all of the organization’s operations. As Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Luminato Festival, she successfully built the festival’s profile locally, nationally and internationally as a premier arts and creativity festival.

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As Vice President, Marketing at Holt Renfrew, Pompili was responsible for enhancing the retailer’s leadership role in Canada and positioning it as a fashion and lifestyle destination. She led the successful rebranding of Holt Renfrew and developed an enterprise-wide customer relationship management (CRM) strategy.

"I am excited to join Villa Charities and embrace the opportunity to build on our organization's rich legacy of cultural programming, seniors' housing and long-term care," Pompili says. "I look forward to reinforcing our position as the cornerstone of the GTA's Italian Canadian community and extending our reach to new audiences."

UPCOMING EVENTS Carrier Gallery

Music & Art Fall Programs

Korean Artist’s Society of Canada: Oct. 5-19 Abstract Expressions: Oct. 25-Nov. 7 Miry Moon: Oct. 21-31 Marilena Isacescu: Oct. 5-31 Bina Cole: Nov. 3-Dec. 5 Academy of Realist Art: Nov. 3-Dec. 5 Lois Dierlam: Nov. 3-Dec. 5

Free Music Trial Lessons: Nov. 21-26 Music Recital: Nov. 29 & 30 Registration: 416-789-7011 x248

Columbus Centre Athletic Club $0 Down, No Contract. From $35 per month 416 789 7011 x213

Ristorante Boccaccio Reopening: Aug. 16 Sicilia Bedda theme dinner: Sept. 16 416-789-5555

DanzArts Toronto Fall Registration 416-789-7011 x250

Venetian Ball March 30, 2017 Tickets & sponsorships: 416-789-7011 x321

Ristorante Boccaccio Abruzzi Themed Dinner: Oct. 14 Friuli Themed Dinner: Nov. 18

Columbus Centre Fall/Winter Program Guide www.villacharities.com

www.villacharities.com

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FASHION

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A high impact material for the fall

By Alessia Sara Domanico eather is back in a big way this season and we’re not just talking about the classic boot and bomber. Designers are proposing slinky slips and innovative inserts to keep things interesting. When it comes to leather craftsmanship, Italy has a leg up on the rest. Foreign brands such as Burberry know it, which is why their leather goods from shoes to bags and belts are most often produced there. Florence is regarded as the epicenter of leather artisans with a long and storied history of creating items of excellence for brands such as Gucci, Patrizia Pepe and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Beyond the realm of fashion in Meda, close to Milan, are fine leather furniture purveyors Poltrona Frau, who luxury carmaker Ferrari chose to provide leathers for their optional interiors. If you ever get the chance to visit the Ferrari plant in Maranello, Italy, you’ll see dozens of craftsman performing impressive hand-stitching and sewing using Poltrona Frau’s leather for supercar interiors.

There’s just something about leather that makes you want it everywhere – in your car, in your home and especially as a part of your ensemble. The easiest way to incorporate leather this season is through accessories. Italian brand Gabs does eclectic handbags that can be worn three ways for a different look every time you go out or grab something a bit more funky and chunky like a Gucci or Cèline bag, or Berluti for the gents. Leather gloves are always a stylishly safe bet; we especially like the dramatic elbow-length propositions from Dior. For footwear, there are classic ankle boots à la Camper and Louis Vuitton or sneakers with a touch of leather as seen with Dior Homme.

When it comes to ready-to-wear leather, things can be tricky.

The material is easier as a full jacket or duster, more dimensional when it pops up as a collar or pocket insert. Moschino took things a step further this season with a floorlength leather bomber ball gown combination. For the everyday, you can use it sparingly in your wardrobe either as a pair of tight leggings, a skirt, trousers or light button up shirt if you can pull it off – give it a try! Leather printed pieces are also great as they give a more exotic look as seen at Bally with a crocodile-stamped skirt. Whatever your preference, let leather in!

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6.

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LEGEND

FASHION

1. Canali 2. Louis Vuitton 3. Maje 4. Dior Homme 5. Dior Women 6. Moschino 7. Ralph Lauren 8. GUCCI 9. Gabs

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LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

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

Daniela Commisso

Lucas Labricciosa

Occupation: Master of Teaching student at the University of Toronto Age: 24 Generation: Second Dad from: Siderno, Reggio Calabria, Calabria Mom from: Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina, Sicily Raised in: Toronto Speaks: English and Italian Who do you speak Italian to?

My nonna and other family members in Italy Passion: Reading, yoga, and baking Goal in life: To travel the world and be successful What’s your typical lunch?

My weekday lunches vary, but my typical Sunday lunch is a nice plate of pasta with sugo and meatballs.

Your best dish: My penne alla vodka – I love pasta!

Best Italian neighhourhood: College Street Your favourite ItalianCanadian expression: “Fai bene e scordati, fai male e pensaci” Main difference between first generation and second/third: 42

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Photography by Giulio Muratori

Unfortunately, the ability to speak Italian often diminishes with the passing of generations.

Who is your role model?

My nonna Most important family value: Respect What does Panoram Italia represent to you?

Panoram Italia is a wonderful resource because it provides so much information to readers. From the recipes and local news stories to the travel information and historical accounts, Panoram Italia showcases all of the beautiful things about being an Italian in Canada.

Best memory growing up Italian-Canadian: The many trips to Italy

Occupation: Architecture Student at Sheridan College Age: 23 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: Penne, Pescara, Abruzzo Mom’s side from: Bitritto, Bari, Puglia Raised in: Mississauga Speaks: English, limited Italian Who do you speak Italian to? My nonni and girls I’m talking to Passion: Construction, architecture, design, cars, travel, music Goal in life: Do good, be good, receive good.

What’s your typical lunch?

Mom’s leftovers Your best dish: My tortellini Alfredo Best Italian neighhourhood: College Street Your favourite ItalianCanadian expression: “Zitto e mangia” Main difference between first generation and second/third: The volume at which we speak.

Who is your role model?

J. Cole, Kanye West, Pal Di Iulio Most important family value: Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.

Do you identify as ItalianCanadian or CanadianItalian?

Italian-Canadian What does Panoram Italia represent to you?

Keeping the Italian culture alive in Canada.

Best memory growing up Italian-Canadian: Having the best lunches in the classroom and lunchroom.

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Makeup by Monica De Las Casas Rosati

Location: University Ave. and Queen St. W

Victoria Celeste Caprara Nickname: Toria Occupation: Part-time daycare teacher and a full-time Concurrent Education student at Lakehead University Age: 21 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: Supino, Frosinone, Lazio Mom’s side from: Fano, Pesaro and Urbino, Le Marche Raised in: Mississauga Speaks: English and Italian Who do you speak Italian to?

My nonno and nonna Passion: I love cooking and shopping for makeup. I also love animals; I own a small dog named Moose.

Goal in life: To complete university and teach children with special needs. Once I graduate I would like to plan a trip to Europe and spend most of my time in Italy to further discover my parents’ roots.

Who is your role model?

My mom and my nonna are my role models because they are two strong Italian women. My mother taught me the importance of “forza” for family and my nonna

taught me a lot about my Italian heritage.

Most important family value: My family has taught me the importance of being together.

Also, I want to preserve our family traditions by passing them down to the next generation. I would like to pass our family’s recipe book to my children one day.

What does Panoram Italia represent to you?

Panorama Italia represents a slice of Italy in Canada. It allows us to stay current with the food, fashion and song as represented in Canada by the true Italians.

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DESIGN

Set in Stone

CIOT, materia cucina Smoke Stampa

Ceramics, marble and stone slabs can make a major statement in your home

By Alessia Sara Domanico

T

here are truly no limits to what interior design is capable of. With a little imagination the companies we caught up with for this latest design feature have flipped the conventional uses of ceramic, marble, stone and glass on their heads. What the three have in common is the sourcing of top-notch materials from numerous global markets. The parallels stop there and the magic starts as their new collections take shape with skilled artisans, some using traditional techniques, some employing new industry technologies and some both, to realize wholly original additions to interiors.

We started our education at homegrown Montreal-based Ciot, which has showrooms in both Montreal and Toronto. It has been making a name for itself for over 60 years with an impressive selection of slabs, tiles and artistic mosaics for both residential and commercial design projects. Funky and fresh, we fell in love with the way their 3D wall and backsplash designs give

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an appealing and dynamic look to any room. This is thanks to the light and shadow effects marked by reliefs on the surface. You name it, they can do it, including made to measure mosaics in ceramic, glass, mudtile, stainless steel stone, or a mix of them. Another notable collection they showed us is Blocks 5.0. At first we thought it was hardwood, but it’s actually coloured body porcelain stoneware with modern coatings that achieve an antiqued effect that gives a slick retro vibe to a kitchen, loft space or a trendy new salon.

Next on our list was a company we’d heard a lot of buzz about in Italy called Ceramiche Supergres that produces floor and wall coverings for middle-to-high range residential buildings. Supergres is a part of Concorde Group, the second-largest ceramics group in Italy, also well known internationally. Their wares include porcelain stoneware floor tiles for outdoor and indoor use and white-body tiles for kitchens and bathrooms. They intro-

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DESIGN

Supergres, All Over Grey Cucina

duced us to a few of their new collections including: All Over, a porcelain stoneware available with matte, lux mirror-like or anti-slip grip finishes; Remake and Remake T_20, tiles and tile floorboards in porcelain stoneware that mimic the look of aged wood and can be placed inside as floors or used on walls as mosaics or outside laid dry on grass, gravel and sand; and Color Flow, a white body ceramic wall tile collection whose polished surfaces transform into soft waves or small colored three-dimensional patterns, dressing walls with flowing movements and bright colour reflections.

Supergres Remake, Particolare Esagona Steel

Coem Ceramiche, Reverso2 White Mosaico Wavy

We wound up our exploration in Fiorano Modenese at Ceramiche Coem, which produces tiles that keep up with the latest trends in interior design, fashion and lifestyle. New for 2016 is their Pietra Sabbiosa collection that produces a sandlike effect achieved through technical stoneware that is reminiscent of the subtle veining on a stone with an extra-fine texture in neutral shades. For a classic Roman look they proposed their new Reverso 2 collection, which imitates the back of Travertine slabs with their partial imperfections and subtle, almost faded patterns.

It is available in white, silver or black.

Supergres, Color Flow Dark White Dec Diamond

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BASILICATA

By Paolo Patrito

The reawakening of the Sassi the heart of the Basilicata region lies an ancient city that has managed to overcome decades of neglect. It is called Matera, a city that’s home to the Sassi (a series of cave-dwellings that have been inhabited for over 8,000 years). In 2019, Matera, along with Plovdiv in Bulgaria, will share the title of European Capital of Culture.

Declared a “national shame” in the middle of the last century, due to the dire poverty besetting a large slice of its population, today, Matera is a city in full swing. This is apparent along Via Ridola and Via Del Corso, the backbones of the historic centre – near the edge of the ravine on which the city is suspended – where there is a continuous stream of unearthed cave-churches and restored homes that have been transformed into boutique hotels, shops, bars and restaurants that are bustling on the weekends.

Of course, there are still several deserted corners, inaccessible houses and quiet courtyards in the neighbourhood of the Sassi, especially in the more remote areas of the Sasso Caveoso. But life is returning in the Sassi at such a fast pace that even the people of Matera have been left stunned. “You see that woman collecting her laundry drying in the sun over there?” one of the guards at the Palazzo Lanfranchi asks me, while showing me a panoramic viewpoint of the city at sunset from the terrace of the museum. “For me it is a poignant scene, because until a few years ago, no one wanted to come back to live here.”

Around the time of the Second World War, the Sassi – ancient homes built into the rock, which for centuries were considered a sophisticated housing solution – became a symbol of the backwardness besetting the South of Italy. In those years, more than half of the people in Matera lived in caves, where men and animals shared the same spaces in precarious sanitary conditions. “Animals were the main good of the family, invaluable help in the fields and producers of manure that was heated to warm homes,” explains Pietro Colapietro owner of Casa Grotta di Casalnuovo museum (the Cave Homes of Casalnuovo) and one of the most active entrepreneurs in the revitalization of the city. “The mule was often kept at the foot of the bed, so it wasn’t stolen.”

In

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Il risveglio dei Sassi cuore della Basilicata c’è una città millenaria, che ha saputo superare decenni di abbandono. È Matera, la ‘città dei Sassi’ e della civiltà rupestre, abitata ininterrottamente da più di 8000 anni. Nel 2019 sarà Capitale Europea della Cultura insieme con Plovdiv, in Bulgaria.

Dichiarata “vergogna nazionale” verso la metà del secolo scorso per le condizioni di indigenza e arretratezza in cui versava una grande fetta della popolazione, oggi Matera è una città in pieno fermento. Lo si puo’ vedere in via Ridola e in via Del Corso, le spine dorsali del centro storico, verso il bordo della gravina su cui è sospesa la città, dove si susseguono chiese rupestri riportate alla luce, abitazioni restaurate o trasformate in boutique hotel, locali e ristoranti, che diventano particolarmente affollati nei fine settimana.

Certo, restano ancora parecchi angoli deserti, abitazioni inaccessibili, cortili silenziosi, nei rioni dei Sassi, soprattutto nelle zone più periferiche del Sasso Caveoso. Ma la vita sta tornando nei Sassi, a ritmi tanto veloci da lasciare di stucco persino i materani. “Vede quella donna che raccoglie i panni stesi al sole, lì sotto? – mi chiede uno dei custodi di palazzo Lanfranchi mentre mi mostra una panoramica della città al tramonto dalla terrazza del museo – Per me è una scena struggente, perché fino a pochi anni fa nessuno voleva tornarci a vivere, nessuno stendeva più i panni al sole”.

Già, i Sassi, le antiche case scavate nella roccia, per secoli sofisticate soluzioni abitative divenute nel giro di qualche decennio, a cavallo della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, emblema dell’arretratezza in cui versava il Mezzogiorno d’Italia. In quegli anni più della metà dei materani viveva nelle grotte, dove uomini e animali condividevano gli stessi spazi in precarie condizioni igienico-sanitarie.

“Gli animali erano il bene principale della famiglia, aiuto insostituibile nei campi e produttori di letame, che fermentando riscaldava gli ambienti – racconta Pietro Colapietro, titolare del museo “Casa Grotta di Casalnuovo” e imprenditore tra i più attivi nel rilancio della città – Il mulo veniva tenuto spesso ai piedi del letto, per non farselo rubare.”

Nel

Photography by Daniele Ratti

Matera

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BASILICATA

With the first of the special laws in 1952, the desertion of the Sassi began, a process that would last around 20 years. The inhabitants were given two options: to give up their homes in exchange for a new one, or to remain owners of their caves and buy a house in the new neighborhoods, like La Martella or Spine Bianche. For obvious economic reasons, the vast majority of people chose to give up their cave-home, and it is for this reason that today many Sassi are property of the State.

Gradually, in the ’70s and ’80s, a slow process of rediscovery began, gaining new impetus after the Sassi were proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. “But the real rebirth of Matera, from a touristic point of view, began in 2004, when the city was chosen by Mel Gibson to shoot The Passion of the Christ,” explains Emanuele Rizzi, owner of Latteria, a gastropub in business since 1945. The following year, tourists began to arrive. Then, the candidature and election of Matera as European Capital of Culture for b 2019 did the rest.”

Con la prima delle leggi speciali, nel 1952, iniziò l’abbandono dei Sassi, un processo che sarebbe durato un ventennio. Agli abitanti vennero offerte due possibilità: cedere la propria casa in cambio di una nuova o rimanere proprietari del sasso e acquistare una casa nei quartieri nuovi, come La Martella o Spine Bianche. Per ovvie ragioni economiche la stragrande maggioranza degli abitanti scelse di cedere la propria casa-grotta, ed è per questo che oggi moltissimi Sassi sono di proprietà dello Stato.

Lentamente, nei decenni ’70 e ’80, si intraprese un lento processo di riscoperta, che trasse nuovo impulso dall’inserimento dei Sassi tra i beni Patrimonio dell’umanità Unesco, nel 1993. “Ma la vera rinascita di Matera da un punto di vista turistico è iniziata nel 2004, quando la città è stata scelta da Mel Gibson per girarvi ‘The Passion’ – spiega Emanuele Rizzi, 49 anni, titolare della ‘Latteria’, una gastronomia con cucina in attività fin dal 1945. L’anno successivo hanno cominciato ad arrivare i turisti. Poi, la candidatura e l’elezione di Matera a Capitale Europea della Cultura per il 2019 hanno fatto il resto”.

Quality Craftsmanship and Exceptional Value

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BASILICATA Among the main drivers of this challenge – that saw Matera compete against cities like Lecce, Siena, Ravenna, Mantova and Venice – is 50-yearold Turin-native, Paolo Verri, one of the most respected cultural managers in Italy; director of the Turin Book Fair and the Committee that planned the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Verri came to Matera in 2011 and literally fell under the charm of the city. He helped put together the application process in collaboration with the city administration, then lead by the mayor, Salvatore Adduce.

“Only by working there did I understand its true potential,” he explains. “Matera is extraordinary – a town on the border between what is created by God and what is built by man, merging nature and culture. It survives on an unstable equilibrium that is both a point of strength and weakness. Today many tourists have discovered its beauty (the flux of visitors has increased by 100 per cent in two years), but we must protect ourselves from the risk that the immediate result may make us lose sight of our ultimate goal: to transform Matera into a permanent capital of culture and innovation, capable of attracting work and tourism without losing its own identity.”

The unfolding of its history, as such, is all in the hands of the people of Matera, especially the young. Like 23-year-old Andrea Santeramo, who in 2012 – sensing a change in the air – joined his brother in launching Apeneisassi, a startup that offers sightseeing tours of the city on board a modified Ape Piaggio. “We started with one vehicle; now we have three and we have transported thousands of people on a culture exchange that has helped us grow. We stayed in Matera because we believed in the possibility of fulfilling our dreams in our own land. And we have been rewarded, because Matera is changing for the better.”

Matera’s 2019 slogan, “Open Future,” encourages changes, growth and innovation. The future is open in Matera, and it is filled with great possibilities.

Translated into English by Athena Mellor

5 culinary delights of Matera selected by Emanuele Rizzi of La Latteria restaurant • La Manteca (also called “burrino”): a kind of pasta filata

Tra i principali motori di questa sfida, che ha visto Matera competere con città come Lecce, Siena, Ravenna, Mantova e Venezia, c’è il torinese Paolo Verri, 50 anni, manager culturale tra i più apprezzati d’Italia, già direttore del Salone del Libro di Torino e del Comitato che ha progettato le celebrazioni per i 150 anni dell’Unità d’Italia. Verri è arrivato a Matera nel 2011, letteralmente folgorato dalla città, e ha contribuito a costruire il dossier di candidatura in collaborazione con l’amministrazione comunale, allora guidata dal sindaco Salvatore Adduce. “Solo lavorandoci ne ho compreso le potenzialità.” Spiega Verri. “Matera è straordinaria, una città al confine tra quanto creato da Dio e quanto costruito degli uomini, tra natura e cultura. Vive su un equilibrio instabile, che è insieme punto di forza e di debolezza. Oggi molti turisti hanno scoperto le sue bellezze (il flusso dei visitatori è aumentato del 100% in due anni), ma dobbiamo guardarci dal rischio che i risultati immediati possano far perdere di vista il vero obiettivo: trasformare Matera in una capitale permanente della cultura e dell’innovazione, capace di attirare lavoro e turismo senza perdere la propria identità”.

Lo sviluppo della storia, insomma, è tutto nelle mani dei materani, soprattutto dei giovani. Come Andrea Santeramo, 23 anni, che nel 2012, fiutata l’aria del cambiamento, ha deciso di aprire con il fratello “Apeneisassi”, una startup che propone giri turistici della città a bordo di Ape Piaggio modificate. “Siamo partiti con un veicolo – racconta – Ora ne abbiamo tre e abbiamo trasportato migliaia di persone, in uno scambio culturale che ci ha aiutato a crescere. Siamo rimasti a Matera perché abbiamo creduto nella possibilità di realizzare i nostri sogni nella nostra terra. E siamo stati ripagati, perché Matera sta cambiando in meglio”.

Cambiamenti, crescita, innovazione e un pizzico di rischio: come recita lo slogan di Matera 2019, “Open Future”, il futuro è aperto, e sembra molto interessante.

5 specialità imperdibili di Matera scelte da Emanuele Rizzi de “La latteria” •

La Manteca (detta anche “burrino”), una sorta di scamorza a pasta filata, che all’interno contiene una palla di burro, che anticamente in questo modo veniva anche conservato.

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La Pezzente delle Colline Materane Presidio Slow Food, una salsiccia dall’elevata percentuale di grasso, aromatizzata con peperone rosso e finocchietto.

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Le Olive di Ferrandina Presidio Slow Food (Oliva Maiatica). È un’oliva bivalente, ottima per produrre olio, oppure da gustare sotto sale o al forno.

smoked cheese filled with a ball of butter – once also preserved in this way.

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La Pezzente delle Colline Materane (Slow Food Presidia): a particularly fatty sausage flavoured with red pepper and fennel.

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Le Olive di Ferrandina (Slow Food Presidia) (Oliva Maiatica): a bivalent olive, excellent for producing oil, or simply to enjoy baked or salted.

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La Pignata: a lamb dish with potatoes cooked in a clay pot.

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Il Pane di Matera: made from durum-wheat flour, produced in small loaves, cooked in a wood-fired oven with the classic cornet shape.

La Pignata, un piatto di agnello con le patate cotto in un coccio di argilla.

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Il Pane di Matera, a base di semola di grano duro, prodotto in piccoli panifici, cotto nel forno a legna con la classica forma a cornetto.

All accompanied by an Aglianco del Vulture DOC wine.

Il tutto accompagnato da un vino Aglianico del Vulture Doc

5 things to do in Matera

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5 cose da fare a Matera

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Wander aimlessly through Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso until you reach the Casalnuovo neighbourhood on the edge of the ravine.

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Passeggiare senza meta tra il Sasso Barisano e il Sasso Caveoso, spingendosi fino al rione di Casalnuovo, sul ciglio della gravina.

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Dive into the city’s past by visiting a cave-home, like the one in Casalnuovo, spread over three levels. Or visit Casa Noha, a fascinating, interactive museum dedicated to the Matera civilizations.

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Explore Civita, the wealthiest neighbourhood built around the Cathedral. The ambience is particularly lovely in the evening when the bright lights are reflected onto the stones of walls and staircases.

Tuffarsi nel passato della città entrando in una casa-grotta come quella del Casalnuovo, disposta su 3 livelli, oppure visitando Casa Noha, un affascinante museo interattivo dedicato alla civiltà materana.

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Esplorare la Civita, il quartiere più nobile, sviluppatosi attorno alla cattedrale, magari la sera tardi, quando le luci gialle si riflettono sulle pietre dei muri e delle scalinate.

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Visit at least one cave-church, built deep into the rock, like the striking Complesso Monastico della Madonna delle Virtù e di San Nicola dei Greci.

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Visitare almeno una chiesa rupestre, scavata nelle profondità della roccia, come lo stupefacente Complesso Monastico della Madonna delle Virtù e di San Nicola dei Greci.

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Visit (by car or by crossing a suspension bridge over the river) the Murgia Timone viewpoint, on the other side of the ravine, a place of striking beauty from which you can admire the entire city. It is no coincidence that this place was chosen

by Mel Gibson to shoot the crucifixion scene in the film, The Passion of the Christ (2004).

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Raggiungere (in auto o attraversando un ponte sospeso sul torrente) il belvedere della Murgia Timone, dall’altra parte della gravina, un ambiente di suggestiva bellezza da cui ammirare tutta la città. Non a caso questo luogo è stato scelto da Mel Gibson per girare la scena della crocifissione nel film “The Passion” (2004).

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Photography by Alfio Giannotti

Cripta Cattedrale Acerenza

National Museum of Melfese

Discovering Basilicata’s Medieval Landmarks

By Biancamaria Grasso cal, angular towers and is surrounded by a wide moat. The characteristic angular towers, which have traditional upper battlements, guard the armories, while the basement houses the prisons.

The last stage of your journey ends in Acerenza, a small medieval village perched on a hill. The symbol of the town is the Roman-Norman style cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and Santo Canio. The cathedral dates back to 1000 A.D. and replaces an old, Christian church. The stone façade is linear and majestic and contains a portal with two columns complete with capitals.

Within the tower you can admire the remains of two Roman Sarcophaguses depicting the faces of the dead, as well as fragments of a sacrificial altar with the head of an ox. Also in the crypt are pillars and sidewalls adorned with zoomorphic and floral sculptured motifs, with a mysterious symbolic meaning.

While in the area, make sure to visit a winery where you can try Lucanian culinary specialties paired with a glass of Aglianico del Vulture DOC wine, considered one of the most delicious reds in Italy.

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The castle today houses the National Museum of Melfese, which preserves many archaeological artifacts relating to indigenous populations of prehistoric, Roman, Byzantine and Norman times.

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T

he Vulture-Melfese area, located in the northern part of the Basilicata, is characterized by the strong presence of Norman, Swabian and Angevin civilizations, all of which left their influence in the region. In fact, the Swabian emperor Frederick II decided to build several castles as holiday hunting grounds in the pristine lands of Basilicata, which are still around today.

Potenza, the capital city, is renowned for its historic centre, located in the narrow and cozy street of Via Pretoria – once leading to the 16th century castle, of which only a tower remains today. On either side of the street, alleyways and winding passages lead to picturesque corners from which you can still experience the flavours, shapes and colours of antiquity. Via Pretoria, which cuts the town centre in half, is lined with an array of palaces that give the street a distinctive elegance. The ancient history of Basilicata can be better understood thanks to the artefacts from the the Paleolithic and the Roman eras that are housed in in the Provincial Archeological Museum of Potenza.

Moving towards Melfi, you will come across the Castello di Lagopesole, described as one of the most beautiful castles in Southern Italy. Built between 1242 and 1250, the castle is impressive and strategically placed, and was designed as a hunting lodge for Emperor Federick II. It has a rectangular shape and looks over the homes of the parish in the town of Avigliano. The Castello was owned by different historical dynasties until the 1980 earthquake, when it was finally transformed into a museum of Lucanian history.

Once in Melfi, you can admire the impressive 11th century castle built by Guglielmo d’Altavilla on the ruins of a pre-existent castle. Undoubtedly the most famous castle in the region, its size dominates the view of the city to this day. It is here that during a council meeting summoned by Pope Urban II in 1089, the Pontiff announced the First Crusade in the Holy Land against the Infidels, establishing the obligation of celibacy to the religious. In the following years, the castle was remodeled and expanded by Frederick II, who in 1231 declared the “Costitutiones Augustales” from there – the first comprehensive text of penal and civil laws in the Middle Ages.

Originally made up of a central part surrounded by a ring of fortified walls, today visitors will see a pentagonal structure with no less than eight towers. The western tower, known as the “baluardo del lione” (“the lion’s bastion”), has a protrusion in the shape of a nest, which according to legend, belonged to the imperial eagle of Frederick II of Swabia.

From the 16th century, the Castle became the home of the Doria family.

The castle today houses the National Museum of Melfese, which preserves many archaeological artifacts relating to indigenous populations of prehistoric, Roman, Byzantine and Norman times, such a the “Sarcophagus of Rapolla,” a wonderful work created by artists from Asia Minor.

Continuing about 25km east, you will come across the Aragonese Castle of Venosa, built by the House of Aragon in 1470. It is square-shaped with cylindri-

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Fried lampascioni and pancetta

Crapiata

Flavours of Lucania The tradition behind the cuisine

By Paolo Patrito

T

he cuisine of the Basilicata region is made up of predominantly simple ingredients with extraordinary flavour, reflecting the ancient history of these lands and the dedication of the inhabitants to cultivating grain and to pastoralism. This is why there is an abundance of meat dishes, especially those featuring lamb and pork. Homemade pasta and bread (especially in Matera) are excellent, as are some “peasant” charcuteries like salsiccia pezzente (“beggar’s” sausage), many cheeses such as caciocavallo, and vegetables like peperoni cruschi (that are crunchy) and lampascioni (similar to small onions but more bitter). Recipes can vary a lot between different areas of Basilicata and are influenced considerably by neighbouring regions (especially in the case of Puglia’s impact on Matera cuisine).

Lucanian antipasti Served in restaurants and many Lucanian homes – especially during festivities – this dish is made up of a selection of typical products that vary a great deal between different Basilicata neighbourhoods. The platter can include, for example, lampascioni (fried or drizzled with oil), cardoncelli mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and peperoni cruschi drizzled with oil, as well as cold meats such as lucanica sausage, sopressata and “beggar’s” sausage, and cheeses like canestraio di Moliterno and caciocavallo.

Crapiata Typical of Matera, crapiata is a peasant soup that contains a variety of grains and pulses, such as wheat, chickpeas, cicerchia, green beans, lentils, broad beans and new potatoes, cooked in water and salt. Crapiata, cooked in large pots between several different families, was eaten to celebrate and sample the new harvest.

Cialledda fredda Cialledda fredda is a very simple, cold dish made with stale bread, tomato, salt, extra-virgin olive oil and oregano, and can sometimes also include onions and olives. It is a summer dish known as the “Harvester’s Breakfast” since it was traditionally eaten early in the morning by laborers as they prepared to harvest grain in the sunny fields. This incredibly tasty dish can also be served hot for the winter.

Strascinati con peperoni cruschi e cacioricotta Combining three key products of the Lucanian kitchen, this is certainly a standout pasta-based starter dish. Made with strascinati (fresh, homemade, durum-wheat pasta with a similar shape to large, flattened orecchiette); peperoni cruschi (typical in the countryside around Senise and crunchy due to being dried immediately after harvest), and cacioricotta (a local cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk).

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BASILICATA

The cuisine of the Basilicata region is made up of predominantly simple ingredients with extraordinary flavour, reflecting the ancient history of these lands and the dedication of the inhabitants to cultivating grain and to pastoralism.

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Pignata di pecora Pignata di pecora (otherwise known as “cutturidd” or “pastroale”) is a stew made from mutton, cooked with various different vegetables and spices inside a terracotta pan or a copper pot in the fireplace. Although it’s a hardy dish, it is traditionally eaten in August since in ancient times it was made with animals killed accidentally during the burning of fields after the grain harvest.

Fave e cicoria White broad beans with chicory form a light and nutritious springtime dish that can be eaten either as a main meal or as a side dish. The main ingredient is wild, rural chicory that grows spontaneously in the countryside and in Le Murge. It is served alongside a broad-bean purée with a high nutritional value.

Sanguinaccio dolce It is certainly not easy to find sanguinaccio dolce (otherwise known as “sanguinaccio antico”) in its original recipe. This dish contains heavy cream made from dark chocolate, pig’s blood, Vincotto (cooked wine) or milk, and is flavoured with candied citron and orange. Typical during carnival time, it is served cold and accompanied by bread or biscuits. The contemporary version usually doesn’t include pig’s blood and is substituted with lard to ensure a smooth consistency.

Aglianco del Vulture One of the most important Italian red wines, this DOC product is made from an Aglianco vine variety found between 200 and 800 metres above sea level on the slopes of Mount Vulture, a volcano in the province of Potenza that has been extinct for millennia. It is here that around 40 producers cultivate roughly 1500 hectares of land and make around two and a half million bottles every year. Aglianco del Vulture – sometimes known as the “Barolo del Sud” because of its similarity to the Piedmontese wine – is a red wine with an intense scent and harmonic flavour, particularly suited to meat-based dishes and aged cheese.

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Photography by Francesco Di Muro

BASILICATA

An Ode to Muro Lucano

By Francesco Di Muro aese mio che stai sulla collina...” So begins that iconic song, “Che sarà” that Ricchi e Poveri first released back in 1971. Those rich, melodic bars of music are the first that I can remember hearing as a child. But beyond the music, these first words left the most profound impression upon me. It invoked warm images of idyllic, sleepy towns in the Italian countryside; small clusters of brightly coloured stucco homes and terracotta tiles that playfully shimmer in the sunlight. Only once I saw pictures of my family’s hometown with its fanciful, storybook setting, and the imaginings roused by this song, materialized into an actual, tangible place. Granted, the Italian countryside is well-known for its absurdly picturesque landscapes featuring countless small, quaint towns, but this was different. This was special, for this was my hometown, Muro Lucano. Situated in a rugged corner of Basilicata, Muro Lucano embodies the essence of the south: warm and inviting with an untouched, raw beauty.

Poised atop a mountain ridge, some 600 meters above sea level, this commune lies about 50 kilometers northwest of the regional capital, Potenza. In antiquity, important fortifications surrounded a Roman encampment on the town’s current site. These walls would serve as the foundation of the town’s first structures and the origin of its name.

The 10th century saw the addition of a castle, which has become the most recognizable landmark of the town. This castle, perched above the town, has a commanding view of the breathtaking mountain landscape that surrounds it.

Much too often, the history of the region has been mired by hardship. Some say that this mirrors the qualities of the rugged terrain. Even nature has branded the town. The area has been the victim of many devastating earthquakes over the centuries, making it hard for the region to develop. In 1705, Muro Lucano was almost completely destroyed by a powerful quake. More recently, the town was hit again in 1980, the repercussions of which can still be seen to this day through the ongoing reconstruction efforts. In recognition of the townspeople’s sacrifice and stalwart approach in dealing with the crisis, the town was awarded a citation in 2005 by the Italian government.

“P

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Yet, even under the constant threat of the next quake, the townspeople refuse to yield. For such intransigence they are rewarded. The town’s location in the foothills of the Apennines mountain range provides almost every house with a view of the rugged rural landscape; a rich, verdant beauty, which has remained mostly untouched throughout the centuries. Even viewed from the ravine below, the town seems to undulate over and around the crest of the mountain. The oldest section of the town, in the shadow of the castle, il Pianello, is filled with narrow pedestrian alleys and handsome, stucco homes, painted in vibrant pastels. Not even these narrow, cobbled streets can hide the rustic beauty of the town. Seen from above, the terracotta roofing tiles of this quarter appear to ripple and blend into one another, in soothing uniform patterns. The rest of the town spreads out from this older section following the relief of the mountain. The centre of the town is located in the natural inward curvature of the mountainside. Here we find the main piazza, Piazza dei Monachi, and one of the half-dozen churches of this town of 6,000 inhabitants.

Although small in size, this piazza does heighten the intimate qualities and close-knit nature of small town life. Numerous balconies from surrounding houses open up onto the piazza and it is not uncommon to hear neighbours conversing with one another between balconies and with those in the piazza below. The appeal here is that there is no pretense, no false pride, accepting life in its purest form. Merely walking the piazza, this rural leitmotif seems to permeate the surroundings and one cannot help but become intoxicated by its affect. Here, time loses its conventional sense. If it was not for the regular chiming of the church bells to indicate the hours, one would easily get carried away by the charm of the town.

Refreshing mountain air and rocky vistas coupled with the simple life and coloured history serve to make Muro Lucano the embodiment of the town’s way of life in il Mezzogiorno. How many people can say an iconic song reminds them of their hometown? Muro Lucano’s uniqueness lies in its quiet humbleness, ensconced in a rugged, yet majestic shroud. A town, I’m proud to say, that is the foundation of my family’s origin.

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Photos courtesy of the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada

Basilicata community in the GTA

By Danila Di Croce

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estled in the southern Appennine Mountains is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets: the Basilicata region. Lucania, as it is otherwise known, is home to some of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes and flavourful dishes, as well as a community of people who are often defined as humble and reserved.

And those who immigrated to the GTA have made a profound and lasting impact that is still felt today.

Sam Primucci, the CEO of Pizza Nova; Ralph Giannone, co-partner of Giannone Petricone Associates; and Maria Milano, Executive Board of Directors member for the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada, may have found success in Canada, but they all have their roots planted in the region of Basilicata and remain deeply connected to the area today. “People from Basilicata have a lot of talents but they are shy,” explains Maria Milano.

“However, when we are given opportunities, we can shine.”

Sam Primucci and his family are a prime example of this. Born in Palazzo San Gervasio, in the province of Potenza, Primucci and his family immigrated to Canada between 1951 and 1952. As Primucci’s family adapted to life in Canada, his younger brother eventually started working for a pizzeria, aptly named, La Pizzeria. This sparked an idea and eventually all four Primucci brothers decided to join together to open a pizzeria of their own. It evolved into the popular Pizza Nova franchise. Sam Primucci headed the business and continues on as CEO while his son Domenic serves as president of the company. “This country gave us an opportunity, we worked hard, I worked 24 hours day,” Primucci recalls. “You have to thank the country that allowed you to do it.” Yet, Primucci is also grateful to his homeland for instilling in him values that have been integral throughout his career.

“Being from Basilicata, my father always believed in quality and being honest – those are aspects that I carry through in my own business.”

Primucci also respects his ties to the region with two annual visits, in June and August. “There is a certain ambiance of the paese. I go back and I feel something. It’s ingrained in me.”

This need for reconnection with the region is something other Lucani can agree upon, including Ralph Giannone and his family. Giannone’s parents, both from Pisticci, immigrated to Canada in the late ’50s. With family back home, Giannone and his family visited the region often. After marrying and starting a family of his own, Giannone continued his frequent visits bringing his family along, but space became an issue. “Pisticci has no tourists, so as [my siblings’ families along with my own] grew, the infrastructure wasn’t there for anyone to stay comfortably,” Giannone explains.

His father began to worry that his children were losing touch with their roots since they visited the region less often. That’s when they decided to buy a property. In their search, they came across the crumbling ruins of a masseria (a walled Southern Italian farmhouse). Although it started out as a family project, the building eventually became what is known today as Hotel Torre Fiore.

Nestled between the seaside and the town of Pisticci, the hotel, which is run by Giannone’s sister Mariana, has become one of Italy’s highly rated travel destinations. “We built it as a place for our family and friends to stay,” explains Giannone, “but also for others to come to and get to know Pisticci.”

If one can’t visit the region to experience things first-hand, no need to worry, as the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada brings the pleasures of the region to Ontario.

The Society, originally founded in 2000, holds a variety of events including the Sagra del Maiale, a movie night in collaboration with ICFF, an annual picnic at Boyd Conservation Park, and an annual gala in November. They also feature artists and speakers from the region at some of their events, such as Lucani singer Pino Gioia, and they present scholarships at their annual gala to students of Lucani heritage.

I Briganti Montesti are a folk group from Montescaglioso, who performed at the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada. Far left: Antonio Locantore.

Maria Milano, who is involved in the society’s radio project, co-hosts a regional radio show on CHIN 1540 every Tuesday morning with Filippo Gravina. While born and raised in Montescaglioso, Basilicata, Milano immigrated to Canada after marrying her husband, whose parents hail from the region. “Canada is the land of freedom, here dreams really do come true... however, I will never forget where I came from, the values, the traditions, the food, the music, the art, the history,” says Milano. It’s this passion for her region that fuels her involvement with the club. “[Our] mission is to preserve and promote the culture, history, traditions and beauty of our region. [Basilicata] is simple and authentic. Everything is so unique and delightful, no add-ons. You don’t need them – just enjoy.”

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Delicious Lucania Bring the flavours of Basilicata to your dinner table this fall with peperonata, the perfect sharing plate, as well as cavatelli (pasta shells typical of the region).

Peperonata

(serves 4-6)

Instructions

Ingredients / Ingredienti

Pour olive oil in a hot pan. Add pancetta and cook till golden brown. Once crisp, remove from the pan and place on paper towel.

• 6 sweet peppers, cut lengthwise / 6 peperoni dolci, tagliati per il lungo

Stir in sliced onions, peppers, peperoncino, potatoes and garlic.

• 1 spicy peperoncino / 1 peperoncino

Cook on high heat for 5 minutes and then add white wine to deglaze. Toss pancetta back into the pan. Cover and reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

• 2 small potatoes, cut into halves and quartered / 2 patate piccole, tagliate a metà e a cubetti • 1 onion, sliced / 1 cipolla, tagliata a fette • ½ cup of diced pancetta / ½ tazza di pancetta tagliata a dadini

Remove cover and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy hot or cold as an antipasto.

• 2 tbsp of olive oil / 2 cucchiai di olio di oliva

Istruzioni

• 1 cup of white wine / 1 bicchiere di vino bianco

Versate l’olio d’oliva in una padella calda. Aggiungete la pancetta e cuocetela fino a doratura. Una volta croccante togliete la pancetta e fatela riposare su carta assorbente.

• 1 garlic clove, minced / 1 spicchio d’aglio tritato • Salt and pepper to taste / Sale e pepe quanto basta

Mescolate la cipolla, i peperoni, il peperoncino, le patate e l’aglio.

Cuocete a fuoco vivace per circa 5 minuti e poi sfumate con il vino bianco.

Aggiungete la pancetta, coprite con un coperchio e cuocete a fuoco lento per circa 30 minuti.

Togliete il coperchio e aggiungete sale e pepe quanto basta.

Godetevi questo antipasto caldo o freddo.

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Recipe prepared by Fabio Bondi, the chef/owner of Local Kitchen & Wine Bar in Toronto.

Ricetta preparata da Fabio Bondi, chef e proprietario del Local Kitchen & Wine Bar di Toronto.

Delizie Lucane Porta i sapori della Basilicata sulla tua tavola questo autunno con una peperonata, piatto perfetto da condividere, come anche i cavatelli, pasta tipica della regione.

Cavatelli with Herbs and Toasted Breadcrumbs (serves 3-4)

Instructions Cook cavatelli in salted boiling water (if using dry pasta, follow package directions; if using fresh cavatelli, cook for about two minutes).

Add olive oil to a hot pan and toast breadcrumbs till golden brown. Set aside.

Cavatelli con erbe e pangrattato tostato (per 3-4 persone)

Drizzle pan with additional olive oil and toss in cooked cavatelli. Pour in some pasta water and reduce.

Add Pecorino cheese along with herbs and toss in the pan for about 30 seconds.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients / Ingredienti

Garnish with toasted breadcrumbs and enjoy.

• 400 g of cavatelli / 400 g di cavatelli • 1 cup Pecorino cheese / 1 tazza di pecorino

Istruzioni

• 2 tbsp of wild fennel / 2 cucchiai di finocchio selvatico

Cuocete i cavatelli in acqua bollente salata (se utilizzate la pasta secca seguite le indicazioni sulla confezione; se i cavatelli sono freschi cuoceteli per circa due minuti).

• 2 tbsp of oregano / 2 cucchiai di origano • 2 tbsp of thyme / 2 cucchiai di timo • 1 cup toasted breadcrumbs / 1 tazza di pangrattato • ½ cup olive oil, divided / ½ tazza di olio di oliva a parte • Salt and pepper to taste / Sale e pepe quanto basta

Aggiungete l’olio d’oliva in un tegame e tostate il pangrattato fino a doratura.

Mettere da parte.

Versate un altro po’ di olio d’oliva nel tegame e aggiungete i cavatelli dopo averli bolliti. Versate un po’ di acqua di cottura della pasta e lasciate ridurre.

Aggiungete il pecorino con le erbe e mescolate in padella per circa 30 secondi.

Condite con sale e pepe a piacere Guarnite con pangrattato e buon appetito !

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ARTS & CULTURE

Photography by Giulio Muratori

The Art of Living with Lucia Paterra Catania

By Marisa Iacobucci

It’s

never too late to start over, learn something new or dream new dreams. This is something that Lucia Paterra Catania, 68, learned first-hand when she took up painting 16 years ago while dealing with the painful reality of her divorce. “Painting was a healing process for me,” says the artist. “It helped me let go, live in the moment, make the best out of any situation and embrace what life sends your way.”

Facing a blank canvass, Paterra Catania wasn’t sure what would happen, but once she got painting, it was like a meditation for her, bringing her inner peace and a real appreciation for the practice and art of living in the now.

Inspired by the works of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, Canadian wildlife artist Kelly McNeil, early 20th Century Canadian artist John Currin and the writings of Virginia Woolf, Paterra Catania set off on a journey of self-discovery through her paintings. Her deep appreciation of nature, her fascination with the great Canadian outdoors and her love for her homeland are prominent influences in her landscape paintings. Algonquin Park, Muskoka sunsets, the northern lights and the Old Barn on Mississauga Road are just some of the Canadian sceneries Paterra Catania brings to life in her paintings. The seascapes, beaches, mountains and urban villages of Abruzzo, recalled from Paterra Catania’s childhood memories and visits back home, are captured timelessly in her works. “I brought Canada to Italy,” says Paterra Catania proudly, honoured to have had some of her paintings on display in museums and galleries in Italy.

Themes of identity, gender issues, women’s experiences, religion and spirituality are at the forefront of her other paintings. People and animals she adores, her beloved granddaughters and pets, are the inspiration behind her portrait art.

Painting has opened many new doors for Paterra Catania, including becoming an active member of various Italian and arts communities here in Toronto and back home. For six years now, she has been the President of the Golden Age Art Academy (GAA) in Toronto, a non-profit organization that 56

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encourages the development, expression and display of its members’ artistic creations. Founded by a small group of seniors in 1997 for seniors who had an interest in arts and crafts, GAA is now open to all and invites people of all ages and cultural backgrounds to join. The works of GAA members are displayed all year long in the lobby of the Columbus Centre. Exhibitions have also taken place in Vaughan City Hall, Downsview Library and at Queen’s Park.

Paterra Catania is also involved in running an arts and crafts drop-in program for seniors at Carmine Stefano Community Centre in Etobicoke York on Wednesdays. “Seniors have so much to offer: history, psychology, sociology, real life experiences. The oldest senior in our group is 92. You’re never too old to discover new things about yourself.”

Already a member and former director of the National Congress of Italian Canadians – Toronto District, Paterra Catania was elected as its director again last year.

And, that’s only on this side of the Atlantic. Born in Palena in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo, Paterra Catania has tried to travel back to her hometown every year since she turned 50 for Premio Cinematografico Palena. The short film festival attracts thousands of film enthusiasts from all over the world each August. Paterra Catania has been involved with the festival as a film maker and juror. In 2008, she won an award for her documentary, I Pionieri, a film about 36 young men who left Palena in 1957 to work on the railroad in British Columbia. “They were promised a two-year contract, but their work was terminated after six months. Some of them stayed in Vancouver, others went to Montreal and most of them came to Toronto,” she explains. “Toronto has become l’altra Palena. There are more of us here than back home,” she adds.

The artist, who was 17 when she immigrated to Toronto with her family, is proud of her dual identity as an Italian-Canadian. “I have lived in Canada for 51 years,” she says, “and I am blessed to have had a good Mother Italy and a good Father Canada – my great provider.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

Intervista con

Laura Pausini

“Adoro il Canada: l’Italia dovrebbe essere così”

By Johnny L. Bertolio

P

er inaugurare il suo nuovo tour mondiale Laura Pausini ha scelto Toronto. Martedì 26 luglio scorso il Powerade Centre di Brampton ha ospitato quella che attualmente è la cantante italiana più famosa all’estero.

Con la prima tappa del suo “Similares US & Latin America tour” (dal titolo dell’ultimo album, “Simili” appunto), l’artista conferma il successo internazionale dei suoi brani, puntualmente tradotti in spagnolo.

Era il 1993 quando un’ingenua burdela (“ragazza” in romagnolo) di Solarolo, in provincia di Ravenna, vinse la sezione “Novità” del Festival di Sanremo con “La solitudine” e la benedizione di Pippo Baudo. Marco non è ritornato più ma in compenso sono arrivati nuovi amori (il chitarrista Paolo Carta, con cui ha avuto la figlia Paola), vendite di dischi e riconoscimenti, tra cui il prestigioso Grammy Award per il Miglior Album Pop Latino (“Resta in ascolto”), nel 2006.

Panoram Italia : Hai scelto il Canada per l’inizio della seconda parte del tuo tour mondiale: che impressioni hai avuto di questo Paese multiculturale in cui la presenza italiana è fortissima?

Laura Pausini: Sono veramente molto felice di essere qui con il mio staff al completo: avere a disposizione qualche giorno è un vero piacere anche per loro.

Sono andati tutti alle Cascate del Niagara: io le avevo viste quando sono venuta da piccola, a soli diciannove anni. Toronto è bellissima! Ogni volta che ci torno, diventa sempre di più come io vorrei che fossero organizzate e pulite anche le città italiane. Mi piace tantissimo.

PI: “Simili”, il tuo dodicesimo album, è un inno alla fraternità universale: a cosa ti sei ispirata per la sua ideazione?

LP: È troppo tempo che ci dividiamo in categorie, che non troviamo soluzioni per non amarci e rispettarci. Più passa il tempo e più si costruiscono muri e barriere e così cresce la rabbia e la cattiveria. Io penso che gli esseri umani siano uguali e che le differenze siano nel carattere e nelle scelte che si fanno, ma che tutti vadano comunque trattati allo stesso modo con gli stessi diritti. Ecco perché “simili” è una parola che mi piace: racchiude la parola “uguale” nella parola “differente”.

PI: Nell’album ci sono collaborazioni importanti con Biagio Antonacci, Jovanotti e Giuliano Sangiorgi dei Negramaro, ma anche con artisti giovani: come sono nate?

LP: Sono fortunata ad avere tanti amici nella musica e con Biagio c’è da anni un rapporto fraterno… è il padrino di Paola, mia figlia, e nel nuovo disco le ha dedicato una delle canzoni più belle ed emotive. L’ho cantata anche qui a Toronto per presentarvi Paola. La canzone di Jovanotti sta avendo un grande successo in spagnolo: si intitola “Enamorada” ed è molto colorata e divertente anche in concerto. Infine, il brano di Giuliano Sangiorgi è una perla preziosa del disco. I giovani autori li cerco sempre: sono il motore della mia evoluzione artistica.

PI: A “The Voice”, “La Banda” e “Laura&Paola” ti abbiamo vista padrona dello schermo oltre che del palco: ci sono altri progetti televisivi all’orizzonte?

LP: Spero di sì! La televisione mi affascina moltissimo e ho in mente qualcosa per il futuro, ma adesso ho un lungo tour a cui pensare e anche un progetto segreto che prima dell’anno nuovo vi presenterò.

PI: Sono passati ventitré anni dalla vittoria al Festival di Sanremo con “La solitudine”. Cosa pensa la Laura di oggi quando rivede se stessa sul palco del Teatro Ariston?

LP: Penso con orgoglio alla mia innocenza e alla mia ingenuità. Oggi, quando da giudice dei talent show vedo che i ragazzi che arrivano sono così sicuri di sé, non ne rimango colpita positivamente. Mi piacciono le persone semplici. Grazie ai miei genitori credo di essere sempre rimasta una persona con valori molto forti, senza montarmi la testa.

Dopo le tappe italiane negli stadi e i concerti in America, “Similares” continuerà in Europa per la gioia dei moltissimi fan, innamorati di questa artista che più cresce, più tiene a coltivare le proprie radici italiane; che la comunità del Canada le ricorda sempre con particolare affetto.

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SPORTS

St. Michael’s College St. Michael's College hockey team in 1924

By Sal Difalco

W

St. Michael's College hockey team in 2011

St. Michael's College hockey team in 1945

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alk down the hallowed corridors of Toronto’s St. Michael’s College School and before long you’ll be stopped in your tracks by a gallery of notable graduates that might be mistaken for a Hockey Hall of Fame installation: Bobby Bauer, Red Kelly, Dave Keon, Tim Horton, Frank Mahovlich. Not to mention current NHL stars – Jason Spezza, Andrew Cogliano, Tyler Seguin – sharing the vertical pantheon. A more comprehensive list of past and present hockey greats crowding the Wall of Fame at St. Michael’s would take up most of the space of this article. All told, an astonishing 203 of its graduates have made the leap to the National Hockey League, and the all-boys school is still generating future stars.

Founded in 1852 by the Basilian Fathers, the privately run St. Michael’s College School offers students from grades 7-12 an enriched, Catholic, liberal arts education complemented by a manifold co-curricular program. The motto of the Basilian Fathers and the school, “Teach me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge” (Psalm 118), has been made flesh with a long and storied tradition of scholastic and athletic excellence. Consistent with Basilian philosophy, athletics at St. Michael’s form an integral part of a comprehensive education.

St. Mike’s hockey team (now known as the Mississauga Steelheads) was first established in 1906, joining the junior division of the Ontario Hockey Association. The college garnered a reputation for molding well-rounded young men and fierce competitors. The team became known as the St. Michael’s Majors in 1934 and was nicknamed the “Irish.” Although the Majors have undergone a number of transformations over the years, hockey remains the bedrock of St. Mike’s athletics. “It’s still a very rich program,” attests the school’s director of athletics Chris DePiero. “It includes the Buzzers, a Junior A team, a Varsity Prep team, a Junior High School team, and two Under-14 teams.”

Dan Feraday, who played both football and hockey at St. Mike’s in the 1970s – animating its then moribund football program with his quarterbacking dazzle – and went on to the University of Toronto, where he set numerous Canadian college passing records, recalls his days at St. Mike’s with fondness.

“The experience made me who I am today,” he says. “The values it instilled – recognizing and choosing good, contributing to society, being a good neighbour, forming a family – still hold. Athletics were certainly a big part of it for me and my five brothers.”

All photos courtesy of St. Michael's College School

Hockey Hotbed

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SPORTS Feraday, who now works for the Toronto Police Service, admits it was intimidating at first. “There was an element of discipline in everything we did,” he says. “You had to wear grey flannel slacks, blue blazers with the St. Mike’s crest, and a tie. And the Basilian Fathers impressed that sense of discipline upon us whenever they could, especially on the sports field.”

St. Michael’s College School has always been more than a hockey factory. Alumni include Ontario Progressive Conservative leader MPP Patrick Brown, broadcaster Michael Enright, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, and a host of academic, business and media luminaries. But if hockey doesn’t define St. Mike’s, it runs deep in its veins. “That’s true,” admits DePiero, who has been associated with the school since he was ten-years-old, and has served as its director of athletics for three years. “Which is not to say we’ve lagged in other sports, like football and track, but hockey is king.”

DePiero, who played hockey for St. Mike’s until 1987, also played and coached for the University of Toronto, and had a stint in Italian second division hockey, before he took up coaching the St. Michael’s Buzzers for seven years.

Winning the 1945 Memorial Cup

St. Michael's College hockey team in 1931

“

St. Michael's College director of athletics Chris DePiero

The Basilian Fathers believed in educating the whole person, physical, mental and spiritual.

They weren’t interested in only producing good students and athletes, but good men.

“

When asked to comment on the shift from the St. Mike’s “Irish” to the “Italians,” given the number of Italian names peppering their athletic rosters, coaching and teaching staffs, DePiero, whose father comes from Friuli and mother from Calabria, says it’s no accident. “Italian-Canadian tradition,” he says, “is one of the strong bonds through shared values. We cultivate a strong sense of belonging here, that’s a big draw. And we offer 1,100 boys other opportunities, in addition to athletics, like after-school mentoring.”

DePiero attributes the school’s success to “an amazing culture created by the Basilian Fathers, a culture they’ve fostered. Everybody there has that sense of belonging. The Basilian Fathers believed in educating the whole person, physical, mental and spiritual. They weren’t interested in only producing good students and athletes, but good men.”

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EVENTS

Photography by Roland Lee

By Romina Monaco

Rolling Stronz perform

Canada’s Wonderland Taste of Italy Festival

Angelo Bean showcases his creative culinary skills

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Canada’s Wonderland guests were not only riding high on roller coasters and ferris wheels but also on the euphoric melodies and tantalizing treats of the Taste of Italy Festival. Located in Vaughan, the country’s premier amusement park kicked-off its inaugural event August 20 and 21 by showcasing authentic Italian cuisine along with traditional folk and contemporary music. “This year, in honour of our 35th birthday, we planned a season-long entertainment and event lineup the whole family could enjoy, including the Taste of Italy featuring delicious food, music and great entertainment,” explained Soulla Lindo, Manager of Communications and Public Relations at Canada’s Wonderland. “Our goal is to offer our guests an unparalleled and unforgettable experience, and keep them coming back all season long.”

It was indeed memorable as each passersby enjoyed unique performances by the Rolling Stronz and Pino Cea bands as well as live cooking demonstrations by Slow Food advocate and artisan sausage maker, Angelo Bean. The two-day festival also featured food stations serving a wide range of pastas, lasagne, gnocchi, cured meats and cheeses including sweets such as cannoli and gelato.

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EVENTS Photography by Giulio Muratori

Enzo Di Palma

The Children’s Folk Choir

Mississauga ITALFEST

Tenor Alessandra Paonessa

Although Italian Heritage Month has come and gone, the celebration of Italian culture continued on at the 4th Annual Mississauga ITALFESTFerragosto in the City. Held August 20 in the heart of Mississauga’s Celebration Square, this free, outdoor event presented by Solmar Development Corp attracted people from across Peel Region.

Although the Molise and Abruzzo regions were showcased at this year’s festival, food stations served a wide variety of Italian dishes.

“The purpose of ITALFEST is to share our culture with other cultures,” explained Tina Colalillo, Executive Co-Chair of the non-profit festival. “It began with a group of friends, starting out very simple and ‘alla paesana.’ With memories of family trips to Italy we married all these etched memories, and that’s how this beautiful festival was born.”

Representing Italy were MP Francesca La Marca and Consul General Giuseppe Pastorelli while Italian-Canadians who wished to trace their ancestry had the opportunity to browse through passenger lists at the historical Pier 21 exhibit. The day also commemorated individuals and groups for their valuable contributions to the community with the Johnny Lombardi Family Italian Heritage Award presented to the Franceschini Family and the Louis Jannetta Youth Heritage Award given to Daniela Marisa Natale.

Organizers with former Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion

Josephine Mancini performs

Bersaglieri march

DREAMS ROMANCE MEMORIES

CUSTOM DESIGNING FOR ALL OCCASIONS

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EVENTS Photography by Giulio Muratori

Artist Andrew Abballe

Castelliri Marching Band

Piazza Ferragosto It was a throwback to quaint village squares and old world charm as Woodbridge Market Lane was transformed into Piazza Ferragosto.

Held August 13 and co-presented by the City of Vaughan and the Associazione Culturale di Castelliri in Toronto, the inaugural festival celebrated Italy’s summer holiday season by hosting a delegation from Castelliri, Frosinone. Traveling from Castelliri, which is located in close proximity to Vaughan’s twin city of Sora, were Mayor Francesco Quadrini and Don Giuseppe Basile including the 20-member Castelliri

From left to right Vaughan Regional Councillor Mario Ferri, Mayor of Castelliri Francesco Quadrini, Vaughan Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor Michael DiBiase, President of the Castelliri Association Vittorio Scala, Priest Don Giuseppe Basile from Castelliri

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Marching Band. “The Castelliri Club of Toronto has been around for a long time and do all sorts of wonderful cultural, social and educational events,” said Vaughan Regional Councillor, Mario Ferri, who is also from this region located in central Italy. “This year it was decided to celebrate the Italian Ferragosto as well as reunite the citizens and past residents of Castelliri.”

Along with a musical procession was an artwork showcase featuring Vaughan artist, Andrew Abballe.

From left to right Rocco Grossi, Gerry Alonzi, Councillor Tony Carella

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