Food "Made in Italy": Non Accettare Sostituti!!!

Fancy Food Show, Washington, DC

Food and fashion go hand in hand - especially Italian food and fashion. Both are testaments to millenia of tradition, fine craftsmanship, and impeccable quality. I know this because prior to my culinary career, I studied and worked in the fashion industry.  I remember first seeing the slogan "Non Accetare Sostituti" (Accept no Substitutes) on fashion designer Franco Moschino's clothing in the 1980's.  Last week I noticed similar slogans bearing testament to the Italian food products at the Italian Pavilion at the 57th Annual Summer Fancy Food Show.

In addition to promoting the Italian vendors which were showcasing their products at the show, The Italian Trade Commission had the responsibility of educating consumers on the unique benefits and characteristics of Italian cuisine. Educational seminars, guided tastings, embassy events, cooking demos, and question and answer sessions held in conjunction with the show treated attendees to a free, speedy, and thorough Italian culinary education. Even if one couldn't make it to the events, just stopping and chatting with the cooks and vendors at their various booths proved to be an effective way of learning.

If you wonder whether or not you should believe the hype, continue reading.

 Italians have been purveyors of the world's finest foods since antiquity. While the Romans were busy planting olive groves and vineyards in their newly claimed territories, they were also importing wheat from North Africa, spices from India and China,and incense from Arabia. The first known cookbook author, Apicius, also happened to be a Roman, and his work proved that "globalization" and "fusion cuisine" are nothing new. 



The strong cultural, political, and economical advantages of gastronomy have always been appreciated in Italy.  Agriculture itself was a topic that was studied with the utmost respect and civility by the upper and middle classes. According to Elena Kustiokovitch in Why Italians Love to Talk About Food, Tuscan "scholars dedicated their lives to formulating rules for farmers and agronomists" in the 18th century. There were even many farming manuals published during this period in Italian , and in 1753 there was even an academy founded in Florence to gather "great minds intent on the perfection of agriculture." With such scientific minds, highly educated and discerning palates as well as a huge helping of regional culinary patriotism, Italy even survived the industrial revolution and modernization while maintaining its traditional food ways, preserving culinary pedigrees, and  cultural gastronomy.

Under the auspices of  The Italian Trade Commission, The Italian government now takes advantage of social media and many other educational initiatives in order to promote Italian food as an important trade commodity around the world.  As a result, Italy exported $3.183 billion worth of food and wine products to the US in 2010 and ranked 6th in exports to the U.S. food and wine market.

It is no accident then, that according to Mr. Aniello Musella, Executive Director for the Italian Trade Commission in the US, that the Italian Pavilion at last week's Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC was the largest of all the international pavilions.  Strolling through the Italian Pavilion at the Fancy Food Show was like Christmas in July - or should I say, Christmas in July in Italy.


Here's a list of the top 7  Italian food trends which show true distinction in quality and are perfectly poised to make their mark in the United States this year.

1. Balsamic Vinegar

My friend Nicola of Fiorini 1919, in Modena taught me that Italian balsamics go through a strict judging process conducted by consortiums which determine whether or not they are worthy of earning stamps of approval.  Panel experts are blindfolded and asked to rate the balsamics on quality, and not all of them make it. Even the bottles have to pass standards before being used. Nothing, in other words is left up to chance, or self expression of the individual vinegar maker.  Non-certified makers outside of Italy often add caramel to their vinegars for a sweet flavor and color which can only be gained with time, patience, and care of the slow Italian aging process.  One taste of Fiorini 1919's, or any other IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta/Geographically Protected Mark) 12 or 25 year old balsamics and you'll be able to taste the difference between the real thing and the imitators immediately.

2. Coffee

Coffee was introduced to Italy in the late 17th century. By developing unique and proprietary blends for roasting, processing, and blending the coffee into espresso and espresso products, coffee houses and caffes became part of the Italian culinary landscape. Fusing the coffee knowledge and passion with modern technology has led us to some of the world's most important coffee brands, such as Lavazza and Illy.  Be on the lookout for "new" brands, such as Rome's Sant'Eustachio who still blend in the same tradition that they've been using for hundreds of years in Italy.


3. Natural Leavening

Sicilian Master Pastry Chef Nicola Fiasconaro, (above, who I've been following like a food groupie for the past 3 years) makes giant panettone and hollows out the inside to represent a manger and then fills it with white chocolate nativity figures each year  for the Fiasconaro display at the fancy food show explained to me that he studied microbiology and molecular gastronomy in order to produce the quality baked goods that Fiasconaro is synomous with.  According to him, the natural leavening process that artisinal Italian baked goods go through is what makes them superior.

One bite of his feather light panettone dough that tastes of butter, yet is now weighed down by it, exemplifies his union of science and art in baking.  Nicola's Oro Verde, Sicilian Pistachio Cream has a taste to build a dream on, and traditional Sicilian (they spread through the Fatimid territories in the 9th century) sesame and nut candies are also heavenly.

A few moment's later, Francesco Cordona of Torino's Bonifanti also expressed the importance of natural leavening while giving me samples of Milanese, Torinese, and Genovese Panettone to sample. My favorite, and the most noteable in my opionion were Bonifanti's multitudes of Biscotti like Amaretti and Baci di Dama (lady's kisses, above) which are made in the old-fashioned manner and packaged to ship around the globe.

 
4. Olive Oil

With the popularity, wonderful flavor, and health benefits of the olive oils on the market today, it is extremely important to be educated on the differences between the tastes, countries of origin, and quality in order to understand their value and choose those which are most suited to your life and cooking style. Click here for a tutorial.

5. Pasta

Italians love pasta more than any other culture. To an Italian, "a day without pasta is a day without sun". If the sacred status of pasta alone is not reason enough to make you want to buy Italian pasta, I'll leave it to the experts to explain the differences. In the meantime, check out some of the best fresh pasta I've ever tasted from Lo Scoiattolo.

6.  Grapes

In 2009, Italy overtook France as the top wine exporter to the US.  Even so, many Americans are still confused by Italian wines. Since Merlot, Chardonnay, Champagne, and other Italian wines have become household names, American consumers simply try to replace them with Italian versions. To truly understand Italian wines, however, you have to take it a step further. By learning about unique regional Italian grape production, you will learn that regional Italian wines contain grapes which are exclusive to Italy.  One which I am most proud to recommend comes from approximately 20 minutes north of my ancestral homeland of Crotone, Italy....and is called Ciro Marina.  Made from the Gaglioppo or "blackberry" grapes planted in antiquity...perhaps even prior to Greek colonization of the region.  If you are a distributor or importer of wines who would like to learn more about Italian varietals, contact my dear friend Antonio Borghesan of Mico S.r.l.'s Italian Wine & Food Export Group.

7. Cheeses

Now that mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, and pecorino romano are staples in many American homes, US consumers are looking for "new" tastes, which Italians are fulfilling with quality Grana Padano, Burrata, and Taleggio.  As a lover of Italian cheeses, I will be the first to warn you, once you become addicted, there is no cure.  Luckily, there are many ways to treat Italian cheese cravings. While there are around 700 kinds of cheese in Italy, each town and village in Italy has scores of their own, unique local cheeses which add up to thousands of types to choose from. We could try a new one each day of our lives and still not have sampled each of them! Time honored traditions, flavor and quality ingredients continue to set them apart from other cheeses, and this trend is growing right along with our appetites!