3 MICHELIN STARS CHEF MASSIMO BOTTURA

By Cesare Zucca
(full article in Italian and English)


Modena: città antica e moderna. E’ al centro di arte, storia e regalità e nel cuore della Motor Valley italiana, patria di famosi marchi automobilistici come Lamborghini . Maserati e la gloriosa Ferrari, doppiamente celebrata nel Museo Ferrari a Maranello e nel Museo Enzo Ferrari che ospita alcune delle auto più significative del marchio.

Modena è sinonimo di prelibata gastrononia e al top del top, al numero 22 di Via Stella, 22, troviamo la celebrata e tristellata Osteria Francescanaguidata da uno degli chef più famosi al mondo: Massimo Bottura.
Tra le sue frequentazioni ci sono stati grandi ” maestri” come Lidia CristoniGeorges Cogny, sacerdote di cucina classica a Nonantola, nel 1994 Alain Ducasse , paladino del terroir (territorio) e poi il grande Ferran Adrià, per finalmente aprire la sua Osteria Francescana che guadagna tre stelle Michelin e il primo posto nella classifica mondiale dei 50Best World Restaurants.
Tra tradizione e innovazione, serietà e scherzo, nascono piatti iconici, come ” Opps… mi è caduta la crostatina di limone”, nato da un incidente in cucina, quando il dolce gli era scivolato dalle mani, sfracellandosi sul tavolo di lavoro,

Da un disastro in cucina… nasce un dolce iconico

oppure le” Cinque stagionature del Parmigiano Reggiano in diverse consistenze e temperature e texture. demi-soufflé, salsa, galletta, spuma, aria. rappresentando cosi  tutte le stagionature del formaggio emiliano, dai 24 ai 50 mesi.

ke cinque età del parmigiano reggiano

Pubblica numerosi libri, tra cui “Aceto balsamico”, “Parmigiano Reggiano” e “Mai fidarsi di un italiano magro”. Colleziona una miriade di premi, tra cui il Grand Prix de l’Art dall’Accademia Internazionale della Cucina di Parigi, il White Guide Global Gastronomy Award e il Premio Nobel per l’Economia, mentre le Nazioni Unite lo proclamano “Ambasciatore contro lo spreco alimentare”.
Bottura apre nuovi ristoranti, tra cui Franceschetta58 a Modena, Torno Subito a Dubai, The Palm a Palm Jumeirah e si tuffa nel mondo dell’ospitalità con Casa Maria Luigia, elegante dimora nella campagna emiliana.

Massimo Bottura e la sua tristellata Osteria Francescana a Modena
Massimo Bottura e la sua tristellata Osteria Francescana a Modena

E pensare che tutto è iniziato con l’acquisto di una trattoria vicino a Nonantola…
L’inarrestabile Bottura ne ha fatta di strada…  e l’avventura continua…
Lockdown o non lockdown, Massimo fin dallo scorso Aprile ha inaugurato il Cavallino a Maranello, quattro nuovi Refettori in Perù, in Messico, a San Francisco e a New York. A fine Ottobre aprirà a Tokyo la Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, che segue le omonime di Firenze, New York, e quella di Beverly Hills, recentemente premiata con la Stella Michelin California e dove, al timone, troviamo lo Chef Mattia Agazzi
Matteo, sotto la direzione di Bottura, propone un menu che segna creatività, eleganza, humour e sensualità, in continua evoluzione tra passato e futuro, tradizione e innovazione

Nonostante questo turbinio non-stop di attività in tutto il mondo, sono riuscito a incontrare ” The Unstoppable Bottura ” per una breve intervista.

Ciao Massimo, se hai un weekend libero dove vai?
(sorride) Beh, non ho mai un weekend libero… lavoro sette giorni su sette
E se capita qualche momento di tempo libero?Il tempo libero per me è il lavoro, semplicemente perché mi fa divertire.
Un posto che non hai ancora visto?Lo devo ancora immaginare visto che li ho visti un po’ tutti…
Una città che ami?New York! La considero la mia seconda città natale
Nel tuo frigorifero di casa, cosa troveremo sempre?
Parmigiano, aceto balsamico e… voglia di fare.
E invece mai?
Dello spreco e del cibo in eccesso.

Una prerogativa dei piatti firmati da Bottura sia nella carne che nel dolce. E’ l’effetto ” spash” che ricorda vangamente gli schizzi su tela di Pollock

Ti trovi in un ristorante di un altro chef, cosa mangi?
Mi piace conoscere la cucina dei colleghi e mangio di tutto.
Una cosa però: deve essere cucinato bene, non sopporto è il cibo scadente.
Il tuo primissimo ricordo in cucina?
Quando rubavo i tortellini crudi dal tavolo di mia nonna Ancella.
Come si direbbe oggi …è stata lei il tuo primo ”coach” ?Di lei non posso dimenticare il meraviglioso brodo con le croste di parmigiano.
Un sublime esempio di una cucina “no spreco” che ho volute ricordare in un piatto che è diventato uno dei miei cavalli di battaglia ” Le cinque generazioni del Parmigiano Reggiano e a lei ho dedicato uno dei miei primi più amati “I passatelli in brodo di Nonna Ancella”.

I passatelli sono una tradizionale specialità diffusa in Emilia.
Nascono in campagna, dove l’azdora preparava la forma finale del passatello utilizzando uno strumento particolare noto appunto come “ferro per i passatelli”, che oggi è scomparso ed è stato sostituito dallo schiaccia-patate a buchi larghi. semplici presenti in tutte le case e si fa con il pane raffermo che viene grattugiato.

Per 4 persone
1 litro di brodo di pollo
150 g pangrattato
100 g Parmigiano Reggiano
3 uova
1 limone
noce moscata
Preparazione
Portare a bollore il brodo di pollo.
Nel frattempo mescolare in una ciotola il pangrattato, il parmigiano, un pizzico di noce moscata grattugiata e la scorza grattugiata di 1 limone.
Unire le uova e mescolare con le mani, fino a ottenere una palla liscia e uniforme.
Mettere l’impasto in uno schiacciapatate e schiacciate il composto direttamente nel brodo bollente.
Cuocete i passatelli per 1 minuto, finché non risalgono in superficie.
Vanno serviti bollenti, con una generosa quantità di brodo ben caldo.

Un patto della tradizione emiliana : I passatelli in brodo
Un piatto della tradizione emiliana: i passatelli in brodo

INFO
Osteria Francescana

( English version)

Weekend in Modena: ancient and modern city.
It is at the center of art, history and royalty and in the heart of the Italian Motor Valley, home to famous car brands such as Lamborghini. Maserati and the glorious Ferrari, doubly celebrated in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello and in the Enzo Ferrari Museum which houses some of the brand’s most significant cars. Modena is also synonymous with delicious gastronomy
At number 22 of Via Stella, 22, we will find the celebrated and three-starred Osteria Francescana, led by one of the most famous chefs in the world: Massimo Bottura

Massimo Bottura e la sua tristellata Osteria Francescana a Modena
Massimo Bottura e la sua tristellata Osteria Francescana a Modena

.Massimo published numerous books, including “Aceto balsamico”, “Parmigiano Reggiano” and “Never trust a lean Italian“. He collects a myriad of awards, including the Grand Prix de l’Art from the International Academy of Cuisine in Paris, the White Guide Global Gastronomy Award and the Nobel Prize for Economics, while the United Nations proclaims him “Ambassador against food waste “.

l’ “Ambasciatore Bottura”

Massimo opened new restaurants, including Franceschetta58 in Modena, Torno Subito in Dubai, The Palm in Palm Jumeirah and dives into the world of hospitality with Casa Maria Luigia, an elegant residence in the Emilian countryside. And to think that it all started with the purchase of a restaurant near Nonantola … The unstoppable Bottura has come a long way …

Super Chef Massimo Bottura

Lockdown or not lockdown, Massimo has inaugurated the Cavallino in Maranello since last April, four new refectories in Peru, Mexico, San Francisco and New York. At the end of October, the Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura will open in Tokyo, following the homonymous ones in Florence, New York, and the one in Beverly Hills, recently awarded the California Michelin Star and where, at the helm, we find Chef Mattia Agazzi, who, under the direction of Bottura, it offers a menu that marks creativity, elegance, humor and sensuality, constantly evolving between past and future, tradition and innovation.

Mattia Agazzi

Despite non-stop whirlwind of activity around the world, I was able to meet “The Unstoppable Bottura” for a short interview.
Hi Massimo, If you have a free weekend where are you going? (smiles) Well, I never have a weekend off … I work seven days a week
What if there are some moments of free time?
Free time for me is work, simply because it makes me have fun.
A place you haven’t seen yet?
I honestly have to imagine it… since I’ve seen them all …
A city you love?
New York, which I consider my second hometown. .

Una prerogativa di Bottura :sia nei piatti di carne, sia nei dolci spiccano i suoi squash”, schizzi variopinti  in stile vagamente Pollock

In your refrigerator at home, what will we always find?
Parmesan, balsamic vinegar and… desire to do.
... and never?
Of waste and excess food.
You are in another chef’s restaurant, what do you eat?
I like getting to know my colleagues’ cuisine and I eat everything. One thing though: it has to be cooked well,

Almost a game that bows to the Japanese theory according to which “True beauty is imperfection”. “Oops I dropped the lemon tart” an iconic dish, born from an accident in the kitchen, when a tart slipped from the hands of the chef and crashed on the countertop

Your earliest memory in the kitchen?
When I used to steal raw tortellini from my grandmother Handmaiden’s table.
Would you say that she was your first “coach”?
I cannot forget her wonderful broth with parmesan crusts. A sublime example of a “no waste” cuisine that I wanted to remember in a dish that has become one of my battle horses “The five generations of Parmigiano Reggiano” and I dedicated to her one of my beloved first courses: the passatelli in nonna handmaid broth “

The five maturations of Parmigiano Reggiano in different textures and temperatures »: through five textures – demi-soufflé, sauce, biscuit, foam, air – Bottura represents all the maturations of Emilian cheese, from 24 to 50 months.

Passatelli are a traditional specialty widespread in Emilia.
They were born in the countryside, where the azdora prepared the final shape of the passatello using a particular tool known as the “iron for the passatelli”, which today has disappeared and has been replaced by the potato masher with large holes. simple present in all homes and is made with stale bread that is grated.
Here the original recipe

Passatelli

Ingredients For 4 people
1 liter of chicken broth
150 g breadcrumbs
100 g Parmigiano Reggiano
3 eggs
1 lemon
nutmeg
Preparation
Bring the chicken stock to the boil. In the meantime, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, a pinch of grated nutmeg and the grated zest of 1 lemon in a bowl. Add the eggs and mix with your hands, until you get a smooth and uniform ball. Put the dough in a potato masher and mash the mixture directly into the boiling broth. Cook the passatelli for 1 minute, until they rise to the surface. They should be served piping hot, with a generous amount of hot broth.  

Un patto della tradizione emiliana : I passatelli in brodo
Un piatto della tradizione emiliana : i passatelli in brodo

Cesare Zucca
Cesare fotografa e racconta città, culture, stili di vita e delizie gastronomiche sia tradizionali che innovative. Incontra e intervista top chefs di tutto il mondo, ‘ruba’ le loro ricette e vi racconta
in stile Turista non Turista’
Milanese by birth, lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world.
Cesare photographs and writes about cities, cultures, lifestyle, traditional and innovative gastronomic delights. Meets and interview top chefs worldwide and’steals’ their recipes
in a ” Non Touristy Tourist ” style 

FROM ITALY… 2022 GOOD LUCK LENTILS

In Italy, it is a tradition to eat them at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve because they are said to bring money and luck. Lentils are considered the oldest legume, cultivated as early as 7000 BC. in Mesopotamia and loved by the ancient Romans, to whom we owe the custom of eating them on New Year’s Eve and giving them a “scarsella”, or a leather bag containing lentils, with the hope that they would turn into sound coins during the year. Even today we say “Eat the lentils that bring good …”
Only New year’s Eve?
Absolutely NOT ! Eat lentils in January, February and March …. and more , if you like!

PHILIP SINSHEIMER
Appreciated ‘private chef’, he has cooked for many Hollywood celebrities including Jane Fonda, Lisa Kudrow, Keanu Reeves. He loves discovering the Italian villages and studying their gastronomic traditions.Ha pubblicato il libro sulla storia della pasta italiana “Les Pâtes du Terroir Italien”
Philip published the book on the history of Italian pasta “Les Pâtes du Terroir Italien”

ORIENTAL STEW WITH LAMB, LENTILS AND VEGETABLES

Il piatto di Philip Sinsheimer

4 to 6 servings
preparation time: 20 min, cooling time: 35 min
Ingredients
350 g of lamb stew meat cut into 2-inch cubes. 200 g of lentils 1 chopped onion 2 chopped garlic cloves. 250 g of potatoes, 1 large carrot, 2 celery sticks. 50 cl of vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger. 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of, turmeric / turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of tomato paste. Salt and pepper
Preparation
Peel and dice the potatoes and carrots. Clean and slice the celery. Brown the lamb and onion for 5 minutes over high heat in a large pot with oil. Add salt and pepper, garlic, spices and tomato paste and continue to brown for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the lentils, vegetables, broth and enough water to cover the ingredients with 5 cm of liquid.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if necessary and leave to rest covered for 10 minutes before serving (as a first / soup or as a main course together with basmati rice).
For extra taste, add 1 tablespoon of butter or 2 tablespoons of coconut cream at the end of cooking. -Add a little freshness by sprinkling chopped coriander and mint once served on the plates. -Let everyone add a little spiciness to their taste by serving a little chilli on the side.

Philip Sinsheimer

BEST FOOD FROM ITALY N.03

Mangia, mangia.…. Xmas is coming, Italian families celebrate with food, wine and happiness. Here our choice for some of the best italian product to enrich your table.
Buon appetito!

Let’s start with pasta.
Feudo Mondello, Sicily

I prepared the traditional dish with Sicilian durum wheat pipe rigate with pumpkin, an easy recipe from the “poor cooking” of the Sicilian history.

https://www.feudomondello.it/en/

Let’s go to Ferrara, one of the most beautiful town in the Emilia Region
Pasta di Canossa was born from an intuition of Ottavio di Canossa and is produced in Ferrara in the ancient Tenuta Cuniola where the Canossa family has been taking care of these lands with passion and dedication for a century. Our Pasta, produced only with our durum wheat, is the result of love for the Emilian artisan traditions, for experimentation and the search for quality.

https://www.pastadicanossa.it/

Have a Happy and prosperous 2022 with … lentils!
In Italy It is a traditional habit to eat lentils at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve
They are said to bring money and luck. Lentils are considered the oldest legume, cultivated as early as 7000 BC. in Mesopotamia and loved by the ancient Romans, to whom we owe the custom of eating them on New Year’s Eve and giving them a “scarsella”, or a leather bag containing lentils, with the hope that they would turn into sound coins during the year. Even today we say “Eat the lentils that bring good luck

Well, Felicia is following the trend with a line of alternative organic pasta to flavour a healthy and natural diet. Felicia was founded in 2009 in Gravina, Apulia. A brand by Andriani SpA Benefit Corporation. Felicia brings to your table an experience based on wellbeing, taste and balance. Made from organic and naturally gluten-free raw materials such as buckwheat, brown rice, oats, chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans.

For your “lentils moment” , Felicia uses red lentils that grown mainly in southern Italy, between Puglia and Basilicata, from organic and sustainable agriculture. There are several kind of pasta like Spaghettini, Spaghettoni (love them….) Sedanini, Red lentil Fusilli and Risoni They are lovable and , considering the “good lluck” superstition… may be a good reason to eat them all year long.

https://www.felicia.it/en/

Too lazy to cook?
Chek this: My Instant Pasta created a range linked to tradition and another related to organic. It’s a great novelty for lovers of pasta and good Italian cuisine … ready in 4 minutes!
Easy and quick! Just add some hot water, stir, wait few minutes and enjoy a great pasta dish.variety italian style: fusilli with cheese and fusilli with pesto. The organic line is instead composed of tricolor fusilli . I tried the pesto, and loved it!

https://my-instant-pasta.webflow.io/eng/home-eng

Add a drop of oil, but make sure it’s good!
Centonze oil has ancient origins, blossoming along the Mediterranean until reaching Nino Centonze’s Family, custodians of an Olive Oil Legacy. in Castelvetrano, Sicily, where the olive trees are nourished by the mineral present in abundance in the tuff rock on which they majestically stand. Since 1953, this company has been cultivating within this area of extraordinary historical and scenic interest.The “Latomie” are ancient quarries from 800 B.C., testimony to centuries of the Greeks extracting large blocks of limestone tuff for the construction of Selinunte.

Centoze oli characterized by its green colour, fruity fragrance, and rich, complex aromatic composition. These qualities have made the company winner of numerous national and international awards. and recognized by Slow Food Presidium.

https://www.oliocentonze.com/?lang=en

Let’ s spice it up !
Let me introduce Italipepe a factory born in 1969 in Rome from the passion of Alfonso Vitaletti. Italpepe exports spices, aromatic herbs, seasonings and salts to 35 countries around the world. It offers a wide range of references including black pepper, chilli, saffron, turmeric, ginger with its properties, oregano, superfoods such as maca, spirulina, moringa, baobab among others.

Santa is coming from a very cold land, perhaps he would love a hot, spiced up drink….
Shall we give him a warm welcome?
The Italipepe Spice Up Your Cocktail line, created by the Chef Davide Mazza, brings home the originality and innovation of the best international mixologists. Nine aromatic mixes (Gin Tonic, Spritz, Mojito, Margarita, Negroni, Irish Coffee, Daiquiri, Hugo and Bloody Mary) able to give refined and intriguing nuances to the most popular cocktails you grind the product directly into the drink and let yourself be amazed by the refined aromatic notes released by fascinating combinations of flavors. Easy!

https://italpepe.com/linea-cocktail/

His Majesty, King Panettone

There are several legends about the birth of the panettone.
The most common dates back to the 1476. It tells of Ugo, a young falcone who worked for Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. The boy was secretly in love with Adalgisa, daughter of Toni, the most popular baker in Milan. To spend more time with her, Ugo managed to become a pastry cook apprentice. Christmas was coming, and Ugo wanted to give a twist to the usual bread.He sweetened up the dough, adding sugar, butter, eggs, raisins and chopped candied fruits, then he cooked and shaped it like a giant muffin.-The novelty instantly became the talk of the town. Everybody wanted the new Toni’s bread (pan de Toni) soon named panettone.

This year panettone comes for sunny Sicily , created by starred chef Pietro D’Agostino of the Restaurant Capinera of Taormina, available at the Rinascente in Catania, Palermo, Milan and Rome. Pietro D’Agostino’s panettone is characterized by its Sicilian character, thanks to the addition of orange, lemon and mandarin peel or raisins soaked in passito di Pantelleria.

Pietro D’Agostino , a Michelin starred Panettone

What about a panettone with the the flavor of the sea ?
To celebrate the 2021-2022 Holidays, Chef Antonio Scarantino, with the support of the master pastry Andrea Urbani, created a Xmas cake with unusual ingredients: ginger, candied lemon and nori seaweedf adding a sweet and iodized new taste. The result is a fragrant, unique and original sensory experience: a sea of ​​sweetness. Let’s go swimming!

Chef Scarandino of “AlMare” Restaurant in Fano with his unusual panettone dessert

Il Pandoro
The special edition signed by Rustichella d’Abruzzo of the classic dessert of the Christmas Holidays. The star shape, the delicate vanilla scent and the softness of the dough make it the most popular dessert of the Christmas holidays. An artisanal product of the highest quality, the result of a confectionery art based on rigorous and careful respect for the rising times of the precious dough.

Let it shine!
Bottega Stella is a Brut sparkling wine of great personality that originates from a special cuveé obtained from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Glera grapes. The bottle of great and immediate impact portrays a constellation on its surface. The blue background highlights the stars that shine intensely, thanks to the LED light bulb placed at the base of the bottle and which can be activated through the simple flip of a switch. Original and refined, Bottega Stella is an intriguing suggestion for exclusive parties, informal events or evenings with friends.

Ready to toast?
Let Costaripa do the honours! Try Campostarne, a delicious and highly digestible.red wine created together with Christiaan Barnard, aged for at least 12 months in small white oak barrel, this wine is delicious and highly digestible, boasting a bouquet of flowers and forest fruits, blackberries and raspberries.
To say goodbye to 2021 and welcome to the New Year, Costaripa suggests Mattia Vezzola Rosè, an elegant rosè caracerized by an effervescence and persistent perlage with little bubbles, with an Intense, well-rounded aroma of ripe fruit with hints of forest fruit.

CESARE ZUCCA Travel, food & lifestyle.
Milanese by birth, Cesare lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world. He photographs and writes about cities, cultures, lifestyles. He likes to discover both traditional and innovative gastronomic delights. Cesare meets and interview top chefs from all over the world, ‘steals’ their recipes in a ” non touristy tourist ” style

Merry Christmas!
Buon Natale!

.




Barbera d’Asti and Monferrato wines

The black grape varieties typical of Piedmont, Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Freisa are splendidly represented, while, always remaining in the Monferrato significant is the. Consorzio dell’Asti e Moscato d’Asti which protects the production of Moscato d’Asti, the main resource of the territory.

The real lord of the table is Barbaresco We have landed in the wonderful world of Tenuta San Mauro (Castagnole delle Lanze) ancient family history and passion. From mother Clara, Mauro took the pleasure of wine with the defense of authenticity at all costs; from father Ettore, he took the love for the land, for ancient agriculture, its traditions, its values. Tradition and challenge is the family motto.

The real lord of the table is Barbaresco We have landed in the wonderful world of Tenuta San Mauro (Castagnole delle Lanze) ancient family history and passion. From mother Clara, Mauro took the pleasure of wine with the defense of authenticity at all costs; from father Ettore, he took the love for the land, for ancient agriculture, its traditions, its values. Tradition and challenge is the family motto.

La Tenuta San Mauro

The Tenuta boasts excellent wines, including Alta Langa, a balanced, creamy and intense white with hints of dried fruit and ideal for fish dishes, white meats and medium-aged cheeses, Barbera d’Asti ruby red color, enveloping taste with hints of wild berries. Perfect with elaborate red and white meats, game and full-bodied first courses, a delicious Rosé that Chef Bongiovanni has unusual paired with a sensational Fassona tartare, rigorously cut by hand.

Rosè e fassona

Tenuta San Mauro offers rich tastings: more than two hours to experience the Barbaresco Experience with 3 ranges of the fabulous red or the Selection Experience, with a mix of rosé, chardonnnay, barbere, barbaresco and with a great fnale of Moscato d’Asti. All accompanied by local cheeses and cold cuts, bread and small pastries. Cost per person Euro 25 -35. Reservations  online

il Barbaresco della Tenuta San Mauro

A GREAT PUMPKIN FACIAL NOT TO BE MISSED….

From beer to purifying masks, passing through delicious recipes, decorations and even musical instruments, the pumpkin is considered the queen of autumn for its sweetness and versatility. All the parts are used: peel, pulp, seeds, elements to be used not only in the kitchen.

Pumpkin pulp can be used to soothe skin inflammations, while the peel can be used for minor burns. Also rich in fiber and antioxidants, it is an excellent ally of the diet and is a friend of our skin. Finally, the seeds, which help to prevent cystitis, because they contain cucurbitin, a substance that contributes to hindering pathologies of the male and female urinary tract.

me getting a pumpkin facial at Aqualux Spa. in Bardolino, Italy

Drink a pumpkin tea to better face the change of season. It is rich in vitamins E and F, mineral salts, proteins and carbohydrates. If we add lemon and carrot to our drink it becomes even more effective .. How to prepare latisana? S Boil the pulp, boil and crush the seeds and then cook again. Filter, add the pulp and blend. Add the lemon juice and the chopped carrots. Boil for 10 minutes! your herbal tea is ready!

…e poi la zucca fa bene alla pelle e allo spirito…

NEXT STOP BARDOLINO , GARDA LAKE , ITALY

Hotel Resort Spa AQUALUX in Bardolino, Garda Lake , Italy


Bardolino, Lake Garda.
For a facial, BIO – Spa di Aqualux has opted for the queen of winter vegetables, rigorously selected among those coming from farms that do not use fertilizers or pesticides.

iIn the Spa of Aqualux in Bardolino, the pumpkin is the protagonist of an exclusive sustainable wellness treatment, a real energy booster!, suitable for skin care, rich in carotenes, pro-vitamin A and various minerals, including phosphorus, iron

The vegetable sponge is obtained from the pumpkin and is used to clean the dishes and in the shower. Beauty products are quick and easy to prepare, sustainable, economical and good for you, as pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc. You can make a mask with pumpkin pulp and aloe for the face, the effect will be that of a light natural lifting or a scrub with pumpkin and brown sugar, which will make the skin of the body softer and smoother or even a pack to revitalize icapell icon cooked pumpkin, coconut oil and lemon juice


After removing the mask, a delicate and relaxing massage will help to enhance the tone, firmness and brightness of the face. Finally, a warm infusion of red apple and cinnamon, particularly useful at an energizing and stimulating level. The facial treatment lasts about 50 minutes and costs 70 Euros.

INFO

AQUALUX

Il teatro di Paolo Poli

Milan, On the sixtieth anniversary of his debut. Teatro Gerolamo host the exhibit Il teatro di Paolo Poli (the documents of the Giorgio Cini Foundation from the artist’s personal archive) shows images and materials from the personal archive of the great actor,
Curated by Maria Ida Biggi and composed of original documents from the artist’s archive, the exhibition resumes and enriches the initiative carried out in Venice after the donation and was born from an idea of ​​Roberto Bianchin, consultant and former artistic director del Gerolamo at the time of its reopening, in 2016, after 33 years of closure. Milan.


The exhibit hosts clips of Poli’s shows, rare original and unpublished photographs, autographed letters, telegrams form theater celebrities, postcards, playbills, programs and room booklets, scripts and director’s notes, scores of the music he personally selected, press review articles and various study materials. and work, as well as beautiful sketches for the amazing costumes and props created by the set designer and costume designer Santuzza Calì.

Actrice Lucia Poli, Paolo’s sister, introduced the Exhibit then performed on stage withher “solo” show “Walking around with my authors” .
She spoke about her friendship with brother Paolo and how deeply the theater influenced her life form the child till now .

Poli was one of the first ever actor en travesti, and one of the first openly homosexual public figures. playing on stage celebrated woman like an irreverent version Santa Rita da Cascia,
I asked Lucia what was her very first reaction , when saw her bother wearing woman clothes…”Not a big deal, she answered, . I remember that Paolo, me and my 2 sisters, used to drees up with Aunt dresses and play drama, comedy or music… was fun and kind of normal.


Lucia’s theatrical carrier never stopped, on stage with her bother or alone.
About choosing her repertoire Lucia says “In my journey I stumbled upon words and I was enchanted. Because words and literature have always been my first source of inspiration, the oldest love. And it happened that the favorite authors decided for me the stages, the directions and often the contents of my theatrical adventure.

The Exhibit IL TEATRO DI PAOLO POLI
November 6-22, 2021 at the Teatro Gerolamo, Milan


Italy, Ciociaria Territory, near Rome . Cabernet Sauvignon has been grown, since 1860

For generations, the Ciociaria companies have been producing sheep and goat cheeses, grazing animals, farm animal rennet. Among the most delicious are Caciofiore, Pecorino di Picinisco, Conciato di San Vittore, the Marzolina slow food presidium.

To pair a “pecorinoso” dish, nothing better than a glass of the vigorous cabernet produced by Masseria Barone, in the heart of Ciociaria, both the gold Atina “Ricucc” and the Riserva “Marcon”, with their hand-painted label, are perfect companions. journey of Lazio dairy excellence.
The cabernet of Masseria Barone, dated 1800 and inhabited by the famous Baron Brancalasso. How much history and how many traditions in the Ciociara food and wine …

Cabernet Sauvignon has been grown, since 1860, on the sunny hills that frame the historic center of Atina. After careful harvesting and manual selection of the best grapes, an accurate vinification follows from which this elegant and powerful wine is obtained.

A patient aging in French oak barrels allows the development of a complex and intense aroma. Brilliant red with intense garnet reflections. The taste shows sweet tannic notes in balance with a structured and persistent body.

PASTRY CHEFS, CAKES & DESSERTS RECIPES Articles by Cesare Zucca

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THE MONASTIC CUISINE OF THE MARCHE REGION

TLA CUCINA MONASTICA MARCHIGIANA
Ninth stage ‘of the spirit’ at the San Giacomo Restaurant
SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER – 8.15 pm in Montepandrone (AP) –
A step back into the history, secrets and recipes of monastic cuisine.

Discover the ancient culinary traditions of monasteries, abbeys and convents to rediscover the simplicity of food and flavors.

‘The Monastic Cuisine of the Marche’ is the title of the ninth food and wine event at the San Giacomo restaurant, within the project funded by the Department of Agriculture of the Marche Region. A ninth stage ‘of the spirit’ that aims to enhance a heritage of knowledge and flavors that has been handed down for centuries and that tells of productions characterized by authentic tastes and intense aromas.


The monastic cuisine of the Poor Clares preferred natural ingredients and made dishes that were not very elaborate and particularly varied. The menu chosen by the San Giacomo restaurant intertwines typicality and customs and combines them with Doc and Docg wines of the Piceno area:

WHAT WILL YOU EAT
Bruschetta (Clarisse di San Lorenzo in Belforte del Chienti), Crispy Crostini (Benedictine of Santa Maria delle rose Sant’Angelo in Pontano ), Chestnut broth (Clarisse di Atri), Maccheroncini with humid Marchigiana (Clarisse di San Giuseppe Pollenza),


Macaroni pie (Clarisse di S. Maria Maddalena Serra dei Conti), Chicken with green olives (Clarisse di S. Chiara di Montegiorgio), Salad with tanned oil (Clarisse di Jesi), Ice cream (Benedettine di San Marco Offida). The wine pairing will be carried out by the most popular wineries in Italy: Le Canà, Le Caniette, Allevi Maria Letizia.


‘Marche: from the vineyard to the table’ is the regional call created to support producers of quality wines and the catering sector in view of the post Covid reopening, allocating resources for promotional and tasting projects of quality food products, starting from wines with certified denomination.
Cost: 35 euros including wines
info in english
https://www.ristorante-sangiacomo.it/en/it/cucina-dello-spirito.cfm

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Fano, Italy. Discover a delicious fish dish!

By Cesare Zucca

Italy. Fano is a seaside resort and town, located about 12 kilometers southeast of Pesaro.
It is the third largest city in the Marche Region and a tourist destination for those looking for a first-rate cultural, historical and environmental heritage.

Fano offers visitors, tourists and locals the opportunity to enjoy the sea and the delightful countryside of the hinterland. If you have never visited Fano, I suggest you to add it in the list of future weekends.
You will not be disappointed!

La Torre d’Augusto

No to be missed
L’Arco di AugustoPalazzo Montevecchio
il Giardino Storico di Piazzale Leopardi
Fontana della Fortuna
Mura Augustee ( Augustus Walls)

Le mura Augstee e la Fontana della Fortuna

Maria Nuova Church
Piazza XX Settembre
Museum Civico e Pinacoteca nel Palazzo Malatestiano hosting the magnificent Guercino‘s painting “The Guardian Angel”

Guercino‘s painting “The Guardian Angel”

THE BRODETTO FEST
Every Year Fano celebrates the most iconic local fish dish : the brodetto .
The brodetto is a dish born on board fishing boats as a soup of “poor fish”. A super mixture of mazzole, monkfish, dogfish, weever, ray, boccaincava, St. Peter’s fish, mantis shrimp, cuttlefish, redfish were cooked with oil, onion, tomato paste and vinegar.

The brodetto is the result of the historical and profitable “cultural” and “material” exchange between fishermen and gardeners, between sea and land. It was born as a poor dish of fishermen who used that low quality fish difficult to sell. The ingredients provided are extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, yellow pepper and tomato Fish varieties can vary, but should be at least seven, including ray, mullet, cuttlefish, big head, walnut, cod, sea cicala , sole, mussels, clams, redfish, scampi.

BrodettoFest 2021
This year edition was set up by Omnia Comunicazione that managed to create an extraordinary food & wine bonanza, featuring Michelin starred Chefs, show cooking, meetings, kid games, culinary talks and tastings of the best brodetto in the Region.

Here come the Stars!

Three amazing dishes prepared by Michelin starred Chefs. From left RISOTTO RIVIERA ADRIATICA by Alberto Faccani, SPAGHETTO BREZZA MARINA by Michelangelo Mammoliti, CALAMARATA WITH ALKERMES by Silvia Baracchi


The United Cities of Brodetto
Sounds like a new nation! and a very tasty one!
Five chefs showed their skills while cooking different styles of brodetto.
The winner? All five of them… dishese were delicious.

Five different styles of brodetto, one common denominator: a slice of a crunchy roasted bread
you can add unusual extra ingredients , like peppers, saffron or passatelli pasta
The five dishes created by the Chefs from the Marche

Brodetto Experience. Let’s take a class!
From the fish market to the home table in an authentic and convivial atmosphere.
Let’s learn how to cook brodetto together! – Tour to the fish market in Fano to buy fish, then travel to a Show cooking soup in a country house .
With a small group of four ( the lucky ones…) with lived the brodetto school experience. The adventure started quite early in the morning, shopping around the Fano great Fish Market, in order to choose the best ingredients to male the best brodetto ever….

shopping for the right type of fish at the Fano Market
TUQUI Tour Adolfo and with the lovely Ivana, a brodetto expert.

We were guided by Adolfo Ciuccoli, from TUQUI Tour, a travel agency specialized in discovering the Marche Region, aiming to emotionally involve the traveler, who becomes the main actor of the experience.

“Absolutely no clams or mussels in the authentic brodetto! ” Sentenced Signora Ivana the cook in charge of the Experience… “Let the mussels be in my “Pepata” on the side”
et voilà! the brodetto is served ! Buon Appetito!

What In the glass?
Certainly a Bianchello del Metauro, a white white produced in the Marche with the Biancame and long white Malvasia vines, It is a precise, young and versatile wine, with a straw yellow color and a dry, fresh, pleasant taste of wild thyme,
My fav are Asdrubale e Pian dei Fori from Azienda Agricola Mariotti Cesare,

Two Marche excellencies : Bianchello Mariotti Cesare, and Fossa Cheese from Sogliano

The Bianchello d’Autore Project is from the union of some historic producers of Bianchello Metauro DOC and has been entrusted to the experience and professionalism of a careful choice of nine local producers, whose labels bring to the table a wine that can accompany with harmony the most varied dishes, especially those of fish, including the brodetto, a true icon of the Marche cuisine.

Great meals! what about ending with an amazing coffe?
Sure, but must be a moretta!
Moretta Fanese, is a pretty alcoholic corrected coffee originating from the city of Fano also widespread in neighboring areas and cities.
It is strong and sweet, and is usually drunk as a digestive after meals or as an afternoon energizer, since the correction is an alcoholic blend based on aniseed liqueur, rum and brandy.

2021 Brodetto Fest did not ignore it , on the contrary set up the Moretta Competition, featuring barmen and cocktails expert form all over the region and awarding Nicolas Vincenzetti as Best Moretta Maker 2021, The secret ingredients of his winning coffee? ….Anized drink Varnelli, coffee grounds, sugar syrup, lemon peel, rum and brandy, banana juice.
Try to make your own at home!

Brodetto Fest 2022 will be back next year! Check online and Add the dates to your calendar!

Bologna: sleeping at Palazzo

Un’indimenticabile notte a Palazzo.
Il Palazzo Gregorini Bingham
vanta 200 anni di storia, arte e cultura. Fu disegnato dal celebre architetto Camillo Morigia e in seguito divenuto residenza del Conte Riccardo Bingham e di sua moglie Adelaide Gregorini.
Il Il palazzo offre sei suites, dotate di ogni moderno comfort e arricchite da stucchi, stemmi, pavimenti antichi e tutti i beni artistici rinnovati da un accurato restauro per preservare la loro resistenza e la capacità di trasmettere energia. Scoprirete inaspettati elementi artistici, come pavimenti originali, stemmi ottocenteschi, affreschi che ornano i soffitti, oltre a  suggestivi saggi di restauro che trapelano dalle pareti.

Le suites propongono allo stesso tempo una esperienza confortevole, frutto di una ristrutturazione e di un design che mescola elementi artistici a un’ assoluta cura dei dettagli tecnologici di ultima generazione. Ho scelto la Suite Exagon, chiamata così per il soffitto dal disegno esagonale, un ambiente antico e nello stesso tempo contemporaneo. Ho apprezzato i tessuti speciali e biancheria rigorosamente di artigianato italiano.


Il Palazzo non serve la prima colazione (peccato, mi sarebbe piaciuto sedermi in uno dei salotti e gustare un capuccino con chsisà quale dolce delizia…) però in camera troverete tutto il necessario per un buon caffe o un the mattiniero, compresi deliziosi biscotti al cioccolato.

Qui l’eleganza contemporanea si manifesta attraverso materiali nobili come il legno, i marmi e i metalli satinati si alternano in uno stile che accoglie e custodisce. Il servizio, discreto e attento, è sempre disponibile ad ascoltare le esigenze degli ospiti, nel completo rispetto della loro privacy.

il Capriccio e la Ragione

Fabrics vagary at the Museo del Tessuto, 1700 amazing embroidery, biscuits dated 1858, how to became a crewelwork artist and more…

At the top of my list
The Museo del Tessuto hosting the exhibit Il Capriccio e La Ragione ,

me, having a great time at at the exhibit

Here you will find a luxurious display of embroideries, silks, brocades, and lampasses from 1600, when new nations were discovered and new costumes  images and stories were imported to Europe.

Porcelains, paintings of landscapes, and the new profession of the fabric painter  starting from the vagary of remembering antique historical ruins to portraits either official or private.
France launched and updated this elaborate fashion, stating different styles, from bizarre to dentelle, to the beautiful drawings of Jean Revel, a major figure in Lyonnaise silk from the 18th century and a pioneer of the French style, who carried his innovative style beyond the courts of Versailles and Paris.

WHO IS FRANCESCA TOLOT ?

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FrancescaTolot

Francesca Tolot is probably as famous as the celebrities she’s worked on. Originally from Italy with a fine-arts background, Francesca had already made a name for herself in Europe working on powerhouse editorials for the likes of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, before moving to Los Angeles and landing her first major job with none other than Madonna herself.

Ofra Cosmetics teamed up with ‘the one and only’ Francesca Tolot to bring a capsule collection which not only embodies Francesca’s style but gives makeup lovers the opportunity to really tap into their creative side…The rest, as they say, is history and her impeccable yet unique style made her one of the most sought after makeup artists in a very short amount of time.

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She’s renowned for her work with pretty much every singer, actress, supermodel, fashion magazine, designer campaign you can imagine .Think…Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Valentino, Mercedes Benz…just to name a few, her incredible book One Woman 100 Faces is a must. It exhibits a collection of her work over 20 years of her career and it’s a visual feast to say the least.

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A BEAUTY STOP IN HAMBURG

Here it comes the time for beauty and relaxation, all signed by NIVEA

Nivea on the street
Nivea beauty treatments

After a long walk, it is right to take a relaxing break in Jungfernstieg, in the heart of Hamburg with a fantastic view of the Alster river. Here Nivea Haus awaits for you, this is the official store of the famous face cream, born in Hamburg in 1929. Here you can find classic or brand new creams for face and body, cosmetics, revitalizing treatments, relaxing massages, as well as manicures and pedicures.

Plus a really cute souvenir: your ‘Nivea’. You ‘ll be photographed and in a second …you’re on the cover of the famous blue box. I couldn’t resist …

So, what do you think?
Am I fine for a cream cover?