EAT-TALY*
*** So this here’s the rest of my report! ***
PAGE 1: Food adventures
Ever since I was in the third grade, I was told by my doctor that my stomach lining isn’t as strong as it should be anymore because of my gastritis so that is why now that I’m 21, I still can’t handle how alcoholic drinks or better yet- acidic drinks are. Although, at this age, you’d think I’m missing out on a lot but I don’t think so- probably just the time we were in Italy surrounded by good wines. At that time I really felt I was missing out because everybody was saying how good this drink or that drink was and I was just there having a tiny sip, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Funny thing is, I actually wanted to experience the bad kind of wine so that I’d know what the difference would be, unfortunately (and luckily as they say) all the wines we have tasted in Italy were delicious.
So, instead of me trying to describe the taste of a drink I don’t really understand fully for now, I will tell you this, all my life the only drink that I could mostly intake (besides occassional juices/coffee) is water and I have never come across a water so expensive and posh yet so delicious that I actually understood why the price is what it is. It is all over the world but it’s originally Italy’s
San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.
For Italians, it’s just normal water, but for us people not used to water as expensive, beautiful-looking as this, I’d like to say, it’s one of the “fine dining“ waters of the mineral water world.
(1) History:
It was 1899 when in the small village of San Pellegrino, near the Northern Italian city of Bergamo, water was first bottled to be sold in Italy and abroad, the first bottled water in the world. Since the 13th Century, the region has been known for its thermal waters, and was even visited by the great Leonardo da Vinci in 1509, when he stopped at the source during a long trip through the Lombard valleys. On that occasion, he included the source in map that he himself drew of the Brembo Valley, the original of which is kept today in the Royal Library of Windsor Castle, as the property of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II.
The first label features several styles typical of that era that have been conserved until today. In particular, the characteristic red star that used to be given to top-quality products, a symbol of a premium good. The Liberty-style frame of the label captures the style that was popular at the day, in the midst of the Belle Epoque. The village at the foot of the Alps, not far from Milan, was one of the most popular destinations for members of high society: princes and princesses, politicians and tycoons from across Europe, Russia and the Middle East would arrive to take advantage of the areas pristine nature and the benefits of the waters.
· (2) To how it is made:
9 step process in making S.Pellegrino Sparkling Water 1. Source Selection and Monitoring 2. Source Water Receiving and Monitoring 3. Water Storage and Monitoring 4. Carbonation 5. Bottling Control 6. Packaging Control 7. Clean-In-Place (C.I.P.) Sanitation Process 8. Plant Quality Control and HACCP Program 9. Corporate Quality Assurance Program ·
(2) Geological Origin
S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water flows from a thermal spring at the foot of a dolomite mountain, on the right side of the Brembana Valley (Orobic Alps, North of Italy)The mineral water emerges from deep within two main sources at 69.8ºF or 21ºC. The thermal ground water circulates at an estimated depth of 1,300 feet below the ground surface before it comes up at the ancient source. During deep circulation, the ground water takes its unique mineral character by flowing inside dolomite and gypsum rocks. ·
(3) Variations:
Aranciata , Aranciata Rossa , Limonata , Pompelmo , Clementina , Melograno E Arancia , Limone E Menta , Ficodindia E Arancia , Chinotto
(4) Price
San Pellegrino is available in the entire world but as for some of London‘s local supermarkets, these are the prices per 1 liter. *Note: it costs more on coffee shops and stands. Sainsbury: £1.00
Morrisons: £1
Tesco: £1.25
Waitrose: £1.25
Gualtiero Marchesi
one of the most influential people of the culinary industry. He was also named as one of the best chefs in the world according to Times magazine. Marchesi is known as the inventor and father of modern Italian cuisine and was the first Italian chef to ever have 3 Michelin stars and the first one to – as shocking as it sounds, gave them all back. You’d probably think who in the world would be “crazy” enough to give back the highest award most chefs dream and practically work their entire lives for just to attain it. Well, not Marchesi. He earned it in such short time and gave it up because he didn’t wanted to be judged anymore. Now you’d think he’s got a point too.
He is well know for his gastronomic entrepreneurship and his creativity and according to an article*, he takes a traditional Italian dish, reinterprets it, modernises it and makes it his.
“His risotto oro e zafferano was probably the most photographed speciality back in the era of nouvelle cuisine. It was a take on the emblematic Milano rice dish, with gold leaf that a friend gave him adorning the dish. And there's little or no cheese in it - an unusual, almost sacrilegious approach. Rather than this mantecatura, where butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano are beaten into the rice, Marchesi mixes in a beurre blanc sauce. It was France meets Italy, a theme that would run through his career.”
The thing that surprised people the most besides giving his Michelin awards back is that of all the things that he has achieved, he offered his expertise to McDonald’s, one of the biggest fast food companies in the world by which chefs call “the enemy”. He helped them create 2 burgers and dessert designed with Italy’s culinary traditions, The Vivace (spinach, onions, bacon and wholegrain mustard mayonnaise) and Adagio (eggplant mousse, grated ricotta, tomatoes, almonds and beef) and a combination of 2 Italian classics, tiramisu and panettone which undoubtedly was a success.
In 2010, he launched Accademia Gualtiero Marchesi. Located on Bonvesin de la Riva, where his restaurant had been, the foundation is dedicated to teaching the arts, and offers workshops to adults and children in painting, sculpture, music and, of course, cooking. Now, at his 80s, he’s currently busy with his role as ambassador for Milan Expo and plans to re-establish his namesake fine-dining restaurant in a rural location in nothern Italy next year. He also dreams of building a retirement home for chefs where they could connect with young students.
The one thing that I really admire about Marchesi is that he is concrete in both tradition and innovation. He creates art in dishes but still holds that tradition he knows and holds dear to his heart and that is something really worth knowing about because it is like saying that no matter how far you go, you always end up looking back to where you came from and that makes you appreciate how far you’ve come. As well as, you should never care what other people think, even if it means being one of the greats but at the same time still eager to help a fellow fast food industry which clearly people see it as a not-so-good thing and a shocker.
Given the fact that I have the tiniest knowledge about the Italian culinary industry, I’ve literally just came across Gualtiero Marchesi on the web and just by reading through all of his achievements inspired me to do my best more and hopefully to even be near as good of a role model as he is throughout my career. It’s really crazy how one person, you never knew until you had an assignment and looked it up on the internet could serve as one of your inspirations in life now.
“If I had to worry about all the comments that have been made about me,
I wouldn’t have arrived anywhere.”
– Gualtiero Marchesi
REFERENCES:
Gastronomy:
http://www.gatewaygourmet.com/blog/what-is-gastronomy/
Bougainvillea (Gelateria and restaurant)
www.bougainvillea.it
Tenuta Vannulo Farm; Buffalo mozzarella farm
www.vannulo.it
I Giardini Di Cataldo; Lemon Farm
http://www.igiardinidicataldo.it/gb/
Casa di Baal; Winery
http://www.casadibaal.it/en/
San Pellegrino
(1) https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/food-drinks/s-pellegrino-label-history/
https://www.sanpellegrino.com/uk/en/heritage
(2) http://www.nestle-watersna.com/asset-library/documents/sp_eng.pdf
(3) https://www.sanpellegrinofruitbeverages.com/uk/en/beverages
Italian Chef Gualtiero Marchesi
https://www.panoramitalia.com/en/food-wine/article/world-inspiration-italian-chef-gualtiero-marchesi/1147/?subcategory=article&title_id=world-inspiration-italian-chef-gualtiero-marchesi&id=1147
http://www.marchesi.it/en/biografia.html
*http://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2015/05/gualtiero-marchesi
*https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/323453/the-master-of-italian-cuisine-gualtiero-marchesi