Tag: Tomorrow

The casoni of the Marano lagoon: yesterday, today and tomorrow – Italian Cuisine


Discovering the casoni of the Marano lagoon: what they are, how to get there and why they are unique in the whole Adriatic

Once discovered the casoni, there will no longer be a need to go to the other side of the world. Yes, because it is enough to visit one to make a journey, in other times, those in which the casoni were the fishermen's houses, their most intimate spaces. But those of Marano have something that differentiates them from all the others and that still makes them unique places, of immense charm, where you can only access certain conditions, such as never showing up empty-handed, always giving yourself and forget about the clock. In short, a bit like between the pages of The old Man and the Sea.

The casoni yesterday

From Marano and Lignano it takes just a few minutes (by boat) to find yourself completely catapulted into another world, totally unexpected: it is that of the Marano lagoon huts, real stilts built with natural materials such as tamarisk wood, straw and marsh reeds, which for years have been the support points of fishermen during fishing. "In autumn, when there is the eel season, or in spring, when there is that of the sea bream". In fact, most of these structures are located right near the sea outlets, where there are more fish. In the past, however, when the boats were only rowing, the fishermen could not go home every night, so they stopped to sleep there, usually from Monday to Saturday. Thus the casoni became their shelters, their most intimate spaces, where they also spent many days alone. Here everything talks about them: "I did everything you see with my hands, vine by vine," Roberto tells us, a casonero. “They were once much smaller, then they have been expanded. There was only one door, facing west, since winds like the bora come from the east. There were no floors, but bunk beds at the edges and the fire was made directly on the ground: it was the casone itself, with its own shape, that acted as a hood, so that the smoke came out from above, from a net " . In this way the reeds remained dry and also contrasted the strong humidity. Someone came directly here to get the fish, but most of it was sold by the fishermen themselves in Marano with the burcello: "It was a small boat towed with oars and perforated, that is, with holes through which the water penetrated which allowed to fresh fish on the way . Then things changed with the advent of the motor boat, which changed the destination of use of the casoni: it was finally possible to go home and even take the nets, so it was no longer necessary to stop and sleep there. But this did not mean they could be abandoned. In reality, it is a controversial relationship: many, especially the elderly, have anxiously awaited the advent of the engine, because it meant being able to return home, comfort, warmth, family. "The life of the Casoneri was not easy: it was damp, we often only ate polenta for days and days". For this reason, pellagra had also spread, as well as other diseases, so much so that, studying their conditions of misery, some researchers wondered: how do Maranese fishermen still be alive? Yet, this has not prevented the Casoneri from bonding with these places in a profound, sanguine, much more affective way. Often it was the children who restructured them, not leaving them to neglect and abandonment, aware of the paternal repulsion, but also of the existence of an indissoluble bond, perhaps because it was transmitted by blood. It is no coincidence, in fact, that the casoni have been handed down from father to son since their existence.

The casoni of the Marano lagoon
The casoni of the Marano lagoon.

The casoni today

The casoni are present in all the lagoon areas of the northern Adriatic for the same reasons, that is, as fishermen's homes until the 1950s. Therefore, they are also found in nearby Grado, as well as in Caorle or Venice. But what today makes those of Marano unique, where there are just over forty of them left, is the fact that they are state-owned, that is, owned by the Municipality, both the structure itself and the ground on which they are located. "As for the Maranese casoni", explains Nico Pavan, owner of three boats, "there is no piece of paper that certifies ownership; it is all based on verbal agreements, on speech . There is therefore a sort of tacit consent to use, which is not questioned first of all by the Maranese themselves, who have a deep respect for these buildings, with which they strongly identify as part of their own history and culture. The only recognized membership is the family one, in fact the casoni, since they exist, have been handed down from father to son, usually fishermen or hunters. In Grado or Venice, on the other hand, they are private, so everyone did what they wanted with them: in most cases they were used for tourism, with restaurants, hotels and more, even modifying the original materials. In Marano, on the other hand, absolutely not: you will never find a restaurant or other commercial activity in a Marano casone, but only still intimate, daily, personal spaces: in short, houses. "Otherwise you know how many big houses with the Jacuzzi there would be." Therefore, since there is no form of business, «today people come here to party with friends or to be with family, says Roberto. For this reason, there is only one way to access: being able to get invited. It is better if you show up with a bottle of red wine in one hand and a bottle of white in the other. Once inside a casone, never dare to call her to anyone and do not rush, do not look at the clock, they could be offended: enjoy the time, which is what characterizes these places in the first place. If, on the other hand, you have not managed to get invited, or you are not lucky enough to have a friend with the casone, you can turn to those who have boats and can intercede for you. So do Stefano and Lilli of Somewheretours who will take you to their casoneri friends, like Roberto; o Geremia Navigazione by Adriano Zentilin, who has been a fisherman for years and organizes boat trips to his casone, even for schools. "It is also a very interesting trip from an educational point of view: let's make a fire, eat together and in the meantime let's talk about what life was like in the past". Or, again, Nico, who has three boats, the Niña, the Pinta and the largest, the Santa María boat with kitchen on board, with which he organizes trips to the lagoon, with a stop in his family hut, where the spaghetti and (at least) a bottle of wine. It also organizes fishing trips or photo shoots of migrating birds (think that more than 300 different species have been sighted here). “It was my father who wanted to fix the family house so that he could take us there. My grandfather, in fact, like many others who had lived there, was repulsed. I remember when we started the renovations he told us: make do, do what you like, I don't want to know anything. But then in reality he always came to eat and drink with us .

The casoni tomorrow

However, there is a price to pay for this immense charm that the casoni of Marano still retain. In fact, the other side of the coin is that these structures, which date back to the 1600s, need continuous maintenance, so much so that some are burned, others are in a state of neglect. And having no income or economic advantage, those who invest to fix the casone do so only and exclusively at their own expense, for love and pride, for the family. And think that it takes between 5 and 10 thousand euros a year to keep a big house in good condition. "But it was fine with us", Nico explains, "until the region started wanting to regulate something that has always gone on in this way for centuries." And so precisely in the last period, they are trying to put rules on something that has never been regularized. "But the casoni have nothing to do with bureaucracy, here it's all manual, bloody." With these new measures, it is not known what will happen. What is certain, Adriano tells us, is that the casoni will never cease to be shelters, support and rescue points. «If one is in difficulty, he will always have the right to get off and be based in a casone. And we fishermen will always have the duty to welcome him and help him . Also because you can only continue to arrive by sea, via the lagoon. And remember, preferably with a bottle of wine in hand.

Tomorrow will be better, word from chef star Bruno Barbieri (+ recipe) – Italian Cuisine


He is the Italian chef who has won the highest number of Michelin stars in his career: a total of 7. Judge of MasterChef Italia from the first edition and host of 4 Hotels, Bruno Barbieri tells his story and his kitchen the day after in the new book " Tomorrow will be better "

Tomorrow will be better – New recipes can be created from each dish, word of Bruno Barbieri, the star chef known and appreciated throughout the world. These are the title and subtitle of his new book published by Mondadori Electa, which at first sight seem totally exhaustive. Buying it, let's imagine we have in our hands a new recipe book conceived by the charming Emilian, ready to be read and interpreted for new lunches with friends or culinary challenges. Well, not exactly … there is much, much more.

The animated cookbook

It's been four years that Bruno Barbieri he does not publish books and finally his new work comes out in bookstores today. Tomorrow will be better is a project that the chef takes a lot of. While he is telling it, his hands shake in descriptive choreographies and the words come out of the heart, just like in his kitchen. It took a year and a half of work, which emphasizes being a team like the brigade of a restaurant with trusted people, the chef Eric Lavacchielli of his bistro Fourghetti of Bologna, who has found the raw material around the world, up to the excellent food photographer Stefano Scatà. And the comparison between publishing and cooking does not end here: "Even the placement is important," he says slyly, "I also wanted to participate in the graphic aspect to fully represent me, even in the choice of cover and paper, just like when I serve a plate on the table ".

It is a special cookbook (don't call it a book "because Bruno Vespa writes the books", says the chef seraphic) whom he calls animated because it tells the story of Bruno Barbieri in the kitchen through his own experiences in the family or on the sea when he worked on cruise ships, the places where he lived (from Turkey to France passing naturally through Bologna and Reggio Emilia) together with friends and characters with whom he shares the passion for food, even the butcher or fruit vegetables; between interesting anecdotes and suggestive photos. The recipes are about a hundred and were taken from the archive of a lifetime, but revised and updated to date, and under each ("except for the desserts because we know they never advance, even in weddings") there is a message to revive them with new little ideas.

The double life of the dishes

The theme of reuse in the kitchen it is the true epicenter of this project, which goes hand in hand with the renewed contemporary awareness towards important values ​​in which Bruno Barbieri it finds itself perfectly, that is sustainability, the fight against waste, food awareness in restaurant kitchens as well as at home. A modern theme that in reality has always been part of his life. It was enough to think back to his beloved grandmother Mimì, to when he prepared tagliatelle with ragù and the one that was left over the next day was rewritten, becoming a new dry and crispy dish very appreciated. Not only that, today you could whisk everything, whisk two egg whites, butter a mold, add breadcrumbs to get a tasty pasta soufflé, he suggests. The double life of the dishes is a different way of approaching the kitchen, part of our culinary tradition, "a fantastic stimulus for the imagination, the creativity of your gastronomic thought", emphasizes the chef with enthusiasm. The experience of working on cruise ships is also fundamental, where everything is measured and cooked, optimizing any waste. Not for nothing this book is born in collaboration with Costa Crociere and the project 4GOODFOOD.

The suggestions of Tomorrow will be better they are just starting points: Bruno Barbieri he wants to push each of the readers towards new trials, new tastes, new combinations because the kitchen is made of passion, of feelings, «because inside the dish there must be your self, because through the dish I tell myself. Ideas that can also come from journeys, which have greatly influenced its history. Traveling to meet people, discover new countries and new food markets to accumulate experiences and knowledge by visiting the world from South America to Turkey, from which to draw inspiration to be able to give life to dishes that have already been thought of giving them a different soul.

The symbol recipe

For Bruno Barbieri tortellini are also important on an emotional level and his dish of the heart can revive in a different form that we share as a prime example of the spirit of the cookbook Tomorrow will be better.

Tortellini in capon broth sautéed with Parmesan cheese icing

Ingredients

For the stuffing
100 g of pork loin
100 g of raw ham
100 g of real Bologna mortadella
100 g of Parmesan cheese
1 egg
nutmeg
salt and pepper

For the parmesan glaze
200 ml of milk
800 ml of cream
700 g of Parmesan cheese 24 months

For the placement
1 liter of capon broth
nutmeg

Method

The stuffing
The success of this filling lies in the proportions of the ingredients. Cut the pork loin into small pieces and quickly fry it in the pan. When cooked, add the prosciutto and the mortadella cut into small pieces. Mix and mix everything with the small meat grinder. Collect the mixture in a bowl and add the grated Parmesan, the egg, season with salt and pepper and season with a sprinkling of nutmeg. Stir to mix. With this filling and about 300 grams of pasta, prepare the tortellini.

Parmesan icing
Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a saucepan, and reduce. It will take about 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes. Only then add the grated Parmesan. Mix well: the cheese will melt and you will get a semi-thick cream.

The impiattamento
After cooking about 400 grams of tortellini in the capon broth, drain and toss over a high heat in a pan with the Parmesan glaze. Place the creamy tortellini in a bowl and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

Tomorrow will be better
If you have tortellini left, there is a chest of Venus waiting for you! Prepare a classic puff pastry. Grease a timballo cocotte and coat it with a thin layer of dough. Fill it with advanced tortellini, a little béchamel and a meat sauce. Close the cocotte with other pasta and place in the oven. As soon as the surface is golden your Venus casket is ready.

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