Tag: story

Aceto Balsamico di Modena, the story in the words of Adriano Grosoli – Italian Cuisine

Ninety years just completed: Adriano Grosoli, born on May 2, 1929, is the last "great old man" of balsamic vinegar, and in June he will be named Cavaliere del Lavoro, telling us about his "roaring years" in an interview with everything round

A family activity that dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, a great passion, a deep knowledge of one's roots and a great desire to look ahead. These are the ingredients of the adventure of Adriano Grosoli, class 1929, which in the post-war period is at the helm of the company founded by his grandfather. And he decides to focus on the production of Balsamic Vinegar. With commitment and passion, he dedicates himself not only to processing, but also to the activity of protection and promotion: in 1965, on the occasion of the regulatory reorganization of the Aceti sector, he is one of the promoters of the request for recognition and regulation of the product. In 1974 he obtained the Ministerial License for the production of Balsamic vinegar of Modena and on this he invests everything.

In those years, beyond the excellence linked to the individual families of Modena, only four entrepreneurs "made" Balsamic vinegar: besides Adriano Grosoli, Giorgio Fini, Elio Federzoni and Giuseppe Giusti. It was they who brought the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena to foreign markets and it was still Grosoli who, together with other producers, founded the Modena Balsamic Vinegar Protection Consortium in 1993, presenting the application for registration of the IGP denomination to the European Union.

In 2016 theVinegar of the Duke joins the Italian Historical Business Union. Today the company has 20 employees, exports 75% of its production to 40 countries and is one of the best-known Balsamic brands in the world.

How was the entrepreneur in the Balsamic field in those years? What were the difficulties?

It was exciting, but most had not yet understood the potential of this product. So the difficulties were on many fronts; meanwhile the balsamic vinegar was known only in the area around Modena and in some foreign market, where some brave producer had gone, by chance or with knowledge, to food fairs. THEthe rest of Italy knew and used only wine vinegar. So there was to be "promotion" to make it known. Then we had the legislative problem, because it was regulated only by a DM. of 1965 which treated it simply as a bitter vinegar of special wine, but balsamic vinegar is much more!

In the 60s the production of balsamic vinegar had an especially family dimension. You have transformed it into a leading product in the food valley, of an industrial level. How did you reconcile these two aspects?

Obviously when the demand for the product was growing exponentially, we had to deal with the production problem. We have grown rather quickly, and every year we made substantial investments in barrels and vats of precious woods, such as those of master Renzi of Modena. The raw materials were local, but we had to look for producers who could supply substantial quantities, and it was not easy. They had failed to find a supplier for that quality and quantity, so they bought it from us. I think we managed to reconcile great growth with the previous small size, working very hard, increasing the size and number of employees, but keeping the focus on vinegar quality and packaging care. A good product, presented well and at the right price, also thanks to the devaluation of the lira for a long time, have determined the growing success.

Who were your clients at the beginning?

Almost exclusively foreigners, mainly Italian first or second generation emigrants who had started importing food products, but also companies managed by foreigners, always looking for new Italian products to be included in their markets. On the other hand, the tourists who came on holiday in Italy, especially Germans and Austrians, they tried the product during the holidays and wanted to take it home, and then also find it in their own cities.

How has the clientele of balsamic vinegar changed since then? Is there more product culture today?

The clientele has changed a lot, because at the beginning there was the need to explain what it was; the first question at foreign fairs was "Is this wine?" To which he promptly followed an astonished expression as they felt it was "balsamic vinegar"… this stranger … Afterwards, I told the story of how the production technique, the history of the family that always fascinated, especially Americans, has been produced for centuries in the Modena area. Then the tasting and the question "How do you use it in Italy? What dishes do you prepare? . And the balsamic came into their kitchens like ambassador of made in Italy. Today the approach is often of those who already know what balsamic vinegar is, how it is used and what its history is, thanks to the mass of information coming from the web. But are we sure that this is really the case? I believe that in reality there is still a lot to learn about the different qualities of balsamic vinegar and its use. For example, when I see glaring errors like the advice to use a low-end balsamic vinegar on strawberries or Parmesan, I think "So we are sure that, once tried, they will never want to use it again". On the web, and even outside, sometimes distorted information is spread, which takes hold and struggles to correct. There is a superficial knowledge influenced by fashions and trends.

The secrets of Giannasi's chicken. A family story and love for work – Italian Cuisine

Giannasi's life and chickens. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, the kiosk-rotisserie most loved by Milanese citizens

There is one thing that distinguishes the true connoisseurs of Milan: having eaten at least once in a lifetime Giannasi's spit-roasted chicken. But how do you eat once the Spit-roasted chicken in the city? Yet here it is not just about taste, because this small kiosk in Piazza Buozzi (Porta Romana area) is now a piece of the history of Milan, an emblem that well reveals the changes in our eating habits. Moreover, in an era in which everyone tends to enlarge, to expand their offices or to open new ones, Giannasi does not move from the original site, as the sign says since 1967. Perhaps because we must have a great soul to succeed in think and think small. And this is exactly what this once-thin, thin man, always with a hat on his head, just over six feet tall, awarded with the Golden Ambrogino, managed to do.

Giannasi: it all started like this

Dorando Giannasi was born in Emilia, in Civago and you never lost his elegance. Not yet of age he joined his sister Graziella in Milan, where he worked as an aide in a poultry shop in Via Teodosio, in the Lambrate district. At the time, however, they only sold raw chickens, because they were not used to cook them yet. Dorando starts working with his sister, as an apprentice in the same family, who takes care of them as if they were children within a few years. «I remember very well the impact with this city: at the beginning I could not sleep, because I found myself catapulted by a ridge where silence reigned, to an environment that was a bit uncomfortable for me, if it hadn't been for how we were welcomed by our masters, or by the Muccioli family . Until one day Lucia and Umberto Muccioli decided to retire and sell the Via Teodosio poultry shop.

The turning point of 1967

But Messrs. Muccioli had seen Dorando and Graziella grow up, from an early age. And for this they would never have left them on a road without work. So they decided to help the two brothers, choosing, buying and renovating for them the current kiosk in Piazza Buozzi. "It was 1967 and they told us: when you can, you will give us the money back. And so did my sister and I . For twenty years they have worked hard, paying all their debts and selling raw chickens only, some wild game and some rabbit. Work has always increased, until eating habits started to change and they were among the first witnesses.

From 100% raw to 100% cooked

Between the end of the nineties and the beginning of the new millennium, the needs of consumers changed: first with the request also for red meat, beef and pork, which the Giannasi immediately added; then with fast life, which completely revolutionized eating habits. People have started cooking less and consuming more and more ready-made foods. Thus they had the intuition to keep up with the times, increasingly reducing raw chickens and increasing those cooked on the spit. Only everything happened within a very short time and in just 10 years they went from 100% raw chicken to 100% cooked chicken, spit-roasted and always paired with baked potatoes: "We rarely sold chickens without potatoes" .

The secrets for a perfect spit-roast chicken

In the past there were many more rotisseries, which stood out above all for the spit-roasted chicken, the symbol par excellence, loved by almost everyone. "He is a coeur business," explains Dorando who, as we have seen, is always kept up to date. So the Giannasi brothers went to various rotisserie colleagues to learn how to prepare it to perfection, but nobody fully satisfied them. Until, after rehearsals and trials, they found their version: a very personal one secret mix of spices and salt, which is a fundamental element; a fixed weight of 1 kg of chicken (which after about two hours of cooking becomes about 750 g) to eat usually in two for € 4.50, price still very popular; and the provenance, always Aia. The maximum that their structure allows you to prepare is 1350 chickens a day, apex they reach during the beautiful days, in mid-spring, or Saturday for lunch; while the average is around 5 thousand chickens per week. They never thought of expanding or changing locations, and perhaps this is another of their secrets: otherwise Giannasi would not have been what it was, what it represented for at least three generations, giving a familiar sense to anyone passing through that intersection of Piazza Buozzi.

Giannasi today

Dorando Giannasi today has 23 employees, including his daughter Paola who continues the tradition. Dorando may no longer go to the kiosk, but "I have always worked with passion, I enjoy coming here every morning, maybe that's why they gave me the golden Ambrogino". Once the clientele was all female, while today they are predominantly male, middle-aged, «secondo me all single , Dorando jokes. The rotisseries have now all closed, and it is a pity, says Dorando "because competition means first of all stimulus". They have recently started funding the AIRC for cancer research; then they opened a small shop in front of their laboratory, but it's just a showcase to launch the promotions they make every month on a different product, sometimes lasagna, sometimes the potato gateau, others still the erbazzone, what's left of their Emilian origins, to which in the end they have always remained linked. "Today, even though I am my age, I am a happy man, because I can look back and see that I have always behaved well with everyone, because people have to treat it well. And I still eat my chicken willingly .

The story of the 97-year-old vegan star on Instagram – Italian Cuisine

The story of Anne Evers, who became a vegan at 96 and a vegan star of Instagram at 97, who now boasts a community of almost 30 thousand people

From the series "it's never too late to embrace a new kind of food", the living proof is a sweet and gritty American grandmother, who has decided to become vegan at the ripe age of 96. Despite the age he chose to share his passion for plant-based diet and for this new lifestyle on an Instagram account, which soon became popular and very popular. Today, at 97, Anne Evers has become a media case, but above all a vegan star of Instagram, with almost 30 thousand followers.

Influencer and paladin of the #govegan at 97 years

The vegan and media adventure of Anne Evers began about a year ago, under the guidance of her beloved nephew. The turning point was when, together with her, she watched the docu-film titled on Netflix What the health, on the importance of adopting a vegan diet and on the impact that consumption of meat and dairy products have on health. The impact on her was such that she immediately induced her to experiment with the diet, and veganism and physical activity not only benefited her in terms of health but also in terms of enthusiasm, positive energy and good humor. Anne decided then, 96 years to open a Instagram account to promote the benefits of plant-based diet by sharing the images of his activities and his daily meals, in the hope that they can also encourage other people of all ages to follow his example, for the sake of their health and that of the planet.

A meal by Anne Evers @Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/BkNkaoAnoqO).

A vegan and green diet from which to take inspiration

Like most of the food star and Instagram influencer Anne also shares photos in "food porn" accompanied by detailed and passionate reviews of lunches consumed in local and vegan or vegan friendly restaurants, but also of cruelty free products tested by her. His genuine, enthusiastic, entertaining and engaging stories are packed with detailed information and descriptions, interesting considerations about foods and proven ingredients and their positive effects on health and the body. Last but not least, as a good grandma, this vegan star does not skimp too useful tips and practical precautions to be put into practice in the kitchen, as it demonstrates to listen and involve with affection its conspicuous community. In short, between a rich protein salad with avocado, a paste enriched with mixed vegetables and legumes, a delicious sandwich with artichokes, peppers, spinach and hummus, smoothie experiments and vegan sweets and a taste of the many incredible alternatives to cheese without animal protein, its Instagram profile can really be an inspiration for kitchen enthusiasts of all ages.