Tag: life

"I'll tell you about my life as a shepherd" – Italian Cuisine

Born in the countryside and raised surrounded by animals, this Apulian girl, nicknamed "the shepherdess of the Murge", has never wanted to do anything other than what she does. Story of a normal woman who does a special job (and has never felt discriminated against)

"I came back from the pasture a little while ago, now I can talk."

It doesn't often happen that an interview starts like this, and neither does a normal phone call. This is why the story of Mariantonietta Scalera it is special. 31 years old, Apulian from Altamura, daughter of breeders and dairy producers, by profession she does exactly what you have just read: shepherdess.

"Pastora", but are we sure what can be said?
"The word is there in the dictionary, I checked! Even if it is not used much because there are obviously more men ”.

One is very fascinated by a young shepherd woman.
"I understand, even if it's normal for me: I've always done this, and it's nothing new for me. "

Your father is also a breeder, have you ever wanted to do anything else?
«I was born in the countryside and I lived surrounded by animals: for me this was not a" choice ", but a natural evolution. Since I was a child I have helped my father in the stables, first as a game, then as a job .

Is it a unique case in Italy or "only" rare?
«The documentary In this world by Anna Kauber (2018) told the story of a hundred women who in Italy are dedicated to pastoralism, so I would say that we are rare. But there we are. Each story is different: for example, I don't do transhumance, while there are people who move for months sleeping in shelters and caravans ".

What are the pros and cons of a shepherd's life?
"The most beautiful aspect is the relationship with the territory, nature and people, but if there were a little more money it wouldn't hurt."

And those of life from shepherdess?
"I have never seen the difference" of gender "or suffered. At the Agricultural Institute where I graduated I have always been respected, even though I was the only girl in a class of thirty boys. Men appreciate what I do .

In the collective imagination, shepherds are gruff hermits, like Heidi's grandfather.
«Of course I don't have all Saturdays and Sundays free, but I always find the way to be in society. I have many friends, if I want to go out in the evening I'm free. And there are friends who come to pasture with me … It is not a problem to open up to the world. But it is also not a problem to be able to detach yourself from everything and immerse yourself completely in nature .

Describe your typical day.
"It changes a lot during the year, but in general the morning is dedicated to milking and then grazing. And in the afternoon to check the animals and, again, to the milking .

Nothing has changed even during the pandemic.
«Nothing, everything the same: the cycles of nature and animals are always the same. What has failed, if anything, is the direct relationship with the people: before, many more people used to go to the dairy, and there were the travelers of the Materan Way who stopped by us for a break ".

I read that last year she went to work in the Netherlands.
"I felt the need to change scenery for a while. Not because what I do does not satisfy me, but because since I was born I have always been here, surrounded by my family. So I participated in a youth exchange / work program: I had to stay two months, I stayed there for a year. I worked on the farm of a family who welcomed me as their daughter, although I didn't speak a word of Dutch, but only a little English ".

He must have taken them by the throat.
«Oh yes, while I was with them I cooked everything: parmigiana, handmade cavatelli, tiramisu. And then the pizza: seeing the dough rise for them was a real magic .

Was working on a Dutch farm very different from working on a masseria in Puglia?
«On the one hand, yes, because the territory is different and the animals are different. But there is something similar everywhere in those who do this work: great hospitality and the desire to tell their products and the history of their territory ".

Where will you be in ten years?
"Always here, among my cows and my sheep."

And in five minutes?
"To feed the little lambs!"

The hot dog that will "salt" your life – Italian Cuisine

Appears in every movie, series or cartoon, the Hot dog or if you like it more "hot dog" it is the best dish when you don't want to know about it. It is certainly also a good idea when you want to add a Yankee touch to the usual grill. But wait, we'll tell you more. It is the best meal when your mind is dreaming of walking through the great streets of New York. We know that you seem to smell that freshly cooked sausage smell, steaming and ready to be bitten. On the other hand, how can you resist it?

The hot dog and its origins

The hot dog it is a meal with very humble origins, very cheap, extremely tasty, which is easily eaten walking down the street and which comes from the old continent. The meat sausage which forms the basis of the Hot Dog is called Frankfurter, a thin and elongated frankfurter, very popular in Germany. But with the German immigration from overseas together with the mustard, to Bretzel and to many other things that have influenced American habits, one has also been introduced canine race typical until then only of Central Europe: the "Dachshund ", or the dachshund. And through popular jargon, immigrants used to call the Frankfurters by this name (dachshund), because it recalled their characteristic elongated shape. Funny isn't it?

Sauces and toppings

Obviously as a symbol of fast food and street food, eaten strictly with the hands in the company of a beautiful fresh beer, has become a delicacy also prepared at home: in reality there are few ingredients with which it can be globally stuffed and with which to prepare your tables in American style: frankfurter, clearly, covered with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise, to which you can also add vegetables such as salad, tomato, onion, sauerkraut, or bacon or cheese. Thus, just to give a lighter appearance. Obviously it is only appearance.

Keep in mind, however, that to have a good hot dog you cannot rely only on excellent bread, which must always be soft and warm. Secondly, it is essential to choose the right combinations for the filling, always choosing the ingredients you love the most. But the real touch can create a unique mix of flavors is the choice of sauce. The best one is there mustard: with a strong and unmistakable taste, it is a typical condiment of French cuisine and much loved by the British and Germans. Traditional in combination with hot dogs and frankfurters, in reality it has many applications in the kitchen as well as a worldwide reputation, bringing true satisfaction to the taste buds. Frankfurters and hot dogs also go perfectly there Tzatziki sauce, the guacamole and barbecue sauce.

Würstel from Germany

In addition to American hot dogs, there are many types of sausages all over the world. If we move in Germany, particularly in the area of Bavaria you can taste many different types of sausages (among these i white sausages , which traditionally were served at breakfast, and the original version of the German hot dog with sauerkraut). TO Berlininstead one cannot fail to taste the Currywurst, a sausage dish, or "bratwurst " as the Germans call it, topped with a curry sauce and tomato puree, usually accompanied with fries.

Buying Guide

For hot dogs, soft semi-sweet rolls of oval and elongated shape are normally used, also sold in bags at the supermarket. Alternatively, oil sandwiches or durum wheat strips are also good. On the other hand, frankfurters are based on pork, veal, beef, chicken, turkey or mixed meat. In any case, we must always try to prefer those of good quality. Better a purchase from the butcher than anywhere else.

Here are some ideas for you …

183973 Classic hot dog with chips

Poke four frankfurters in several places with a toothpick, or make an incision lengthwise.
Put them in a pot with plenty of water and bring them to a boil, cooking them for 5 minutes.
You can also roast them on the griddle or sauté them in a non-stick pan. Meanwhile put in a pan two cspoonfuls of oil with 1/2 sliced onion, combine 350 g of sauerkraut in a jar and cook for about half an hour.
Divide in half four soft rolls, horizontally, and brown them on a plate or under the grill. Spread them to taste, with mustard or ketchup, stuff them with i sauerkraut and frankfurters and complete with fries.

Hot dog with bacon and scamorza cheese

Cut 100 grams of smoked scamorza thinly sliced. Brown eight slices of bacon in a non-stick frying pan, until crispy. Divide in half 4 sandwiches, brown them under the grill and spread with a thin layer of rustic mustard. Fill it with slices of smoked cheese and bacon, and join it to the würstel warm up and pass them under the grill for another 2 minutes.

183975 Hot dog with grilled onions

Peel 2 golden onions and cut them into 1/2 cm thick washers. Cook on the grill 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden and drizzle with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and chilli powder. Divide in half 4 sandwiches, heat them on the plate or under the grill, spread them with the mustard and stuff them with the washers of grilled onions and hot frankfurters.

Tex-Mex style hot dog

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons of Ketchup, 4 drops of Tabasco, 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add 1 jar of drained boiled borlotti beans, blend with 2 tablespoons of White vinegar, sauté for 2-3 minutes and salt. Divide in half and toast 4 sandwiches on the plate and stuff them with the beans get ready and hot frankfurters.

Hot dog Mediterranean taste

Clean 4 small ones peppers multi-colored fleshy and cut into small pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan with one clove of garlic chopped and one onion sliced. Add the peppers, a tablespoon of ketchup and chili sauce. Add salt, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Divide in half 4 sandwiches, brown them on the plate, then fill them with peperonata and i hot sausages.

San Patrignano, where food is life – Italian Cuisine

The estate extends as far as the eye can see. It embraces soft hills combed by vineyards and olive groves, and forwards between wheat fields and, to finish in woods and pastures, where black pigs of the ancient Mora Romagnola breed grow and happy bees are bred.

But it is at lunchtime that you appreciate the "size" of San Patrignano: when, in small groups or in dribs and drabs, the over 1,300 guests of what is the largest community for recovery from addictions (and the largest non-professional kitchen) in Europe arrive. The food in San Patrignano it is really important: it nourishes the bodies and, at the same time, it nourishes the hope of a new life. Most of the guests, in fact, are committed to taking care of the earth and transforming its products: it is a concrete way to stay in touch with nature and with themselves. The production cycle starts from the feed mill, from the breeding of cattle and pigs and cultivation, operated according to the principles of integrated agriculture a low environmental impact.

WORK, A MOMENT OF SHARING AND PRODUCTIVITY

The raw materials are transformed in the internal laboratories in cheeses, meats, wine, honey, pasta, piadina and desserts, then used in the community kitchen and sold outside. Or wisely used in the Vine restaurant (ristorantevite.it), open to the public: here, under the guidance of chefs and experienced maîtrees, the kids put themselves to the test at the tables and in the kitchen. On the other hand, training is one of the pillars of San Patrignano. During the four years of stay in the community (very limited visits and the few exits relegated to the end of the path), they learn a profession. And in 40% of cases they continue to do it even once they have gone out. Food is an important vehicle of values. In San Patrignano the ritual of meals is the moment of meeting, sharing and also of memory, because he remembers with a moment of silence Vincenzo Muccioli, who created it in 1978. And it is also the moment of rest, in days marked by a perfect and relentless organization, which includes beyond 40 sectors between production activities and training. Idleness and "unemployment" do not exist: everyone has a task and does their part in running the community, which takes care of everyone for free and does not receive a euro from the state. 65% self-finances (the remaining 35% is the result of private donations, such as the "5×1000"). The San Patrignano agricultural cooperative is a social enterprise that makes artisanal products, obtained from a short and integrated supply chain, sustainable and respectful of biodiversity.

SAN PATRIGNANO, GOOD TWICE

Over the years the productions have grown a lot. And not only in quantity but also in quality, thanks also to the contribution of many experts who have come to teach their secrets to children, such as the oenologist Riccardo Cotarella who takes care of the technical direction of the wines. Thus the products of "SanPa" reap prizes and cross the borders of the community. You can buy them in the shop open a few kilometers from the community (ironically called SP.accio) and in some distribution chains (Despar, Conad, Carrefour and Iper). Each product has the brand "SanPatrignano. Good twice" and tells the story of who made it on the packaging.

Of Manuela Soressi

Picture of Felice Scoccimarro, chef's recipes Federico Polito with the help of the guys from Vine restaurant