Tag: words

The 10 most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen – Italian Cuisine

Before we say goodbye to 2022, let's find out what you've been looking for on Google – and we'll also give you the answers so you never have to search again!

As usual, the end of the year has arrived and we all take stock of how the year just ended was. 2021, as well as 2020, was a special year for Italy, to put it mildly: curfews, vaccines, the new Draghi government, Eurovision, European football championships, important farewells to much-loved celebrities, such as Raffaella Carrà.
Is in the kitchen? Taking a look at the ranking of most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen, we have a mirror of what the Italians wanted to answer. In general, 2021 saw the desire to return to enjoy life but also the impossibility of returning to pre-pandemic levels; he also witnessed the questioning of the traditional model of food consumption and the onset of laziness, following a 2020 lockdown where everyone – or almost everyone – wanted to try their hand as chefs and bakers within the walls of their own home. So let's look at the official ranking of the most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen, by Italians, according to Google.

The 10 most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen

10. Scrambled eggs

Are Italians really not able to make two scrambled eggs? Hard to believe, yet a scrambled egg done right isn't that easy to make. I personally have in mind for years the recipe of Tom Cruise – just him – which provides great generosity with butter; it also requires that the eggs be opened in a cup and beaten just a little, without overdoing it. In a hot pan, pour the eggs into the already melted butter and let them set for a minute, continuing to mix vigorously and turning off before complete cooking, always mixing.

9. Homemade ravioli

If home-made bread is tired, a different story applies to home-made pasta: ravioli, in particular, keep a hit in the ranking also for the conviviality required in preparing them. To tell the truth, however, "homemade ravioli" indicates a huge family of stuffed pasta, not only Italian (which changes from city to city along the whole boot), but also of foreign origin, such as Chinese ravioli, pierogi Polish, etc.

8. The meat broth

What Christmas is without broth? I am pretty sure that this research item has been used especially in the latter part of the year. Everyone likes broth, even the youngest, it tastes like a party and recently it was the protagonist of a very pleasant book, “The Christmas broth in Emilia-Romagna”, by Irene Fossa and Mattia Fiandaca.

7. The porridge

It is a bit surprising to find this word in the ranking of the most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen, because porridge has already been talked about for some years in Italy, and its advantages are well known. Porridge, which in Italian could be translated into "oatmeal" is a very balanced breakfast, its preparation takes little time and is extremely versatile. On the porridge, which can be made with water or milk (cow or vegetable), you can put literally everything: honey, agave, blueberries, strawberries, strawberries, bananas, pecans, macadamias, Brazil nuts, everyone chooses according to his tastes. personal. Curiosity about porridge: it is believed that something similar was widespread in the Paleolithic, with a geo-localized origin in Italy, in the South.

6. Hard-boiled eggs

I understand scrambled eggs, but boiled eggs? Probably someone needed a reminder on cooking times, to avoid getting a soft-boiled egg or an overcooked egg, which tastes of sulfur. In fact, during cooking in boiling water the sulfur is released which combines with the hydrogen contained in the egg white producing hydrogen sulphide, which interacts with the iron of the yolk forming, in fact, the iron sulphide, which in addition to the unpleasant odor gives a gray-green color. So the answer is: 6-7 minutes for soft boiled eggs, 8-9 minutes max for very hard-boiled eggs; in any case, if you want to make hard-boiled eggs try to buy them from the farmer. It's a whole other story.

5. Sushi at home

How ambitious, these Italians: there have been many homemade sushi on the “cucinaremale” Facebook page. Honestly, I've never seen anyone manage to make a noteworthy sushi at home, and considering the cost of the raw material, you don't even save money. Yet, many people have searched for this keyword, so maybe someone has even become good.

4. The tomato paste

The most cliché word in the kitchen in this ranking. The tomato paste is the symbol of Italianness abroad, almost everyone has done it. The flavor of a homemade tomato paste, in fact, is incomparable to that of a puree bought at the supermarket. In addition, in 2021 awareness has finally spread about the too low costs of canned tomatoes from the supermarket, which often conceal the exploitation of a foreign workforce not protected by trade unions and forced into grueling shifts and shameful wages. It is welcome, then, that Italians feel the need to prepare the tomato sauce on their own.

3. The bechamel

There are those who buy made béchamel and others who are a little less lazy: a good béchamel requires little time and cheap and easy-to-find ingredients. The only trick is to stir continuously and pay attention to the heat of the stove. In fact, there is nothing worse than a burnt béchamel sauce, especially when you have to clean the saucepan afterwards.

2. Homemade pesto

Genoese pesto, of course. According to the Consortium for the protection of Genoese pesto, the essential ingredients of pesto are: Genoese basil, extra virgin olive oil (Ligurian), parmesan, Sardinian pecorino, pine nuts, garlic and salt. The mortar allows for ideal texture, but an immersion blender is fine too. The only limitation of blenders is linked to the metal blades, since upon contact with the metal some substances are developed that alter the flavor of Genoese pesto. The most difficult part of Genoese pesto is perhaps the cultivation of the potted plant, which many die after a few days. The advice is to place a plant in a large and tall pot, place it outside or on the windowsill, in a sunny area but slightly sheltered from direct sunlight, and water it constantly every evening when the temperature drops.

1. Homemade pizza

At the top of the ranking of the most searched words of 2021 in the kitchen is the most Italian of recipes: homemade pizza. In an area where it is certainly not difficult to find pizzas of every style and origin, generally of perceived high quality, Italians have decided to continue to try their hand at this dish, and who are we to blame them? Homemade pizza deserves to remain the first of this ranking in Italy for a long time, because it is nice that in every home you choose and define your own recipe, to be handed down to children, grandchildren and friends.

The words of food in Mantua – Italian Cuisine

Like every year since 1997 in this period Mantua hosts the Literature Festival, a five-day event made up of meetings with authors, readings, guided tours, shows and concerts with artists from all over the world.

Many appointments are free and free, but this year, for organizational reasons due to the need for social distancing, it is necessary signing in on the site.

So from 9 to 13 September the whole city is involved in this cultural event. The words of food is the special section dedicated to gastronomic literature, an increasingly nourished and exciting genre.

Writers, producers and experts participate in Le parole del Cibo, as well as a column on the web radio. Partner of the initiative is Levoni, historic cured meats company.

In the cycle of gastro literary appointments they are involved Tommaso Melilli, the chef author of I conti con l'oste, Salvatore Ceccarelli, geneticist author of the book Producing your own seeds, Sowing the future, e Lorenzo Mori, creator together with Sineglossa of the NONTURISMO series for a new idea of conscious tourism.

“This journey through food tells personal stories and professional visions from which to be inspired. It is an exhibition that involves three experiences of authentic food and wine culture in which the theme of the territory and the active safeguarding of its traditions are central, as well as for our company "he explains. Marella Levoni.

Those who want to follow the meetings from home can do so thanks to web radio: The words of food has a daily column edited by the same authors who are protagonists of the food review.

In addition to live events within the city and on the web radio, Levoni is present at the Festivaletteratura with the traditional gazebo set up in Piazza Sordello where this year, in addition to the festival audience, writers, volunteers and guests of the event will be able to refresh themselves with the classic Mantuan snack based on sandwiches and cold cuts.

The calendar of appointments

Friday 11th September
6.30 pm, Palazzo San Sebastiano – Admission: € 7
Tommaso Melilli and Roberto Camurri, in dialogue with Simonetta Bitasi
SMALL TOWN, I KNOW YOU.

Sunday 13 September
12 noon, Palazzo San Sebastiano – Admission: € 7
Salvatore Ceccarelli and Forno Brisa
AS GOOD AS BREAD. Protect biodiversity in consumption habits.

Sunday 13 September
5 pm, Via Facciotto, Te Brunetti – Free admission
Lorenzo Mori and Vanni Righi with the inhabitants of Te BrunettiLA
NEW TRADITIONAL RECIPE BY TE BRUNETTI

by Barbara Roncarolo
photo credits: Festivaletteratura official press kit

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.