Italian Fine Dining in Thailand (2017)

Italian Fine Dining

ITALIAN FINE DINING IN THAILAND 2017

Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce 1126/2 Vanit Building II, 16th Floor, Room 1601B, New Petchburi Road, Makkasan, Rajdhevee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Dear readers, While reading this greeting, it is with great pride that the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce announces this first edition of Italian Fine Dining in Thailand 2017.

Tel: 02-255-8695 Fax: 02-253-9896 Website: www.thaitch.org Email: info@thaitch.org

The aim of this publication is to promote and collect the excellences of the Authentic Italian Cuisine here in Thailand, providing awareness about Italian cuisine, ingredients and restaurants.

Editors/Authors Mr. Michele Tomea Mr. Alfonso Pellegrino Mr. Giacomo Iobizzi

Since 2010, the Thai-Italiand Chamber of Commerce has began to organize the Ospitalita’ Italiana Project - Italian Restaurants in the World. Launching now the 8th Edition of the project in 2017.

Design and Art Directions Ms. Waralee Wongsri

Ospitalita’ Italiana is involing 54 Countries and 65 Italian Chambers of Commerce worldwide, which aim to certify authentic Italian Restaurants and Restaurateurs abroad (by IS.N.A.R.T. - The Italian Institute for Research in Tourism) in Italian Quality. This pocket-size handbook will be distributed at four and five stars Hotels, Airport Lounges, Tourism Agencies, Shopping Malls as our channels in order to make it the major reference for Italian Cuisine - Food and Wine Culture in Thailand and South East Asia. Containing also brief description of the award Ospitalita’ Italiana Restaurants and details of the cuisine, available in English and Thai to help Italian, Thai and Expat customers to find and experience the best Authentic Italian Cuisine option. Choose your favorite restaurant from the details on this book and scan the QR code to get further information and directions! Enjoy with our Italian Fine Dining in Thailand, Buon appetito.

Bangkok - August 24, 2017

Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce

Italian Fine Dining

ITALIAN FINE DINING IN THAILAND 2017 Acqua (Phuket)

Attico (Bangkok)

Biscotti (Bangkok)

Da Mario (Huahin)

Enoteca Bangkok (Bangkok)

Fabio’s Restaurant (Koh Phagyan)

Galleria Milano (Bangkok)

Gianni Ristorante (Bangkok)

Gusto Italiano (Koh Samui)

Mamma Mia (Huahin)

Opus (Bangkok)

Procescco (Bangkok)

Sole Mio (Bangkok)

The Loop Italian restaurant

(Bangkok)

Italian Fine Dining

CONTENT

The Mediterranean diet

Olive oil

What are PDO, PGI and TSG

Pasta

Pizza

Vinegar

Wine

Beer

Chocolate

Water

Truffle

Cheese

Cold Cuts

Caviar

Coffee

Italian Pastry

Italian Fine Dining

Galleria Milano Eating the Italian way

Italian Fine Dining

ITALIAN FINE DINING IN THAILAND 2017

Certified by Italian Institute for Research in Tourism (IS.N.A.R.T.) and Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce (TICC)

Italian Fine Dining

acqua Acqua The Acqua Experience offer a wide range of creations focused on a very attentive selection of ingredients, local but most international, as Chef Alessandro think that certain places are best for their specialties and seasons and the best it’s to reach every places in the world to get their best. Acqua Restaurant is one of the most Award Wining Restaurant in Phuket and Thailand, present in all the major restaurants guides in Asia, as Thailand Tatler Best Restaurant Guide, Miele Asia Finest Restaurant Guide and others. - Thailand Tatler 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 Best Restaurants (2017 Best Upcountry Restaurant in Thailand) - Miele Guide 2013 Asia Finest Restaurants - Thailand Top 5 - Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2011/2013 - 2016/2018 Chef of the Year - Restaurant of the Year - Wine Spectator 2010 - 2011- 2012 - 2013 - 2014 -2015 - 2016 Award for Excellence - Iron Chef Thailand - Winner November 2013 - Now Travel Asia Magazine - Asia’s Top 5 Fine Dining Restaurants 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - Luce Della Vite - Appointed Acqua Restaurant as Star of Luce (Luce Ambassador)

Address 324/15 Prabaramee Road - Kalim Beach - Patong - Phuket - Thailand

Contact Information Contact: Alessandro Frau Position: Executive Chef & Owner Tel: 076 618127

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

อัคควา

อัคควา อัคควา เปิดโอกาสให้คุณได้ลิ้มลองสารพันอาหารจานสร้างสรรค์ ที่ ใส่ใจการคัดสรรวัตถุดิบทุกรายละเอียด ด้วยเอกลักษณ์ถิ่นเฉพาะ ตัวแต่เป็นที่ชื่นชอบระดับนานาชาติ สำ�หรับเชฟอเลสซานโดร เอกลักษณ์และรสชาติ ต้องอยู่ในสถานที่ที่ใช่จึงจะได้จานเด็ดที่ยอด เยี่ยม แต่สำ�หรับรสชาติที่ไร้ที่ติของอัคควา ไม่ว่าจะเป็นที่ไหนไหน โลก ทุกเมนูของอัคควาก็ยังคงยอดเยี่ยมที่สุดเสมอ ร้านอาหารอัคควา เป็นอีกหนึ่งร้านอาหารในภูเก็ตและในไทยที่คว้ารางวัลร้านอาหารมานับไม่ถ้วน ทั้งใน ฐานะร้านอาหารที่บรรดากูรูอาหารมักจะแนะนำ�ในระดับเอเชีย รางวัลร้านอาหารแนะนำ�ยอดเยี่ยมจาก นิตยสารแทตเลอร์ และรางวัลร้านอาหารคุณภาพเยี่ยมแห่งเอเชียจากนิตยสารท่องเที่ยวมิเยเล่ และอื่น ๆ

ที่อยู่ 324/15 ถนนพระบารมี, หาดกะหลิม, ป่าตอง, ภูเก็ต

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ ติดต่อ: Alessandro Frau ตำ�แหน่ง: หัวหน้าพ่อครัว และเจ้าของร้าน เบอร์โทร: 076 618127 สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

ATTICO Attico ATTICO’s brick-and-barrel design draws reference from an inviting Tuscan villa, a warm space which brings people together over the breaking of home baked bread. If there’s an Italian restaurant in Bangkok which delights the palette with diversity, it’s ATTICO. The menu changes with Italy’s seasons and regional Italian treats include Tomahawk steaks and T-bone cuts from legendary Chianina cattle. Other delish dishes borrow from the best culinary traditions of Italy’s diverse regions, as do the sommelier-selected wines, with a few other grape growing nations added for extra pleasure. Find out just what one of the finest Italian restaurants in Sukhumvit, Bangkok has to offer.

Address Attico on 28th floor, Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok, 489 Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110 Nearest MRT/ BTS: BTS Asoke Station

Contact Information Contact: Fabio Cazzanti Position: Restaurant Manager Tel: 02 302 3333 Email: fcazzanti@radisson.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

แอทติโก้ แอทติโก้ ห้องอาหารอิตาเลี่ยนวิวสวย บนชั้น 28 ของโรงแรมเรดิสันบลู พลาซ่า กรุงเทพ แอตติโก้ได้รับแรงบันดาลใจในการออกแบบมาจากบ้านในชนบทของประเทศอิตาลี่ ภายในตกแต่งด้วยสีเอิร์ทโทน เฟอร์นิเจอร์ไม้ ให้ความรู้สึกอบอุ่น เหมือนนั่งรับประทาน อาหารอยู่ภายในบ้าน เพดานสูง โปร่ง รอบห้องเป็นหน้าต่างกระจกบานใหญ่มองเห็นวิว เมืองของกรุงเทพฯ ในมุมสูง และยังมีระเบียงด้านนอกให้นั่งดื่มด่ำ�กับบรรยากาศสบายๆ หรือผู้ที่ต้องการความเป็นส่วนตัวก็สามารถเลือกนั่งในห้องส่วนตัวได้อีกด้วย อาหารของ แอตติโก้เป็นอาหารอิตาเลี่ยนแบบดั้งเดิม เสริฟแบบแฟมิลี่สไตล์โดดเด่นที่วัตถุดิบที่มี การคัดเลือกอย่างพิถีพิถัน อาทิเช่น อาหารทะเล เนื้อคุณภาพ ชีสนำ�เข้านานาชนิด และ ยังมีโฮมเมดพาสต้า โคลด์ คัท ที่มีให้เลือกมากกว่า 10 ชนิด แอตติโก้ยังมีเมนูพิเศษที่ หมุนเวียนไปตามวัตถุดิบในแต่ละฤดูกาลของประเทศอิตาลี่ รวมไปถึงไวน์ชั้นดีที่ช่วยเพิ่ม อรรถรสของมื้ออาหาร

ที่อยู่ ห้องอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน แอตติโก้ ชั้น 28, โรงแรมเรดิสัน บลู พลาซ่า กรุงเทพ 489 ถนนสุขุมวิท, คลองเตยเหนือ, เขตวัฒนา, กรุงเทพฯ 10110 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า อโศก

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ ติดต่อ: Fabio Cazzanti ตำ�แหน่ง: ผู้จัดการห้องอาหาร เบอร์โทร: 02 302 3333 อีเมลล์: fcazzanti@radisson.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

BISCOTTI BISCOTTI A TASTE OF THE ITALIAN COUNTRYSIDE One of Thailand Tatler’s ‘Best Restaurants in Thailand’ in 2016, Biscotti offers a fine dining experience with a kitchen-to-table concept. The Tony Chi designed restaurant is a popular haunt amongst Bangkok patrons since it’s opening in 1998. Quintessential Italian dishes are served, including handmade pasta and mouth-watering meat and seafood. Take a seat at the Chef’s table for a special menu by Chef Daniele Bettini, and enjoy a gastronomic feast with the freshest ingredients. Biscotti seats 100 guests and is open for lunch or dinner, with an Express lunch deal for business people.

Address 155 Ratchadamri Rd., Anantara Siam Hotel Bangkok Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330 Nearest MRT/ BTS: BTS Ratchadamri Station

Contact Information Tel: +66 2 126 8866 Email: biscotti.asia@anantara.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

บิสคอสติ

รสชาติของอาหารอิตาเลียนสไตล์บ้านๆ หนึ่งในร้านอาหารอิตาเลียน ของไทยที่ครองแชมป์รางวัลร้านอาหารยอดเยี่ยมจากนิตยสารแทต เลอร์ ในปี 2016 บิสคอสติ ขอเชิญคุณมาสัมผัสประสบการณ์ว่า ด้วยแนวคิด “จากครัวสู่โต๊ะอาหาร” โทนี ฉี ได้เนรมิตร้านบิสคอส ติให้กลายเป็นสถานที่ประจำ�ของใครหลายหลายคน ท่ามกลางความ สนับสนุนจากกรุงเทพมหานคร ตั้งเริ่มก่อตั้งร้านในปี 1998 เมนู อิตาเลียนแท้พร้อมเสิร์ฟ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นพาสต้าแฮนด์เมด อาหารจาน เนื้อและซีฟู้ดส์ที่สุดแสนจะยั่วน้ำ�ลาย คุณจะได้นั่งใกล้ชิดติดครัวกับ มื้ออาหารสุดพิเศษนี้โดยเชฟดานิเอเล่ เบตตินี วัตถุดิบสดใหม่จะทำ�ให้คุณสนุกไปกับปาร์ตี้การกินอย่าง ไม่รู้เบื่อ ที่บิสคอสติเปิดให้บริการสำ�หรับลูกค้า 100 ท่านสำ�หรับมื้อกลางวันและมือเย็น โดยมื้อกลาง วันจะเป็นอาหารจานด่วน เอื้อแก่คุณลูกค้ากลุ่มนักธุรกิจโดยเฉพาะ

ที่อยู่ 155 ถนนราชดำ�ริ โรงแรมอนันตรา สยาม กรุงเทพฯ (ลุมพินี) เขตปทุมวัน กรุงเทพ 10330 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า ราชดำ�ริ

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: +66 2 126 8866 อีเมลล์: biscotti.asia@anantara.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

da mario Da Mario Da Mario Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is situated near the fishing pier in Hua Hin. It has a pleasant interior layout with a real pizza oven adding to its authenticity and seats facing the main road allowing views of the harbour. The restaurant has been open since 2007 and serves Italian cuisine from all the Regions of Italy. The main recipe for Da Mario restaurant is the passion for cooking and dedication to work to always create the taste and smell of Italy.

Address 20 Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin, Prachuabkhirikhan 77110

Contact Information Tel: +66 (0)32 530 170 Mobile: +66 (0)85 473 144 1 (Christian)

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

ดามาริโอ้

ดามาริโอ้ “ดา มาริโอ้” ร้านพิซซ่าอิตาเลียน ที่เปิดให้บริการความอร่อย อยู่ บริเวณสะพานปลา หัวหิน แต่งเติมความสวยงามด้วยการตกแต่ง ภายในให้มีลักษณะเป็นเตาอบพิซซ่า เพื่อความรู้สึกถึงความเป็น พิซซ่าอิตาเลียนแท้ ๆ รวมถึงการจัดสัดส่วนที่นั่งภายในร้าน จะ ทำ�ให้คุณได้เพลิดเพลินกับบรรยากาศของถนนสายหลักที่ทอดเคียง ตลอดบริเวณท่าเรือ ทางร้านดา มาริโอ้เปิดให้บริการมาตั้งแต่ปี 2007 และเสิร์ฟเมนูอิตาเลียนจากทั่วภูมิภาคในอิตาลี สูตรเด็ดของร้านดา มาริโอ้ คือความรักที่จะปรุงอาหาร และการเอาใจใส่ที่จะให้บริการ เพื่อสร้างสรรค์ รสชาติและสัมผัสจากอิตาลีเพื่อคุณ

ที่อยู่ 20 ถนนนเรศดำ�ริห์ หัวหิน ประจวบคีรีขันธ์ 77110

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: +66 (0)32 530 170 โทรศัพท์มือถือ: +66 (0)85 473 144 1 (คุณคริสเตียน) สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

Enoteca bangkok Enoteca Bangkok Enoteca Italiana is a family run restaurant situated in a back lane and means ‘wine library’, whereby eating is a process of drinking wine whilst enjoying your food. With more than 400 labels of only Italian wines adorning the walls, ask the owner, Nicola for a recommendation. This cozy place exudes charm with tables set in the interior that looks onto a well lit front yard through a wall of arched windows. An ideal place to enjoy traditional and creative Italian cuisine; cheese, cold cuts, meats, and home made pastas are all unique and full of flavour. Their philosophy is ‘slow food’, premium products imported directly from Italy and prepared at the moment. This is why the cooking time is longer; however, it is definitely worth the wait and is the real way to taste original Italian tradition. Enoteca is the only Italian restaurant with a chef awarded with 1 Michelin star. Chef Stefano Borra from Turin

Address 27 Sukhumvit Rd., Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110 Nearest MRT/ BTS: Sukhumvit Station

Contact Information Tel: 02 258 4386 Email: enotecabangkok@gmail.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

อีโนเทก้า อีโนเทก้า อิโนเทก้า อิตาเลียน เป็นธุรกิจอาหารโดยครอบครัว ตั้งอยู่บนถนนเส้น รองและถือเป็น “ห้องสมุดไวน์” ที่ที่การกินของคุณจะกลายเป็นเรื่องราว ของการจิบไวน์ในขณะที่เพลิดเพลินไปกับมื้ออาหาร ด้วยไวน์อิตาเลียน มากกว่า 400 ยี่ห้อ ประดับประดาตามกำ�แพง ซึ่งคุณสามารถสอบถาม หา ไวน์ที่เป็นที่แนะนำ�ได้จากคุณนิโคล่า ร้านอาหารสไตล์สบายสบาย เผยเสน่ห์ด้วยชุดโต๊ะรับประทานอาหารที่ได้รับการแตกแต่งเป็นพื้นที่หน้า สนามที่สวยงาม ทอดเคียงตลอดผนังหน้าต่างทรงโค้ง ที่แห่งนี้เป็นสถานที่ที่จะทำ�ให้คุณเพลิดเพลินไปกับอาหารอิตาเลียนดั้งเดิมและสรรสร้างใหม่ในแบบฉบับความ อร่อยอย่างอุดมคติ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นชีส ออเดิร์ฟประเภทเนื้อไม่ปรุงสุก เนื้อ และโฮมเมดพาสต้า ล้วนแล้วแต่เต็มไป ด้วยรสชาติอาหารอย่างเฉพาะตัว คติประจำ�ร้านของเราคือ “อาหารที่พิถีพิถัน” ผลิตภัณฑ์นำ�เข้าชั้นยอดจะส่ง ตรงจากอิตาลี และนำ�มาปรุงอาหารในทันที นั่นเป็นสาเหตุว่าทำ�ไมช่วงเวลาในครัวของทางร้านถึงนานกว่าปกติ อย่างไรก็ตาม มันก็คุ้มค่าอย่างมากที่สุดที่จะรอและเป็นวิถีที่เราจะลิ้มรสอาหารอิตาเลียนแท้ดั้งเดิมได้อย่างแท้จริง

ที่อยู่ 27 ถนนสุขุมวิท คลองเตยเหนือ เขตวัฒนา กรุงเทพ 10110 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า สุขุมวิท

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 02 258 4386 อีเมลล์: enotecabangkok@gmail.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

Fabio’s restaurant Fabio’s restaurant Since 2007 Fabio’s restaurant offers one of finest cuisine you can find in Koh Phangan. We gained our reputation for the high quality of our food. We bake every single day your bread in our own oven and our exquisite egg-pasta is home made too. Our menu is inspired by the most typical Italian tradition and includes just a selection of dishes to be done on the spot because our philosophy is to use only fresh products. In our cellar you can find a big selection of the best Italians wines. If you wish to taste any special dish not included in the menu please do not hesitate to submit your request to Chef Fabio Colapietro. We are at your disposal for reservation and dedicated dinners.

Address Moo 2 10/1 | Ban Tai, Ko Phangan 84280, Thailand

Contact Information Tel: 077 377 180 Email: fabio820@libero.it

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

ร้านอาหารฟาบิโอ้

ร้านอาหารฟาบิโอ้ นับตั้งแต่ปี 2007 ร้านฟาบิโอ เสิร์ฟอาหารอิตาเลียนคุณภาพดีที่สุด ที่หนึ่ง ที่คุณจะสามารถไปพิสูจน์ได้บนเกาะพะงัน การันตีความโด่ง ดังด้วยอาหารของเราที่ขึ้นชื่อด้านคุณภาพชั้นยอด ขนมปังสำ�หรับ ลูกค้าคนพิเศษนั้นอบสดใหม่ในทุกทุกวัน ด้วยเตาอบของทางร้านเอง รวมทั้งพาสต้าแฮนด์เมดที่ทางเราบรรจงทำ�อย่างประณีตก็เช่นกัน เมนูอาหารของทางร้านได้รับแรงบันดาลใจจาก ที่สุดแห่งเอกลักษณ์ ของอาหารอิตาเลียนแบบพื้นบ้าน โดยเสิร์ฟให้บริการเฉพาะเมนูคัด สรรทันทีที่ปรุงเสร็จร้อน ๆ ออกจากเตา เพราะทางร้านมีคติประจำ�ใจที่ว่า “เราจะใช้เฉพาะผลิตภัณฑ์สด ใหม่เสมอ” คุณจะได้พบกับไวน์ระดับคัดสรรมากมายในห้องเก็บไวน์ของทางร้าน หากคุณปรารถนาที่จะลิ้มรส อาหารจานพิเศษใด ๆ ที่แม้จะไม่ได้ปรากฏบนเมนูก็ตามแต่ โปรดอย่าลังเลใจที่จะบอกเล่าความต้องการ ของคุณให้เชฟฟาบิโอ โคลาปิเอโตรได้ทราบ เรายินดีให้บริการสำ�รองที่นั่งล่วงหน้า และบริการคุณสำ�หรับ อาหารมื้อค่ำ�

ที่อยู่ หมู่ 2 10/1 บ้านใต้ เกาะพะงัน 84280 ประเทศไทย

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 077 377 180 อีเมลล์: fabio820@libero.it สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

Galleria milano Galleria Milano Restaurant Galleria Milano was born by the idea of proposing Italian cuisine in an ambience that recalls Italy. The idea came from one of the owners, who is from Milan city, famous for Fashion and Design, but also for some of its historical landmarks, one of these the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoia, at that time King of Italy Kingdom. It started to be built in 1865, was finished in 1877 and was designed by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni, selected among nearly 200 different Eating the Italian way projects. In the middle of the Galleria on the mosaic floor, there is the emblem of Casa Savoia and around four logos of the cities that at different times have been the capital of the Kingdom of Italy: Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome. The emblem of Turin shows a bull and according to the legend by crushing its genitals with the heel of the foot and turning three times over, you get luck. The Restaurant Galleria Milano, taking into consideration the past and present of this Land Mark of Milan, wanted to create in a very small scale, a small glimpse in Bangkok for people who love Italian cuisine and also for those who know Milan city.

Galleria Milano

Address 66/4 Sukhumvit soi 20, Mille Malle shop 107 Klongtoei, Bangkok 10110 Nearest MRT/ BTS: Phrom Phong Station

Contact Information Tel: 02-6634988 Website: www.galleriamilanorestaurant.com Facebook: Galleria Milano

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

ร้านอาหาร แกลเลอเรีย มิลาโน

ร้านอาหาร แกลเลอเรีย มิลาโน แกลเลอเรีย มิลาโน เกิดขึ้นจากไอเดียที่จะเผยความเป็นอาหารอิตาเลียนใน บรรยากาศที่ชวนให้นึกถึงประเทศอิตาลี ไอเดียนี้เป็นของหนึ่งในเจ้าของร้าน ผู้ ที่มาจากเมืองมิลาน ซึ่งเป็นเมืองที่โด่งดังทางด้านแฟชั่นและดีไซน์ และยังรวม ไปถึงแลนด์มาร์คเชิงประวัติศาสตร์ หนึ่งในผลงานในแกลเลอรีแห่งนี้ได้แก่ วิต ตอริโอ้ เอมมานูเอลเล ที่ 2 แห่ง ซาโวย่า ในช่วงยุคกษัตริย์ของอาณาจักรอิตาลี แลนด์มาร์คดังกล่าวสร้างขึ้น ในปีคริสตศักราช 1865 และเสร็จสมบูรณ์ใน Galleria ปี 1877 ได้รับการดีไซน์โดยสถาปนิก จูเซ็ปเป้ เมนโกนี่ โดยคัดสรรจากบรรดา Milano ชิ้นงานเกือบ 200 ชิ้นงาน ใจกลางของร้านแกลเลอเรียประดับตกแต่งพื้นแบบ โมเสก (การนำ�หินสีชิ้นเล็กมาจัดวางเรียงต่อกันจนเกิดเป็นรูปภาพหรือลวดลาย) เป็นสัญลักษณ์ของราชวงศ์ซาโวย่าและสัญลักษณ์ของทั้ง 4 เมือง ที่เคยเป็นเมืองหลวง ของอาณาจักรอิตาลี ไม่ว่าจะเป็น มิ ลาน ตูริน ฟลอเรนซ์ และโรม โดยสัญลักษณ์ของเมืองตูรินนั้น เป็นรูปกระทิง เนื่องด้วยตำ�นานที่ว่า คุณจะโชคดีเมื่อ ใช้ บริเวณส้นเท้าของคุณ กระแทกบริเวณอวัยวะเพศของกระทิง 3 ครั้ง ร้านแกลเลอเรีย มิลาโน่ ให้ความสำ�คัญกับอดีตและ ปัจจุบันของแลนด์มาร์คของมิลาน ทางร้านตั้งใจที่จะออกแบบให้มีขนาดที่เล็ก เป็นที่เข้าใจได้เพียงไม่กี่วินาทีที่มอง สำ�หรับ คนที่รักอาหารอิตาเลียนและรู้จักเมืองมิลาน Eating the Italian way

ที่อยู่ 66/4 ซอยสุขุมวิท 20 ร้านมิลเล มาลเล 107 คลองเตย กรุงเทพมหานคร 10110 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า พร้อมพงษ์ ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 02-6634988 เว็บไซต์: www.galleriamilanorestaurant.com Facebook: Galleria Milano สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

gianni ristorante Gianni Ristorante Gianni Ristorante was opened in 1996 in a quiet courtyard, yet conveniently located within walking distance of Bangkok’s major shopping district. Chef/ Patron Gianni Favro has earned an enviable reputation in Bangkok’s culinary circles for providing warm and personal service combined with first class Italian cuisine. His philosophy is to oversee all aspects of the restaurant, paying meticulous attention to the ordering of the freshest ingredients available and his transformation. The menu is countrywide, rather than regional and the culinary creations pose a sense of casual elegance which is both interesting yet not obtrusive to the dining experience.

Address 34/1 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Nearest MRT/ BTS: BTS Chit Lom Station

Contact Information Tel: 02 252 1619, 02 652 2922 Email: info@giannibkk.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

ร้านอาหารจิอานนิ

ร้านอาหารจิอานนิ ร้านจิอานนิ เปิดให้บริการเมื่อปี 1996 ในบริเวณสนามหญ้าอันสงบ แต่สามารถเดินทางไปได้อย่างสะดวก ในระยะที่สามารถเดินได้ใน ย่านชอปปิ้งหลักใจกลางกรุงฯ คุณจิอานนิ ฟาวโร เจ้าของและเชฟ ของร้าน มีชื่อเสียงที่สุดแสนจะน่าทึ่ง จากวงการอาหารในกรุงเทพฯ ในด้านการให้บริการที่อบอุ่นและเป็นส่วนตัว พร้อมกับการเสิร์ฟ อาหารอิตาเลียนชั้นหนึ่ง คติประจำ�ใจของคุณจิอานนินั้น คือการ เอาใจใส่ร้านอาหารอย่างรอบด้าน ให้ความใส่ใจอย่างพิถีพิถันที่จะ เลือกสรรแต่วัตถุดิบสดใหม่และการปรุงอาหาร เมนูส่วนใหญ่เป็นอาหารอิตาเลียนยอดนิยมสากล มากกว่าจะเป็นจะเป็นอาหารเฉพาะภูมิภาค และเมนูอาหารสร้างสรรค์ เปิดมิติใหม่ให้คุณได้สัมผัสถึง ความรู้สึกหรูหราแต่เป็นกันเอง ซึ่งทั้งน่าสนใจ และไม่รู้สึกว่ามากล้นจนเกินไป ในระหว่างช่วงเวลาแห่ง การรับประทานอาหารค่ำ�

ที่อยู่ 34/1 ซอยต้นสน ถนนเพลินจิต เขตปทุมวัน กรุงเทพ 10330 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า ชิดลม

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 02 252 1619, 02 652 2922 อีเมลล์: info@giannibkk.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

gusto italiano Gusto Italiano Italian passion and convivial spirit of Italy in the heart of Fisherman’s Village in Koh Samui Island. We choose only first quality imported ingredients to offer to our guests the authentic Italian cuisine, in keeping with ancient tradition with a contemporary touch. “Gusto Italiano” will take you to a culinary tour of Italy, from regional recipes since those that made our cuisine famous in the world. Fresh and stuffed “hand-made” pasta are our specialty. Do not miss the pizza cooked in a wood fired oven with long rising time according to authentic Neapolitan tradition. You can taste our cuisine directly by the beach or on the romantic terrace with seaview.

Address 73/3 Moo 1 Fisherman Village, Bophut, Ko Samui District, Surat Thani 84320

Contact Information Tel: 077-332-514 Email: info@gustoitaliano.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

กุสโต อิตาเลียโน่ กุสโต อิตาเลียโน่ เสน่ห์ของสไตล์และความมีชีวิตชีวาเฉกเช่นจิตวิญญาณของชาวอิตาเลียน ในหัวใจของหมู่บ้านชาวประมง บนเกาะสมุย เราเลือกสรรเฉพาะวัตถุดิบ นำ�เข้าชั้นหนึ่งเท่านั้น ที่จะบริการลูกค้าคนสำ�คัญของเรา ให้ได้ลิ้มรส อาหารอิตาเลียนแท้ ทั้งในมิติของรสชาติของอิตาเลียนดั้งเดิมและสัมผัส ความรู้สึกที่ร่วมสมัยไปพร้อมพร้อมกัน กุสโต อิตาเลียโน่ จะทำ�ให้ท่านได้ดื่มด่ำ�กับสัมผัสของการท่องเที่ยว ชิมลิ้ม รสอาหารอิตาเลียน ตั้งแต่สูตรอาหารประจำ�ท้องถิ่นจวบจนกระทั่งสูตร เด็ดที่ทำ�ให้อาหารอิตาเลียนนั้นชื่อก้องไปทั่วโลก ด้วยความสดใหม่และปั้นแต่งสไตล์แฮนด์เมด ทำ�ให้พาสต้าของร้านเรานั้นยิ่งพิเศษ ห้ามพลาดการลิ้มรสพิซซ่าที่ อบร้อนจากเตาไม้ ด้วยเวลาที่เพิ่มขึ้นเนื่องด้วยเป็นวิถีการทำ�พิซซ่าแบบต้นตำ�หรับของเมืองนโปลีแบบแท้แท้ คุณสามารถสัมผัสความอร่อยทั้งบริเวณที่นั่งริมชายทะเลและภายในตัวอาคารที่รับรองด้วยบรรยากาศโรแมนติก สามารถมองเห็นท้องทะเล

ที่อยู่ 73/3 หมู่ 1 ฟิชเชอร์แมน วิลเลจ (บ่อผุด) อำ�เภอเกาะสมุย สุราษฎร์ธานี 84320

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 077-332-514 อีเมลล์: info@gustoitaliano.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

Mamma Mia Mamma Mia Founded in 1996, for the last 20 years Mamma Mia! deliver authentic Italian cuisine. It is the freshness of our produce and use of imported Italian products that are part of our success. Vegetables are daily buys at the fresh market. Sea-food,beef, veal and lamb are imported from Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Our bread, pastas and desserts are homemade. Pizza is backed in a wood fired oven for the authentic original taste, mozzarella, tomato and flour are imported from Italy. Mamma Mia! menu’s is based on traditional Italian cuisine prepared with classic and modern technique added to our passion for food and friendly staff we are on hand to cater to all your culinary delights. Due to under construction of a new pier we experience some parking problem, we suggest to live your car where is more convenient for you an grab a tuk-tuk to visit us, we will refund the cost !

Address 8/4 Naresdamri Rd., Huahin, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Contact Information Tel: 032 512250 Email: claudio.mammamia@gmail.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

มัมมา มีย่า

มัมมา มีย่า ก่อตั้งขึ้นเมื่อปี 1996 กว่า 20 ปีมาแล้วที่ มัมมา มีย่า ได้บริการส่ง อาหารอิตาเลียนแท้ๆ ความสำ�เร็จของพวกเรานั้นมีส่วนมาจากความ สดใหม่ และการนำ�เข้าผลิตภัณฑ์จากอิตาลี ผักของทางร้านนั้นเลือก ซื้อที่ตลาดสดทุกวัน อาหารทะเล เนื้อวัว เนื้อลูกวัว และเนื้อแกะนั้น นำ�เจ้าจากออสเตรเลีย นิวซีแลนด์ และยุโรป ขนมปัง เส้นพาสต้า และของหวานนั้นเป็นของโฮมเมด พิซซ่าของเราทำ�โดยเตาไม้ เพื่อให้ เป็นรสชาติอาหารที่แท้จริงแบบดั้งเดิม ในส่วนของมอสซาเรลลล่า มะเขือเทศ และแป้งนั้นนำ�เข้าจากอิตาลี เมนูของมัมม่า มีย่า เน้นเป็นอาหารอิตาเลียนแท้ๆ ที่เตรียมด้วยวิธีการแบบดั้งเดิมผสม ผสานกับวิธีการ แบบร่วมสมัย รวมทั้งปรุงแต่งด้วยความใส่ใจของทางร้าน และความเป็นกันเองของเหล่าบริกรที่พร้อมจะ สร้างความพึงพอใจในทุกการบริการอาหารด้วยความเต็มใจ ที่อยู่ 8/4 ถนนนเรศดำ�ริห์ หัวหิน, ประจวบคีรีขันธ์ ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 032 512250 อีเมลล์: claudio.mammamia@gmail.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

Opus OPUS OPUS is a special food and wine experience founded, designed and managed by Alex Morabito and his team. The highlight of OPUS is the state of the art walkin wine cellar which ensures that each bottle is perfectly maintained at the correct temperature and humidity. We proudly offer what is probably the widest selection of Italian wines in Bangkok intended to suit all palates. OPUS cuisine offers a contemporary Italian menu carefully presented and designed by the talented Executive Chef Davide Calo’, who made his name in some of the best restaurants in Italy and elsewhere, including the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC

Address 64 Pan Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Nearest MRT/ BTS: Surasak Station OPEN EVERYDAY 18:00 – 24:00

Contact Information Tel: 02 637 9899 Email: info@wbopus.com Website: www.wbopus.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

โอปุส โอปุส โอปุส เปิดให้คุณได้สัมผัสประสบการณ์สุดพิเศษด้วยเมนูอาหารและไวน์ โดยมีการออกแบบและจัดการโดยคุณอาเล็กซ์ โมราบิโต้ และทีมงาน ตั้ง เปิดร้านเมื่อกลางเดือนมกราคม 2009 ร้านโอปุส ก็ขึ้นแท่นอันดับหนึ่ง เรื่องไวน์บาร์ที่ดีที่สุดในเอเชีย การันตีด้วยรางวัลจากนิตยสารฟอล์บ คู่มือ ท่องเที่ยวหลุยส์ วิตอง สำ�นักข่าวซีเอ็นเอ็น ไทยแลนด์แทตเลอร์ ลุกซ์ และ อื่น ๆ อีกมากมาย นอกจากนี้โอปุสยังได้รับรางวัล รับรองความเป็นสไตล์ อิตาเลียนแท้ จากกระทรวงการต่างประเทศและวัฒนธรรม อิตาลี ซึ่งมอบ ให้เฉพาะร้านอาหารอิตาเลียนในไทยที่ได้รับการคัดเลือกเพียงเท่านั้น อาหารของโอปุส จะทำ�ให้คุณได้สัมผัสกับความร่วมสมัยในเมนูอิตาเลียน ที่ปรุงแต่งมาอย่างพิถีพิถัน และ ออกแบบโดยเชฟคนพิเศษระดับผู้บริหารที่เปี่ยมความสามารถย่าง “ดาวิเด คาโล” ซึ่งด้วยฝีมือทำ�ให้ “ดาวิเด” เป็นที่เลื่องชื่อทั้งในอิตาลีและที่อื่น ๆ แม้กระทั่งในโรงแรมฮิลตัน ณ กรุงวอร์ชิงตัน ดีซี

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 02 637 9899 อีเมลล์: info@wbopus.com เว็บไซต์: www.wbopus.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

prosecco Prosecco Prosecco restaurant is located in the bangna-trat road , km. 10, bang phi, samutprakan, next the entrance to summit windmill golf. Open in December 2014, the restaurant looks like a countryside farmers house. Has 80 seats, plus a private room with 14 seats , with private parking. Our menu is traditional Italian with a touch of innovation, using excellent raw materials from Italy, France, Spain, Australia, USA, and local. The pizza is make with Italian ingredients and baking in wood fired oven. Our customers are local residents ( Thai and foreigners). We have a good selection of Italian wine, fron Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, veneto, etc.

Address 27 Sukhumvit Rd., Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110 Nearest MRT/ BTS: Sukhumvit Station

Contact Information Tel: 02 258 4386 Email: enotecabangkok@gmail.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

โปรเซ็กโก้

โปรเซ็กโก้ โปรเซ็กโก้ เป็นร้านอาหารอิตาเลียน ตั้งอยู่ .ถ.บางนา-ตราด กม.10 บางพลี.สมุทรปราการ ซ.สนามกอล์ฟ ซัมมิท วิลมิล เปิดบริการเมื่อ เดือนธันวาคม 2014 ร้านตกแต่งสไตล์ ครัลทรี สำ�รองที่นั่งประมาณ 80 ที่ มีห้องไพลเวท 1ห้อง ประมาณ 14 ที่นั่ง วัตถุดิบที่ใช้ปรุงอาหารส่วนใหญ่ นำ�เข้าจากประเทศอิตาลี, ฝรั่งเศส, สเปน, ออสเตเลีย, อเมริกา และไทย ส่วนพิชซ่าวัตถุดิบที่ใช้คือ แป้ง, ชีส, ชอสมะเขือเทศ ทั้งหมดนำ�เข้าจากอิตาลี เราใช้เตาอบแบบไม้ ฟืนสำ�หรับพิชซ่าโดยเฉพาะ ลูกค้าที่ร้านส่วนใหญ่ เป็นลูกค้าประจำ� ในหมู่บ้านและละแวกใกล้ๆ รพ.บางนา สนามบิน ส่วนเครื่องดื่ม มี เบียร์นำ�เข้าจากเยอรมันนี และไวน์ชั้นดีจากอิตาลี เช่น tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, Veneto เป็นต้น

ที่อยู่ 27 ถนนสุขุมวิท, คลองตันเหนือ, วัฒนา, กรุงเทพ 10110 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า สุขุมวิท

Italian Fine Dining

sole mio SOLE MIO Sole Mio is an authentic Italian restaurant and pizzeria in the lively entertainment area of Thong Lor. Italian cuisine serving traditional thin crust pizzas, creamy risotto, homemade fettuccine, ravioli, and gnocchi as well Italian style appetizers, soups, and salads to satisfy the customers in Bangkok. Owned by a native Italian and with skilled Italian Cook, Sole Mio is best known for its carefully selected ingredients flown in directly from Italy and the detailoriented team who prepares every dish according to the original recipes. The restaurant is located in a house with garden, terrace and private parking in a very quiet street away from the noisy main road. A place to enjoy live music and Italian wines and beers from list of over 50 different types. Romantic and family friendly.

Address 81, Thonglor 13 (Soi Akkaphat), Sukhumvit 55, North Klongton, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Nearest MRT/ BTS: Thonglor Station

Contact Information Tel: 02 185 2799 Email: solemiorestaurant@gmail.com

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

โซเลมิโอ

โซเลมิโอ Sole Mio เป็นร้านอาหารอิตาเลียนแท้ๆและร้านพิชซ่าในย่าน บันเทิงที่มีชีวิตชีวาของทองหล่อ ให้บริการอาหารอิตาเลียนที่เสิร์ฟ พิซซ่าแผ่นบางกรอบ ครีมริซอตโต้ ครีมเฟตตูชินีโฮมเมด ราวีโอลี่ และเครื่องปรุงรสสไตล์อิตาเลียน เช่น ซุปและสลัด เพื่อตอบสนอง ความต้องการของลูกค้าในกรุงเทพฯ เจ้าของเป็นชาวอิตาเลี่ยนที่ เปี่ยมไปด้วยฝีมือในการปรุงอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน เป็นที่รู้จักกันดีสำ�หรับ ร้านที่คัดสรรส่วนผสมต่างๆ อย่างพิถิพิถัน ที่ส่งตรงมาจากประเทศ อิตาลี่ และทีมงานที่ใส่ใจรายละเอียดในทุกจานตามสูตรดั้งเดิม ร้านอาหารตั้งอยู่ในบ้านพร้อมสวน ลานระเบียง และที่จอดรถส่วนตัวบนถนนที่เงียบสงบ ห่างจากถนน สายหลักที่มีเสียงดัง เป็นสถานที่ที่คุณสามารถเพลิดเพลินไปกับดนตรีสด และไวน์จากอิตาลี รวมไปถึง เมนูเบียร์ต่างๆ กว่า 50 ประเภท มีความโรแมนติกและเป็นกันเองสำ�หรับครอบครัว ที่อยู่ 81, ซอยทองหล่อ 13 (ซอยอัครภัทร), สุขุมวิท 55, คลองตันเหนือ, วัฒนา, กรุงเทพ 10110 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า ทองหล่อ ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: 02 185 2799 อีเมลล์: solemiorestaurant@gmail.com สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

loop italian restaurant terrace & bar Loop Italian Restaurant Terrace & Bar Indulge yourself in an Italian rooftop terrace and enjoy the authentic flavors of Loop Italian restaurant terrace and bar at Pathumwan Princess hotel. Delightful home-style Italian cuisine lovingly prepared by our resident Italian Chef de Cuisine Roberto Panariello. Intimate dining served in true Italian culinary style.

Address 8 Fl. Pathumwan Princess Hotel, 444 MBK Center, Phayathai Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Nearest MRT/ BTS: National Stadium Station

Contact Information Tel: +66 (0) 2216-3700 Ext. 20818

Scan the QR code on the right for the map

Italian Fine Dining

ห้องอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน ลูป เทอร์เรซ แอนด์ บาร์

ห้องอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน ลูป เทอร์เรซ แอนด์ บาร์ ดืม่ ด่ำ�กับบรรยากาศแบบอิตาเลียนบริเวณเทอร์เรซบนชัน้ ดาดฟ้าและ เพลิดเพลินกับรสชาติอาหารอิตาเลียนแบบดั้งเดิม ที่ห้องอาหารลูป อิตาเลียน เทอร์เรซ แอนด์ บาร์ โรงแรมปทุมวัน ปริ๊นเซส สร้างสรรค์ ความอร่อยโดยเชฟโรแบร์โต้ พานารีเอลโล เชฟประจำ�ห้องอาหาร อิตาเลียน พร้อมให้บริการอย่างเป็นกันเองในสไตล์อิตาเลียนแท้ ๆ

ที่อยู่ ชั้น 8 โรงแรมปทุมวัน ปริ๊นเซส, 444 อาคารเอ็ม บี เค เซ็นเตอร์, ถนนพญาไท, แขวงวังใหม่, เขตปทุมวัน, กรุงเทพ, 10330 MRT/ BTS ที่ใกล้ที่สุด: สถานี รถไฟฟ้า สนามกีฬาแห่งชาติ

ข้อมูลการติดต่อ เบอร์โทร: +66 (0)2 216 3700 ต่อ 20818 สแกน QR code เพื่อดูแผนที่ทางไปร้านอาหาร

Italian Fine Dining

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

the mediterranean diet The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional foods and drinks of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, including Italy. The principal aspects of this diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly cheese and yogurt), moderate consumption of wine, and low consumption of non-fish products. The majority of ingredients in the Mediterranean diet come from plants; whole grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, beans, nuts, seeds, and olive oil which all of them are included in daily life. Moreover there is a large focus on respecting the natural cycle of plants by harvesting seasonally. In addition, strong flavours from lots of herbs and spices are used as seasoning in this type of cuisine. 36

Italian Fine Dining

Adding herbs and spices is a key to cut down the amount of salt, sugar, and fat used in cooking. Olive oil is the staple fat used for cooking, while butter, margarine, and other solid fats are rarely used. Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which are types of healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol levels better than saturated ones. Animal proteins are also included in the Mediterranean diet, but there is a big difference in consumption between protein from fish and protein from meat. In the Mediterranean diet, fish is the main source of animal protein, while red meat is a minor one. Chicken, eggs, and low-fat dairy are suggested to be taken only a few days per week. Besides drinking a lot of water for a good health, slight amount of red wine is recommended as well. One glass of wine during a meal is a source of healthy nutrients that can prevent

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET chronic diseases. The Mediterranean diet is a great way to control weight and improve health at the same time: it is a lifestyle involving skills, knowledge, and traditions concerning conservation, processing and cooking. In particular the sharing and consumption of food throughout the Mediterranean basin is the foundation of the cultural identity of communities. Eating together is a part of social exchange and communication maintaining the identity of communities. Beyond traditions and cultural heritage, the Mediterranean diet is fundamental in order to reach a lifelong healthy way of living since good health resulted from with good nutrition intake. Food is capable of helping prevent chronic degenerative diseases. This is the main reason leading scientists to search for an optimal dietary pattern aiming to limit circular system and cardiovascular disorders. Numerous models of diet have been exposed to public, but the most interesting one is certainly the

Mediterranean diet. Recently, several studies have shown that strict adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower incidences of both mortality and chronic degenerative diseases; cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc. Regarding to all of these benefits, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized the Mediterranean diet as World Intangible Heritage in November 2010. This recognition by UNESCO emphasizes these long universally appreciated and approved culinary practices as parts of a wider popular culture. Their quality, simplicity, and healthfulness of autochthonous (native) food products come with the regionally folkways cooking practices and the ethics of respect for nature. All these attributes conjointly acquire a characterizing role as a point of excellence. The Mediterranean diet is not only a diet, but also a culture, a tradition, and an art with sustainable high quality.

Italian Fine Dining

PDO, PGI and TSG

WHat are pdo, pgi and TSg ? Italy is the European country with the highest number of food products with designation of origin and geographical indication recognized by the European Union. After 1992, when the first EU regulation on this topic has appeared, it has been gradually enforced and has extended internationally thanks to bilateral agreements between the EU and non-EU countries. These laws protect not only the name of wines, balsamic vinegar, hams, and cheese, but also products such as olives, fruits, vegetables and raw meats. These products can be divided into different categories: • Products with Geographical Indication: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) • Traditional Specialties: Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG)

Italian Fine Dining

These products have to be in line with the traditional production’s method, including both of the production process aspects and the final product characteristics. They also must be verified by a controlling authority, which has to be an independent third party entity operating as a product certification body. The first two labels (PDO and PGI) are based on the recognition of the link between the product and its territory of origin, while the third one (TSG) instead enhanced the traditional production methods. The common aims are to promote the quality as well as the reputation of regional foods, to encourage rural and cultural activities and to protect the authenticity and the proper use of registered names of the agricultural and food products. Another important aspect of this EU legislation is that it aims to eliminate unfairness of companies that try to mislead consumers into thinking that they are authentic while producing uncertified products.

PDO, PGI and TSG Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) It identifies products that are produced, processed and prepared in a specific geographical area, using the recognized know-how of local producers and ingredients from the region concerned. An example of PDO is Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, which can be certificated only if the milk used in the production comes from cows fed on either dry or fresh fodder from their area of origin. Those cows are not allowed to be fed with any fermented fodder or fodder of animal origin, since it may interfere with the quality of the final product. Other examples are Prosciutto di Parma DOP and Pistacchio Verde di Bronte DOP.

Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) This label identifies products with traditional features, either in the composition or means of production, without a specific link to a particular geographical area. This particular certification is given to products with customized names and that offer a set of features in which distinguish them from other similar products. These features highlight both the traditional character of the product and its uniqueness, due to the use of traditional raw ingredients and the implementation of a traditional production process. The only two Italian examples are Neapolitan pizza and mozzarella cheese.

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) It identifies products whose quality or reputation is linked to the place or region where it is produced or processed. Although the ingredients used do not need to necessarily come from that geographical area. In order to obtain this certification, at least one of the production process’s phases must take place in the designated area. For example, Mortadella Bologna IGP is made in a particular area of Bologna and in accordance to the specific production process. However, the animals (pigs) used in the production process of this products do not have to be bred in Bologna. Other examples are Bresaola della Valtellina PGI and Radicchio Rosso di Treviso PGI.

Italian Fine Dining

OLIVE OIL 40

Italian Fine Dining

olive oil

OLIVE OIL Olive oil has been more than mere food to the people of the Mediterranean. Since its first appearance in Asia Minor in the 8th millennium BC, wild olive tree has been a major protagonist in the history of Western civilization. The first evidence of wild olives being pressed and turned into oil dates back to 5000 BC in present-day Israel. Olive tree cultivation quickly spread across Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean area from East to West; the Phoenicians’’ maritime trade routes contributed to export the know-how to Italy and Spain, thus introducing olive tree cultivation and oil production to Europe, short before the 8th century BC. In Greece and Rome, the presence of olive oil became increasingly pervading; in addition to its prominent role in the culinary tradition, olive oil was also used during religious rituals, as fuel in lamps, as massage oil for athletes, in soap-making and skin care and to warm up soldiers in winter, not to mention its value as a symbol of wealth and power. Hippocrates was the first to praise olive oil’s therapeutic powers; since then, oil has been used to treat mental diseases, ulcers, fevers, skin rashes and as an antidote to some poisons. In modern times, the olive tree has continued to spread, and it is now farmed in places as far removed from its roots as Southern Africa, Australia, Japan and China. Nowadays, the data concerning olive oil production and consumption is impressive. As of November 2015, 3 million tonnes olive oil are consumed worldwide every year; Italy is the main consumer, as it accounts for 30% of 42

Italian Fine Dining

the global consumption, with an annual per capita consumption of around 12 kg. As for production, Italy ranks second in the world behind Spain, with an average production of 550 000 tonnes over the past four years, mainly consisting of extra virgin olive oils. Apulia region, in Southern Italy, is by far the leading purveyor, with about 250-300000 tonnes per year.

Italian Olive Oil Nowadays: Specificity and Challenges After the threats to production posed by the plant pathogen Xylella, the catastrophic harvest of 2014 and the scandal about prominent Italian brands selling blends of foreign olives as 100% Italian extra-virgin oil (evo), this Italian extra quality oil is now facing a time of renewed prestige and growing global demand. As a consequence, Italian producers are more and more committed to relaunching this “symbol of made in Italy”. Back in the 1st century AD, Pliny the Elder wrote in his Naturalis Historia that Italian oil was the best in the Mediterranean, and UNAPROL, the Italian Olive-Producing Consortium, is working towards keeping that tradition alive by offering the highest quality. UNAPROL intends to focus on “those local characteristics of excellence that make Italian oil a one-of-a-kind product”. According to David Granieri, president of UNAPROL, the key to promote Italian evo at an international level is its distinctiveness: Italy’s unique biodiversity necessarily makes Italian oil incomparable with oil

olive oil

blends from different countries, which do not possess the same specificity. Therefore, UNAPROL wants to stress the importance of the entire supply chain, by promoting oil that is not only pressed, but produced entirely in Italy. In this regard, assessing the objective quality of oil through certified parameters becomes crucial. Fortyone Italian extra virgin olive oils are POD (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) certified by the European Union, which is especially meaningful in the wake of the growing international attention to organic and local products. Despite the rising consumer awareness, not everybody in the world knows that many commercial brands’ olive oils are adulterated or blended with oils from abroad. There is only one kind of olive oil that qualifies by Italian law as extra virgin: the juice of the olive fruit that is extracted by pressing, not by chemical extraction, and which does not exceed 0.8% acidity . Extravirgin olive oil, moreover, is easily recognizable by its delicate bitterness, which indicates the presence of

antioxidants and determines a young, freshly-harvested oil. But enhancing evo’s organoleptic quality is not only a matter of taste. Ensuring authenticity is also essential since many consumers choose olive oil because of its health benefits. Due to the aforementioned antioxidants and polyphenols, and thanks to the presence of good monounsaturated fat - especially oleic acid-, high-quality olive oil represents an healthy alternative that attentive consumers do not want to be deprived of. In conclusion, the challenge which Italian producers have accepted is multifaceted: they want to respond to an increasing demand by offering a high-quality product that is better tasting, healthier , and, last but not least, quintessentially Italian.

Conclusion Only by striving to produce an extravirgin olive oil of outstanding quality it is possible to turn Italian oil into the undisputed synonym of uniqueness and excellence and to face the fierce competition with other countries. Italian Fine Dining

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Italian Fine Dining

balsamic Vinegar

BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Hearing about Reggio Emilia could seem already familiar to your ears because of the worldwide famous products: The Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) and the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar) of Reggio Emilia. It’s interesting to know that Balsamic Vinegar was discovered by mistake. Indeed, 2000 years ago during the Roman Age, someone forgot some cooking grapes must in a stove, and then they realized that this new product could be used in order to season foods. Production The cooking grapes must was indeed resting, in what scientists called acetification or acetic fermentation. The modern production of the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia is long, with a minimum of 12 years. Indeed, during the production 46

Italian Fine Dining

process the wine grapes (100% Sauvignon grapes) are pressed and cooked, cooled and decanted in demijohn, then, like good wine, stored in barrels of different woods (Chestnut, Cherry, Juniper, Mulberry and Oak) where a constant and slow acetification takes place. The loss of the original product is about 10% per year, this loss will be top off year by year. The longer it sits, the sweeter the taste, but not only, in fact, the product becomes more solid and concentrated. The product that has been aged for 25 years is named Extravecchio (Extra-Aged), the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar ‘Extravecchio’ is the most prestigious and expensive product, it is the quintessence of the quality. Bottling and certification During the bottling process, the final product is poured into upside down

Balsamic Vinegar tulip shaped bottles of 100 or 250 ml size. About certification, each lot of product is checked and needs to comply with the chemical and sensorial exams, the controls are guaranteed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The production process is really important in order to obtain the certification of quality product, by the Italian Laws: ‘All Balsamic are not vinegar, they are condiments/ seasonings’. Indeed the word Vinegar is allowed only for the condiments that have obtained the P.D.O. – Protected Designation of Origin (D.O.P. - Denominazione di Origine Protetta). This certificate guarantees that the total production process in done the Reggio Emilia Area. Things you should know Do not confuse the Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI (Balsamic Vinegar of Modena) with the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). They are similar in the name, but they hold completely different characteristics: as the ingredients, the production process, the chemical and physical components and the sensory characteristics. The price range varies greatly, in accordance to the quality and aging, and of course, the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar P.D.O. is the most expensive one. Nutritional properties and Benefits of balsamic vinegar A cup of balsamic vinegar (which corresponds to 255 grams) provides 224 calories. It contains 43.4 grams of carbohydrates, and 38.1 grams which are made up exclusively of sugar. The same amount of vinegar contains 1.2 grams proteins, and 195 grams of water.

Balsamic vinegar is rich in minerals. A cup of vinegar contains 286 mg of potassium, 68.9 mg of calcium, 30.6 mg of magnesium and 48.6 mg of phosphorus. Furthermore you can find small traces of iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Antioxidant Balsamic vinegar is rich in antioxidants due to its high concentration of polyphenols, present in the grapes. These chemicals play an important role in strengthening the immune system and fight free radicals. The concentration of bioflavonoid promotes longevity, slows the aging process and helps to live healthy. Weight control and Digestion The balsamic vinegar has the ability to increase the amount of time spent by the body in order to digest food. This avoids the introduction of extra food because it will let body reach satiety quicker. The balsamic vinegar helps digestion and to maintain a healthy weight. Insulin control It seems that the balsamic vinegar has interesting properties regarding the improvement of the regulation of blood sugar. Polyphenols present in the vinegar helps the enzymes to break down proteins into amino acids, as well as helping the metabolic processes. The balsamic vinegar reduces blood pressure and improves heart health. It stimulates the absorption of calcium and magnesium and it has pain-relieving properties, especially in the case of migraine.

Italian Fine Dining

WINE 48

Italian Fine Dining

HISTORY OF WINE CULTURE IN ITALY Wine represents an integrant part of the Italian culture since the Roman age, it roots its origins in the first Etruscan settlements in the region nowadays called Tuscany, region that still gives birth to some of the most famous Italian wines in the world. In order to fully understand why the wine culture is so important in and for Italy (to the point that is currently still the number one segment in the agricultural sector), it must be taken into consideration how wine is strictly connected with art, society and also religion and how this is not just happening in recent times but it has been like this for more than two thousand years (modern Italy as a unified State exists since “only” 155 years).

Italian Fine Dining

wine ITALIAN ROLE IN THE WINE INDUSTRY Before getting to some figures that could explain how this importance translates into facts, it is worth underlining how in Italy the innovative drive for the cultivation of the vineyards and the wine production has been exceptional, at the point that the populations living in ancient Italy have to be considered as the pioneers of the “wine art”, they could be consider the responsible for introducing many of the modern conservation and large-scale (for that time) production techniques. This, generation after generation, allowed the rituals of the cultivation, of the harvest, of the vinification, of the pouring and of the consumption to become an important pillar of the Italian culture, in the collective consciousness. This is still true today, with Italy being the major exponent of the “family owned production”, maybe in countertrend with modern world habits but keeping intact the charm it has on whom considers wine not “just a fashionable alcoholic drink”. The reason why Italy is constantly on the top of the world for wine production does not end with the tradition and its romantic aura though (which is too often superficially distorted into stereotypes); some of the reasons at the base of the great (and growing) popularity of Italian wines are the immeasurable number of grape varieties (unofficial data counts more than 2000!), an amount of indigenous products with no equivalents and the presence of unique regional specialties. ITALIAN POPULAR (AND SOON TO BE) WINES Talking about popularity, there is no doubt that some wines catch the attention more than others; impossible, in this sense, not to start with Barbaresco, Barolo and Brunello (a.k.a. the “3-BigBs”) known as the best wines from Italy

worldwide, but there are many others like Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Amarone, Montepulciano and Prosecco (just to mention few) that are just as famous, receiving an extraordinary consensus from the public all around the world. Nevertheless, Italy has much more than that, with an extensive offer of unique peculiarities for each of the 20 regions of the country. We can start an imaginary trip around “the boot” finding so many one-of-a-kind treasures that is simply reductive to talk of “Italian wine”; for example, I think of Barbera from Piedmont, that other than being a red wine has no connection to a Valpolicella from Veneto, or Morellino from Tuscany, a Primitivo from Apulia and I could go on to the infinite (or so). Better stop and introduce another Italian strength strictly related to this amazing spectrum of variety: the presence of hundreds of certified areas, namely in possess of specific requirements that allow them to be defined as “IGT” (IGT, Indicazione Geografica Tipica, wines are labeled with the region of their creation and include also premium wines that are not a DOC, most famous of which the “Super Tuscans”), “DOC” (DOC legislation, similar to French AOC, requires that a wine must be produced within the specified area using defined methods and that it satisfies a defined quality standard) or “DOCG” (qualitative and historically significant DOC; also, DOCG labeled wines are analyzed and tasted by government– licensed personnel before being bottled); all this allows the consumers to enjoy remarkable advantages in terms of transparency, traceability and the certainty on the use of production techniques that determine and guarantee high quality standards.

Italian Fine Dining

WATER

Italian Fine Dining

ITALIAN MINERAL WATER Italy is among the leading producers, exporters and consumers of mineral water in the world with over 250 brands of Italian mineral water on the international market. Italy produces about 12% of the world’s mineral water and it is known since ancient times for great tasting fresh water even among its municipal water systems. Mineral water, like spring Water in the United States, must come from an underground source by law. In Italy the legal definition of Mineral Water falls under law D.L. 25/1/ 1992 n 105, which states that mineral water is: “Water that comes from one or more underwater sources and has features that are favorable to health.”

Italian Fine Dining

water The very finest of Italy’s spring waters are bottled at their source after spending years absorbing important minerals underground. Even though in Italy is possible to drink tap water as well, its quality is never guaranteed. Instead mineral water often contains chemical added, so it is recommended to filter and purify it, even at home with some common purification methods.

- facilitate digestion (sulfates stimulate the pancreas producing enzymes, which are very important for digestive health);

Health benefits

- prevent dehydration (mineral water is a great source of electrolytes);

Several studies provided a lot of data about the benefits for overall health for people who drink mineral water. In fact, in this type of water there are various minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium and sulfate. Also, it is completely natural and it is almost free from preservative, fats and calories. For this reasons, it is highly recommended in order to: - improve bone health (above all for women after menopause, who need more calcium in order to prevent some bone related illnesses like osteoporosis); - lose weight, but at the same time staying hydrated (it is important to avoid calories not only from food); - maintain a normal blood pressure level (thanks to magnesium, which helps to decrease blood pressure); - prevent heart diseases (thanks to some minerals such as potassium and magnesium, which help to decrease bad cholesterol levels and support heart function);

- maintain muscles functionality (magnesium is helpful also to make muscles relaxing and contracting properly, so it could offer some benefits relieving the pains caused by rheumatism and arthritis);

- reduce kidney stone risk (calcium and magnesium are useful to decrease calcium oxalate’s concentration): - clean body from toxins and making better the skin (not only drinking mineral water, but also using it in a beauty regime); - obtain therapeutic effects in chronic diseases. Moreover, sparkling mineral water is also an healthy choice: the only difference is that it is carbon dioxide added, and, thanks to this, it helps on destroying some types of germs. In the end, the only recommendation if you are going to drink mineral water is to check the label before buying a bottle of water, to prefer a glass bottle instead of a plastic bottle (in which there are some chemical compounds), and, last but not least, to choose the best taste according to your own preferences.

Italian Fine Dining

BEER 56

Italian Fine Dining

beer How to make Beer Beer is an ancient beverage, the preparation of which dates back to the Sumerians and the Egyptians. Even today, the preparation process is a natural process that doesn’t differ from many centuries ago; over the years, it has just been refined thanks to the experience, the acquired knowledge and the latest technological tools. Nowadays beer is the world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. The production of beer is called brewing, which involves the fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from cereal grain starches—most commonly from malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used. Most beer is flavored with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavorings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included. The fermentation process causes a natural carbonation effect, although this is often removed during processing, and replaced with forced carbonation. The production’s process starts from barley, the most cultivated cereal in the world; firstly, its beans are soaked in water to germinate for several days. The outcome of this procedure is the malt. The malt is then slowly dried in the oven, the roasting degree is what will affect the taste of the beer. The barley malt is then grinded until it becomes flour, and it is mixed with water in a boiler until it becomes wort. At this point the wort is boiled, filtered and separated from the slag of barley malt. It is in this phase that the hop is added; the element that will give to the beer its distinctive bitter taste. The wort is then cooled, once cold the

fermentation phase will start. It takes place in special containers, and the yeast is added. The role of the yeast, is indispensable in this phase, in fact, it is the responsible of the transformation of the sugars present in the must into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Without the addition of the yeasts, in fact, they must could not become beer. Varieties While there are many types of beer brewed, the basics of brewing beer are shared across national and cultural boundaries. The traditional European brewing regions—Germany, Belgium, England and the Czech Republic—have local varieties of beer. Top-fermented beers are most commonly produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a topfermenting yeast which clumps and rises to the surface, typically between 15 and 24 °C. At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavor and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly “fruity” compounds resembling apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum, or prune, among others. After the introduction of hops into England from Flanders in the 15th century, “ale” referred to an unhopped fermented beverage, “beer” being used to describe a brew with an infusion of hops. Real ale is the term for “beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide. It is applied to bottle conditioned and cask conditioned beers.

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beer Pale ale Pale ale is a beer which uses a topfermenting yeast and predominantly pale malt. It is one of the world’s major beer styles. Stout Stout and porter are dark beers made using roasted malts or roast barley, and typically brewed with slow fermenting yeast. There are a number of variations including Baltic porter, dry stout, and Imperial stout. The name “porter” was first used in 1721 to describe a dark brown beer popular with the street and river porters of London.[97] This same beer later also became known as stout, though the word stout had been used as early as 1677.[98] The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. Mild Mild ale has a predominantly malty palate. It is usually dark colored with an abv of 3% to 3.6%, although there are lighter hued milds as well as stronger examples reaching 6% abv and higher. Wheat Wheat beer is brewed with a large proportion of wheat although it often also contains a significant proportion of malted barley. Wheat beers are usually top-fermented (in Germany they have to be by law). The flavor of wheat beers varies considerably, depending upon the specific style. Lambic Lambic, a beer of Belgium, is naturally fermented using wild yeasts, rather than cultivated. Many of these are not strains of brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and may have significant differences in aroma 58

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aroma and sourness. Yeast varieties such as Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Brettanomyces lambicus are common in lambics. In addition, other organisms such as Lactobacillus bacteria produce acids which contribute to the sourness. Lager Lager is cool fermented beer. Pale lagers are the most commonly consumed beers in the world. The name “lager” comes from the German “lagern” for “to store”, as brewers around Bavaria stored beer in cool cellars and caves during the warm summer months. These brewers noticed that the beers continued to ferment, and to also clear of sediment, when stored in cool conditions. Beer in Italy Italy is considered to be part of the wine belt of Europe. Nevertheless, beer, particularly mass-produced pale lagers, are common in the country. The first Italian brewers were the monks of Monte Cassino Abbey, a monastery located on the top of a rocky hill about 130 km southeast of Rome, that in the Middle Ages launched this tradition that still survives nowadays. But it wasn’t until the 1789 that the industrial production of beer started, at least symbolically, in fact, it is said that this is the year in which Baldassare Ketter from Nizza Monferrato, Piedmont was granted the privilege by the Savoy to start brewing beer “for the city and its suburbs.” Moreover, until the late nineteenth century, the production of beer in Italy was in artisanal scale.

beer

Lacking the technology to create and maintain the cold, the first production sites (Pedavena and Poretti ones) were created in the Northern parts of Italy, near the Alps mountains, in order to have natural access to the cold that is required to initiate the manufacturing process. Nowadays, on the other hands, there are more than 600 brewers and 4750 employees related to the beer sector in Italy, all together these companies produce about 13,3 million hectoliters of beer per year, which makes Italy the tenth producer in Europe.

against 18,8% of which preferred wine.

Beer consumption is growing among Italians. Its consumption last year rose to 30.3 liters per capita, furthermore beer has become the most consumed alcoholic beverage during the meals. In fact, according to the research society Makno: 19,8% of Italians consume beer during the meals Italian Fine Dining

Italian Fine Dining

PASTA Italian Fine Dining

PASTA

Pasta is, undoubtedly, the Italian most known and exported delicacy. Its origins, however, are controversial; some researchers attribute the invention of pasta to the Chinese, and to Marco Polo its introduction in Italy. Others, on the other hand, track down the origins of pasta back to the Etruscan civilizations, an ancient Italian population. Different researchers believe that it was firstly made in the Middle East. The truth is that Italy has the longest and most lively tradition of pasta, to date there are more than 350 different type of pasta. They differ for their shapes, their base ingredients such as the type of flour or water, the presence of eggs on the dough and the stuffing (if any). Tradition teaches different preparation and plenty of sauces recipes in order to enrich the specific characteristics and ease of eating of any type of pasta. Despite the precise features of each type of pasta, it is possible to regroup them under four main categories: 62

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• Wheat pasta, the most widely known type of pasta. It gets its name by the base ingredient used in the dough preparation: the wheat flour, with durum wheat predominant in the Southern regions and soft wheat in the North. It can be possibly designed in any shape, ranging from long pasta such as spaghetti to the minute pasta used in soup, decorative design such as shells and hearts can also be found. • Egg pasta is made with a mixture of eggs and all-purpose-flour that result in a tender and fast to cook type of pasta. The use of raw egg in the mixture tend to limit the broad of people that can enjoy this special delicacy since it has to be consumed fresh, and for this reason it tends to be locally made and less accessible to people living outside of Italy. The egg pasta, as the wheat one, could take many shapes and it is best enjoyed with light sauces that can highlight the richer dough flavor.

PASTA • Stuffed pasta encases a delicious filling between two layers of thin sealed pasta dough. In accordance to regional traditions, the filling can be meat-based or fish-based, or also vegetarian. Tortellini, from the central region of Emilia-Romagna, are another specialty, a navel shaped pasta filled with a meat and cheese stuffing to be eaten in broth. • Gnocchi are delicious flour based dumplings. Their uniqueness reside in the dough ability to well aggregate with any ingredient mixed, in fact many version are available. Potato gnocchi is the most known one, but beets and spinach one are also popular particularly since their colors resemble the Italian flag! Sweet versions are also starting to appear on the Italian tables, such as cocoa and prunes.

But there is something even more fascinating regarding the Pasta world: the wire-drawing process. During this phase, the elastic dough is pressed against a die, which shape and cut the pasta in its final format. The tool used for the drawing process could be made of different materials, most of them are made by bronze, but there are tools made by teflon and gold. The process is exactly the same, the difference reside within the quality of the product, the drawing done with bronze or gold wires is better because it makes the pasta rougher and it will retain the sauce more easily. The process that uses teflon tools decreases the time of the production, but the result is a pasta with a smoother surface that is less capable of absorbing sauces.

Italian Fine Dining

PIZZA

Italian Fine Dining

pizza

PIZZA

History of Pizza Pizza is recognized as a main symbol of the Italian lifestyle in the world. It is a balanced, full of flavours and especially delicious dish, part of the Mediterranean Diet. The origin of this product can be tracked down to the ancient civilizations. The first version, of what we call today pizza, seems to have been eaten around 3,000 years ago by the Ancient Egyptians in celebration of the pharaoh. Pizza was, in fact, mainly eaten by people that faced the Mediterranean Sea, like Greek and Romans. During the Renaissance period, pizza was eaten mostly as a sweet treat, the classic pizza dough was prepared, and then it was enriched with butter, eggs and sugar. However, Italy can doubtless claim the title as the inventor of the modern pizza, with its hometown in Naples, in the Southern part of Italy. In Naples, 66

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was firstly created the traditional and famous pizza Margherita in the XIX century by the pizza maker Raffaele Esposito. This type of pizza simply made with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and a basil leaf, will later takes its name to honour the Queen Margherita, wife of King Umberto I, after she tasted it. In the early 1900s pizza was sold only in Italy, but after the Second World War thanks to the Italians who migrated overseas, pizza started to be cooked all around the world, from Naples to America and Asia. Today, pizza is one of the most popular food and it can be eaten anywhere around the world. “Neapolitan style pizza is not only important for its relevance in the history of the dish, but also because, since 2010, it holds a STG qualification granted by the EU. STG states that the Neapolitan pizza, or Pizza Verace Napoletana as it is officially registered (original Neapolitan pizza), is a specialità tradizionale garantita

pizza (guaranteed traditional specialty): its ingredients are controlled and regulated by law, just as its shape, the way the dough is prepared and cut, and the places where it can be consumed. Yes, that’s right: to be called pizza verace napoletana it must be consumed in the same premises where it has been baked, which means take-out pizzas lose their STG qualification.” Different Proprieties and Benefits As we have already seen the ingredients for the Pizza Margherita are: Mozzarella, Tomato sauce, Olive Oil and a Basil leaf. These are the necessary ingredients that make Pizza. One of the main and most important factor is the presence of grains that are rich in proteins and complex carbohydrates, they provide energy and give a strong sense of satiety; and it is also rich in vitamin B. Furthermore, the grain’s bran can lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. The mozzarella cheese is rich in lysine and in calcium, minerals which are essential for bone mineralization; it is also an important source of proteins and vitamins. The tomato sauce, which it is the main ingredient of the Margherita pizza, is rich in vitamins A, B and C and minerals essential for the body, moreover it’s also an important antioxidant that counteracts the formation of free radicals, the main culprits of aging.

of the Mediterranean Diet. The olive oil is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K and has the ability to help clarifying the arteries; furthermore it is rich in antioxidants and has anti-aging properties. Pizza around the World The total turnover of pizza in the world is about 62 billion dollars and only four countries account for 78% of the market; those countries are Italy, Germany, France and Spain. The Italian restaurants and pizzerias around the world are 72 thousand with a turnover of over 27 billion dollars. In Italy pizza generates a turnover of 10 billion with 50 thousand pizzerias of which more than 20 thousand are takeaway. The classic pizzerias are the 40% of total Italian restaurants. In US the business of pizza is about 35 billion of Euros, the 93% of the Americans eat at least pizza once a month that means an average of 350 slices per second. They are one of the largest consumers of pizza with 13 kilos per person per year. France is one of the largest consumers of pizza in the world. In 2014 they were baked 809 million of pizzas that it is more than 323 tons of products, 1.20% more than the previous year.

Very important is the presence of olive oil, more exactly the extra virgin olive oil, that it is also the base condiments Italian Fine Dining

COLD CUTS 68

Italian Fine Dining

COLD CUTs

COLD CUTS

Parma ham and San Daniele ham are undoubtedly the two most renowned and demanded Italian dry-cured ham in the world. In Italian, it’s called prosciutto crudo. The word prosciutto comes from the ancient Latin word “perexsuctum”, meaning “dried thoroughly”. The origin of prosciutto crudo can be traced back at least to pre-Roman times, almost three thousand years ago. Today, the production of ham is done with industrial methods, due to the high amount of global demand; just a few generations ago, the same work was entirely artisanal. Every industrial production step is performed by highly skilled experts and checked by the consortiums, in order to ensure that each prosciutto could will satisfy every consumer. Parma and San Daniele ham are produced with the highest quality standard, in fact they are certified as Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) products by the European Union. 70

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The care and the vigilance starts long before the beginning of the curing process. In fact, in order to meet the P.D.O. certification requirements, all the hogs must be born and bred in specific areas of Italy, and could not be imported from abroad. The regulation of how the animals are raised and fed is very strict too, and it’s done in order to preserve the most authentic taste of the final product. After the hogs reach a minimum weight of 160 kilograms, their hind legs are butchered for the salting and curing process. The process of making prosciutto can take up to 16 months, and even more in some cases. The other necessary ingredients are just cool temperatures, salt, and time. In fact, there are absolutely no additives or preservatives used in making authentic prosciutto crudo. The salt is rubbed manually over the entire leg every day for a month, then the prosciutti might be pressed or flattened, and afterwards they are washed and hung to dry for 8 to 16 months.

COLD CUTs The drying process is the most delicate part of the process. Temperature and humidity are constantly monitored to guarantee the right conditions for the prosciutto. Parma and San Daniele are two characteristic areas with unique climate condition: in fact, cities benefit equally from the encounter of both the wind coming from the mountains and the sea-breeze. This particular micro-climate makes the ham turn out with excellent scent and flavour.

popular served in a variety of panini (sandwiches), and even as a topping on pizza. Moreover, it is also occasionally used as a final touch on a few pasta dishes, such as tortellini alla panna (tortellini with cream sauce). It should be sliced thinly, but not too thin, as this will make it impossible to separate the slices and serve it properly. Prosciutto is best consumed at room temperature so that its luscious flavour can be fully appreciated.

Each prosciutto is branded with its own identifying symbol. Every Sand Daniele prosciutto will have a ‘‘SD’’ stamped inside the outline, while Parma ones will have a ducal crown, symbol of the city. To say that prosciutto crudo is extremely popular in Italy is almost an understatement. This delicacy is as deep-rooted in Italy’s culinary DNA as it is pasta—and the enjoyment of it starts just about as early in an Italian child life. In fact, as the Parmigiano Reggiano and the extra-virgin olive oil, prosciutto crudo is so natural and healthy that it is one of the first adult foods that babies are given to taste in Italy. Prosciutto crudo can be eaten just as it is, or could be wrapped around a grissino (breadstick) or just as a slice or two placed on a piece of fresh white bread. It’s delicious with melone (cantaloupe) or figs, and it is an unfailing hit in the typical antipasto misto (mixed appetizer plate). Prosciutto crudo is also a key ingredient in a few classic recipes, such as saltimbocca alla Romana (veal scaloppini); it is also extremely Italian Fine Dining

Italian Fine Dining

CHEESE Italian Fine Dining

cheese

CHEESE

Despite the impossibility to track down the history of every single Italian cheese, there are no doubts about the passion that links Italians to cheese, and it has been like this for long. Perhaps, it can be said that Italy is even the birthplace of cheese itself. The Romans were passionate cheese makers and eaters, and, also, they were responsible for introducing the art of hard cheese making to the other European countries. Many Roman houses had a special kitchen for cheese making. It’s in one of those caseali that Pecorino Romano, an hard cheese made with sheep milk, originated more than 2000 years ago. Pecorino is the oldest recorded Italian cheese and it is known for its long storage capacity and great nutritional value; for these reasons, 27 grams of it were given to each Roman legionary as part of their staple food. During the increasing of monasteries throughout Italy, which cultivated the art of cheese making, hubs of cheesemanufactures excellence were borning. From this moment, every region would create its own cheese, 74

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and each one with a different flavor. There are many aspects that can influence its taste: the first and most important one is the type of milk used, which could range from sheep’s milk to water buffalo’s one or that can be a mixture of different milks; secondly the season during which it is produced; lastly, for how long the cheese is aged, in fact the longer it’s aged the saltier and sharper the taste becomes. Another peculiarity it’s their moisture; it is possible to distinguish three categories: • Soft cheeses are obtained by breaking the curd into large fragments (about the size of a walnut), which are then squeezed and kneaded; the water content remains high, between 45% and 70% and the cheese obtained must be consumed immediately or stored in the refrigerator. Some examples are Stracchino or Gorgonzola, both from the region of Lombardy. • Semi-hard cheeses are obtained by breaking the curd into small fragments (about the size of an olive), which are

cheese compressed and left to mature; their water content is between 36% and 45%. Some examples are Caciocavallo from the Southern regions of Italy and Fontina from the Aosta Valley. • Hard cheeses are obtained by breaking the curd into very small fragments (about the size of a grain of rice), which are cooked at over 46°C and stirred continuously; the mixture obtained is compressed, salted and left to mature for a long period; as a result, the water content is low ranging between 25% to 35%. The aging period can range from a few months, as for Pecorino, to a few years, as for the famous Parmigiano Reggiano.

Today, Italian cheeses are worldwide recognized for their authenticity and their quality. There are more than 600 recognized type of cheese, of which 46 have PDO certification. Furthermore, the most consumed cheese in the worlds is Italian, and precisely is the Mozzarella (with its Bufala version), known for its freshness and culinary versatility; in fact, it is essential for a well done Caprese salad or a genuine pizza. To conclude, cheese, beside being delicious to eat, is an important ally in a nutritious diet. It contains precious nutrients such as proteins, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin B12, and above all calcium, which is one of the nutrients most likely to be lacking in an adult person diet.

Italian Fine Dining

CAVIAR

Italian Fine Dining

caviar

CAVIAR

When talking about Italian cuisine, certain dishes and ingredients such as pasta, pizza, extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella and tomatoes are the ones that firstly come to mind; a product that definitely does not come to mind would be caviar. In fact, when people think about caviar it reminds them to Caspian Sea and neighbour territories, such Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and other Eastern European countries. Not many know that Italy is definitely fighting these countries for the supremacy in caviar production.

of a female fish. Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to the roes from wild sturgeons in the Caspian and Black Sea, but might also be used to describe the roes of other types of fish such as salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, carp, and other species of sturgeon.

Beyond any expectation, caviar was known in Italy since Renaissance period: according to the legend, duchess Beatrice D’Este received from the famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci a sturgeon’s egg in a box encrusted with precious stone as gift.

Among all the varieties of caviar, the most common type is the Siberian one. The Beluga one, from the Huso huso sturgeon, is certainly the most luxurious and expensive one; it is followed by the Golden Osietra, with which competes for the title of “the best caviar in the world”. Placed third is for the Sevruga Caviar, from the Acipernser stellatus sturgeon,

Caviar is the final product of processed and salted unfertilized eggs 78

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Caviar is also a versatile ingredient: it can be served as starter with parsleyed potatoes and quail eggs, or as main course with wholemeal spaghetti or rice, or can be also used for fusion recipes.

caviar which has the quickest reproduction rate, and, due to this, is the most available; its peculiarity is the crunchy texture that set it apart from the other caviars which dissolve in the mouth. Among the most recognized caviar, Sterlet Caviar can also be found; it is characterized by small grains and an intense flavour. Italy is increasing highly its caviar production: there are several sturgeons’ farms, above all in the North of Italy. One of the most ancient ones is Caviar Giaveri; in their farm Russian origin’s sturgeons grow being monitored 24/24 h per day, taking care of every single aspect (food, water temperature, ecosystem’s equilibrium and health conditions), and you can buy their caviar online and also in Thailand.

protect the fishes. Though the ban has since been relaxed, Caspian sturgeons are still a protected species. An innovative and simple solution to protect sturgeon without depriving the connoisseurs of this delicacy could be aquaculture. Moreover, during these years a new extraction method without killing fishes has been implemented. According to the France-based Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), Italy sold 42 tons of caviar in 2014, following China (54 tons) and forwarding Russia (40 tons). This business is certainly going to grow, letting caviar become another world recognize excellent product of the peninsula.

Overfishing, pollution and poaching have contributed to the severe depletion of Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga sturgeons. For all these reasons, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the trade of Caspian caviar in 2006 in order to

Italian Fine Dining

TRUFFLE

Italian Fine Dining

truffle

TRUFFLE

The Romans believed that truffles were of divine origin and according to popular beliefs they were the fruit of the sacred thunderbolt of Jupiter; furthermore, they are also known to be aphrodisiacs offered by the King of Gods. Truffles, in fact, have been around for what seems like forever: the luxurious tuber was firstly mentioned in Plinio the Elder’s ‘‘Naturalis Historia’’ and Apicius’ ‘‘De re coquinaria’’, both written in the 1st century A.D.. Apicius’ work even contains recipes where truffles are mentioned. The truffle underwent a period of consumption decline during Middle Age, but soon after, during the Renaissance season, it came back into fashion and was prepared and ecstatically consumed by the royal families in the Courts spread in the Italian territory. The air of mystery around the truffle growth has for long time fascinated both chefs and consumers, until the 18th century, when its mystifying nature was finally studied and codified. 82

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Today, truffles are still considered a culinary delicacy, appreciated by sophisticated palates. Truffles grow at altitudes between 400 and 1200 meters, in high hills or mountains, and more specifically on the facade exposed to the sun and near other plants – most often oak, but also hornbeam, hazelnut and holm oak. The best soil for growing truffles should be calcareous, rich in stones and with a good amount of clay in it. Truffle season begins in November and lasts through the end of March. The best truffles are usually found between the end of December through February, just as long as they weren’t damaged by frost. Italian grounds are the perfect habit for truffles; in fact, they can be found all along ‘‘the boot’’ with the highest concentration in the fertile grounds of Piedmont and Umbria. The two regions produce two different types of truffle, as we will see…

truffle The black truffle of Norcia The “Tuber melanosporum vitt”, which is commonly called Tartufo nero, or black truffle, of Norcia or of Spoleto, can be found primarily in the Apennine Mountains located between the regions of Umbria, Marche and Abruzzo. Black truffles vary in size, on average they are 5 to 9 cm in wide and weigh between 500 to 700 grams. They are typically round in shape with lumps ranging in number and in size. The irregularity of the shape and the size of truffles are, in general, due to the soil in which they grow in: smoother truffles grow in soft soil and very lumpy truffles come from compact, rocky soil. The outside layer, or skin, of the truffle varies in color in according to truffle’s maturity: it can be rosy when the truffle is still young, while it is dark brown or almost black when perfectly mature. The interior color of the truffle also varies according its age: it can be white or light brown, grayish-brown to dark grey with white veins. The aroma of the black truffle is pleasingly intense and hard to alter regardless of the cooking method or how it is conserved. The white truffle of Alba The ‘‘Tuber magnatum pico’’, vulgarly known as Alba or Piedmont truffle, is the most desired and envied Italian product. In fact, it is the rarest and most esteemed type of truffle; it is characterized by a yellow-green skin colour and it is smooth to the touch. The interior colour varies from white to yellowish-grey, with thin white veins. They varies in size, they can reach a

12 cm diameter and around 500 g weight, but they are usually much smaller with some very rare exception of bigger one reaching almost 2 kilograms. To find an Alba white truffle is like to find an hidden treasure. They are also the most expensive ones: their price is usually around 3 500 USD/ kilo, with higher peaks: in 2009, for example, due to the scarcity caused by the unfavourable weather, the prices were about 15 000 USD/kilo. The highest selling price was set in 2007, when a 1.5 kilo truffle was sold for more than 300 000 USD. A National Truffle Fair is held in Alba every October and November; this event also hosts the famous annual truffle auction, of which all proceeds go to charity. Due to the unique and intense aroma of the white truffle, it should be served raw on rice, pasta, meat and eggs. Probably the single most fascinating aspect of the truffle is its harvesting. In fact, as we have seen, they grown underground and are therefore really hard to locate. For this reason either hogs or dogs are used: the first ones are employed for their natural capabilities to smell the strong aroma of truffle, but they tend to eat the truffle, if not controlled in time; instead the dogs can be easily trained to recognize the odor and are easier to control once the tuber is found.

Italian Fine Dining

CHOCOLATE

Italian Fine Dining

chocolate Even though the chocolate history could be tracked down to the 1000 B.C., Europe became acquainted with it just in the 16th century. Spain, thanks to its explorers that brought back the cocoa seeds from South America, was the first European country to experience it and experiment new recipes with it. They moved part of their chocolate production to the Modica County, part of the Spanish Empire during this period which is nowadays part of Sicily, Italy. Here, Sicilians chefs were faced with cocoa seeds for the first time, but they soon came up with an innovative, yet anchored to the ancient Maya traditional way of production, recipe for solid chocolate bar. The cioccolata di Modica is known worldwide for its grainy texture, which it’s given by the sugar crystals still intact, thanks to the low temperatures at which it’s prepared, the absence of the conching phase and the simplicity of its ingredients: in fact, no milk or other fats are added. Nowadays, in additional to the classic recipe, which calls for 65% of cocoa, there are ‘‘purer versions’’ with cocoa content up-to 95% and flavoured one that add typical Sicilian ingredients such as Pistacchi di Bronte, Orange zest and chilli to the chocolate bar. Just few years later, more exactly in 1585, the year of the marriage between Catherine of Spain, and Carlo Emanuele I, duke of Savoy, the chocolate reached with the Spanish princess the North of Italy, and more precisely Turin, Piedmont. The local coffee houses would almost immediately introduce a hot chocolate beverage in their menu and soon after the first cioccolatino

(chocolate bon-bon) would make its appearance at the royal court and in the city’s salons. Always in Turin, it was firstly introduced the Gianduja, a tender and creamy mixture of chocolate and toasted Piedmont hazelnut, in reaction of the cocoa scarcity due to Napoleons blockage and the large availability of the local hazelnut. This mix is still nowadays at the base of the typical Turin cioccolatino, the gianduiotto, which take its name from the city Carnival mask. In the 1950s, the Gianduia mixture came back into fashion due to the scarcity of cocoa; this time caused by the World War II, and was reinvented by Pietro Ferrero, a Piedmont entrepreneur, that found a way to make the mixture creamier and create a Gianduia spread, better know with its commercial name: Nutella. The city love for the chocolate, and the creative genius of its chocolatiers proclaimed Turin as the Italian, and even European, capital of chocolate. To this date, the city still produces about the 50% of the total Italian chocolate production, and its home for the most known Italian chocolatiers: Caffarel, Novi, Pernigotti e Venchi. It also host CioccolaTò, an annual chocolate fair that takes place at the end of the month of November, which attracts more than 2 million visitors each year.

Italian Fine Dining

COFFEE 88

Italian Fine Dining

COFFEE

Coffee is a very famous beverage prepared with flower’s seeds of the coffee plant named Coffea; the plant produces small, round and green berries that once ripened become red.

COFFEE

Green coffee berries contain many substances, such as protein, fat, minerals and carbohydrate, and, even though those are drastically reduced in the roasting process, the remaining substances still conserve proprieties which are very important for our organism. Some of them are: antioxidant, antitumor, antidepressant, prevent brain decline, help digestion and diet regimes.

There are hundreds types of coffee all around the world; the most expensive one is Kopi luwak, which is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago and is sold for between US$100 and $600 per pound. In Indonesian language, Kopi means coffee and luwak is a local name of the Asian palm civet in Sumatra. In fact, this coffee is made by the excrements of these animals; due to this, the taste may vary depending on the quality of the beans that civets select for eating, and, also, there are some important issues about civets’ life conditions in farms. Italian coffee is not as expensive as Kopi luwak, but its quality is one of the most appreciated in the world. Coffee was firstly introduced to Europe from Egypt through the Italian city of Venice, where a flourishing trade between the local businessmen and Arabs enabled a large variety of 90

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commodities and goods to be imported. Since then, the role of Italy in coffee trade raised enormously; now, Italy ranks 3rd in Europe, and 4th worldwide, in the roasted coffee export category (with 3.2 million of bags). Furthermore, its position as exporting is increasing: a +10% has been registered compared to the previous year. The most well known types of Italian coffee are: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica blend grows between 1000 and 2000 meters above the sea level and it is renowned for its delicacy and plentiful organoleptic proprieties. Moreover, it is the most cultivated quality in the world: it represents about 75% of world production. Robusta blend is more resistant and grows at lower altitudes, between 150 and 600 meters.

COFFEE In Italy, coffee is drunk during all day: it is not only consumed for breakfast, but, like eating, it is also an opportunity to socialize and to stay all together. The favourite coffee beverage in Italy is espresso, which is served in a small cup (20 to 25 ml) and has got a strong taste. Moreover, there are several variety of espresso. Below the most important ones: • ristretto, stronger than normal espresso, less than 20 ml; • macchiato, with the addition of a drop of milk (which could be hot or cold); • lungo, weaker taste, about 40 ml; • iced, shaken and served in a glass; it is also possible, instead of sugar, to add almond milk (this is a delicious variety of the South of Italy); • cappuccino, with the addition of steamed milk and a touch of cocoa powder or chocolate topping; it is usually drunk in the morning and its name comes from the resemblance of its colour to Capuchin order monks’ clothes; • corretto, with a drop of liquor. Caffeine is a natural alkaloid and it can be found in 60 different species of plants, including the coffee, tea and cocoa. Once introduced into the body, caffeine takes a few hours to be metabolized. When assumed in moderate doses, it has stimulating beneficial effects on the human body: it increases the ability to concentrate, the memory capabilities and even the mood. Caffeine content in each coffee beverage depends mostly on the preparation method: for example, Espresso contains around 110/150 mg of caffeine, Moka (a typical Italian machine used to make coffee)

90/130 mg, Americano (hot water added espresso) 70/90 mg and Soluble around 40/108 mg. Another important influence factor on the amount of caffeine contained in coffee is the mixture chosen: in fact, a mixture of 100% Arabica coffee contains an average of 1.5% of caffeine, while Robusta around 3%. According to experts, the optimal consumption of caffeine per day is estimated to be about 200-300 mg, which is equal to 3/4 cups of coffee a 24 hours time frame. Italian coffee market is lively and constantly changing with more than 700 roasters and 7000 employees working in the sector, for a total production turnover of 3,1 billion Euros. During 2013, the importations of green beans increased of 2,23% compared to the previous year (8,2 million of bags). The 4/5 of our importation comes from the 5 main producing countries: Brazil, Vietnam, India, Uganda and Indonesia. Regarding the consumption percapita, Italy ranks 10th in the world with 5,56 kg per person and 341 thousand tons per year; however, the trend is showing a drop in the consumption compared with previous years. Italian Fine Dining

PASTRY

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pastry © ICIF

Typical Italian Dessert Pastiera Pastiera is an intense flavoured and fragrant Neapolitan dessert made with cooked wheat, eggs, ricotta cheese and flavoured with orange flower water. Usually eaten in Easter period, this dessert has an ancient history that dates back to the pagan era. It was eaten during the pagan’s ritual celebrating the advent of Spring and it then became a sign of peace at the Easter table during the Christian era. The pagan legend narrates that Partenope, a mermaid living in the gulf of Naples, every Spring she would emerge from the water to greet people who lived there. To show her gratitude for her songs and words of love, one day, the people decided to offer her the most precious gifts they had: flour, symbol of strength; ricotta cheese, representation of the richness of the land; eggs, symbol of new life; orange flower flavoured water, flowers as sign of the spring time; spices, representing the people living far 94

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away in other continents; wheat cooked in milk, to represent the union of the animal kingdom and the plants one, and the sugar which best represented the sweetness of Partenope’s voice. Pleased by the gifts she received, anxious to collect the ingredients she mixed all of them together, giving birth to the first Pastiera. Many are the hypotheses regarding the birth of this cake, but the most accredited one says that the modern Pastiera was invented in a Neapolitan convent. It is known for certain, that the nuns of the ancient convent of San Gregorio Armeno used to prepare a great quantity of it for the rich families during Easter time. It is narrated that when the servants were entering the convent to collect the Pastiera for the family they were working for, from the monastery’s door the scent would flow into the alleys around it and give consolation to the poor people, for whom the aroma was the heavenly testimony of the Lord’s presence. Cassata Siciliana More than just a typical dish of Palermo, Sicilian Cassata is among the most famous Italian desserts and certainly something not to miss while in Sicily. Its origins date back to the Arabs; in fact, they brought to Palermo some of the base ingredients for the Sicilian Cassata: cedar, lemon, bitter orange, tangerine and almond, as well as sugar cane. The only missing ingredient from the list of the most famous Sicilian cake in the word from the list is the ricotta cheese, which was produced on Sicilian island since centuries.

pastry Various adding have been made during the centuries, firstly during the Spanish domination the sponge cake (Pan di Spagna, in Italian), while more recently the chocolate chips were also added into Sicilian Cassata recipe to flavour the ricotta. The particular and elaborate look of the Cassata, reflects the Ba-roque era, a period of splendour for Palermo and other Sicilian cities. As the typical dish of Palermo, the Sicilian Cassata had to reflected the aesthetic beauty, decorated and coloured, of the capital, this explain the candied fruits used to beautify and brighten the final composition.

can be done to both the base ingredients, replacing for example the gelatine with egg whites, and to the topping sauce: the more traditional caramel sauce may be substituted with strawberry sauce or melted chocolate. More recently, savoury version of Panna cotta also started to appear: famous Italian chefs have created a parmesan and pear sauce version, or an experimental Panna cotta with salmon, pumpkin and rosemary, turmeric and mint. In fact, Panna cotta is a great versatile dish: the preparation doesn’t change, the sugar is simply substituted with the ingredients one prefers.

Cassata, as Pastiera, has traditionally been associated to Easter or to Purim (a Jewish festivity happening during springtime). It was traditionally made by monastery’s nuns, but was so delicious and seductive that, as late as 1574, the diocese of Mazara del Vallo had to prohibit its preparation during the holy week: because the nuns preferred to bake it and eat it than pray.

The origin of this dessert are associated the region of Piedmont, which included Panna cotta in its 2001 list of traditional food products of the region. Even though its origins are quite sure, some try to argue that it is just a lighter version of the French Bavarian. Others try to claim that it was born in the Langhe areas, Piedmont but was a person of Hungarian origin to invent it. It is also said that it is an ancestor of the Sicilian sweet, “Bianco Mangiare”, in which the cow’s milk will be replaced by the almond milk, in order to meet the Arab taste, population that for long occupied Sicily.

Many assumptions could be made about Cassata origins, the only certitude it’s that since the beginning its main ingredients have been the Sicilian ricotta cheese and sugar and that the Baroque era has largely influence the appearance of the Cassata as we know it nowadays. Panna Cotta The traditional Italian Panna cotta recipe calls for cream, sugar and gelatine although, during the course of time, numerous versions, something lighter while something richer in ingredients, have diverged from the original simple concept. Variations

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pastry © ICIF

Gelato The Italian word for ice cream is Gelato, which literally means “frozen”, but it is also used by the international community to indicate the Italian type of ice cream. While Italy cannot take credit for truly inventing ice cream, it has arguably done more for the evolution of the iced desserts than any other country. The differences between Italian Gelato and ice cream aren’t many, but what makes the difference are flavour and texture. Gelato is made with milk, sometimes even with skim-milk, instead of cream which gives Gelato a much lower milk fat content. The lower fat percentage allows the flavours of Gelato to really stand out, compared to the more blended flavours of ice cream. What’s typical about Gelato is its preparation, which includes less air than regular ice cream, making the Italian dessert much denser and creamier. As a lighter version of Gelato, made only with sugar, fruit juices and ice, sorbetto (from Arabic, scherbet = sweet snow, or from Turkish, chorbet = to sip) was first introduced in Sicily. The history of Gelato started in Italy, over 2000 years ago, when ancient Roman

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Emperors would have spent any amount of their enormous wealth in order to make their lives more luxurious, especially in the summer time. Therefore, they established trade lines from the mountain peaks, transporting blocks of ice to their residences, in order to make ice cream, for the first time produced in the ancient world. The fall of the Roman Empire ended the expensive and very exclusive tradition of eating ice cream in Italy. Of course, the tradition never completely vanished; in fact, Italian royal families continued to consume shaved ice and sweet toppings as one of the ways to enjoy themselves during hot summer days. However, Gelato, as we know it today, had to wait over 1000 years before becoming popular among Italians. The man who enabled the re-birth of the ice cream industry was no other than Marco Polo, the famous historian and explorer, who returned to his homeland bringing tales and records of his incredible journey to China. Among his acquired knowledge was the recipe for Chinese ice cream, made not from shaved ice, but by using milk as a primary ingredient. This innovation kickstarted the Italian ice cream industry marking the creation of Gelato as we know and love today. Records from history tell us that Italians regularly consumed Gelato in the 14th and 15th centuries. The consumption highly increased especially when the Florentine architect Bernardo Buontalenti managed to create advanced refrigeration techniques in 1565. Gelato making techniques were brought to conti-nental Europe after Caterina De Medici and King Henry II of France wedding. From that moment, Gelato spread across Europe, slowly reaching all four corners of the world. Another very important moment in the Gelato history is marked by the

pastry year 1686, when the Sicilian fisherman Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli managed to create the first ice cream - making machine. These innovations enabled Gelato to slowly become more and more available to common people: by the 1920s and 1930s, the dessert was simply sold as street food all over Italy and, soon, the world. In fact, the art of traditional Gelato making was handed from father to son. It continued to be improved and perfected right up to the 20th century, when many Gelato makers began to emigrate, bringing their knowledge to the rest of Europe. Today, Gelato is a worldwide known type of handcrafted ice cream. As the birthplace of Gelato, Italy hosts 55% of Gelato overall production, with more than 5,000 Gelato shops and 15,000 Gelato vendors all over its territory.

Tartufo di Pizzo The picturesque fishing town of Pizzo, located on Calabria’s Tyrrhenian coast, is a fundamental stopover for ice cream’s fans, who come appositively to taste the dessert born there. The town’s main square is lined with gelaterie (ice cream shops) selling Tartufo, claiming theirs are the only authentic ones. The shopkeepers are extremely competitive, even jealous and not willing to share any details with an outsider.

Pizzo’s Tartufo is an ice cream dessert resembling a giant black truffle, with a cocoa coating, hiding two layers of ice cream, chocolate and hazelnut flavoured. But the truffle hides a secret: the centre is made of a molten fudge sauce that oozes like lava when the dessert is cut. A gelataio might whisper in your ear that, in order to keep the centre soft, one must “play with the amount of sugar”. Historical records suggest that the Pizzo’s traditional Tartufo was invented in 1852, when a relative of King Vittorio Emanuele II came to Pizzo for the celebration of an aristocratic marriage, bringing to town many guests, ready for a royal wedding banquet. Unfortunately the hosts did not have enough cups to serve the guests the ice cream dessert, but a clever pastry maker named Don Pippo de Maria came up with a creative solution: he invented an ice cream that did not need a cup, but could instead be served on a plate. He put a small portion of hazel and a small amount of chocolate ice cream in the palm of his hand, poured over some melted chocolate and, then, wrapped everything up in a special paper to mould it. Wrapping them up like little presents, he put the ice cream parcels back in the freezer before serving them to his guests. Don Pippo’s invention earned him immediate fame. After the aristocratic wedding, Don Pippo went back to his ice cream stand, which exists to this day, and its original recipe is kept under strict guard by the De Maria descendants.

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pastry

Some mentions are necessary to understand better the history of the Italian pastry. For many centuries the sweet element was connected only to fruit, mash and, above all, honey, which was used to be addicted to a lot of ingredients. Around 900 A.C. started the importations of cane sugar as a spice from Arabic territories and only from 1500 A.C. started the importations of white sugar from America: soon it became the most common ingredient in Europe for sweet recipes. Thanks to this, sweets’ production grew up highly and became a different and autonomous sector of cuisine. In the same period, another completely new ingredient imported from America was fundamental for the developing of Italian modern pastry: cocoa. At first, it was considered as a medical drug, due to its several aphrodisiac and euphoric properties. The first ones to appreciate cocoa were the Spanish which, after 98

Italian Fine Dining

discovering it in the New World, used it like a drink. Today, chocolate is available in several types of shapes and qualities and is one of the main ingredients of pastry. Also, due to its healthy virtues, eating chocolate in measured quantity can provide a lot of benefits to our body. Another important discover that enriched sweet tradition was ice cream, especially after the developing of different methods to produce it: melting salt and ice or salt, ice and ammonia, or ice and saltpeter; these techniques allowed producer to reach temperatures until -25°C. Due to this, it was possible to start using ingredients like raw eggs, creamer and mascarpone, which, if are not right stored in a cold place, produce dangerous batteries. After this, ice cream continued to be modified and adapted to pastry recipes; also, after chemical and raw materials advanced studies, sweet ingredients started to be added to

pastry liquid ingredients in order to obtain a soft and creamy product. In this period, which was rich in commercial and diplomatic exchanges, were created several new mixes using ice cream, cocoa, vanilla and creams, in order to make monumental and stunning cakes, above all for elegant events. Italian pastry was modified year by year: from the original concept, in which desserts were used to eat at the end of the meal and they were above all regional sweets, creamy sweets or small sweets used to eat after coffee, now pastry has been adapted to a restaurant concept, in which you can find easily monoportion sweets, chocolate decorated sweets and refreshed classic recipes, with creative and modern presentations too. They are more complicated and they are studied as much as the other parts of the menu. The main topic is to make them pleasant and light, instead of past sweets, which were “heavy” regarding both the caloric intake and the taste mix and were used to eat at the end of the meal; today, modern pastry concept focus on tastes’ harmony and correct match with the rest of the menu. Thanks to this attention to lightness, modern desserts and mignon sweets can be eaten all day, not only as final of a meal. Despite its modern face, now a successful dessert art has still its roots on traditional recipes and quality raw materials; a good knowledge of every ingredient, their sensory properties and the result of every interaction between them is fundamental in order to obtain an high quality dessert. Technique, manual skills and precision are the main topics regarding pastry art, but also creativity and fantasy

are now playing an important role. New generation customers are increasing their awareness on tradition and trends, but also on personalized healthy regimes and food intolerance; moreover, taste trends and preferences are changing, so it is very important to fix new creative mixes due to inspire delicacy and build desire through exciting shapes and smooth and lucid colors. In consequence, master bakers express their artisan abilities personalizing each recipe, in order to adapt each particular taste to its best temperature, creaminess and sweetness. Moreover, is very important to fix production steps (which should be as fast as possible) and stored ingredients quantity according to modern market’s requests and rhythms, trying to obtain every time more quality performances, referring also to traditional methods. Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (www.icif.com), through its Course on Italian Pastry in Cooperation with Italian Bakery, Ice cream art and Chocolate art Federation (www. federazionepasticceri.it), offers the great opportunity to become a Professional Italian Baker attending 3 weeks theory and practice lessons, with a global formation regarding all the secrets of Italian pastry art. Some topics will be: basic mixtures, Italian cream classical recipes, small pastry, regional and traditional sweets, modern and creative sweets, cake design, sugar art, chocolate handmade tempering and ice cream practical lessons. You will be able to create delicious and tasting sweets, combining taste balance, ancient knowledge and excellent presentation! Italian Fine Dining

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