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Ciao a tutti!
What do you think about when I say Italian cuisine? Rich layers of bolognese sauce and bechamel wrapped carefully in crispy lasagne? Mouth-melting brasato cooking slowly in wine and herbs? Or perhaps a creamy tiramisu, the sweetness of mascarpone and the kick of coffee chasing one another in the palate?
The people of the Italian Academy of Cuisine, Italy's foremost gastronomic institution, think of something rather different - they see a crucial historic heritage which is at risk of disappearing because of the widespread use of what they call 'counterfeit' recipes. They worry that too many restaurants, both in Italy and abroad, serve dishes that sound quintessentially Italian - pasta al pesto, tortellini, risotto to name a few - but spurn traditional ingredients and cooking methods. If this continues, they warn, "in 20 or 50 years we may no longer remember how to cook a pasta alla carbonara or a costoletta alla Milanese."
 To help preserve Italy's culinary heritage, the Academy has recently published a gigantic tome, titled La Cucina, featuring some 2,000 authentic recipes over more than 900 pages. La Cucina is both a vital census of national gastronomy, rigorously broken down by region to highlight the cultural diversity of each location, and one of the most thorough, comprehensive cookbooks you'll ever come across. Even the most knowledgeable connoisseurs will find it a fascinating read because, no matter how versed they are in Italian cuisine, they are bound to stumble across plenty of local recipes that are new to them - from Basilicata's simple acquasale soup to Molise's rich, meaty fusilli. La Cucina truly is an important book for every Italian food lover.
Incidentally, the Academy has other worthy goals - to highlight restaurants (both in Italy and abroad) that use local produce and remain faithful to gastronomic tradition, and to encourage restaurateurs around Italy to serve more wines by the glass, thus allowing diners to pair their food and drink. I believe theirs is a cause worth supporting (should you so wish, you can do so by buying their books).
 Of course, Italian culture is as much about words - especially poetry - as it is about food, wine and art. Many people are familiar with the great poets of the past, but Italymag columnist Pat Eggleton gives us an insight into contemporary Italian poetry in her interview with poet Antonio Lonardo. Lonardo speaks about his writing, his personal history, his sources of inspiration - and his little grandson. Eggleton also translates some of Lonardo's poetry so you can read both the original version and the translation to brush up on your Italian. Oh and if you need a guide with Italian pronunciation, this week Eggleton helps you with the letter C.
Pat and Simi the dog, wish you a Happy Easter through a story about Easter celebrations, food and traditions in "the city of one hundred churches". Have a look at it to find out what's the Easter sicilian pastry and how to prepare it!
Buona settimana e Buona Pasqua (happy Easter).
Carla Passino
Editor
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"Building Hospitality", the opening event at TrE-Tourism Real Estate scheduled for April 15th at the Arsenale of Venice, will compare international best practices, focusing on improved attractiveness, leveraging on our cultural and architectural legacy, and teaming up with modern financial and management policies, so as to sustain a new approach to hospitality in an efficient fashion.
ShineSicily.com is a travel agency operating online and trying to combine in the best way personalized service, efficiency, rapidity and technological innovation.
