Tag: Sanremo

Of salads and babà: when Sanremo goes to the table – Italian Cuisine

A few years ago, it was 2017 and the possibility of a global pandemic only existed in the head of Bill Gates, the French group Phoenix released a tribute album to Italy, I love you. The presence in the band of two brothers with an Italian father must have helped, so the singer Thomas Mars (and this is where you have to remember who he is married to Sofia Coppola), rattles off lines that contain languid little words pronounced in a slightly drawn-out Italian, This melted ice cream, Champagne or Prosecco?, references to Battiato And Lucio (Lucio par excellence is Baptists; the other is From the), and especially Well I'll show you how to win / My Sanremo festival. The video is just as full of good old clichés that concern us: the Trevi fountain, the beaches, a beautiful checked table set with plates of spaghetti and red wine. If we have to go all the way, then let's go all the way, the Phoenix must have thought; getting it right, including spaghetti and Sanremo, the appointment that blocks a nation in February, effectively kidnapping it.

And spaghetti, and the Festival, together? When did it happen, in the homeland of good cooking and bel canto, that the two things came together?
It happened, and that of food and drink in Sanremo is a story that starts from far away, from the dawn of the Festival, with a crackling start to say the least. Second edition, 1952; Nilla Pizzi repeats the triumph of the previous year with Fly dove, but it is in Poppies and ducks, who came second – at the time the same singers presented more songs in the competition, and Nilla also came third – who sings, in lysergic verses that hint at a markedly vegetarian predilection: Dad, eat the poppies, how do you do it? / Why do you want to eat poppies, Dad said / And then he added, pecking at the salad / What are you going to do with it, this is life, with a pedagogical synthesis destined to mark generations of children.

In this regard, years ago a newspaper even took the trouble to analyze all the songs presented at the festival to see how many contained references to food. Result, perhaps a bit disappointing: thirty, out of one thousand six hundred, because in Sanremo, you know, it is love that reigns supreme, or maybe why MasterChef all in all it is still a novelty when compared to the very long festival tradition. On the other hand, artists have passed nomen omen, as Piero Focaccia, Tullio Pane, the dear Mango, Sugar And Milk and honey, Genoese progressive band in the seventies. In any case, when the Sanremo song becomes edible, the diet is rigorously devoid of meat, as was already the case with Nilla Pizzi's poppies and salad; a rule that also applies if the tone changes to the brilliance of a Rino Gaetano, when participating in the 1978 edition with Gianna sang that the same, in addition to supporting theses and illusions, he had an exceptional flair for truffles.

Guest at the Black & White Festival of Sanremo, circa 1950. (Photo by Archivio Cameraphoto Epoche / Getty Images).

Staying on the subject of brilliance, food becomes metaphor and parody when in 1996 Elio and the tense stories they sing to the Ariston The land of persimmons (a fruit moreover beloved by Giuseppe Verdi, it seems), throwing down – with a very Italian and singular melody – the tower of national malpractice, from indifference to easy indignation, from bombs to pliers in the pits of medical malpractice up to the inevitable and self-absolving "Volemose bene" summarized in the refrain: Italy yes Italy no Italy gnamme, se famo du spaghi / Italy sob Italy prot, the land of persimmons / A pizza in company, a pizza alone / a total of two pizzas and this is Italy. And before getting to the cafe of Fiorella Mannoia (Hot black coffee) or those hypertrophic of Alex Britti (7000 coffees), in Sanremo there is time for a drink by Achille Lauro in Rolls Royce, which isn't actually a drink, but it is Paul Gascoigne, the alcoholic English footballer of Lazio in the nineties. Or, again, text in hand, to the real culinary song of Sanremo: Baba is serious business from Marisa Laurito, where the goodness of Italian cuisine is considered the only valid reason not to emigrate to America or to Mars (To me what consoles me / And the addore d’a pummarola / Because what cheers me up / Songo 'e zite with ragù / And yes to a bitter life if it does / It sweetens cu nu babà!).

Yet, as even the most die-hard antagonists of the great Sanremo bandwagon are forced to admit, many shades of Italy pass on the stage of the Festival, not only those of strapaese, as this brief musical-gastronomic review also explains. Including the beloved ones who was capable of intoning the other Lucio, Lucio Dalla, when it was 1972 and he was singing in Sanremo about a hungry homeless man in one of the many Italian squares, There are no saints who pay for my lunch / On the benches in Piazza Grande / But when I'm hungry for merchants like me, there aren't any / I sleep on the grass and have many friends around me / The lovers in Piazza Grande / I know everything about their troubles, their loves, wrong and not; thus recalling that Italy is not only that of the sweet babas.

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Sanremo 2022: a recipe for each song in the race – Italian Cuisine

For the 72nd edition of the Festival, we played a very appetizing game: combining a dish with each song, in combination with the lyrics and melodies

In 2019 we had played to match each artist to a dish, based on its geographical origin. Easy game. The challenge of this Sanremo 2022instead, it was made for free associations, very personal but always inspired by details taken from texts and reviews of those who had the good fortune to hear the songs in the competition before us. Bon appetit, oops… happy Festival!

Achille Lauro – "Sunday"

Achille Lauro returns for the third time to Sanremo and the feeling is that this time he can surprise everyone while keeping a low profile. Time will tell. In the text of "Domenica", a typical 1960s Sunday resounds, with phrases such as "And mom looks like I swing" and "In the eyes it's rock 'n' roll". The double butter fettuccine from Ristorante Alfredo in Rome – which became extremely popular after 1960 – is the best match for this song.

Giusy Ferreri – "Honey"

The queen of summer hits returns to the Sanremo Festival with a piece that music critics have described as (but think a little) romantic-Latin, with Spanish-like overtones. To be enjoyed not with honey, but with a dish of Spanish grass; perhaps by sensually moving the hips.

Michele Bravi – "Winter of flowers"

The title already makes you a little thirsty, it will be for the combination of the snow season with flowers, which smell of freshness and ethereal sweetness. With Michele Bravi's song I suggest drinking a good Gin and Tonic, where the ice cubes are made with geranium petals.

Rkomi – "Unsurpassed"

Not at all easy to combine a recipe with this song from Rkomi's debut in Sanremo: the lyrics are syncopated, the colors are first cold, then warm, then cold again. I imagine I can combine this convulsive piece with a dish that overheats the taste buds, penne all'arrabbiata.

Irama – "Wherever you will be"

Wind, water, light, moon, earth, cold… A perfectly Sanremo text, which however brings to mind landscapes far from ours, perhaps the Peruvian ones? We are playing a lot. A Peruvian ceviche dish is recommended in combination with this song by Irama.

Noemi – "I love you I don't know how to say"

"The nights of walking – A little tired and happy – On the Roman roads", sings Noemi. Let's savor the Roman summer together with the original Roman carbonara.

Massimo Ranieri – "Letter from beyond the sea"

The song by Massimo Ranieri, one of the most anticipated super big players of this Sanremo, is socially committed and talks about the issue of emigration. The most iconic dish of Italian emigration to America is certainly that of spaghetti meatballs. Enjoy!

Aka 7even – "Perfect like this"

AKA 7even, pseudonym of Luca Marzano, was born in 2000: avant-garde of Gen Z. I'm pretty sure that a plant-based recipe can go very well with his piece, because the kids of this generation, they say, are more sensitive to the topic . Try the baked potatoes with veg mayonnaise and sour onion.

Emma – "Every time it's like this"

The piece promises to be a taste of Valentine's Day: sensual, dramatic, almost aphrodisiac. As aphrodisiacs are oysters and mojito sorbet.

Highsnob and Hu – "Take care of yourself"

The debut song by these two artists at the Festival is described as a ballad with club music features. The text talks about shibari, dreams and getting hurt. You need an anesthetic, you need a little Sichuan pepper in this raw shrimp recipe with Sichuan pepper, pink salt and fennel seeds.

Iva Zanicchi – "I want to love you"

The Sanremo piece of Iva Zanicchi's return speaks of love. There is love in the title, in the lyrics and in the bluesy veins of the song. Easier to pair with a drink than a plate, so I came to a compromise: an elegant eat-and-drink, a lobster skewer with Bloody Mary.

Dargen D'Amico – "Where to dance"

This is where the home crowd will start dancing. It takes little hands and no cutlery, and a touch of nightclub kitsch. Try making a low-cost copy of the most expensive burger in the world, that of Dutch chef Diego Buik, with 24-karat gold leaf as a topping.

Sangiovanni – "Butterflies"

And you also dance with Sangiovanni, but despite what the title of the song may suggest, I will not recommend a plate of butterflies. Sangiovanni is young, fresh and emanates as many good vibes as this sweet butterfly-shaped kitsch.

Yuman – "Now and here"

Thanks to the victory of Sanremo Giovani, Yuman debuts with this soul piece whose title reminds us to look at the here and now. Indeed, now and here. What more topical food than moringa from Sri Lanka? To be tasted in Mattia Albertin's moringa cake.

The List Representative – "Bye-bye"

There are those who have Eurovision omens for this new piece by Veronica and Dario. Unapproachable to any dish, except when they sing "while I eat chocolate in a club". We were missing a sweet, let's make a chocolate cake with a soft heart?

Mahmood and Blanco – "Chills"

The two artists sing with shivers, presumably from cold. Another dessert for you, to be combined with this song that also speaks of a bed stained with wine. All this reminds me of the color and sensations of an iced panettone with berries.

Matteo Romano – "Viral"

Gen Z again, for the youngest artist competing in this Sanremo 2022. One of the favorite dishes of today's young people – and not only – is poké. "Viral" is to be eaten with an Italian-style poké, to stay on the subject.

The Vibrations – "A lot"

Vibrations refer to evil, when they sing of "a lot". I assume the end of a love. But when a love ends, you are not hungry. So let's play for opposites and savor a nice plate of pasta alla zozzona, while listening to the voice of Francesco Sarcina.

Fabrizio Moro – "It's you"

A beautiful dedication of love, which must be combined with a neutral love recipe, for a * partner or a friend *. The Emilian Tenderine Cake is a sweet gesture as much as this song is.

Elisa – "Or maybe it's you"

Elisa is perhaps the most anticipated artist this year, with a piece that, in the opinion of journalists, at first struggles to convince but on a second listen it could splash towards the podium. "Among the lights of a thousand cities" made me think of an Italian urban cocktail, a Coffee Negroni.

Ditonellapiaga and Donatella Rettore – "Chemistry"

What satisfaction is the return of the Rector to music, with a piece between ska and dance together with the young singer Ditonellapiaga. Chemical chemistry chemistry and a tea bomb.

Giovanni Truppi – "Your father, my mother, Lucia"

“When I met you for the first time At a stranger's dinner in a Turin bar” For this song a Turin bar tour is more suitable than a recipe. But if it were a recipe, I would recommend a sandwich.

Tananai – "Casual sex"

Casual sex knows little about food and more than drink, passion red. I also recommend it to Tananai, before his singing performance.

Ana Mena – "Two hundred thousand hours"

Ana Mena is an Andalusian singer, her "Two Hundred Thousand Hour" recalls her origins and then we close with a flourish with fried aubergines with honey.

Experiential tourism between Sanremo and Imperia. 5 young players – Italian Cuisine

Five Ligurian boys have invested in their territory: the hinterland between Sanremo and Imperia. Agriculture, tourism, catering and sport. Different activities, but with one goal: to enhance the land where they were born

Sanremo and its hinterland is not just the sea and the Song Festival. So 5 young people worked hard to relaunch that territory which is their home for them.

History

Valentina, Andrea, Marco, Flavio and Marco: these are their names. They have very different personal and professional paths, but they are united by love for the territory, the desire to tell it and to tell each other, to actively involve those who are curious to find out. Their belief is that travelers / tourists are the best people to open up to and are also confident that after the experience on the Riviera they will return home richer.
The group works in unison on the formula of experiential travel / tourism, Seen as an integrated product, aimed at enhancing the territory and tradition.
Even if it is aimed at small numbers of people, young people are sure that small businesses like them can become the protagonists of the integrated tourism offer.

Valentina Borea

She was born and raised in Sanremo, is of Ligurian family, and graduated from the University of Genoa in Languages for the Management of Tourist Companies with a master's degree in Local Development.
For eight years she was product manager at an online tour operator dedicated to Southern Africa, where she built tailor-made experiences, tours and safaris in close contact with nature and local culture.
How did you notice that you wanted to change your working life?
When love for my territory, awareness of its potential and the desire to enhance it took over, I started thinking that my wealth of experience and knowledge could be well exploited even for our small part of Liguria. At the beginning of 2019, I decided to transform this dream into a concrete project, a design that does not yet have a name, but which is clear in my mind: to enhance the territory through experiences and everything we have to tell. Ours is a cultural heritage that comes from the sea but also from the hinterland, which tells of a "poor" yet rich in flavors cuisine, which speaks of sacrifices in terraced fields, among flowers, aromatic herbs, plants, fruit trees and olive trees which grow kissed by a splendid sun in an extremely mild climate all year round. A year after this "leap into the void" I found my ideal position working as a tourist consultant both for the Municipality of Imperia and for small companies with the precise mission of telling the territory. Using an Englishism I could define myself as one destination manager that works in the field and goes hand in hand with small companies to create a tourist product integrated with the territory that enhances its authenticity and values.
The aim is to tell us through small businesses, companies that do not work in the world of tourism, but which are inextricably linked to the territory. Realities that embody traditions with their company and with their products make us reflect on the quality of raw materials. This makes the tourist experience an exciting, engaging, exclusive moment. In short: made to measure, extremely personalized.
Experience with Valentina

The other protagonists

Bolognesi Marco, Pigna and Lavender Beans (Imperia)

The company was officially born on April 1, 2010, even if already before this date, in the family lands for generations, they had started to cultivate the white beans of Pigna (Slow Food Presidium) with a production limited to a few tens of kilograms.
The company consists of several plots of land located in the municipality of Pigna and Castelvittorio in the province of Imperia. Today it can boast a production area of 3500 square meters for Pigna beans; in winter they are grown with seasonal vegetables and about 5 thousand square meters of olive grove, for almost 120 plants, another 500 square meters destined for the production of vegetables for the summer season. Since 2015, the company has joined the Lavender consortium of the Riviera dei Fiori, committed to the protection and enhancement of the territory. The cultivation has reached about 1200 plants on an area of 1500 square meters, and distillation is carried out directly on the farm. At the same time, the company produces other essential oils such as rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaf. Biscuits and dry pasta are made with the dried lavender flower, while creams and soaps are produced with the other derivatives, in collaboration with specialized laboratories.

Azienda Agricola Baldizzone Andrea

After university of economics and work experience as an auditor in Genoa, Andrea decides to become a direct farmer. He wants to live in contact with the land and the territory. He returns to Sanremo, the city where he was born and raised, and from here starts his new adventure.
The production is of Taggiasca extra virgin olive oil, Taggiasca olives in brine, Taggiasca olives paté and jams. He cultivates fruit and vegetables in Sanremo, while the olive grove is located 500 meters above sea level in the beautiful Apricale, a small village in the Imperia hinterland. About 500 olive trees and 40 fruit trees including cherries, apricots, figs and plums.
Andrea prefers quality over quantity: his farm has been listed for 4 years in a guide to the best Italian oils of Red shrimp, finalists in the national competition of the Hercules olivarium (organized by the Italian chambers of commerce) and the Oscar Green Liguria award.
Andrea's goal is to introduce people to the products, the territory and the tastes of Liguria; for this reason it organizes visits to the beautiful village of Apricale and its olive grove. Andrea tells us how the visits take place: «In the morning we meet on the road to get to Apricale from here on foot we cross the enchanting village, recognized among the most beautiful villages in Italy and beyond the town our walk begins the olive trees, until I reach my olive grove. During the walk I show the typical Ligurian terraces called "strips" created through the ancient art of dry stone walls, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrived at the olive grove I explain the cultivation of the olive tree, from the initial pruning to the harvest and subsequent pressing. The visit is followed by a tasting of typical products .
Experience with Baldizzone Oil

Marco Cassini chef of Hypatia, Food and Books

In one of the oldest streets of Sanremo we find Hypatia Food and Books, a sort of library with the kitchen of a restaurant, a place out of time where cuisine meets culture. It will not be difficult to meet patrons who, comfortably seated at the table, reading a book, taste the local specialties expertly cooked by Marco Cassini: the tradition of Ponente Ligure interpreted by the self-taught chef, who loves to tell the dishes. From Trofie to Hypatia, to Brandacuiun, the famous stockfish creamed with local extra virgin olive oil and potatoes. Marco started his adventure as a cook here, first as an employee, then took over the restaurant and transformed it into one of the most popular typical cuisine restaurants in the city.
The restaurant is led by a Slowfood Guide to Italian Taverns
Page FB Hypatia Sanremo

Flavio is an MTB Ebike guide
Flavio's story is also special: he works for a period in the family stationery store, but his passion for cycling grows, grows a lot, proportionally with his love for the Sanremo hinterland, harsh and sweet at the same time. Flavio followed his passion for cycling and became an expert mountain bike guide, who accompanies tourists through adrenaline-fueled routes and kitchen & bike tours. A winning combination between bike and food, with very original experiences between paths through the olive groves, the hills overlooking the sea, the mule tracks of Bussana Vecchia, with gastronomic breaks between extra virgin olive oil, greased sausage and freshly baked focaccia.
And it seems that Flavio was right, the data on cycling in Italy are really interesting: 77 million admissions in 2018, a figure that represents 8.4% of the entire Italian tourism movement; over 7 and a half billion euros per year of P.I.B. (data from Legambiente, an acronym that means Internal Bike Product).
Experience by Flavio