Tag: Italians

Goodbye 2020! How the habits of Italians have changed – Italian Cuisine

This is endingfatal year, perhaps there is no better way to describe it. On the street today there is a different air, much quieter than the one that accompanies the turning point every year. But the smell of cooking arrives anyway. Thank god. Many lights in the street have already turned on and gaps, ladies, take home the shopping bags full of goodies. They look satisfied, who knows what recipes they blend in their heads and who knows with how much love they will prepare their dishes for this occasion too.

Come to the end of this 2020, have you wondered how, especially this year, the habits of us Italians have changed? How our mind has changed perspective … how many questions we have not been answered. We made do, we changed on our own, embracing and experimenting with new habits, which we may not have even thought of before. A real style "residential" what we have adopted, substantially revolutionizing food shopping and spending.

In the era pre covid, from which it seems a century has passed, I remember the frenzy of the streets of Milan, people running from one side to the other, anxious to enter the office late. Tourists competing to buy the last dress in the store, lazy students crowded into the bar below school, ignoring the bell that rang madly. And here in a moment we found ourselves in the chaos of smart working, word for many, before then, unknown. Above the suit an apron, a take off and put between a call and a sauce for lunch to prepare. The small child to feed, the older one to supervise while experimenting with online lessons. At the end of the story, we have become multitasking.

March 2020: "Run to the supermarket for yeast and flour", this was the title of a newspaper of those days. How many baked pizzas, how many new desserts tasted in the suspended time of that first lockdown. How much chaos has been created for fear of being left with an empty fridge. We Italians have been champions in this: i consumption trend they showed us that classic family recipes were preferred, rediscovering not only the pleasant time together, often faded by the hectic everyday life, but also good food, healthy food, prepared with care and with good ingredients.

Dear holy technology, we would say in chorus. Yes, you really supported us in this time of emergency. Grandma's entry on zoom or whatsapp chat is something we will remember. Yes, because to feel closer we had no choice but to embrace digitally. There digital kitchen, with the so-called basket of "Cooks at home", exploded wildly: "I don't see how much sugar you put in, the connection is off", many said. The candles blown in front of the phone with the applause of our friends in the background. Graduations celebrated in the living rooms of the house with jackets and pajama pants. The hard workouts with personal trainers live on instagram. The glass of wine accompanied by the taralli tasted on the terrace. Online shopping, shopping on Amazon. Memories collected, habits still very current.

But you know that thanks to all this, the Italian mass market has acquired a growth three times higher than in 2019? The highest growth trend of the last decade. In short, something positive had to come (Source: Nielsen Trade * Mis). With the closures of bars and restaurants, the shops have been able to reinvent themselves and have proved to be more suited to the new purchasing needs, with a good location and good assortment, registering a growth of 8.1%.

But think about the boom in e-commerce? This has seen an exponential growth equal to + 117% compared to last year with a contribution to growth of + 13% in food categories he was born in + 21% for personal and home care. Try your hand at the kitchen for lunch and dinner, too tiring for some, here are the services of home delivery just a click away they have gone wild. Yes, it must be said that this pandemic has brought with it many new needs and priorities, reflected in the products purchased by all of us.

It ends this year: it's a party, dream. Another one begins: we hope it will give us a new, brighter future. For now, turn on the lights and turn off your thoughts.

Italians breed it better (and cook it very well) – Italian Cuisine

We are the leaders in Europe in the aquaculture of this fish, still undervalued, despite being present in many regional cuisines. But thanks to the best producers and great chefs it is becoming more popular. He deserves it

We are a country of sailors and therefore when it comes to fish, it is difficult that the first thought is not for sea bass, squid and everything that lives in salt water. Maybe that's why the trout it does not receive the consideration it deserves, starting from the purely economic one. Apart from that European (Salmo Trutta) which is still fished in streams – the Fario, the Marmorata or the Hybrid between the two subspecies – and increasingly rarely in lakes, the protagonist is the Iridea (Oncorhynchus Mykiss). Originally from North America, it arrived in Europe towards the end of the nineteenth century and essentially gave birth to aquaculture in which the Italians immediately showed themselves to be suited. The real development began in the 60s until the record growth of the late 90s, when it reached 50 thousand tons of iris, reared in tanks. Then a long crisis and the recovery, which started about ten years ago. Today it floats on stable values: 35 thousand tons per year – almost 30% of the entire turnover of national aquaculture – which make our country the main producer in the European Union, with an internal consumption of 20 thousand tons and a large export.

It is not the char

Important: never confuse trout with char, with all due respect for both: the second, native to North American lakes, belongs to the species of Salmonids and is clearly a close relative of the salmon, as confirmed by the elongated body, the adipose fin and the characteristic pink flesh. In Italy it is still found in Alpine rivers and lakes, cold water makes the difference, but like trout it is increasingly an aquaculture product. So much so that the IGP of the Salmerino del Trentino specifies the rules for raising it in tanks where water comes from springs, pools, streams or rivers. Not surprisingly, the most sensitive cooks are those who work in the province (Ghezzi, Gilmozzi, Fortunato …) or in nearby Alto Adige (Niederkofler, Wieser, Girtler, Laera …)

The pools of the North East

The trout temple is instead the North East, which supplies two thirds of the market, with two pluses: great rainfall and excellent springs to feed the tanks. There are companies that pursue absolute quality like FriulTrota, led in San Daniele del Friuli (UD) by Mauro Pighin, whose family started 40 years ago. "It is a very Italian product, we make about a ton a year between the various specialties, without any type of additive", he explains. "The goal is to give a different image, without prejudice, of a fish that does not fear comparison. to the most noble. Our Queen of San Daniele, in blind tests always surpasses the salmon … It is true that in a local paper, the trout loses the battle, but it will change with time . Another company, well known to chefs and gourmets, is Trout Gold in Preore (TN) which serves hundreds of restaurants and delis, even of the highest level. "Little by little, prejudices towards freshwater fish are falling and therefore trout is finding more space," says Daniele Leonardi, in charge of the business founded in 1988 by his parents. "We focus on absolute quality, starting from the perfection of farming up to derivative products such as eggs that chefs like more and more, bottarga or" ingots "refined with brandy. Trout looks promising .

Chic Milanese like it too

Meanwhile, it is also popular in the present, even in super chic Milan. Praise be given to a passionate fisherman and expert cook like Cesare Battisti: al Ratanà, since opening in 2009, has decided to constantly offer trout-based dishes, based on aquaculture and some (rare) prey from Lombardy lakes. «I now consume 80 kg a week, from ceviche or raw to the roasted version, cooked under butter for four hours, so that I eat it all. It is much more versatile than you normally think, ”explains Battisti. Also for the Tonola family, which manages the starred green Lantern in Villa di Chiavenna (Sondrio), trout is a dogma: in 2005 they built three tanks, transforming the historic breeding of the 60s: the specimens, already adults, come from Trentino, grow a few meters from the kitchen where they are prepared with class and passion. «The trout menu remains the most popular, says Antonio Tonola, the owner. «The thing that pleases me most is to note a greater curiosity about the product than in the past. After all, it has an exceptional meat .

The council of the Servants

From the border with Switzerland to the Reatino area: it can make you smile that one of the only two bistellati in the province, close to 60 years of activity, is in Rivodutri and is called The trout. Maurizio and Sandro Serva are among the masters of freshwater fish and over the years they have created about fifteen recipes dedicated to rainbow trout, purchased in part from an organic nursery in Borgo San Pietro and in part from a cooperative that fishes in the Campotosto lake or sometimes in the nearby streams. «An out of the ordinary product, with a fat part not to be lost in the preparation, explains Sandro. “There is no point in drying it on the grill. Better to cook it in a pan with very hot oil, one minute per side and strictly without skin: in this way it will remain crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside . Simplicity (and goodness) in power.

Six Italians at the top of the world guide of "green" restaurants – Italian Cuisine

Good news from the most important specialized guide in the world: for the "We're Smart Green", our country makes good vegetarian or vegan cuisine. Awarded the Lume di Taglienti as best local, 31 recommendations from one to five radishes for our green restaurants

We have always had the certainty that the greater attention to vegetables by almost all Italian chefs not only met with increasing consensus from the public, but had raised the general level of Italian cuisine. Now the applause also comes from guide We're Smart Green which rewards restaurants in which the creative use of seasonal vegetables prevails, the percentage of fruit and vegetable dishes on the menu, the minimization of waste and in general a strong focus on eco-sustainability. The idea came from the Belgian chef Frank Fol, former owner of the starred restaurant Sire Pynnock and now "green consultant": reviews the places around the world recommended for their approach to garden products. The 2020 edition, recently presented online, has 964 in 43 countries on five continents. And Italy made a big leap forward in the ranking. There are six clubs who captured five radishes – the top – and another 25 were ranked one to four.

Piazza Duomo in fourth place

There is a fact that is particularly pleasing. In the list there are historical or trendy names of our cuisine, but also lesser-known places, in the province or managed by enthusiasts who are not part of the "good circuit". In the top ten there are obviously Piazza Duomo in Alba led by Enrico Crippa (Green Award in the 2019 edition and fourth overall) e Joia (which in 2018 had won the Best Veggie Restaurant Award and tenth) by maestro Pietro Leemann in Milan. But also two other Italian candidates for the awards (The Madernassa in Guarene with the young Michelangelo Mammoliti to lead the kitchen, and the Montali Country House in Tavernelle di Panicale, in the province of Perugia). «Although they have not won, they perfectly reflect the philosophy Think vegetables! Think fruits! of the We're Smart Awards ", explained Franck Pol. Also awarded Luigi Taglienti, who received the recognition Best Vegetable Restaurant of Country together with twelve other illustrious colleagues, selected for as many countries. Too bad that his local, Lume in Milan, has not yet reopened its doors. The last "five radishes" is the very classic Arnolfo in Colle Val d’Elsa, led by Gaetano Trova, in 21st position.

All radishes

Here are the other winners. With four radishes: Il Margutta (Rome), St. Hubertus (San Cassiano, Bz), Krèsios (Telese Terme, Bn), La Montecchia (Selvazzano Dentro, Pd), Villa Feltrinelli (Gargnano, Bs). With three radishes: Avignonesi Le Capezzine (Valiano di Montepulciano, Si), Le Calandre (Sarmeola di Rubano, Pd), Exki Italy (it is a chain), I Portici (Bologna), Accursio (Modica, Rg). With two radishes: Osteria Le Logge (Siena), Osteria Perillà (Rocca d'Orcia, Si), Sadler Restaurant (Milan), Taverna Vesuviana (Nola, Na), Villa Crespi (Orta San Giulio, No), Chi Burdlaz Garden (Rimini), From Gorini (San Piero in Bagno, Fc), The National (Vernante, Cn), The Poor Devil (Poggio Torriana, Rn), The Vegetarian (Florence), Magnolia (Cesenatico, Rn). With a radish: La Grotta (Montepulciano, Si), Osteria La Porta (Monticchiello di Pienza, Si), Seta del Mandarin Oriental (Milan), Al Fornello da Ricci (Ceglie, BR).

# 1 is in Luxembourg

Finally, also mark the three best green restaurants on the planet, according to the guide: the Luxembourgish The Distillerie of the patron Rene Mathieu ("A pioneer of natural cuisine who knows how to tastefully evoke the ingredients of the fields and woods around Château Bourglinster", the motivation of the guide), the Belgian Vrjmoed in Gent with chef Michaël Vrijmoed and the Dutch Bord'eau in Amsterdam, led by Bas van Kranen.