Roberta Garibaldi, scientific director of East Lombardy –European Region of Gastronomy 2017, made a compelling plea to safeguard and enhance quality local food and wine products such as Slow Food Presidia, as well as culinary traditions, to support a sustainable food supply chain and an integrated and authentic tourist offer.
Her intervention took place at the 27th edition of the Slow Food Guide, Osterie D’Italia, 29 October 2016 and presented at SAPS – Agnelli Cooking Lab headquarters in Lallio, in the province of Bergamo. This authoritative gastronomic guide selects each year the best restaurants in Italy offering excellent food in respect of culinary traditions and authenticity.
The event took place in the framework of East Lombardy –European Region of Gastronomy 2017, and featured a special lunch including a showcooking by four Slow Food labelled restaurants, each representing one of the provinces involved in the project.
As a starter, Trattoria Dentella, from Bracca (Bergamo), offered a crêpe with the typical cheese formai de mut and local black truffle. Hostaria Viola, from Castiglione delle Stiviere (Mantua), prepared first course, a traditional risotto with Mantuan sausage. Second course consisted of pork in a sauce made with locally grown apples and rooibos tea cooked by Trattoria La Madia, from Brione (Brescia). To finish on a sweet note, Caffè La Crepa, from Isola Dovarese (Cremona) prepared a parfait with torrone and Lake Garda’s lemons.
East Lombrady was awarded the title European Region of Gastronomy 2017 at Expo Milan, under the patronage of DG Growth of the European Commission. East Lombardy’s plan for 2017 includes many events to celebrate and build citizen awareness about the importance of culinary traditions. The European Region of Gastronomy Platform and Award aim to contribute to better quality of life in European regions, by highlighting distinctive food cultures, educating for better health and sustainability and stimulating gastronomic innovation. IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism) organises the award with the support of European institutions. It is an international network of experts that aim to guide, facilitate and support leaders in cities, regions and cultural projects to understand the potential of their distinct food, culture, arts and sustainable tourism assets.