Sunday 30 March, in the splendid setting of Palazzo Arese Borromeo Cesano Maderno in the province of Monza and Brianza, si è la svolta kermesse "A World of Taste"The festival of food and culture aimed to study issues in view of Expo 2015, the Universal Exposition to be held next year in Milan between 1′ May and 31 October.

Cultural initiative sponsored by the City of Cesano Maderno coordinated by Ketty Magni, Antonio Zappa, Eva Musci and Simone Toninato, aimed at enhancing local products and included in the project Supermilano. Up to 16 April sixteen municipalities involved in the events dedicated to the promotion of food, agriculture and artistic heritage, for the rediscovery of its territory and its enhancement.

An event in the round during which through the intervention of writers, Journalists, chefs and producers, we wanted to dedicate a showcase to the local area and its potential. Territorial identity, respect for the land, Agriculture and Sustainability: the keys to get out of the crisis we are experiencing in recent years.

L 'Expo 2015 will be unrepeatable opportunity to see our country at the center of the world. We are ready…? Maybe not yet fully, however, it is our duty to prepare well for everyone as it can enhance its territory, for the future of the new generations.

Gigi Bridges mayor of Cesano Maderno and Celestino Oltolini Councillor for Culture

The event opened with the participation of Davide Oldani, chef and owner of Restaurant D'Or Cornwall, who presented with Davide Oltolini, food and wine critic, his latest book, "Chefacile".

Although I appreciate the creativity of the chefs, I deeply love the simple cuisine of tradition based on good local ingredients that promote Italian agriculture. For this reason, I happily accepted the testimony of Davide Oldani, when, during his speech, cited 'compliance with the farmer' and its determination to bring to the table local products.

Leafing through his book, I appreciated the simplicity of some of the dishes that have accompanied me during my childhood, such as the 'Polenta and milk' or 'omelette and bread'. About, in the first pages there is also the recipe for the dough to clean copper pots. Listen to this short video in which I have taken.

Among the many exhibitors the Baker in Cesano Maderno Gianmario Longoni that offered in the tasting 'Bread Borromeo'Prepared according to a historic recipe. With his friend Gianmario share a passion for the history and traditions. I'll let you know through his words.

“An increasingly strong deviation from the ancient recipes of the past in favor of a standardization of industrial products has greatly corrupted, and continues to corrupt not only tastes, but also the authenticity of the food in question. Handle the dough is an action that goes beyond the raw mechanics and development of a product: create a means to transfer to a food component inanimate, but coming from Nature, a new life.”

Il Fornaio in Cesano Maderno

I love fruits and vegetables. To represent The Orchard Park, a farm of well- 80 acres within the Park Groane.

A few days ago for my birthday I asked my son to give me a tree, or better, I wanted to adopt it in this orchard. An apple tree Red Delicios with my nameplate that will follow during the flowering season, and from which the fruit directly gather.

The Orchard Park Pond Ceriano (MB)

Did you know that saffron cultivation is limited to about 25 ettari in Sardegna, a 8 in Abruzzo, and in small areas cultivated in Tuscany, Walking, Umbria, Sicily and Lombardy for a total of about 35 ha? Well you.

They told me the boys Zafferanamy, a small agricultural reality Brianza born from an experience of production for family use. A highly prized product. Think about that for a pound of saffron stigmas should be collected about 120.000 flowers.

Zafferanami, simple agricultural society Varedo (MB)

Even at the risk of being repetitive I testify again: "I love agriculture and farms!"Do you think that in Cesano Maderno, a short distance from my house, c’è l’Azienda Agricola Villa Marina. A company focused primarily on the breeding of native breeds at risk of extinction. A farm where you can see the cattle Varzese, the sheep Brianza, the goat with four horns, Workhorses, Donkeys, again, pigs, geese and poultry. In short, a wonder!

I will visit as soon as possible to have it learn more, anche perché stanno recuperando con il vinoGroanello, the wine tradition of Brianza already documented in the scrolls of the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria in Milan Aurona.

Welcome guest Allan Bay, wine and food journalist and writer who has presented his latest book 'The dishes of my life'. It made me think his speech devoted to the temperature sanitizing of food often overlooked in the home.

Allan ha sottolineato quanto a volte, cercando la tecnica migliore, you do not pay proper attention to the temperature of food preservation, con conseguenti rischi di malattie a livello gastrointestinali, often not associated with these oversights.

Allan Bay con Ketty Magni

At the conclusion of the event was a roundtable dedicated 'to the flavors of the past and flavors of today'.

Speakers Mauri Corrado President of the Cultural Association 'Living Building', Gianmario Longoni baker in Cesano Maderno, Stephen Pelizzoni professor at the Institute Hotelier Dancers Seregno, lo chef John Gain President of Cooks Brianza, Gianluca Capedri portal and Gastronomist Matthew Knowles, Ornago restaurateur recently awarded by the President of the Republic for his commitment to cultural.

Layer rotonda “The flavors of yesteryear and today's flavors”

Among the realities of the territory are also the 'Tree of ice cream Seregno I've already known and previously reported, the sweetness of the honey Joseph Viscardi, the wines presented by 'Enoteca Colombo Cesano Maderno, Cioccotratto by Association 'Atelier del Risk’, the Prosciuttificio Marco d'Oggiono, and finally the library 'A world of books'Seregno .

Among the books presented by the authors' Cheescake and Whoopie!'Of Mauro Padula and Carolina Turconi and 'The area is woman' of Gigliola Braga, biologist and nutritionist.

Food, culture ... and a lunch at the historic Restaurant Il Fauno Cesano Maderno inspired recipes Scappi, cook to Pope Pius the Fifth, from the book 'The cook of the pope' of Ketty Magni.

It chief Simone Toninato ha interpretato con maestria i piatti dell’epoca, avvicinandoli ai gusti dei nostri tempi.

Cibo e Cultura… Body and Mind…

Where were we with the 'women with the hat'?! Ah si, Julia and I were left Nekorkina, after tour Amalfi Coast, we headed to Naples with Mount Vesuvius to the enchanted gaze directed…

One, because I had finally organized, with the help of his Justin Catalan, a meeting in San Giorgio a Cremano in the province of Naples, with Francesco e Salvatore Salvo, pizza for three generations.

Two women with hat, a Lombard-Venetian and Roman in Moscow, around Naples to give color to the city!

If I think of the expression of staff of the pizzeria on our arrival, still escapes me laugh! Who knows what he must have thought?! Friends, in all cases the amazement lasted own little, because, As you enter, have prevailed smiles and handshakes! 😉

I already knew Francesco and Salvatore Salvo thanks to some of our email exchanges, and, through the stories that Justin gave me them. I remember the words that I said the same morning I met them… “Cynthia, you'll see that two 'marcantoni' that you will be presented!"Rafts, I must admit I was right! 🙂

Two women with hat and… Salvatore and Francesco Salvo

Seriously, I can say with certainty that after listening to them, after many smiles, after my little provocation for the sole purpose of making it, that the person, the real one, proves, I complimented the work they are doing.

While Julia deepened the techniques of dough with Salvatore, I, with one ear listening to their, with each other and chatted with Francis about their products, about their projects and what they are doing in the area. Obviously over which to listen, we also sacrificed to taste! Ahhh that sacrifices' life is, would my friend Martin!

In their speeches, I loved to hear words like simplicity, enthusiasm, pride, passion, respect for local culture and family tradition. But not only, because the thing that made me more pleasure, is discovering that their card Pizzas promote some of the small farms of which use the products. And I, when I hear about the promotion of agricultural holdings, mi illumino!

Another is that their collaboration with the chefs of various Italian regions, 'Interpreting' the pizza in a personal way, have given life to 'the starry pizzas'. I speak of that of Antonio's Restaurant Cannavacciuolo Villa Crespi, Nino Di Costanzo's Restaurant The Mosaic, Gennaro Esposito's Restaurant Torre del Saraceno, to which were added recently Chicco Ceredigion Restaurant Da Vittorio, Davide Oldani's Restaurant D’O, and Mauro Uliassi Restaurant Uliassi.

After having finally known, after watching them in the eye, now, I can now say, I saw in them the desire to do good ... the desire to do together. In questo momento così difficile per l’Italia le sinergie sono di fondamentale importanza.

In this story I could write dough and pizza, but I write from knowledge of Persons. Through my visits I can better understand their business and their products, write them, when they consider it appropriate, allows me to let her know.

Leaving that day, I said goodbye to the friends. I live so people, another would not make sense to me, soprattutto per l’amore che metto in quello che faccio.

I greeted them with these words: “Boys, been going great, you can very much for this territory, for its productions and its people. Feet firmly on the ground, always, do not listen to the bad winds, the important thing is that you go ahead on your way, consistently, according to your beliefs. Everything else, will be alone ...”

This is the philosophy that I apply to my second life, a life with many emotions…