PUNTOITALY N°1 -January - June 2012

59 THE ITALIAN MAGAZINE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IN GELATO, CONFECTIONERY AND TRENDY FOOD-AND-DRINK Italy on TV There are lots of food shows on TV throughout the world dealing with Italian cuisine. One example is the programme “Brindiamo!”. Ornella Fado, a native Italian now residing in New York, hosts this extremely successful television programme that has been screening on channel NYC RV Life for 5 years. Du- ring the transmissions, dedicated to Italian food and wine in the Big Apple, the cameras focus on great Italian chefs at work in the restaurants where the best “Made in Italy” cui- sine is to be found. These range from traditional restau- rants, in which customers can savour the dishes of authentic Italian cuisine, to more innovative and trendy ones, and from restaurants frequented by the New York upper classes to unpretentious trattorie serving delicious food. This very popular programme carries a piece of the true Italy into the homes of New York. The Mediterranean diet In the winter of 2010, the Intergovernmental Committee, meeting at Nairobi, paid tribute to the Mediterranean Diet, including it in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognised by Unesco. On the Italian Site of the United Na- tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, we read that “this important recognition, the happy climax of a process begun four years before and vigorously promoted from 2009 onwards, has made possible the accreditation of this marvellous instance of nature and culture in harmony which is the Mediterranean lifestyle, as an example of world excellence.” The Mediterranean Diet is a pattern of nutrition that has re- mained constant over time and space. It is made up mainly of olive oil, cereals, fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, a mode- rate quantity of fish, dairy products and meat, and lots of condiments and spices, accompanied by wine or infusions, and always fully respecting the traditions of every commu- nity. Few know that the classification of the Mediterranean Diet was the work of an American physiologist by the name of Ancel Keys who, through a long experience of life in Italy, defined its basic elements, and this was the inspiration for all scientific studies thereafter. He died in November 2004, 100 years old, thus demonstrating the validity of the Medi- terranean Diet. A piece of advice: put your heart into it To take Italian cuisine as one’s inspiration is certainly a winning formula. The art and cul- ture that everyone associates with Italy can most certainly be a help in devising a menu. Pasta, pizza, espresso, cappuccino, spaghetti, gelato - these all figure prominently and successfully in the distribution chain throughout the world, precisely because they are the true expression of a style of food that is appreciated worldwide. The Italian diet, understood across its whole range, with all its different aspects that in- tersect and overlap (gastronomy, oenology, cuisine), must not simply represent the eating habits of a distant country transplanted here, there and everywhere. It must also become a deeply felt representation of the art, history and culture of Italy, and of the values in- herent in it. Respect the original recipes, use ingredients and utensils from Italy, draw in- spiration from the recognised symbols, but above all put an “Italian heart” into the food you prepare, and your success will be guaranteed.