The cutler of Maniago still works as a craftsman of past centuries. And it only produces limited edition knives. Especially for great chefs
June Carter wrote a beautiful song for her husband Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire. Well, Michele Massaro he's one of those guys with a ring of fire planted in his heart. In his forge he moves like Vulcan, while he cooks with four hands with the chef Simone Cantafio around the fire where he forges his knives for the greatest chefs in the world. And he never stops talking and talking, because at his young age he already has a thousand stories to tell. And you can read in his eyes that in the next few years he will accumulate many other experiences and therefore many other stories. Massaro is the opposite of the mild blacksmith. Of course, it takes up to two or three years to make an artful knife, but in the meantime his head works quickly, always forging new ideas and new projects.
"Michè, let me nur curtello "
Simone Cantafio two-star chef at Michel Bras Toya of Hokkaido, will take with him the knife, which he has long awaited from Michele Massaro, to the new restaurant in Karuizava in the prefecture of Nagano. The knife was made with a handle with the wood of an old Ribolla vine from the Gravner vineyards. The delivery of the white kitchen weapon is therefore the occasion for a lavish lunch prepared together by Michele and Simone, right in theAncient Lenarduzzi Forge, Massaro's workshop in Maniago. A menu that unites Calabria directly with Friuli. Simone from Calabria where he spent the entire lockdown period brought with him tasty local products, 'nduia, olives, black summer truffle, pecorino cheese, wild artichokes and much more. A mix of delicacies, which we taste with a glass of champagne Alain Couvreur Blanc de Blancs. While following, among other things, a magnificent Magnum of the iconic Gravner's Ribolla (vintage 2011) offered by the “Protestant wine” family.
Then the ancient forge is transformed into a peasant kitchen, with the fire burning in the fireplace where the steel is usually tempered and two small gas stoves. Throughout the preparation we do not understand who between Simone Cantafio and Michele Massaro is the chef and who the sous chef. The fact is that they exchange orders with each other and cook with a rare understanding. So they serve one after the other a Risotto with silane hooked truffle, Skewers of char grilled yakitori with puree of ancient Friulian apples (mouth-watering) and a sinful slightly smoked loin on chickpea puree with French brown background and reduced Ribolla Gravner 2011, accompanied by salty cream cheese with ginger mustard and horseradish.
While Michele's partner uncorks other bottles, Valentina Perotti she is a sommelier passionate about natural wines, and an artisan herself (the dishes in the photos above are hers), she rightly complains that she just lacks good music. Ring of Fire, cabbage!
Here come forward who still thinks that Michele Massaro is only a blacksmith cutler. Massaro became a craftsman only 5 years ago and in a short time he made unique knives for Pier Giorgio Parini, Enrico Crippa, Antonia Klugmann, Emanuele Scarello, Yoji Tokuyoshi, Pino Cuttaia, Fulvietto Pierangelini, the Costardi brothers, Matteo Baronetto, conceived together with the chef. Some of them also made almost impossible requests, such as Crippa who requested an engraving in pure gold. Someone like Klugmann has such respect for her that she is even afraid to use her knife for fear of breaking it, even knowing it can't happen.
So the verses of another song come to mind, we don't know if Michele likes it: with him, Valentina and Simone, smozzicando pecorino cheese, we talked about jazz drummers. The song is Forever Young by Bob Dylan, the translated verses: "It's hard to get old without a reason / I don't want to die like a fleeing horse / youth is like diamonds in the sun / and diamonds are forever".
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