Tag: cuisine

How the famous pizza by the meter of Vico Equense was born – Italian Cuisine

The history of pizza by the meter, the 180 cm long specialty of Vico Equense invented in the 1930s by Luigi "Gigino" Dell’Amura

One of the most important specialties of the frame of the Sorrento coast, and in particular of the enchanting town of Vico Equense, and the pizza by the meteror a pizza up to 2 meters long, seasoned with various ingredients and served at the table inside a pan transported on trolleys. The merit of the invention of this gastronomic excellence, famous and widespread both in Italy and abroad, goes to Luigi Dell’Amura, aka Gigino, owner of the pizza restaurant of the same name. Let's go back to its history and find out what features distinguish it from the classic round Neapolitan pizza.

From the invention in the thirties to the University of Pizza

The idea of pizza by the meter came to Gigino Dell’Amura in the thirties, and was born from the need and desire to satisfy the demands of an entire table at once without losing out on quality, serving on a single long pizza base plus condiments. Thanks to this creation, the Dell’Amura restaurant, once known as to Gigino 'or zuzzuso, became increasingly famous. Word of mouth and the curiosity to taste this new pizza recipe grew in fact to such an extent that customers soon began to rush from everywhere, creating an endless line outside the restaurant. Over time, the recipe for the talented pizza maker was also perfected patented in the sixties, to then be replicated, then as today, by several pizzerias scattered in Italy. Another important step for Gigino's activity, as well as a fundamental step in the history of pizza by the meter, was the opening of theUniversity of Pizza. In this school, set up within the same structure, aspiring pizza chefs are instructed by the masters on techniques and secrets of preparing pizza. Currently the restaurant has over 200 seats, has three large wood-fired ovens and can count on a staff of skilled pizza chefs who churn out meters and meters of pizza every day and a menu that, in addition to offering a large variety of pizzas, includes numerous specialties of traditional Campania and Neapolitan cuisine.

The secrets for a perfect pizza by the meter

But now let's move on to the technical characteristics of this special pizza. It must first be said that the pizza by the meter is 180 cm long, and, as we have seen, it can be stuffed with different ingredients which are eventually separated by strips of dough. Ingredients and preparation of the pizza dough by the meter are quite similar to those of the classic Neapolitan, although the former contains a little more water and less salt. The real difference, in addition of course to the shape and the final presentation, is made by the majority short rising times (6-8 hours versus over 12 for round pizza) and i longer cooking times. In short, the popular Gigino pizza can be considered a product in itself compared to the Neapolitan pizza and the pizza slices, whose recipes can be considered almost a connecting link, and its realization is the result of years and years of passion, skill, creativity, as well as the selection of top quality ingredients.

Photo: Pizza by the meter Vico Equense_Official website Restaurant Pizza by the meter.jpg
Photo: Pizza by the meter Vico Equense_Tom Newby_Flickr.jpg

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Farewell to Sirio Maccioni, symbol of Italian cuisine in America – Italian Cuisine

He passed away at the age of 88 in his home in Montecatini Terme. After a long apprenticeship, he achieved success with the Le Cirque restaurant in New York

He was a sought after chef and a successful entrepreneur, one of the most famous and appreciated Italian restaurateurs worldwide. Sirio Maccioni he died at 88 years of age, 15 days old, in his home in Montecatini Terme, in the province of Pistoia.

His own story

Famous for his restaurant Le Cirque, in New York, he traveled one long mess tin before reaching fame. It began at the Grand Hotel La Pace in Montecatini, before moving abroad and working at the Plaza Athenee in Paris, at the Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg and on large cruise ships, where he learned the secrets of high-level international catering. Which he has applied since, in 1974, he opened the Le Cirque restaurant in New York, first at the Mayfair Hotel, then at the Palace Hotel – under the Le Cirque 2000 banner -, and finally at the Bloomberg Tower.

A place that had an extraordinary success: it was attended by many presidents of the United States, from Nixon to Reagan, from Carter to Clinton, and from international celebrities. Maccioni took care of the high level of cuisine and the origin of the raw materials, which was brought directly from Italy. From Tuscany, for example, Colonnata lard was sent. "In the United States people want a simple kitchen. Everyone asks me for pasta ", he had told in an interview in 2012." In recent years, however, I have understood that Tuscan dishes are the ones you like best. For example, boiled meat, which nobody does as my wife does. " Henry Kissinger is said to have loved his special cod ravioli, and Woody Allen la crème brulée.

But, in addition to Le Cirque, Maccioni opened other successful restaurants all over the world: in Las Vegas (Hotel Bellagio), India, Abu Dhabi, Dominican Republic, with the help of his wife Egidiana and their children Mario, Marco and Mauro. A long and intense life, which he told in his autobiography Sirio: the Story of My Life and Le Cirque, who wrote together with the food critic Peter Elliot.

Even if he lived abroad for eleven months a year, Maccioni never forgot his Montecatini. "When I became mayor, I asked him for a foreword to the touring guide of Montecatini Terme, which I personally brought to him and which he kept in plain sight in Le Cirque," recalls the ex-mayor of Montecatini Beppe Bellandi. "Among other things, he wrote these words:" I love New York, my second home, the land of my success, but when I serve a Tuscan dish to my customers and friends, I also bring all my love for Montecatini to the table Terme, enclosed in its simple and genuine flavors .

The ecological and innovative future of packaging and packaging – Italian Cuisine

From the technological and recyclable boxes of The Box to the new natural and biodegradable frontiers of food packaging: let's take a look at the possible packaging of the future

In a period in which the issue of home delivery and online shopping is on the agenda and of vital importance, it may be interesting to take a look at the possible future scenario regarding packaging and food packaging. While due to recent changes, the focus is mainly on deliveries of local products, food & beverage and basic necessities, the world continues to study increasingly practical, innovative, ecological and biodegradable solutions for cartons and packaging of various type. In the global perspective of reduce air pollution and the use of plastic, let's find out what's new in the present and the future, both on the shipping front and on that of the storage and packaging of food products.

The box: the eco-box that lasts 1000 shipments

From an idea of French startup Living Packets a new one was born ecological and technological box designed primarily as packaging of the future for e-commerce sites and giants such as Amazon or Ebay. This product, simply called The Box, not only can be used over a thousand times, but it is made almost exclusively with recycled materials, including special belts that protect the contents and which would replace the classic shock-absorbing and polluting packaging. The box is then equipped with technological equipment equipped with sensors, realtime tracking, GPS system and connectivity, which thanks to the connection to an app not only allows you to monitor the shipment, but also to reset its parameters if you wish to reuse it. Finally, it is also equipped with sensors that allow you to evaluate whether the conditions of transport are adequate, and a mini video camera that will determine if the package was opened before the recipient received it. Available in two formats, 1 liter and 25 liters, the revolutionary ecological and resistant box is expected to enter the market by the end of 2020, and the expected cost of its shipment is only 2 euros.
In short, if the giants of the global shipping market were to adopt a similar system, it could be significantly limit the environmental impact. All that remains is to wait and see.

Plastic-free packaging: towards a greener future

The question arises spontaneously, but if the contents of futuristic and recyclable packaging for shipments in Italy and in the world were to be foodstuffs, how can we be sure that these too will not impact the environment? In this sense, in recent years, the food packaging has made great strides and many are the food brands, both Italian and foreign, that have introduced ecological and plastic-free packaging. These include frozen foods sold in cellulose or bioplastic packs, drinks in bottles or biodegradable or Tetrapak cans or already washed salads packed in natural and compostable bags. In Italy, the response to food with ecological packaging has been positive, so much so that in 2019 there was an increase in turnover of 24.5%.

In the last year, in addition to these great steps forward by companies and consumers in the food packaging sector, we have witnessed important changes also on the front of wrappers, bags and ecological food films as alternatives to plastic, with new proposals developed by companies and start-ups from all over the world. In 2019, for example, the American start-up Apeelsciences launched a new revolutionary spray coating which is able to better preserve food and which is already recording excellent sales in the USA and in some European countries.
In Indonesia the start-up Evoware stood out for the creation of packaging made with algae, from films for hamburgers, to sachets for instant coffee up to flavored edible containers.
A Swedish design studio called Tomorrow Machine worked on a beautiful and biodegradable food packaging line, nicknamed This Too Shall Pass, which includes algae bags to freeze liquids from the same duration of its contents, packages made with colored beeswax to store rice and pasta and oil bottles made with caramelized sugar and wax which open like an egg, then suitable for compost.

In short, now that the unwanted consequences of plastic are becoming more visible, we cannot but hope that more and more food companies, start-ups and consumers will join forces to adopt low environmental impact shipping and packaging solutions.

Photo: ecological food packaging, Baamboozle.jpg