2018 is the year of Italian food. A ministerial initiative to enhance the food and wine heritage of the beautiful country
Eyes on the Peninsula’s food and wine heritage. The Ministries of Agriculture and Cultural Heritage have proclaimed 2018 as the year of Italian food. The next twelve months will therefore be aimed at celebrating and promoting in Italy and around the world the best Made in Italy food products and reviving Unesco awards related to Italian food.
Italy of food protected by Unesco
In the immaterial heritage of humanity recognized by UNESCO find a place for ancient and valuable traditions. The Mediterranean diet, the tree vines of Pantelleria, the landscapes of the Langhe Roero and Monferrato, Parma the creative city of gastronomy, and to the Art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo, listed just a few months ago.
A list in which it is now hoped to include Prosecco, for which a nomination has already been sent, and Amatriciana.
More than 5 thousand traditional Italian food specialties
One year may not be enough to promote the 5,047 traditional food specialties surveyed by a Coldiretti study. The list covers those gastronomic specialties obtained according to traditional rules and protracted for at least 25 years.
The breakdown by category is as follows.
1,521 different kinds of bread, dough and cookies,
1,424 fresh and processed vegetables,
791 different kinds of salami, hams, fresh meat and sausages,
497 cheeses,
253 compound dishes or products of gastronomy,
147 beverages including soft drinks, beer, liquor, and spirits,
167 animal products (honey, dairy excluding butter, etc.).
159 Preparations of fish, shellfish, crustaceans.
Italian regional specialties
Dominating the ranking of regional specialties is Campania. But each Italian region makes a relevant contribution. Here’s (in parentheses) how many specialties each one boasts, and the call for sample-worthy preparation.
Campania (515). Others include colatura di alici di Cetara, an intensely flavored liquid resulting from the expert curing and pressing of salted anchovies.
Tuscany (461). Here the stinchi di morto, rustic salty cookies typical of the Grossetano and Senese areas that are mustard yellow in color, also called anacini because they are scented by anise seeds, are well known.
Latium (461). The Gradoli purgatory bean has been sown in the region since time immemorial, which is the staple dish of Ash Wednesday, called “purgatory lunch.”
Emilia-Romagna (388). Savòr, a jam made from grape must (Saba) with added fruit, is appreciated.
Veneto (376). He takes pride in the mountain polenta that is made from sponcio cornmeal,
Piedmont (338). Renowned brus, a product of processing well-aged robiola cheese, ideal if made from goat’s milk.
Liguria (294). La
prescinseua
è
a fresh, slightly acidic curd that is an essential component of Recco’s famous cheese focaccia. The name originates from the Genoese word presû meaning rennet.
Apulia (276). The Fallon of Gravina is a fresh cheese produced in the Gravina area in the province of Bari. It should be consumed very fresh, preferably on the day of production.
Calabria (268). Typical of all of Calabria, especially that of Magna-Greek origin, the
Lagane e ciciari
are noodles seasoned with chickpeas.
Lombardy
(248),
From Milan but widespread throughout western Lombardy is the
cassoela
, a kind of stew with ribs, luganega and cabbage, to which other parts of the pig such as rind and pig’s foot may be added depending on the area.
Sicily (244). Squartucciato, a highly decorated dessert filled with figs, is the star of the Feast of St. Joseph in Poggioreale.
Sardinia (193). Learn about sa pompia, an endemic Sardinian lemon-like fruit that grows only in the Baronia area.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia (169). Friulians are proud of porcaloca, a whole boneless goose stuffed with pork tenderloin, hand-sewn, tied cooked and smoked.
Molise (159). Going to Molise, one cannot pass up the chance to taste sagnetelle, fettuccine made of durum wheat flour as wide and as long as two fingers together of the hand.
Marche (151). In the region, lonza di fico, a sweet made from dried figs mixed with walnuts, chopped almonds and mistrà, and finally wrapped in fig leaves, is typical of the peasant tradition in the Jesi area.
Abruzzo (148). The Abruzzo town of Campotosto is famous for its mortadella, better known, because of its shape, as mule’s assholes.
Basilicata (114). The Lucanian town of Episcopia is home to rsskatieddecca muddiche, a pasta made with breadcrumbs.
Autonomous Province of Trento (105). Typical of Trentino is luganega, the sausage that is an emblem of provincial gastronomy.
South Tyrol (90). Coming from the Aurina Valley of South Tyrol is graukase, known as “gray cheese,” probably the leanest cheese in existence with 2 percent fat and 150 calories per ounce.
Umbria (69). The region takes pride in the Trasimeno bean, a rare and distinctive variety of legume known since Etruscan times.
Aosta Valley (32). Its traditional products include walnut oil, a valuable and high-quality seasoning for meat, fish, vegetables and cheese.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
