GRANI FUTURI 2025, UN MERAVIGLIOSO WEEKEND… AL PANE

Testo & Foto © Cesare Zucca

La mia dieta dice “niente pane”... ma devo ammettere che ho trasgredito (alla grande) in occasione di un saporitissimo weekend nell’incanto del Gargano, Puglia, dove si è vissuto un percorso tra sacralità e tradizioni, tra leggende e storie di oggi.

In occasione dell’evento Grani Futuri 2025 è nato un itinerario tra i luoghi più mistici del Gargano, dal Convento di San Marco in Lamis, al mistico Santuario di San Matteo allo straordinario Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo , passando per il Convento di Padre Pio a San Giovanni Rotondo., dove devoti di tutto il mondo si recano in pellegrinaggio.

Grazie alla guida di Michele Bruno, mi sono immerso nei paesaggi aperti del Tavoliere delle Puglie, tra le spighe mature dei campi di Zilletta di Brancia.

Grani antichi, farine vive e storie contadine ci conducono alla radice di un pane che racconta la terra di chi ancora oggi sa custodire il tempo. Nei campi assolati, rivivono la mietitura a mano e la molitura a pietra, con la pazienza e la bellezza delle origini. Verissimo lo slogan “Se l’amore avesse un profumo, sarebbe quello del pane appena sfornato”

Nell’oasi all’aperto del Convento di Stignano. a due passi da San Marco in Lamis, si è celebrato un rito serale di condivisione del pane,
“Complici ai Fornelli” un plotone di top chef provenienti da località pugliesi e italiane.

(l’elenco completo e i loro ristoranti a fine articolo)

LA VIA DEL PANE
Agriturismo Le Caselle (Rignano Garganico) ha ospitato la “Via del Pane”,un progetto di speranza che unisce la Puglia attraverso il valore della terra e della cultura agricola.LE SEI REGINE DELL’ARTE BIANCA
Sono sei le città pugliesi simbolo dell’arte bianca • Altamura (BA), Guagnano (LE),
Laterza (TA), Andria (BT), Mesagne (BR), Monte Sant’Angelo (FG) •
Sei imperdibili località che costruiscono insieme un percorso di identità e sapori.Lungo questo simbolico cammino, prende forma un momento di confronto tra i sindaci e le comunità, per riconoscere nel pane un segno di appartenenza, dialogo
e visione condivisa.

SUA MAESTA’ IL PANCOTTO
Profumi e sapori del cibo da secoli è l’eccellenza “povera” della cucina pugliese … “povera” si fa per dire, “squisita”  lo è di certo! Basta vedere come gli Chef pugliesi hanno servito le loro “nuove versioni” dello storico “pancotto” e dei tradizionali piatti di pane.

Protagonista è il “pancotto”, piatto umile e universale, proposto sia in versione tradizionale che innovativa, sempre utilizzando i pani caratterizzanti ciascun comune coinvolto.
Tre top chefs: Nicola Martella di Peschici, Lele Murani di Foggia, Michele Pizzigoni di Lesina, uniti in una missione d’ eccellenza: servire una loro ricetta tradizionale e crearne una innovativaCome non innamorarsi di queste ricette tradizionali  e della loro “new version”?
Da quella con cipolla. peperone, pomodor,cime di rape e cubetti di salumi, una ricetta che Chef Michele ha “rubato” alla Nonna.
La sua versione innovativa si ispira a una riedizione sempre “al recupero” con uova, pasta brisè, parmigiano, tagliatella di seppia, guanciale e germogli di borraggine. Da Premio Oscar!!

Più tradizione di così…Chef Nicola punti a classici ingredienti: pane. patate, basilico, il tutto amalgamato in una cremosa e fresca tentazione. Per l’innovazione, si riallaccia ai ricordi del classico pesce farcito e inserisce nel calamaro un ripieno di pane e pecorino. Piatto top.

Chef Lele si dirige verso verdure e erbe spontanee, in un profumato tripudio di odori e sapori, tra cui spiccano bietola, cicoria selvatica, rucola, pomodorino. E le famose polpette? Eccole rivisitate, rigorosamente in pane da recupero, insaporite da pasta di pomodoro, soffritto di acciuga e verdure. Bontà!

Super host di Grani Futuri 2025 è Antonio Cera dell’insuperabile FORNO SAMMARCO situato nel centro storico della suggestiva San Marco in Lamis, una colorata cittadina dove potrete scoprire le donne del luogo, vestite alla maniera antica.

Indossano i costumi della tradizione, con lunghe gonne colorate, elaborate camice lavorate a mano e sfavillanti ori al collo, spesso intente a portare a destinazione il pane appena sfornato.

Nella cosiddetta “palude”, primo nucleo abitato del paese, scoprirete austeri forni e vezzose botteghe orafe in un percorso che narra il pane e l’oro come gesti d’arte, bellezza condivisa e memoria viva. Tra le mani che impastano e quelle che cesellano, nasce un racconto di inclusione tra cuore e cultura.San Marco in Lamis è nota anche per le manifestazioni del Venerdì Santo che culminano con la preparazione delle “fracchie“, enormi coni di legno, realizzati con grossi tronchi tenuti insieme da cerchi in ferro, che vengono accesi all’imbrunire e fatti circolare per il paese su appositi carri in occasione della Processione della Madonna Addolorata.

IL PANE E’ DI SCENA
In un sorprendente spettacolo tra mito, pane e risate, esplode il fantasmagorico Rito d’Iniziazione dell’Accademia delle Corna (Putignano).
Questa tradizione, che affonda le sue radici nella satira e nella tradizione popolare, vede un corteo di uomini (i “cornuti”) sfilare per le vie del paese, indossando abiti griffati dall’associazione, accompagnati da canti e balli affidati ad “attori” più o meno improvvisati e “gaudenti”Un weekend che auguro a chiunque, dieta o non dieta!
IN CUCINA… ECCO CHI C’ERA

Tutti gli chefs, i fornai e dove trovarli.
Luigi Nardella (Masseria Montaratro – Lucera), Giovanni Ingletti (XFood Ristorante – San Vito dei Normanni), Nicola Di Lena (Virgola Pasticceria Terapeutica – San Vito dei Normanni Con Michele Sabatino (CASA SABATINO – Apricena),Primiano D’Addetta (LAKE CAFE’ – Lesina), Alfredo De Luca (Ristorante LA TAVERNA DEL PORTO – Tricase), Luigi Tedone (MASSERIA SCANNAGATTA – Corato),

Massimo Ferosi (Ristorante IL PRESIDENTE – Lucera), Pietro Zito (ANTICHI SAPORI – Montegrosso), Agostino Bartoli (GATTO ROSSO – Taranto)
Errico Recanati (Andreina * Michelin – Loreto), Domenico Cilenti (Porta di Basso * Michelin – Peschici) e Tiziano Mita e Felice Campanale (Borgo Egnazia – Savelletri),

Luigi De Vita (IL MANISCALCO – Mattinata), Luigi Centra (AL SOPPALCO – San Giovanni Rotondo), Michele Sabatino (CASA SABATINO – Apricena), Gaetano Pezzicoli (OPUS ART EVENT – Lesina)

Una personale menzione speciale a Iginio Ventura (Gelateria PINAGEL – Peschici) che ha sbalordito il pubblico con un gelato all’ amarena piccola, in purità,And last but ot the least, la “supersonica” Diana Pia Pignatelli (Agriturismo LE CASELLE – Rignano Garganico) che, oltre a una tradizionale panzanella e un inedito vitello alle pesche, ha servito una parmigiana che mi ha fatto esclamare ” Questa parmigiana è davvero….una parmigiana !”

I MAGNIFICI FORNAI
Salvatore Curatolo (FORNO FANTASMA -Cagnano Varano), Massimo Vitali (PANETTERIA VITALÌ – Cesenatico), Catello Di Maio (CESTO BAKERY – Torre del Greco), Francesco Arena (FRANCESCO ARENA MASTRO FORNAIO – Messina), Nunzio Ninivaggi (IL PANE DI NUNZIO – Altamura), Orazio Chiapparino (D’ORAZIO PIZZERIA – San Giovanni Rotondo), Francesco Paolo Mango (VIRGA&MILANO GROUP Palermo),Vincenzo Maddalena (Castelluccio dei Sauri), Antonio Cera e Pietro Borazio (FORNO SAMMARCO – San Marco in Lamis).

Un grazie speciale a Antonio Cera, Ester, Alessandra, Ludovico, Antonella Millarte, Michele Bruno e tutto l’agguerrito Team di Grani Futuri. Mi avete fatto vivere un’esperienza meravigliosa, dieta o non dieta….
Arrivederci a Grani Futuri 2026 !

Cesare Zucca
Milanese di nascita, vive tra New York, Milano e il resto del mondo. Viaggia su e giù per l’America e si concede evasioni in Italia e in Europa. Cesare fotografa e racconta città, culture, stili di vita e scopre delizie gastronomiche sia tradizionali che innovative.
Incontra e intervista top chefs di tutto il mondo, ‘ruba’ le loro ricette e riporta il tutto in stile ‘turista non turista’.

 

 

CALABRIA: A HOT AND TASTY DESTINATION!

Test and Photos by Philip Sinsheimer, Cesare Zucca
This unforgettable trip began in Lamezia Terme, as for many visitors coming from elsewhere in Italy or the rest of the world . Lamezia is much more centrally located on the Tyrrhenian Sea and at a short distance from the Ionic coast, Also the international Lamezia airport is minutes away from the main train station, Just a 15 minutes drive and you will discover the best place possible to relax after a long trip and enjoy our first bite of Calabria.Welcome to Hang Loose Cottage in the small community of Gizzeria Lido, but it really is a world of its own, above the sea and boasting a gorgeous swimming pool embodying the spirit of the place.
The individual cottages have everything you can dream of for relaxing at your own pace. Freedom is the key feeling that emanates from the place. A well-appointed kitchen with table and high-chairs let you prepare a meal if you feel like it, the super comfortable king size bed will let you sleep as long as you wish and an upper level will make the perfect loft for children or friends.
Relaxed in spirit, but high-end in style. The dazzling bar welcomes you in the main structure where sits the restaurant with floor to ceiling windows.For dinner you ll have to taste the most traditional Calabrian peperoncino product: n’duja. a spicy spreadable pork sausage. It is sold in butcher shops but also supermarkets, and specialty stores. Here it was served along the best grissini I have ever tasted, due to their irregular shapes: the thicker parts had a bit of chew and the thinner ones were super crispy.
During dinner, ask for peperoncino and you may have some whole fresh peppers, as well as chopped dry peppers mixed with oil, showing how ubiquitous the product is. Both were as flavorful as they were hot!
The chilled Greco white wine from Cantine Statti was the perfect complement to temper the heat. Made from the local grape called pecorello, it is pale in hue, but definitely bright and lively in the mouth with a beautiful acidity, carried by lingering minerality and aromas of citrus and white flowers.
To cool down, you also have the pool, of course, but the beach isn’t far at all. Hang Loose Cottage can arrange to drive you down to their Private Beach Club, located in Gizzeria Lido, less than 10 minutes away.right in the the Pesce Anguille beach, famous throughout the world for its annual Kitesurfing World Championships.This area is known for having strong winds and you’ll have your chance to kitesurfing, windsurfing, stand up paddle (sup), sailing, canoeing. All the equipment is there and the experts too to show you the ropes of the activity
For those who prefer to remain on the sand and indulge with earthly pleasures, a restaurant welcomes you to savor the products of the sea you have before your eyes.
Try a selection of them cold as a generous antipasto, then cooked in a perfectly prepared in a traditional hand made pastaNot to get dehydrated, the restaurant offers an impressive selection of local wines, including the beautiful Cerauto Grisara which has the roundness and body that makes it a wine fit to match the flavorful cuisine.
It is hard to leave Hang Loose Cottage, but if you want to explore and hit the road, you don’t have to go far to be delighted, down or up the coast.
To the South,Tropea is only one hour or so by car.
What makes the fame of the city is not only the beauty of its center, but the beautiful beaches that spread below the cliffs.
After a nice swim, we tasted the cuisine of Chef Dario at the helm of Tropea Sunset Beach Club. . The beautiful airy and full of light of the restaurant matches the preciseness of the cuisine. Vongole and mussels combined were perfectly cooked, still plump and juicy, to honor their incredible freshness. Here too, peperponcino was brought fresh and whole to the table to bite into it at will.
The maître d’ was also a great addition to the pleasure procured by the food. Extremely knowledgeable and kind, he approved the choice of a sparkling wine which revealed to be a good match foodwise but also in the general ambiance of the restaurant, airy, bright, simple but not boring, with a hint of sophistication.

What a wonderful sea in Tropea!
And what a desire to enjoy a catch of the day, perhaps on a terrace overlooking the blue. Sunset Beach Club) a restaurant perfectly in tune with the magnificent panorama.At the helm we find Chef Dario Jannello, who confesses to me that he has always been “curious in the kitchen”, since the age of 8 … and the results are evident, a sincere, lively, tasty cuisine… Here the fish triumphs, starting with the cod meatballs, also in the “gourmet” version with potatoes, caciocavallo silano and tomato chutney, to the crispy breaded anchovies (but how good they are …) served with nduja mayonnaise.I then enjoyed an exquisite mussels with pepper and a dish of linguine and clams that tasted of the sea,

All washed down with an excellent Almaneti Liprandi, a label well known to local and non-local enthusiasts. The cellar boasts 150 labels, 80% of which are Calabrian. Sunset Beach Club Tropea is a perfect place for a lunch, a romantic dinner or an unforgettable aperitif with tapas.

Foodwise, Tropea is also known for the famous red onion that carries its name. It definitely grows in the area, and I actually noticed a whole field of them right next the Hotel Stromboli where we stayed, just a bit down the coast in Capo Vaticano.

Besides the neighboring fields that dominate the sea, guests of the hotel tend to watch the beauty of the sea that you can enjoy from the beach and the terrasse of the restaurant down the road or just from your balcony where sunsets showcase the famous Stromboli island and its volcano as a black pyramid licked by the drowning sun.
From Lamezia, you can also take the the coast  towards Basilicate
Less than 1 hour away, you’ll find Amantea, a small town that prides itself on also growing Tropea onions, seen as a Calabrian product consumed from coast to coast, and not the exclusive possession of the town that gave its name to them. to savor cuisine of the area, we got to dine at Molo Bretti Restaurant. a seafood restaurant attached to Baia Di Tempsa Hotel.
The food was delicious…We loved the stuffed spiny lobster served of rich home made paccheri.
This hotel is the perfect base to enjoy the beach, but also to explore the hidden gems up the hills. Winding roads among gnarly century-old olive trees and flowers that bloomed only yesterday take you to a small group of “borgo” , traditional villages where the complicated Calabrian history awaits in the form of crumbling castles that once permitted to observe, away from the coast, approaching invaders or looting pirates.
If those made it to the shore and attempted to seize the perched villages, castles became real fortresses capable of withstanding aggressions from a dominant standpoint and survive within closed walls thanks to savvy reservoirs of water and foodstuff like grain.

We started our “borgo adventures in Savuto where the views are enjoyed from the castle remains. From there, we hopped to Cleto

Where we were hosted to have an aperitivo along with, you guessed it, some n’duja on crostini as well as olive spread, different charcuterie and cheese. The local red wine (Savuto classico from Antichevigne) was robust, but not heavy or cloying. But, what stoof out for me was the collection of “amaro’ liquors, including the Rupes one flavored with peperoncino: not hot per se, but leaving a little tingling on the tongue. . Another stand out was the Jefferson which gets its strange name from the date of its creation in 1871!

From Cleto, we hopped to another hill to visit the beautiful village of Aiello, rich in history and counting several noble mansions (like the Palazzo Cybo-Malaspina).

No time to dine, but the Osteria Malaspina is a gastronomic reference in the area, thanks to the chef-owner who has an impressive collection of Calabrian wines. Not to be missed is the various local honeys you can get at Bernardo Apicoltura.
Back to Amantea, one gourmet stop that cannot be missed to finish the day is to get a gelato at Sicali. It’s a real institution in the area, and beyond, for the creaminess of its biggest hits (orange and pistachio), as well as a stuffed pastry which recipe is kept as a family treasure not to be shared.

In just a few days and less than a 60 km drive up or down the coast from Lamezia, you get to taste how rich the history of Calabria is and how bountiful the area is in terms of products, wines and noteworthy restaurants. This gastronomic tour is far from being over. Next, we’ll take you up North to discover wonders along the sea and inland treasures. Viva Calabria

Sunset Beach Club Tropea

Italian version followed by English version

Benvenuti in Calabria !
By Cesare Zucca

Che mare meraviglioso a Tropea!
E che voglia di gustare un pescato del giorno, magari su una terrazza che si affaccia sull’azzurro. Ho scoperto Sunset Beach Club) un ristorante perfettamente in sintonia con il magnifico panorama. Al timone troviamo Chef Dario Jannello, che mi confessa di essere sempe stato un “curioso in cucina”, fin dall’età di 8 anni…e i rusultati si vedono , Una cucina schietta, vivace , gustosissima.
Qui il pesce trionfa, a cominciare dalle polpette di baccalà, anche nella versione “gourmet” con patate, caciocavallo silano e chutney di pomodoro, alle croccanti alici impanate (ma quanto sono buone…) servite con maionese alla nduja.Ho poi gustato una squisita impepata di cozze e un piatto di linguine e vongole che sapeva di mare,

il tutto annaffiato da un ottimo Almaneti Liprandi, etichetta ben nota agli amatori locali e non. La cantina vanta ben 150 etichette, di cui 80% calabresi

Un luogo perfetto per un lunch, una cena romantica o un indimenticabile aperitivo con tapas.
INFO
Sunset Beach Club Tropea

English Version

Welcome to Calabria!

What a wonderful sea in Tropea!
And what a desire to enjoy a catch of the day, perhaps on a terrace overlooking the blue. I discovered Sunset Beach Club) a restaurant perfectly in tune with the magnificent panorama.At the helm we find Chef Dario Jannello, who confesses to me that he has always been “curious in the kitchen”, since the age of 8 … and the results are evident, a sincere, lively, tasty cuisine… Here the fish triumphs, starting with the cod meatballs, also in the “gourmet” version with potatoes, caciocavallo silano and tomato chutney, to the crispy breaded anchovies (but how good they are …) served with nduja mayonnaise.I then enjoyed an exquisite mussels with pepper and a dish of linguine and clams that tasted of the sea,

All washed down with an excellent Almaneti Liprandi, a label well known to local and non-local enthusiasts. The cellar boasts 150 labels, 80% of which are Calabrian

Sunset Beach Club Tropea is a perfect place for a lunch, a romantic dinner or an unforgettable aperitif with tapas.

INFO
Sunset Beach Club Tropea

BEST FOOD FROM ITALY June 2025

Riso Ebano by Hera nei Campi
Two hundred years ago one of the best Italian rice was grown in Salerno – considered one of the best ever. Today Hera nei Campi brings rice back to Campania, to the uncontaminated Piana del Sel

A rice of excellent quality, that captured the attention of writers, philosophers, poets and chefs who mentioned ‘Salerno rice’ at court banquets. There are numerous testimonies from poets, gastronomes, philosophers and chefs who mention ‘Salerno rice’.Ebano grows in the countryside with a very low demand for energy and inputs: less water, less fertilizer, no fungicides. To control weeds, it is possible to carry out an intense mechanical control activity thanks to its significantly postponed sowing.

Super perfumed, it has a spiced and roasted aroma, with scents of  coffee, cocoa and olive sauce. Ideal for of tasty dishes such as risottos with shrimps, asparagus, porcini mushrooms, finger food, sushi and arancini. Cooking time: 37 min
Ebano Rice by Hera nei Campi

The Circle ‘s pestos and rubs
From an innovative aquaponic cultivation come exclusive products designed to enhance the authentic taste and quality of aromatic plants and baby leaves.Each recipe creates seasonings of the highest level, capable of enriching each dish with intense, natural and surprising flavours.Among the products I choose Pesto Oriental, with mustard, mizuna, japanese spinach, arrugula,  parmesan cheese and cashews. It is refined and bold, thaks to an accurate selection of the best oriental leaves. Ideal for creative dishes with a light spicy touch
.Also in the vegan version as the Pesto Oriental Vegan 100% vegetable, with an intense and spicy aroma, perfect for those who love strong, natural and characterful flavourMediterranean Rub a fragrant addition to your mediterranean cuisine, with sea salt, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, thyme, lemon, sweet paprika, garlic, fennel. .A true explosion of Mediterranean scents, with selected herbs for balanced marinades and dressings. Ideal for fish dishes, white meats and fresh salads.
The CircleCarefully elected and and hand-picked from the best farms of Khorasan, ROSSORO Super Negin it s an organic iranian saffron that does not use any kind of fungicide and picking poison and represents the highest quality in terms of flavor and aroma.

Without coloring or food flavors, it is the perfect choice to add extraordinary color, flavor and aroma to your dishes, desserts and drinks. For maximum color and flavor, dissolve a small amount of saffron in hot or boiling water, then add it to your dishes or drinks.

Perfect for dishes such as risottos, soups, stews, cous cous, fish and meat, pastas and international recipes, Ideal for making desserts such as saffron sweet rice, saffron ice cream, cakes and biscuits, saffron tea
http://rossoro.org/
In the Marche, a region considered among the greatest hidden gems of Italy, in a small town located between the Adriatic Sea and the Sibillini Mountains Park, I found the house and the laboratory of La Pasta di Aldo a name that represents the first syllable of the surnames of Maria and Luigi, husband and wife.

I love the pappardelle, very similar to tagliatelle, but wider and capable of giving intense sensations. When chewing, the more accentuated grain size of the semolina does not go unnoticed, a full flavor both from the taste and tactile point of view. Here the ideal condiment is represented by full-bodied sauces based on hare and wild boar.Chitarrine with squid back ink . Smelling the cooking steam you can sense that imperceptible scent of squid ink that makes them so original. Enhanced with white fish-based sauces, they also go very well with vegetables and extra virgin olive oil.And finally the glam Pasta e Cacao, artisanal specialty with roasted cocoa bean husks and nibs, slowly air dried by traditional method, with an intense color and a unique aromatic profile, capable of enhancing savoury dishes with a creative and surprising touch.i deal with sauces based on mature cheeses, porcini mushrooms, game.nuts and gorgonzola cheese, a white powder cream or simply with butter and spices.
www.lapastadialdo.it

Did I make you hungry?

Cesare Zucca                                                    Born in Milan, lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world. He travels up and down America and allows himself escapes in Italy and Europe. Photographs and describes cities, cultures, lifestyles and discovers both traditional and innovative gastronomic delights. Meets and interviews top chefs from all over the world, ‘steals’ their recipes and tells you all about it here,                                                            in a ‘non touristy tourist’s style’

 

 

BEST OILS FROM ITALY, Milan Tutto Food 2025 Edition

Milan, the last TUTTOFOOD 2025 was an ideal opportunity to discover and review the best extra virgin olive oils. The fair was a springboard for new products, but also for reviews and tastings of products already on the market. A great bonanza for oil lovers! Those amazing olive oils aren’t just taste, but emotion, memory, identity. Here my choices.

The Azienda Agraria Bacci Noemio practices organic farming. The cultivar present is moraIolo. The olives are harvested at initial ripening starting from the beginning of October, It is a rare oil because it can be produced in limited quantities. It is precious, it enhances the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine, excellent paired with grilled meats, side dishes of beans, potatoes and spinach. Perfect for grilled or boiled fish, soups and vegetables such as turnips or on a caprese salad or on sautéed vegetables.

www.oliobaccinoemio.it

A JUMP TO SICILY!
A VuccIria
debuted with the donation of the La Vucciria luminaria placed at the entrance of via Maccheronai,Palermo,  in front of the historic market, immediately becoming an icon of the city. The product’s strong points are the quality of the 100% Sicilian production and the careful design of the packaging that collects the Sicilian tradition in colors and shapes, which represents on the label the symbol of the “stidda” the star of the Sicilian cart.

The Biancolilla extra virgin olive oil stands up for a delicate pale yellow colour. with light greenish reflections, a medium fruity fragrance with hints of almond. It boasts a slightly spicy, delicate and pleasant taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The Nocellare del Belice– cold pressed, with an intense fragrance with herbaceous hints,: and a fruity taste, slightly bitter and spicy
www.avucciria.com
In Sicily, between Etna and the Mediterranean olive trees have been growing for over three thousand years. Frantoi Cutrera harve the olives before they are fully ripe to preserve their taste, properties and aromas.They were among the first in the world to understand that early harvesting and processing of olives within a few hours are among the most important factors for the production of special oils.Their Primo is produced on the Iblei Mountains, at 350-450 meters above sea level, fr
Bright green with an intense fruity taste,with pronounced notes of green tomato, freshly cut grass and fresh aromatic herbs. Perfect with grilled meat and fish, soups and salads, bruschetta or caprese, raw on grilled vegetables and greens. The Sicilia come from the union of the oils produced by these two cultivars, Biancolilla and Nocellara del Belice, produces a very balanced blend. The result is a medium intensity oil with floral notes of artichoke, freshly cut grass and fresh aromatic herbs, an intense aroma and a persistent spiciness. This perfect balance is the result of decades of know-how.
https://frantoicutrera.it/
Olio del Cardinale
There was a small village on the edge of a hill, where very high quality olive oil had been produced for centuries. This oil, with a balanced and intense flavour, was known as “the cardinals’ oil” and had conquered the tables of the most prestigious courts.

Legend has it that a group of cardinals, passing through the area, stopped to taste the local oil. It was love at first sight and they decided to buy large quantities of it to take it with them to Rome. The prestige of the papal court in Rome, the only place where the cardinals’ oil could be found, contributed to the diffusion of the product, to the point of making it a true symbol of culinary excellence. The name “Cardinale’s Oil”, was given in honor of those cardinals who were its first ambassadors.The Cardinale’s Oil is the most emblematic extra virgin olive oil of the company, the result of the wise experience of Luigi Tega since 1946. This oil is obtained from a careful selection of the best local cultivars such as Moraiolo, Leccino and Frantoio, to obtain an unparalleled oil, characterized by a medium fruity taste with a progressive spicy, balanced with a pleasantly bitter aftertaste with vegetal notes that recall the freshness of freshly cut grass.

APULIA IS WAITING!
Are you ready for a sensory explosion that conquers at first taste?
Here two brand new oils produced by iconic Perilli Family , active from 1949. They stand out for the intense fruitiness blends with seductive notes of freshly picked artichoke and fresh almond. A sublime balance between vibrant spiciness and elegant bitterness, which transforms every drop into pure gastronomic magic.

Puglo, Terra di Bari, Bitonto produced and bottled in its area of origin, obtained from coratina  and ogliarola, intense taste , perfect with red meat, vegetables and spicy dishes, a superior category, obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means. Puglo Organic 100 % italian,  extra vergin olive oil cold extracted, Ideal to pair delicate dishes, fish, white meat. Both olis are definetly a superior category, obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means, they have spendid, colorfull labels.
www.puglio.it

We are now in the center of Puglia, among churches, monuments, trulli and castles. It is a land of centuries-old olive groves, crossed by sheep tracks and the “Oil Roads”. It is the region with the largest production of extra virgin olive oil in the world. Frantoio Galantino dated 1926, is at the gates of Bisceglie, a charming medieval town overlooking the Adriatic Sea, an ideal place for growing olives but also a popular tourist destination, entertainment center and important archaeological site. Affiorato It is made by following the ancient method of affioramento, which involves hand-picking a very small percentage of oil that forms spontaneously on the olive paste before pressing. full-bodied in appearance, perfect harmony between delicate aroma and  fruity taste.
https://www.galantino.it/

Let’s move to Ferre, a district in the Castellaneta countryside (Taranto, Apulia) known for its particularly fertile lands. It is a valley between the sea and the hills: the Ionian Sea and the Murgia hills. The microclimate is truly benevolent, it breathes the sea breeze and smells of Mediterranean scrub.

I love Le Ferre flavored extra vergin oils based on natural extracts of Mediterranean plants, spices, dehydrated essences or aromas from a controlled supply chain To be used preferably raw before serving the dish, to enhance it or personalize its final flavour or during cooking, to enhance some flavours or, more simply, to add the ingredient that is missing in the pantry! I tried the orange and peperoncino, so good!
www.olioleferre.com

Montagano monovarietal of Peranzana , an olive that plays an important role in the list of Italian agri-food excellences. combined with the elegance of the White Élite line, perfect for enriching your tables or simply as a refined gift idea. Its fruity aroma is dominated by notes of fresh grass, almonds and ripe tomatoes. Peranzana olive oil reveals a balanced, bitterish and pleasantly spicy taste thanks to the discreet polyphenolic charge with clear notes of almonds and aromatic herbs, with an undertone of artichoke and tomato.
This extraordinary fruit has a deep connection with Puglia and in particular with the north-western part of the province of Foggia, between the municipalities of San Severo, Torremaggiore and San Paolo di Civitate, where it has found ideal conditions to thrive and develop.
www.aziendamontagano.com

CALABRIA :SPECIAL GUEST
“Where there is the scent of olives, there is home”, says the Consorzio Olio di Calabria IGP that brought to TuttoFood the soul of the Calabrian land, made of sun, wind, deep roots and hands that tell ancient stories. We applause the President of the Calabria Region Roberto Occhiuto and the Councilor for Agriculture Gianluca Gallo, always attentive to the gastronomic excellence of Calabria and the development of new markets for the regional agri-food sector.

Ten thousand centuries-old olive trees of the carolea cultivar are the identity heritage of the Costantino company that produces, with absolute dedication, the prized organic extra virgin olive oil Lametia DOP  with an intense green, bitter and spicy fruitiness. The nose perceives aromas of leaves, grass and tomato. On the palate, the sweet opening gives way to an evident bitterness and a powerful and persistent spicy, but balanced and fresh.  High quality and 100% Italian,

The olives, processed with cold pressing, reach the company mill within 4 hours of harvesting to preserve their nutritional properties and obtain a genuine oil with a unique taste. 60 hectares of olive groves that surround and embrace a company that, like few others, is organized in harmony with the vital cycles of nature and developed according to the criteria of fully sustainable agriculture. On the palate, the sweet opening gives way to an evident bitterness and a powerful and persistent spicy, but balanced and fresh. Available also in pink garlic and peperoncino flavours.
OliveOII Costantino

In the heart of the Piana di Lamezia Terme, the agricultural heart of Calabria, ninety people work in the Azienda Agricola Statti on three hundred hectares of centuries-old olive groves,“Working here means producing complex vital energy, striving to increasingly integrate the different crops in a harmonious and dependent way.” say Alberto and Antonio Statti.

The carolea olive on the hill looks at the Mantonico, Greco and Gaglioppo espaliers, with their uniqueness what is typical and true that the Calabrian land offers on the tables of the world, for more than two thousand years. And for two hundred the Statti Family has directed this vital orchestra, with the simplicity of always.

Statti oli brings an intense taste of olive, herbs, and artichoke, with a full fruity texture, able to enhance your dishes, perfectly pairing with with grilled fish, fresh mozzarella, vegetables and those succulent calabrian hearty pasta dishes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Statti

Cesare Zucca                                                 Born in Milan, lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world. He travels up and down America and allows himself escapes in Italy and Europe. Photographs and describes cities, cultures, lifestyles and discovers both traditional and innovative gastronomic delights. Meets and interviews top chefs from all over the world, ‘steals’ their recipes and tells you all about it here, in a                             ‘non touristy tourist’ style.

 

 

 

WELCOME TO THE “BALERA”

The Nuova Balera Pizzigoni is a ballroom where emotions, dances, songs and loves intertwine, all in a magic space from the 40s that manages to create a refuge of dreams and passions. The story takes place during the great snowfall in Milan in 1985, the music is very varied from the intimate song “Non arrossire” by Giorgio Gaber to the “Tango della gelosia ”  to “Tutti i frutti” by Little Richard.
The stage is set up like one of those dance halls that were very fashionable in the last century: round tables, red chairs, a bar and a small band, On stage we find the actors Lucia Vasini, that recalls the evocative moments of this historic place. Enrico Ballardini, Sara Bertelà’, Alessandro Sampaoli, Emilia Scatigno. Four energetic  dancers: Michelle Atoe, Arianna Cunsolo, Mattia Molini, Christian Pellino. The trio of musicians: Alessandro Centolanza, Daniele Di Marco), Gianmarco Straniero
Written and well directed by Emilio Russo.
Teatro Menotti, Milan.

 

What would happen if the “Promessi Sposi” were suddenly transported to the Milan of Design and Fashion?

What would happen if the “Promessi Sposi” were suddenly transported to the Milan of Design and Fashion?
Cosa accadrebbe se i “Promessi Sposi” fossero improvvisamente trasportati nella Milano del Design e della Moda?

On April 24th, Teatro Manzoni in Milan will host Stralusc, a contemporary and danced reinterpretation of one of the classics of Italian literature, I Promessi Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni.


In the show, the protagonists Renzo and Lucia become two young today’s people the Monaca of Monza is a star of the “Fashion week”, the Bravi and Don Rodrigo are popular Tik Tokers…
The action unfolds with a tight rhythm and the show takes us to a land made of dedication, illustrious characters, ambitious goals as well as a solid, yet poetic sense of reality. The music is also taken from the Lombard hits of Nanni Svampa, Ornella Vanoni, Mina, Giorgio Gaber up to the disco dance ’70/’90.


A very interesting project, directed by Gisella Zilembo with the artistic installation by Ivan Nadin. On stage we find an excellent cast: Andrea Cheldi, Beatrice Risiglione, Ester Papini, Luca Guastadini Mike All, Roberto Masiero, Sebastiano and the Maitre du Ballet Tiziana Fiandra

To buy tickets online
https://www.teatromanzoni.it/acquista-online/?event=3766070
and Ticketone

Serralunga d’Alba: l’incanto delle Langhe, il maestoso Castello e la super ricetta di Mamma Maura

Testo e Foto di Cesare Zucca
(Italian version followed by English version)

Oggi vi porto alla scoperta di una perla nel cuore delle Langhe, in Piemonte: Serralunga d’Alba, tipico borgo medievale, sovrastato da un imponente castello medievale e circondato da colline ricoperte di vigneti. Un paesaggio stupendo e famoso in tutto il mondo, così come le bottiglie pregiate che vengono prodotte nella zona. Il paese è circondato da celebri vigneti a nebbiolo da Barolo, mentre nelle sue cantine si affina il “re dei vini” per la gioia dei grandi intenditori di tutto il mondoIL CASTELLO
Slanciato, maestoso, considerato uno degli esempi meglio conservati di castello nobiliare trecentesco del Piemonte, rappresenta un unicum in Italia. La roccaforte svetta verso il cielo ha infatti la struttura architettonica di un donjon francese con le alte torri, baluardi dell’avvistamento, da cui si può osservare la singolare struttura urbanistica dalle case disposte in modo concentrico per favorire l’accesso della popolazione in caso di guerraDalle finestre dell’edificio è possibile godere di una vista spettacolare su tutta la Langa fino all’arco alpino, un panorama che toglie il fiato specie nelle giornate più terse.
Il Catello è visitabile da maggio ad ottobre: giovedì pomeriggio 14.30 -18.30; da venerdì a lunedì e tutti i festivi: 10:30 – 13:30 e 14:30 – 18:30. L’accesso al castello è consentito esclusivamente con visite guidate (durata 45 minuti), Una visita da non perdere …E POI … TUTTI A TAVOLA!
Ho scelto la Cucina di Langa dell’Agriturismo Schiavenza in Via Mazzini 4, capitanata da Emanuela Pira, mamma Maura e nonna Luciana, all’insegna della cortesia e del buon gusto in una vera tradizione di famiglia.

Chef Mamma Maura

Nella grande sala bianca, pulita ed essenziale , con qualche tocco vintage come la credenza della nonna, viene servito un menu con pochi, selezionati piatti della tradizione, come i plin al brasato di barolo, la faraona al forno oltre a qualche rispettosa rivistazione. Concedetevi un goloso pasto annaffiato da un bicchiere di Barolo o Dolcetto rigorosamente locali. Tra gli antipasti, oltre alla tradizionale tartare di fassona, il ricco vitello tonnato e una delicata crepe alle verdure, spicca un delizioso gioiello, il pess coj, un involtino di cavolo di cui Chef Maura  mi ha rivelato la ricetta che troverete a fine articolo.Tra le specialità della Trattoria troverete un ricco assortimento di formaggi :locali: il caprino di Rocca Verano, i formaggi di pecora di Murazzano e la raschera, vaccino stagionato in foglia di castagno.

E SE AMATE I DOLCI….
A Serralunga troverete un vero paradiso di delizie,  dalla classica torta ai biscotti “nisurin”, ai “brutti ma buoni”, ai tartufi dolci, tutto a base di nocciole (la tonda gentile delle Langhe); le torte di castagne, gli amaretti morbidi, i cuneesi al rhum, al barolo, alla nocciola e altri; il torrone di Sebaste tipico di Gallo Grinzane Cavour e sua Maestà il Bonet do cioccolato .La vostra sosta”gourmet” proseguirà nel borgo, scoprirete gli “infernot” tipiche botteghe che offrono una vasta scelta di prodotti in vasetto, e tanti golosità al tartufo, come i , “tajarin”, creme e sughi abbinati ai funghi, un profumato olio tartufato e gustosi formaggi sott’olio.DOVE DORMIRE
Sempre gestito dall’affabile Emanuela, a Perno, poco distante dal borgo, troverete l’ accogliente villetta B&B Casa Schiavenza, dotata di una capace cucina, due bagni, un piacevole terrazzo con vista sulle Laghe, una bella piscina, un garage privato e capace di ospitare fino a 8 persone.

Ecco la ricetta dei PESS COJ (involtini di cavolo) la specialità di  Chef Mamma Maura Ingredienti per 4 persone:
8 foglie CAVOLO VERZA
100 gr SALSICCIA
10 gr PREZZEMOLO TRITATO
1 UOVO intero
40gr GRANA PADANO GRATTUGGIATO
5 gr BURRO
Preparazione
Lessare le foglie di cavolo in acqua salata. Scolare.
Cuocere la salsiccia, tritarla, unire prezzemolo, uovo e grana.
Farcire le foglie con il composto formando degli involtini.
Cuocerli pochi minuti in padella con il burro e aggiungere una spolverata di formaggio.
Buon appetito!

Serralunga d’Alba: the enchantment of the Langhe, the majestic Castle and Mamma Maura’s super recipe
English version
Text and Photos by Cesare Zucca
SERRALUNGA D’ALBA . PIEDMONT
Discover a little pearl in the heart of the Langhe, in Piedmont: Serralunga d’Alba, a typical medieval village, overlooked by an imposing medieval castle and surrounded by hills covered with vineyards. A stunning landscape famous throughout the world, as are the fine bottles that are produced in the area. The town is surrounded by famous Nebbiolo vineyards for Barolo, while in its cellars the “king of wines” is refined to the delight of great connoisseurs from all over the worldTHE CASTLE
Slender, majestic, considered one of the best preserved examples of a fourteenth-century noble castle in Piedmont, it represents a unique example in Italy. The stronghold soars towards the sky and has in fact the architectural structure of a French donjon with high towers, bastions of sighting, from which you can observe the singular urban structure of the houses arranged in a concentric way to facilitate access by the population in case of war.From the windows of the building you can enjoy a spectacular view of the entire Langa up to the Alpine arc, a panorama that takes your breath away especially on the clearest days.
The Castle can be visited from May to October: Thursday afternoon 2.30pm – 6.30pm; from Friday to Monday and all holidays: 10.30am – 1.30pm and 2.30pm – 6.30pm. Access to the castle is permitted exclusively with guided tours (duration 45 minutes),
A visit not to be missed …AND THEN … EVERYONE TO THE TABLE!
I chose the “Cucina di Langa” of the Agriturismo Schiavenza in Via Mazzini 4, led by Emanuela Pira, mother Maura and grandmother Luciana, in the name of courtesy and good taste in a true family tradition.

Chef Mamma Maura

In the large white room, clean and essential, with some vintage touches like grandma’s sideboard, a menu is served with a few, selected traditional dishes, such as plin with braised Barolo, baked guinea fowl as well as some respectful revisitations. Treat yourself to a delicious meal washed down with a glass of strictly local Barolo or Dolcetto.Among the appetizers, in addition to the traditional Fassona tartare, the rich veal with tuna sauce and a delicate vegetable crepe, a delicious jewel stands out, the pess coj, a cabbage roll for which Chef Maura revealed the recipe to me that you will find at the end of the article.Among the specialties of the Trattoria you will find a rich assortment of local cheeses: goat cheese from Rocca Verano, sheep cheese from Murazzano and raschera, cow cheese aged in chestnut leaves.iF YOU LOVE SWEETS….
In Serralunga you will find a true paradise of delights, from the classic “nisurin” biscuit cake, to the “brutti ma buoni”, to sweet truffles, all made with hazelnuts (the tonda gentile delle Langhe); chestnut cakes, soft amaretti, cuneesi with rum, Barolo, hazelnut and others; the typical nougat from Sebaste from Gallo Grinzane Cavour and His Majesty the chocolate Bonet Your “gourmet” stop will continue in the village, you will discover the “infernot” typical shops that offer a wide selection of products in jars, and many truffle delicacies, such as the “tajarin”, creams and sauces combined with mushrooms, a fragrant truffle oil and tasty cheeses in oil.WHERE TO SLEEP
Always managed by the affable Emanuela, in Perno, not far from the village, you will find the welcoming villa B&B Casa Schiavenza, equipped with a large kitchen, two bathrooms, a pleasant terrace overlooking the Laghe, a beautiful swimming pool, a private garage and capable of hosting up to 8 people.

Here is the recipe for PESS COJ (cabbage rolls) the specialty of Chef Mamma MauraIngredients for 4 people:
8 leaves of CABBAGE
100 gr SAUSAGE
10 gr CHOPPED PARSLEY
1 whole EGG
40 gr GRATED GRANA PADANO
5 gr BUTTER
Preparation
Boil the cabbage leaves in salted water. Drain.
Cook the sausage, chop it, add parsley, egg and parmesan.
Stuff the leaves with the mixture to form the rolls.
Cook them for a few minutes in a pan with butter and add a sprinkling of cheese.
Enjoy your meal!

BEST OILS FROM ITALY “Apulia Edition”

Testo e foto di Cesare Zucca

(Italian version followed by English version)

PUGLIA: Sarà le vostra prossima destinazione per scoprire il calore, l’ospitalità, la simpatia delle gente di queste terre che vi  sorprenderanno con  eventi, sagre, feste paesane, suggestive processioni religiose e spettacoli nei quali rivivere le abitudini di un tempo, assporare il contemporaneo e lasciarsi andare ai piaceri enogastronomici.Andare in Puglia vuol dire intraprendere un viaggio all’insegna della tradizione, della storia, dell’arte, del buon cibo e… last but not least spettacolari olii di oiiva che ulivi secolari ci regalano.

OPERA AND AROMA BY AGROLIO

L’Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva Agrolio nasce dalla passione e dal forte legame della Famiglia Agresti, started back in the 30’s by Vincenzo. Imbottigliato in un suggestivo “orcio”, un vaso in ceramica fatto a mano, l’olio OPERA Intenso, ottenuto da olive “monocultivar Coratina”capaci di esaltare note aromatiche di amaro e piccante ed esalta, con poche gocce di olio crudo, il sapore di zuppe di legumi, insalate e verdure

INFO
www.agrolio.com

English version

APULIA  It will be your next destination to discover the warmth, hospitality, friendliness of the people of these lands who will surprise you with events, festivals, village festivals, suggestive religious processions and shows in which to relive the habits of the past, taste the contemporary and indulge in the pleasures of food and wine.Going to Puglia means embarking on a journey in the name of tradition, history, art, good food and… last but not least spectacular olive oils that centuries-old olive trees give us.

OPERA AND AROMA BY AGROLIO

Agrolio Extra Virgin Olive Oil is born from the passion and strong bond of the Agresti Family, started back in the 30’s by Vincenzo.
Bottled in a suggestive “orcio”, a handmade ceramic vase, the OPERA Intenso oil, obtained from “monocultivar Coratina” olives capable of enhancing aromatic notes of bitter and spicy and enhances, with a few drops of raw oil, the flavor of legume soups, salads and vegetables

INFO
www.agrolio.com

 

 

 

Ravenna: 14 Febbraio, trionfa la Festa degli Innamorati

Ravenna: 14 Febbraio Festa degli Innamorati
Niente di più romantico di un San Valentino nella città dell’amore eterno!

di Cesare Zucca
Ravenna, con i suoi mosaici scintillanti e le sue storie senza tempo, è la cornice perfetta per un weekend romantico o per un’esperienza diversa da condividere con chi amata. Vi aspettano momenti emozionanti da condividere con la persona amata, tra vicoli incantati, leggende affascinanti e la magia di una città che ha tanto da raccontare. Tra tour dedicati, angoli suggestivi e sapori autentici, Ravenna vi invita a vivere il lato più romantico e autentico della sua anima, Lasciatevi conquistare da questa città che ha fatto da sfondo a grandi storie d’amore e passioni senza tempo.
Che si tratti di una passeggiata tra mosaici dorati, di un aperitivo con racconti affascinanti o di un’avventura tra enigmi e misteri, non c’è occasione migliore per scoprire – o riscoprire – la città da una prospettiva diversa.
Perché l’amore ha mille forme… e a Ravenna trova il suo rifugio perfetto.
Partendo da Piazza San Francesco, attraverso le vie più suggestive della città, tra scorci romantici e angoli segreti dove l’amore ha lasciato il segno, per passare dalle grandi passioni di nobili casate fino ai piccoli gesti quotidiani che raccontano la storia dei ravennati di ogni tempo.

Lasciatevi stupire dal Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, il Battistero Neoniano e quello degli Ariani, la Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo e di Sant’Apollinare in Classe, la Cappella Arcivescovile di Sant’Andrea, la Basilica di San Vitale e il Mausoleo di Teodorico sono simboli del glorioso passato di Ravenna che difficilmente dimenticherete.

In questa passeggiata guidata nel cuore del centro storico, scoprirete i racconti di amori celebri e leggendari: dall’intenso legame tra Lord Byron e Teresa Gamba alla struggente leggenda di Guidarello Guidarelli. la cui statua è stata fonte di ispirazione per molti artisti nel corso dei secoli, ha suggestionato innumerevoli visitatori e si dice che abbia anche ricevuto qualche milione di baci.La statua si trova nella Loggetta Lombardesca del Museo MAR, e pare sia stata creata avendo a disposizione la maschera mortuaria del cavaliere, che doveva essere del tutto simile al viso marmoreo. Questa scultura è anche stata catturata dall’obiettivo della macchina da presa di Marcello Aliprandi per il film La ragazza di latta (1970). Nei titoli di testa, la protagonista interpretata da Sydne Rome, si china sulla statua per baciare il suo bellissimo volto e le sue labbra marmoreeLasciatevi conquistare da questa città che ha fatto da sfondo a grandi storie d’amore e passioni senza tempo, amori epistolari, casate nobili, ma anche tragedie e tradimenti, amor di patria e tanto altro.
Un San Valentino ravennate è dunque l’occasione ideale per immergersi nell’atmosfera intima e suggestiva del suo borgo, con i suoi vicoli raccolti e i mosaici che catturano la luce e le storie che si intrecciano tra arte e passato.Per chi cerca un’esperienza speciale, il tour guidato “Ravenna Romantica”, condurrà i partecipanti attraverso i luoghi più romantici della città, raccontando le passioni e gli amori che hanno attraversato le sue strade, da Dante a Lord ByronPer chi ama la creatività, un laboratorio di mosaico è un’esperienza sicuramente originale: un momento per sperimentare insieme la tecnica del mosaico e magari realizzare un cuore da portare a casa come ricordo. Un’idea perfetta per chi cerca qualcosa di diverso da condividere, che sia con il partner, un amico o un familiare. E per chi vuole sorprendere con un regalo speciale, presso l’Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche il Mosaic Temporary Shop propone una selezione di oggetti artigianali in mosaico, pezzi unici realizzati da mosaiciste locali che possono diventare un dono perfetto per San Valentino.

INFO
 www.visitravenna.it
Ravenna Incoming 

Milan, Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber “Il nuotatore di Auschwitz”

TEATRO LIRICO GIORGIO GABER TILL FEB 09, 2025

“Il nuotatore di Auschwitz” “The Swimmer of Auschwitz”
Inspired by the true story of Alfred Nakache and the book “A Psychologist in the Lager” by Viktor E. Frankl

Alfred Nakache was a French swimmer of Jewish origin, holder of a world record. In Auschwitz he was prisoner number 172,763. Despite his imprisonment and unheard of privations, he never stopped training by diving into the freezing water of a reservoir. His strength, his unshakeable determination, allowed him to go through the horror of the camp and save himself. When he returned to compete, he achieved a new record and took part in the London Olympics. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, was also interned in Auschwitz. Immediately after the liberation, he wrote a book about his experience and about those who, just like Nakache, managed to overcome that terrible ordeal. The show aims to bring back these two extraordinary figures who communicate a message of hope to all of us: living is certainly also suffering, but seeking a meaning to this suffering by looking towards the future with a purpose is the way to face the hardest challenges that life presents us. In this way, it is possible to finally discover the very meaning of existence.

 Raoul Bova acts as an intermediary to tell the story of the famous French swimmer Alfred Nakache and the Austrian psychoanalyst Viktor Frankl, both locked up in Auschwitz. Raoul dialogues with the audience, also strong in his own experiences as an athlete, bringing his own sensitivity and his own experience to the story. The scene around him becomes essential, composed mainly of lines of lights designed by Marco Laudando and which become the symbol of lanes in a swimming pool, of rails that transport souls full of pain to finally rise to perspective escapes in a tension towards the unknown, the absolute, the search for a spirituality more necessary than ever in an attempt to survive the brutality of the concentration camp. The scene is then enriched by images filmed by Marco Renda that immerse the spectator in abstract yet material and poetic spaces, in an essential black and white, non-places that are mirrors of the soul. Again, the show makes use of the original music by Francesco Bova that builds sound carpets rich in throbs and references, that envelop and sometimes disorientate the spectators, but always with the intent to involve and excite. Because, if the story of an Auschwitz inmate inevitably brings us back to the many testimonies heard up to now, it is true that that of the swimmer Nakache stands out from these to become especially the emblem of a resistance carried forward and achieved with courage and stubbornness. A figure who, to fully emerge, however, needs his “double” – the scholar Frankl, – who analyses and theorises what the instinctive Alfred instinctively puts into action. In this vision Alfred and Viktor are each other’s mirror, they are two sides of the same coin and they merge in an experience capable of giving spectators the ultimate meaning of existence.

Adaptation and direction – Luca De Bei
Lighting design – Marco Laudando
Video contributions – Marco Renda
Original music – Francesco Bova
Assistant director – Barbara Porta
Costumes – Francesca Schiavon

TEATRO LIRICO GIORGIO GABER TILL FEB 09, 2025

Here how to buy TICKETS

La musica da Oscar di Hans Zimmer in un grande concert-show

UNA CARRIERA COSTELLATA DA OSCAR E IMPREZIOSITA DA COLONNE SONORE STRAORDINARIE: IL GLADIATORE, I PIRATI DEI CARAIBI, RE LEONE, DUNE…

Il 31 Gennaio, 1, 2 Febbraio il Teatro Franco Parenti di Milano e il 25 Maggio il Teatro Olimpico di Roma ospitano un eccezionale concerto dedicato a uno dei più grandi compositori di colonne sonore: Hans Zimmer. liberando un’ondata di vitalità, divertimento ed emozioni, sotto un’articolata guida esperta e prestigiosa: la regia di Marco Rampoldi, che da oltre trent’anni porta sui palcoscenici spettacoli di grandissimo successo muovendosi fra prosa, comicità e musica; la direzione musicale di Diego Maggi, Un vero concerto-show, che vede 20 musicisti, coristi e solisti impegnati a animare il palco non solo con la musica , ma anche con movimenti coreografici e inaspettati cambi di costume (divertentissimi i cappeli ricorno dei Piarti dei Caraibi) ambientati con le immagini più rilevanti dei film da cui le colnne sonore sono state tratte.

Hans Zimmer è uno dei musicisti più influente di Hollywood al pari di  Ennio Morricone e John Williams. Ha musicato grandi film. ha vinto 2 Oscar, 4 Golden Globes, 4 Grammy, 1 Tony Award e decine di altri premi. Hans Zimmer ha lavorato in circa 150 pellicole diverse e in oltre 500 progetti complessivi che hanno prodotto incassi al botteghino per circa 28 miliardi di dollari.
«In tutto quello che ho fatto c’è sempre qualcosa che mi piacerebbe modificare – ha dichiarato in un’intervista a Vanity Fair – però sto cercando la grande melodia che non ho ancora scritto: so che è da qualche parte là fuori e questa convinzione è ciò che mi spinge ad alzarmi dal letto ogni mattina»

Sounds of Legends, la musica da Oscar di Hans Zimmer, uno spettacolo-concerto interamente dedicato ai capolavori del grande compositore, riproposti da un ensemble di venti giovani musicisti.

Uno spettacolo imperdibile, che rispetta ed esalta la speciale miscela di sonorità pop-rock, classiche, etniche, ed elettroniche delle composizioni di Zimmer, unite alle immagini sul grande schermo dei leggendari film da lui musicati,

Dalla saga dei Pirati dei Caraibi ai capolavori di Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar, Batman trilogy), dai premi Oscar con Il Re Leone e Dune al record assoluto di vendite per una colonna sonora con Il Gladiatore.

Progetto e regia Marco Rampoldi
Direzione musicale Diego Maggi
Direzione vocale Gianluca Sambataro

Prenotazioni Teatro Olimpico Roma

 

ALICE’s incomparable voice gives us the magical music of great songwriters

by Cesare Zucca
(english version followed by italian version)

I had the pleasure of collaborating on her image at the Sanremo Festival ’81, where Alice triumphed with the song Per Elisa, written by the singer herself together with Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio.
It was an indelible encounter with a truly unique person and artist.
So many musical gems have enriched her repertoire!
From Vento caldo ell’estate, her first real success, to Capo Nord  the touch of Franco Battiato is clearly recognizable, particularly avant-garde, present as co-author and in the arrangements together with Giusto Pio. In 1984 Alice sells over a million and a half copies in Germany, duetting with the German singer-songwriter Stefan Waggershausen in the song Zu nah am Feuer, and participates in the Eurovision Song Contest in a duo with Franco Battiato, presenting I treni di Tozeur, which ranks fifth in the event, then gaining great success both in Italy and abroad. In artistic maturation, . The group of international collaborators also grows with musicians such as Danny Thompson, Gavin Harrison, Jakko Jakszyk of King Crimson. The album’s launch single is In viaggio sul tuo viso, which Alice presents at the Festivalbar; followed by a tour in Italy and Europe up to the wonderful concert at the Verona Arena, with Battiato and Anthony, the unmistakable voice of The Johnsons.
Alice’s new tour “Master Songs” features some of her most cherished and significant songs from her musical production, increasingly oriented towards the search for existential, cultural, spiritual and poetic content. In addition to her own compositions, she pays particular attention to the singer-songwriter genre, with songs by Battiato, De André, Guccini, De Gregori, Dalla, Fossati, Camisasca and Di Martino, which she interprets with the desire to capture and share their essence. Her Master Songs also include some poems by P. P. Pasolini, of which Alice has interpreted “La recessione”, a text by Pasolini set to music by Di Martino
Alice, often on keyboards, is accompanied by the musicians:
Carlo Guaitoli piano and keyboards
Antonello D’Urso guitars and programming,
Chiara Trentin acoustic and electric cello

The show, enriched by video projections, represents a complete artistic experience,
Next concert on January 30th at the Teatro Borsoni in Brescia.
You can buy ticket for Milan and Brescia concerts at
www.vivaticket.com

( italian version)

L’incomparabile voce di ALICE ci regala la magia dei grandi cantautori
Ho avuto il piacere di collaborare alla sua immagine nel Festival di Sanremo ’81, dove Alice ha trionfato con il brano Per Elisa, scritto dalla stessa cantante insieme a Franco Battiato e Giusto Pio. E’ stato un incontro indelebile con una persona e un’artista davvero unica.
Quante
gemme musicali hanno arricchito il suo reperterio!  Dal l vento caldo dell’estate, suo primo vero successo, a Capo Nord: chiaramente riconoscibile il tocco di Franco Battiato, particolarmente all’avanguardia, presente come coautore e negli arrangiamenti insieme a Giusto Pio.
Nel 1984 Alice vende oltre un milione e mezzo di copie in Germania, duettando col cantautore tedesco Stefan Waggershausen nel brano Zu nah am Feuer, e partecipa all’Eurofestival in coppia con Franco Battiato, presentando I treni di Tozeur, che si classifica al quinto posto nella rassegna, riscuotendo poi grande successo sia in Italia che all’estero. Nel maturazione artistica, . Cresce anche la schiera di collaboratori internazionali con musicisti come Danny Thompson, Gavin Harrison, Jakko Jakszyk dei King Crimson. Il singolo di lancio dell’album è In viaggio sul tuo viso, che Alice presenta al Festivalbar; segue un tour in Italia e in Europa fino allo stupendo Concerto all’Arena di Verona, con Battiato e Anthony, l’ inconfondibile voce di The Johnsons. Il nuovo tour di Alice “Master Songs” propone alcuni dei brani a lei più cari e significativi della propria produzione musicale, sempre di più orientata alla ricerca di contenuti esistenziali, culturali, spirituali, poetici. Oltre alle proprie composizioni riserva una particolare attenzione alla canzone d’autore, con brani di Battiato, De André, Guccini, De Gregori, Dalla, Fossati, Camisasca, Di Martino, di cui si fa interprete col desiderio di coglierne e condividerne l’essenza. Nel suo Master Songs anche alcune poesie di P. P. Pasolini, di cui Alice ha interpretato  La recessione, un testo di Pasolini musicato da Di Martino Alice, spesso alle tastieri, è accompagnata dai musicisti:
Carlo Guaitoli pianoforte e tastiere
Antonello D’Urso chitarre e programmazioni,
Chiara Trentin violoncello acustico e elettrico

Lo spettacolo, impreziosito da video proiezioni, rappresenta un’esperienza artistica completa, In cartellone il 20 Gennaio al Teatro Manzoni, Milano e prossimo concerto il 30 Gennaio al Teatro Borsoni di Brescia.
Prevendite per i concerti di Milano e Brescia su
www.vivaticket.com

 

 

 

Milan, Teatro Manzoni : Tootsie goes Musical

What happens to an actor when no agent or producer wants him?
Total crisis? Well, not exactly what happens to Michael Dorsey, talented actor who in a desperate attempt to make his dreams come true, dresses up as a woman and shows up at an audition as Dorothy Michaels. Unexpectedly Dorothyl gets the role and begins her extraordinary rise to stardom,
Great success and so much fame until….

Tootsie the Musical , adapted and directed by Massimo Romeo Piparo, inspired by the iconic 1982 film by Sydney Pollack. is brought to the stage by the unusual but convincing duo of Paolo Conticini and Enzo Iacchetti, while Emanuele Friello enriched the musical with jazz and swing sounds.

Director Massimo Romeo Piparo

Paolo Conticini, who plays Michael/Dorothy,  shines in such a demanding role with continuous changes of costume, voice and attitude. He is escorted by the popular comedian Enzo Iacchetti who plays Jeff, Michael’s roommate, who faces the economic crisis by managing a small restaurant, Great cast of dancers, actors and singers.Enzo said that “with Paolo there is a special understanding, and it is a pleasure to share the stage in a show that speaks of dreams and reality with great lightness and intensity of thought.”
They are really good on stage together, there is great harmony searching how to understanding oneself and the way in which people can reinvent themselves.

Tootsie the Musical on stage at Teatro Manzoni , Milan, untill Jan 1 2025
To get tickets click here

TRENTO Auditorium Santa Chiara
GENOVA Politeama
VARESE Teatro di Varese
BOLOGNA Teatro Europauditorium
FIRENZE Teatro Verdi
TORINO Teatro Colosseo

2024 BEST “PANETTONE” FROM ITALY

by Cesare Zucca

Christmas is about sharing dinners at home, with relatives and closest friends, and even the menu reflects habits and customs that are repeated every Christmas Eve.
In Italy and all over of the world, milanese panettone remains the inevitable end of the meal to be presented on the tables.

There are several legends about the birth of the milanese panettone.
The most common dates back to the 1476. It tells of Ugo, a young falconer
who worked for Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan.

6_Anonimo

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“.

Here my choiches for the best 2024 panettone from Italy.

CLASSICO by RUSTICHELLA D’ABRUZZO.
Rustichella d’Abruzzo offers the classic panettone, typical of the Italian confectionery tradition. Soft and fragrant, Made with the precious sourdough, full of fragrant candied fruit and exquisite first-choice sultanas.It also comes in a baby size called Panettoncino” great for snacks or tea time. Rustichella also offers a savory panettone, with semi-dried cherry tomatoes and pecorino. inspired by the Abruzzo cake, it is a pleasant alternative for those who do not like sweets and want to accompany it with a nice glass of Montepulciano. Noteworthy is the typical checked tea towel that wraps it, an original wrapping that tastes of AbruzzoA flavor and aroma that will conquer you. MIO by PIETRO D’AGOSTINO
Michelin starred Chef D’Agostino launches a mango and peach panettone. “It is extremely delicate and fragrant,” says Pietro, “we didn’t even have to go too far to pick up a basket of delicacies grown behind the house, which also give us the feeling of being in the Tropics.”. The orange peels are accompanied by raisins soaked in an excellent passito wine from Pantelleria. From the rich undergrowth of Vulcan Etna, the typical yellow apples in a caramelized version with brown sugar and cinnamon, then softened by a white chocolate glaze, while wild raspberries are processed and immersed in dark chocolate, for a triumph of deliciousness. You can reserve Pietro’s creations by sending an email to info@pietrodagostino.it and it will be sent directly to your home.

SOPHIA LOREN by Caffè Masulli
The legendary actress s giving the joy of tasting her special panettone, made in collaboration with the famous artisan pastry shop ‘Caffè Masulli’ that was able to capture the exuberant personality of the Neapolitan diva, creating a panettone enriched with Mediterranean flavours of apricot and almonds . Masulli pastry shop is located in Somma Vesuviana (Naples) on the edge of the rare orchards that produce the Pellecchiella apricot, which has a unique flavor because it is grown right on the slopes of Vesuvius.

The most iconic dessert of Italian Christmas, a product of the highest quality, obtained with a mother yeast that has belonged to the same family for 100 years. You chan choose betweem three versions: “Classic” with raisins and candied fruit., “Apricot”with the unique pellecchiella apricots from Monte Somma and “Coffee” (my favorite!)I MARIGLIANO
Giovanni and Alessandro, are the founders of the company “I Marigliano”, an excellent confectionery company in San Giuseppe Vesuviano (Naples) Their desserts are steeped in childhood memories, happy moments spent with family. They manage to transform simple ingredients into creations that bring warmth to the hearts of those who taste them. In 2022 he won a first prize at Re Panettone with an innovative leavened product, but he also goes strong on the classic This year the two brothers offer a line of soft leavened products dedicated to traditional holidays, such as panettone , produced with sourdough passed down through generations and with carefully selected high-quality ingredients, just like everything produced by Marigliano.MASSA BON by DANIEL CANZIAN
Top chef Canzian created MassaBon Panettone, from the Venetian dialect “too good”, which is characterized by a surprising softness, a delicate taste and a fruity aroma given by the roasted apricots; the fruit pulp, baked in the oven and worked just to guarantee a natural flavor, is enclosed in the alveolation of the dough and offers a delicate aroma to the product, as well as an extremely creamy consistency. What makes it unique is the use of Roasted Orange Paste, an iconic preparation of the chef, free of aromas and preservatives, with a very low percentage of sugar, created in the kitchens of DanielCanzian Ristorante according to the classic Italian preparation and conservation method.
Chef Canzian advices to heat the panettone in the oven at 160° for 5-7 minutes before tasting, in order to emphasize the sweet and natural fragrance of the fruit, making it even creamier on the palate. Those desserts can be purchased online at the oniine chef’s Boutique, or at his Milanese restaurant in Via Castelfidardo corner of San Marco.

Have a Merry and Sweet Christmas!
BUON NATALE !

2024 BEST “PANETTONE” FROM ITALY

CLASSICO by RUSTICHELLA D’ABRUZZO.
Rustichella offers the classic panettone, typical of the Italian confectionery tradition. Soft and fragrant, Made with the precious sourdough, full of fragrant candied fruit and exquisite first-choice sultanas.Ingredients: Wheat flour, fresh eggs, sultanas, natural yeast (wheat flour, water), candied citrus peel (orange and citron peel, glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, acidifier: citric acid), sugar, butter, orange paste (orange peel, glucose-fructose syrup, sugar), emulsifiers: mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids of vegetable origin, fresh egg yolk, whole milk, glucose syrup, salt, skimmed milk powder, natural flavors.
It comes in several versions from the classic to the more refined flavors such as figs and chocolate, orange and black cherry. But Rustichella’s Christmas also offers a savory panettone, with semi-dried cherry tomatoes and pecorino. inspired by the Abruzzo cake, it is a pleasant alternative for those who do not like sweets and want to accompany it with a nice glass of Montepulciano. Noteworthy is the typical checked tea towel that wraps it, an original wrapping that tastes of Abruzzo. A flavor and aroma that will conquer you.

MIO by PIETRO D’AGOSTINO
Michelin starred Chef D’Agostino mango and peach for the 2024 panettone.
“It is extremely delicate and fragrant,” says Pietro, “we didn’t even have to go too far to pick up a basket of delicacies grown behind the house, which also give us the feeling of being in the Tropics.”. The orange peels are accompanied by raisins soaked in an excellent passito wine from Pantelleria.
From the rich undergrowth of Vulcan Etna, the typical yellow apples in a caramelized version with brown sugar and cinnamon, then softened by a white chocolate glaze, while wild raspberries are processed and immersed in dark chocolate, for a triumph of deliciousness.
You can reserve Pietro’s creations by sending an email to info@pietrodagostino.it and it will be sent directly to your home.

SOPHIA LOREN by Caffè Masulli
The legendary actrice is giving the joy of tasting her special panettone, made in collaboration with the famous artisan pastry shop ‘Caffè Masulli’, which has earned a prominent place in the sector, establishing itself on the national and international market. The pastry shop is located in Somma Vesuviana (Naples) on the edge of the rare orchards that produce the Pellecchiella apricot, which has a unique flavor because it is grown right on the slopes of Vesuvius.
The most iconic dessert of Italian Christmas, a product of the highest quality, obtained with a mother yeast that has belonged to the same family for 100 years. You chan choose betweem three versions: “Classic” with raisins and candied fruit., “Apricot”with the unique pellecchiella apricots from Monte Somma and “Coffee” (my favorite!)

I MARIGLIANO
Giovanni and Alessandro, are the founders of the company “I Marigliano”, an excellent confectionery company in San Giuseppe Vesuviano (Naples) Their desserts are steeped in childhood memories, happy moments spent with family. They manage to transform simple ingredients into creations that bring warmth to the hearts of those who taste them.
In 2022 he won a first prize at Re Panettone with an innovative leavened product, but he also goes strong on the classic
This year the two brothers offer a line of soft leavened products dedicated to traditional holidays, such as panettone , produced with sourdough passed down through generations and with carefully selected high-quality ingredients, just like everything produced by Marigliano.

DANIEL CANZIAN
Introduces MI.O featuring roasted orange paste, an iconic preparation of the chef, free of flavorings and preservatives, with a very low percentage of sugars, created in the kitchens of DanielCanzian Ristorante according to the classic Italian preparation and conservation method. In addition to that Daniel created MassaBon Panettone, from the Venetian dialect “too good”, which is characterized by a surprising softness, a delicate taste and a fruity aroma given by the roasted apricots; the fruit pulp, baked in the oven and worked just to guarantee a natural flavor, is enclosed in the alveolation of the dough and offers a delicate aroma to the product, as well as an extremely creamy consistency.
Chef Canzian advices to heat the panettoni in the oven at 160° for 5-7 minutes before tasting, in order to emphasize the sweet and natural fragrance of the fruit, making it even creamier on the palate.
Those desserts can be purchased online at the onine chef’s Boutique, or at his Milanese restaurant in Via Castelfidardo angolo San Marco at a price of €40.00 (1 kg).

 

 

FELLINI DREAM emotional tribute to the genius of Federico Fellini

Teatro Menotti , Milan hosted the debut of NoGravity Company’s FELLINI DREAM directed by Emiliano Pellisari, who also designed scene, costume and lighting and Mariana/P, music producer and principal dancer,

They brought on stage a unique show that blended drama, dance and music, exploring the boundary between dream and reality. Inspired by the visionary genius of Federico Fellini and the suggestive music that Maestro Nino Rota wrote for his longtime friend Federico..The show takies the audience on a visionary journey where actors and dancers moved in a game between verticality and lightness, Only by giving in to gravity, the protagonist achieves peace and elevation, reflecting herself in the mirror like a light figure in the sky.The Company is hosting the talented dancers Francesco Saverio Cifaldi, Giada Inserra, Leila Ghiabbi, Marianna Caratelli, Baolo Tiber while choreographer Emiliano Pellisari and Mariana P designed a suggestive, unreal dance with creating images and figures through the use of bodies as human geometric figures, adopting new choreographic techniques that the No Gravity has developed and performed over the yearsAt TEATRO MENOTTI till 01,December 2024
Via Ciro Menotti 11, Milano – tel. 0282873611
Get tickets Online

 

 

BEST FOOD FROM ITALY

Image

MI.O and MassaBon are the panettone by chef Daniel Canzian for Christmas 2024

Two original desserts characterized by different preparations and aromas, available for pre-order on the chef’s online Boutique.

Milan, October 25, 2024 – MI.O and MassaBon are the panettone that chef Daniel Canzian proposes for next Christmas, two original recipes that are characterized by the softness of their dough and that stand out for the fillings enclosed in their alveolation.
MI.O is the great leavened product signed by Daniel Canzian proposed for the first time in 2019, a dessert that combines tradition, simplicity and refinement. What makes it unique is the use of Roasted Orange Paste, an iconic preparation of the chef, free of aromas and preservatives, with a very low percentage of sugar, created in the kitchens of DanielCanzian Ristorante according to the classic Italian preparation and conservation method.


Panettone MI.O

MassaBon, from the Venetian dialect “too good”, is the second large leavened product proposed by the chef, born in 2023 and characterized by a surprising softness, a delicate taste and a fruity aroma given by the roasted apricots; the fruit pulp, baked and worked just to guarantee a natural flavor, is enclosed in the alveolation of the dough and offers a delicate aroma to the product, as well as an extremely creamy consistency.

Both recipes are born from the collaboration between Daniel Canzian and Albertengo, a Piedmontese company known in Italy and abroad for the production of large leavened products, which prefers the use of raw materials of Italian origin, selects eggs from free-range hens and does not use processed aromas.


Panettone MassaBonw

Any tip how to better serve the panettone?
Heat the panettoni in the oven at 160 ° for 5-7 minutes before tasting, a step that will allow you to emphasize the sweet and natural fragrance of the fruit making it even creamier on the palate.

The desserts can be purchased online at the chef’s Boutique, or at his Milanese restaurant in Via Castelfidardo, corner of San Marco, at a price of €40.00 (1 kg).

Manchester, England. What to see, what to eat, where to stay

MANCHESTER: history, art, football, beer, bees and friendliness

Text and Photos by Cesare Zucca

Welcome to Manchester, England: a mix of Victorian structures, former industrial buildings and spectacular ultramodern constructions. A ballet of styles and architecture often highlighted by the birthplace of world-famous football, a city full of world-class art galleries and a music scene that has seen the local band  Oasis take centre stage. Oh, and bees, which have been the iconic symbol of this city of hard-working, industrious people since 1840, rightly proud of its connection to the industrious insect. When you walk the streets of Manchester, look around and you will see them everywhere.
In Manchester you will discover legendary pubs, trendy restaurants, food markets, vintage record shops, trendy boutiques and the colourful atmosphere of the Village, one of the most famous gay neighbourhoods in Britain. In short: days full of excitement and a nightlife that will have you dancing from dusk till dawn accompanied by generous pints of beer, and what a beer!Ready for your tour of the city?
A great solution will be to join the Free Manchester Walking Tour, a free excursion that every day at 11.00 starts from the Alan Turing Memorial, .
and where you will be accompanied by a guide who will illustrate the history of the city.TO SEE
The Cathedral dating back to 1215 and characterized by its large neo-Gothic tower, the pulpit and the wooden apse and the splendid stained glass windows. John Rylands Library, a spectacular Gothic-style building that houses reading rooms, a library and high spiral staircases.
Manchester Art Gallery, houses collections of fine art, ceramics and costumes.
Manchester Museum, to discover the history of the city
Science and Industry Museum, traces the development of science, technology and industry with an emphasis on the results achieved by the city in these fields.
National Football Museum, a paradise for all football fans and Etihad Stadium, the spectacular home of the famous Manchester City football team. For its innovative design, the stadium won the special award of the Association of Structural Engineers in 2003 and, a year later, also that of the British Architects.VINYLMANIA
Music lovers and record collectors will discover exceptional emporiums, such as the Vinyl Exchange, Eastern Bloc and Piccadilly Records, famous throughout the world. There are also many gems in the suburbs such as the Sifter in Burna, immortalised in the Oasis song “Shakermaker” while in Chorlton, Kingbee Records offers a treasure trove of rare records including the albums by Wet Wet Wet, Meat Loaf, Nirvana, Pearl Jam or a precious Beatles album autographed by Lennon or MacCartney
THE NORTHERN QUARTER
Here we are in Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, the trendiest area of ​​the city. Here you will find the largest number of second-hand shops on a single street in the whole of the United Kingdom. Starting from Piccadilly Gardens to Blue Rinse, a huge vintage shop that sells clothing by the kilo, you will discover many eclectic emporiums including Oxfam Originals, Gone Fishing, Affleck, Cow and Zeffa, known and appreciated for over 40 years.FOOD TO ENJOY
Among the local specialties we find “Lancashire Hotpot”, a stew based on lamb, onions and potatoes, the famous “Manchester caviar” which is in fact a delicious puree of peas, served with meat or fish. Enjoy the pie, a savoury pie filled with meat and vegetables and enriched with an inevitable touch of cheese. “Manchester Egg” is the most representative dish of the city. It is a pickled egg covered in sausage meat, breaded and fried, while among the desserts “Eccles Cake” stands out, composed of two circular layers of puff pastry filled with currants.

“Manchester Egg”

On a weekend in Manchester it is a must to taste the most iconic dish of the city: fish & chips. You will find it everywhere and the best, according to the locals, is The Fish Hut. I have tasted it and I confirm it: tasty, tender, crunchy.
WHERE TO EAT
Mackie Mayor is a street food paradise specialising in international cuisines, from New Wave Ramen to Pico’s Tacos, to vegetarian dishes at Grub, Society, which hosts five excellent local kitchens, while Vocation offers 40 types of craft beers, considered among the best in the world.
Speaking of beer, treat yourself to a stop (or stops…) at the city’s traditional pubs.
Among the most renowned: Pelican, Piccadilly Tap, Beermoth, Smithfield Market Tavern and the historic Marble Arch on Rochdale Road.
My favourite? Wether Spoons Seven Stars, busy, welcoming and very popular with Mancunians, hosts a sensational collection of beers and tasty traditional foods.I loved Sam’s Chop House, a historic pub that has been welcoming Manchester’s foodies with the best of British food and drink since 1868. Check out their menu and you’ll find everything that makes old England. I enjoyed their famous “Corned Beef Hash” topped with poached egg, bacon and gravy, followed by a meat pie and kidney pudding, mashed potatoes and creamed peas….If you want to experience essential and pleasantly alternative cuisine, here is Erst, by chef Patrick Withington. The menu is a collection of small plates designed for sharing, the dishes change depending on whats in season and the quality of the produce availableOne of the most popular dish is the beetroot is chopped into irregular shapes and roasted with some spices, vinegar, brown sugar and olives until beginning to char. They’re served with ajo blanco which is sharpened with sherry vinegar then a sauce made with green chilli and coriander goes on top to freshen it up.

Beetroot, ajo blanco and green chilli one of the most popular dishes on the Erst menu.

WHERE TO SLEEP
Hotel Indigo
Welcome to a charming eighteenth-century structure with a well-deserved 4 stars, literally a stone’s throw from Victoria Station, therefore an excellent point of arrival and departure, well served by a train that will take you to the Airport in 40 minutes. In addition to the standard rooms and the uniquely designed boutique rooms, inspired by the history of the neighborhood.the hotel offers large suites with private balconies from which you can enjoy the view of the city skyline. You will also find a well-equipped gym open until midnight. In Manchester, showers are frequent and often unexpected, if you have not packed an umbrella the hotel provides very useful umbrellas for rent. What a good idea !
The food part is also carefully hospitable, starting from the generous breakfast, up to the restaurant-cocktail bar Mamacium, which serves delicious dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients. You will find a classic British menu with an innovative Northern touch in a fresh and imaginative approach. You will find a classic British menu with a Northern twist in a fresh and imaginative approach. I enjoyed a delicious pie filled with braised beef, cooked in beer and served with tender broccoli, mashed potatoes and a homemade gravy.
At this point, all you have to do is add Manchester on the list of your next weekends dedicated to beauty and taste.
You will not be disappointed!

A special thanksto Elinor Dunn and the great staff of Hotel Indigo.

 
CESARE ZUCCA Travel, food & lifestyle.
Milanese by birth, Cesare lives between New York, Milan and the rest of the world. For WEEKEND PREMIUM he photographs and writes about cities, cultures, lifestyles.art, entertainment. 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