PUNTOITALY No31 - July 2022

CONTENTS Editorial 13 Contributors 15 Francesco Elmi, the explorer of sweets 16 A precious ally 22 Honey semifreddo popsicle 26 Finally live! 30 From flower to flower 34 PuntoItaly wire 38 Nature’s miracle 44 International event 48 Golden waves 56 The future of furnishings 58 Zero degrees latitude 64 The Companies 68 The Shows 176 22 38 44 64 34 11

EDITORIAL The still ongoing pandemic, war in Eastern Europe, rising prices on every type of raw material, skyrocketing inflation… these are all truly complicated scenarios that our industry must face every day. And yet, food is going strong. We have participated in various international events, gathering opinions and observing that there is an enormous interest for Made in Italy products, especially those dedicated to artisanal sweets. Rimini, Barcelona, Rome, Warsaw, London. All significant stops where puntoItaly has attended, distributing magazines, collecting subscriptions and reporting data. The fears are intense but the willingness to move forward with determination prevails. In this issue, you will find ample space dedicated to honey, with a great pastry chef on the cover, Francesco Elmi. You will also find many other appearances, recipes and interesting facts. It goes on to include the Salone del Mobile.Milano, highlighting global design, and finishes with an overview of products and cutting-edge equipment. As usual, we will see you at the next trade shows or on www.puntoitaly.org. We hope you continue to work well and… let’s stay strong! Turbulent scenarios 13

CONTRIBUTORS Francesco Elmi Master pastry chef Davide Pini Reporter Pino Scaringella Master gelato maker Alice Vignoli Master gelato maker Federica Serva Reporter Antonio Mezzalira Master gelato maker Beppo Tonon Master gelato maker puntoITALY Milan – Tribunal Registration no. 444 of 03-08-2011 Three-monthly magazine - € 1.00 Year 11 - No. 31 - July 2022 Publishing Director Franco Cesare Puglisi Editor Manuela Rossi Editorial Staff Anna Fraschini Production Manager Gora Di Benedetto Public Relations Manager Davide Pini Advertising Manager Paolo Barretta Advertising Patrizia Dal Mas Translations Laura Duca Graphic Layout Illustrations ONiDEA adv srl - Milano Editrade srl – Headoffice Via Lomellina 37 - 20133 Milan, I Tel. +39 02 70004960 email: info@editradesrl.it www.puntoitaly.org Printing Aziende Grafiche Printing Peschiera Borromeo (Milan, I) All rights reserved. The partial or complete reproduction of texts, illustrations and photos by any means is forbidden. Texts and illustrative material, even if unpublished, is not returned to sender. Texts and photos sent in by readers can be freely published and utilized by puntoItaly. 15

INTERVIEW By Federica Serva the explorer of sweets Francesco Elmi 16

How would you define in a few words the pastry chef Francesco Elmi? A pastry chef that has a passion for sweets and who is constantly searching for “quality things” with an intense love for traditional Italian leavened sweets, while attentively and constantly looking for innovation. What is your favourite dessert recipe? My favourite recipe is the one that I still need to try, because my passion for this profession brings me to experiment constantly. I experience professional satisfaction and emotional involvement most when I make recipes with mother yeast. Which was the most important professional intuition of your career? Twelve years ago, walking down via Castiglione in Bologna, seeing what looked like an unattractive business location close to the medieval entrance to the city, I thought about how I could transform it into the pastry shop of my dreams. And thus, Regina di Quadri was born, right in the heart of the city, the pastry shop that I still manage today and that continues to give me lots of satisfaction. A 360° look starting from his dedication in his pastry shop in Bologna, Regina di Quadri, and expanding to his work as a Brand Ambassador, instructor, academic. The most significant professional mistake of your career? It isn’t easy to identify your own errors, but probably mine was not having always focused all my energy into one direction. How is Italian pastry perceived today at an international level? I think that Italian pastry is perceived very well abroad: pastry arts with utmost quality and strong traditions. I believe that Italian pastry is the best in the world at the moment, even if often times abroad Italian sweets are mistreated. 17

INTERVIEW What future do you foresee for our pastry arts? The future is in our hands, in the hands of professionals that have an important task: one of spreading the best of our pastry arts with strength and conscientiousness. We have so much to share, so it will be important to maintain unaltered the processes that make us stand out, without making compromises for the pure sake of generating profits. Sweets, above all, should give pleasure and evoke emotions, everything else should come afterwards. Where does artisanal gelato fit in with your offer? Gelato is part of our tradition. There is a little space for it in my offer, but when it is, I guarantee it with extra care. 18

Artisanal gelato is living an incredibly positive moment, even though it remains a simple product that is affordable and is an excellent value for money. Do you agree with this assessment and what future do you foresee? I do share this evaluation, but I think that “simplicity” is very hard to achieve and obtaining it remains a complex challenge. You recently became a Brand Ambassador for Mielizia. Why did you accept, and which project do you intend to develop with this role? I enthusiastically accepted this project because I believe that it is a company/consortium that reflects my values, my ethic and my project of searching for excellent raw ingredients. Honey is a part of my daily life, and it could never not be a part of my sweets. I would like to promote as best as I can Mielizia’s reality so to make known its excellent products to the general public. 19

INTERVIEW On the wave of the healthy trend, which use of honey will grow in importance and consideration beyond its classic consumption at breakfast? I believe that there are many excellent development opportunities for such a versatile ingredient such as honey: it can be used with excellent results in leavened doughs, in creams, in innovative and modernized cakes - very trendy now - but also in gelato and granita instead of sugar. I made a granita with mango, ginger and honey that is very well liked, and it is without sugar. Could you tell us which enrichment did the television experiences such as a competitor on “Cake Star” and as a judge on “Master Chef Italia” give you? I think that all television appearances bring fame and can contribute to helping understand how important it is to share your own professionalism even through these channels. 20

Your work expands also across many industry associations, such as l’Accademia dei Maestri del Lievito Madre e del Panettone Italiano (the Association of Mother Dough and Italian Panettone maestros) and l’Apei – Ambascia- tori Pasticceri dell’Eccellenza Italiana (Ambassador Pastry Chefs of Italian Excellence). What objectives do these associations propose and how can communication with consumers improve? The goal is to elevate Italian pastry, gelato and chocolate arts to levels of excellence, with great commitment to making this known, in addition to comparison among professionals that have the same passion and same determination to accomplish this goal. Communication with consumers could be improved by using all the channels available, ranging from events in public spaces up to digital channels. It is work that I try to do daily by talking about sweets with all the customers that walk into my pastry shop and purchase them. What is Francesco Elmi’s main goal for the future? To continue to innovate myself both in the content and in the presentation of my sweets, while optimizing production and changing the way my customers perceive my product. All of this while creating an environment that is continuously more special and that can give the customer a complete tasting experience. 21

Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash INGREDIENTS By Federica Serva Honey, a natural sweetener yet with less calories, is perfect for many uses in the kitchen, in pastries and in cocktails. ally precious A 22

Courtesy of Mielizia The only food that can have either an animal or a plant-based origin, honey has thousands of nuances between colours, aromas, flavours since it comes from the “work” that bees and other pollinators complete by flying from flower to flower. Bees are nourished mostly by the nectar that they gather from flowers, and they transform it into honey, an extraordinary product for its healthy properties and for its use in the kitchen and in pastries. It is 80% made of sugars, of which fructose and glucose prevail, and roughly 18% of water. Honey has an elevated sweetening power but contains fewer calories than sugar, therefore it is able to “sweeten” food while adding less calories. Furthermore, it is a perfect ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes, in cocktails and in gelato. For years now, Conapi, the Consortium of Honey Beekeepers, is dedicated to supporting the biodiversity of Italian honey and to promoting initiatives to expand the consumption of honey beyond just during breakfast or at snack time. In the green of the Apennines Conapi, the National Consortium of Beekeepers is the co-op association made up of member beekeepers. It is the biggest national association of its kind in Italy, and it is one of the most important on a European level: 315 individual or collection businesses, over 600 beekeepers, with nearly 110.000 beehives all over Italy, which make anywhere from 2.000 to 3.000 tons of honey each year. The production headquarters is located in Monterenzio, in the heart of the Apennines near Bologna. With the brand Mielizia, it represents the only complete supply chain of Italian honey, and it is the most important producer of organic honey in Europe. 23

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash INGREDIENTS From acacia to millefiori Italy boasts over fifty varieties of monofloral honey; ranging from Acacia honey, the most sold together with the multifloral millefiori, to chestnut, citrus, linden and cilantro, including also honey from aromatic herbs such as lavender, thyme and rosemary. Furthermore, Italy can count also on three honeys that have denomination of controlled origin recognized by the European Union: PDO honey from Lunigiana, PDO honey from the Bellunesi Dolomites, and PDO Varesino honey. Each honey tells a story about a territory. According to the considerations by Coldiretti regarding data from the report by the National Honey Observatory, there are 1,5 million beehives that are taken care of by nearly 73 thousand beekeepers, of which 2 out of 3 do so as a hobby to produce for self-consumption. Despite the significant variety of honey available, Italians consume about 400 grams, against the European average of 600 grams. Balance at risk Beyond honey, bees give us royal jelly, propolis, bee pollen: all foods that are rich in beneficial substances. However, unfortunately the survival of these insects is at risk. In addition to bad weather that, with growing frequency, destroys the environment due to climate change, the use of pesticides is making their existence more and more compromised, and with them, their irreplaceable role of flower pollinators. According to FAO, three out of four crops depend on pollination by bees. On average, each bee visits 7 thousand flowers a day, and to make one kilogram of honey four million flower visits are necessary. The weakening of bees and the drastic changes in flower blossoming rhythms determine a scarce honey harvest which in the past few years has become a tragic situation. 24

Creation by Diego Poli Mattia Pastori For many recipes Honey, which provides energy and is easy to digest, should be part of your daily diet. Furthermore, it can be used in food preparation, including homemade ones, in savoury cakes and roasts, in vegetable carpaccio or in puddings; it isn’t only for gourmet cuisine. To stimulate the reinterpretation of dishes from the Italian culinary culture and the search for new flavour pairings, the National Honey Observatory is promoting a competition called “A dish with honey”, an initiative that helps rediscover the value of this versatile food. Widely used in the pastry arts in recipes that range from traditional Italian leavened desserts and including baked cakes and creamy desserts, honey also attracts the attention of gelato chefs in the creation of churned gelato that unite nutritional value with flavour and presentation. Innovative experiments Even mixology has approached honey with interest in exploring the potential of using it as a “pure” ingredient instead of using sugars or syrups. Bartender Mattia Pastori has researched for Mielizia some special recipes, starting with mead, the first fermented drink in the world thanks to the use of honey. “Fruit mead 2.0” combines clementine honey with Mexican tepache and classic mead. The “Americano” cocktail was reinterpreted in a low alcohol version, following the latest trends, by playing with its texture and flavours. Its recipe uses chestnut honey, and bee pollen mixed with salt is used as a rim on the glass. Another interesting area of experimentation is with chocolate. Mielizia and Barry Callebaut are developing a line of gourmet products that remove any barriers between sweetness and pleasurable bitterness, all based on the common values of the two companies, that is, transparency and sustainability. The project was presented on the occasion of World Bee Day with a cooking demonstration held by Chef Diego Poli of the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy. The dark chocolate sorbet enriched with bee pollen and a milk chocolate praline with chestnut honey revealed to be surprising “previews” of the research journey that they embarked together. 25

RECIPES HONEY SEMIFREDDO By Francesco Elmi A delight that pairs flavourful salted caramel with the sweetness of millefiori honey. It is perfect to enjoy on the go. 26

POPSICLE COMPOSITION • Salted caramel cream • Millefiori honey semifreddo • Popsicle glaze SALTED CARAMEL CREAM INGREDIENTS: • cream 350 g • milk chocolate 190 g • cane sugar 120 g • Mielizia’s organic millefiori honey 70 g • butter 60 g • fleur de sel salt 5 g INSTRUCTIONS Caramelize honey and sugar, then mix with boiling cream. Bring the mixture to 60°C, then add the butter and salt. Cool to 4°C. 27

RECIPES MILLEFIORI HONEY SEMIFREDDO INGREDIENTS: • Mielizia’s organic millefiori honey 90 g • egg yolks 650 g • cream 250 g INSTRUCTIONS Heat the honey to 121°C, slowly pour it onto the egg yolks while they are being beaten. Once the whipped mixture has reached a stable consistency, add the cream that has been whipped to soft peaks. POPSICLE GLAZE INGREDIENTS: • white chocolate 300 g • cocoa butter 200 g • rice oil 60 g INSTRUCTIONS Melt the ingredients together and temper to 30°C. 28

ASSEMBLY AND DECORATION In a gelato popsicle mould, fill halfway with the semifreddo. Add the salted caramel insert, and finish filling the rest of the mould with the semifreddo. Blast freeze, remove from the mould and glaze. Decorate with caramelized almonds. ADVICE Leave in the freezer for at least 12 hours before removing the popsicle from the mould. 29

FAIRS Photos by Fotocomunica After last year’s completely digital version, Sigep The Dolce World Expo opened its doors again to professionals from every continent. Reaching its 43rd edition, Italian Exhibition Group’s tradeshow welcomed 950 brands specialized in the artisanal gelato, pastry, chocolate, bakery and coffee industry in an exhibition space of 90 thousand square meters. Over three thousand scheduled meetings between international buyers and exhibition companies took place. And, as usual, the events that framed the exhibition revealed to be of the utmost level. Raise the cup One of the most awaited competitions was the Sigep Gelato d’Oro, which awarded victory to the Gelato chef Rosario Nicodemo and to the pastry chef Leandro Faraci. They will take part in the first edition of the Gelato Sigep The DolceWorld Expo returned this past March in its traditional in-person format. And it brought with it lots of desire to leave behind the long period of “forced closures” that were imposed by the pandemic. Finally live! 30

European Cup, during which the national European teams will qualify to participate in the Gelato World Cup 2024. The competition “One thousand ideas for a new flavour, Gelato of the year” was won by Carmelo Caratozzolo, whereas Marianna Serani stood out in the “Memorial Alberto Pica” competition for the best hazelnut flavoured gelato. The “Sorbets from the world” competition saw Paolo Costantini rise to the top step of the podium, whereas Matteo Grizi was proclaimed best gelato chef of the year. Matteo Pavoni excelled in the Italian Coffee Baristas Championship, whereas Giacomo Vannelli took first place in the Brewers Cup. Both will represent Italy at the world finals of the World Coffee Championship, scheduled for September 2022 at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo. Fabio Dotti won first place during the Cup Tasters Italian Championship and was the Italian competitor at the World Cup Taster Championship held during World of Coffee last June in Milan. A very special magazine Since its foundation, the puntoIT magazine has always proved to be strongly dynamic in the world of gelato, offering a variety of unique initiatives that support the entire industry. And its international prestige is so much so that its editor, Franco Cesare Puglisi, a Sigep Ambassador throughout 31

FAIRS the world, opened the Gelato Arena with his talk “Points of view”. “I am happy to be here in the presence of so many professionals”, he commented. “Those who could not be present here today will return, as this is our home. I believe that the start of this tradeshow today is one of the strongest indications that we could give to the entire industry to say that we are here, we’ve been here, and we will be here”. The puntoIT stand was the catalyst of a rich program of initiatives: starting with Breaking News, which every evening offered the most relevant news of the day, and including the exclusive interviews with professionals and entrepreneurs broadcasted through social media. “Driving the change” was the title of the talk show conducted by Franco Cesare Puglisi at Sigep’s Vision Plaza, during which the phases of the important communication campaign “Artisanal Italian Sustainable” were presented in support of artisanal gelato. The editor also organized and conducted the event “Rosa di gusto!” at the Pastry Arena with Alessandra Mion and Ernst Knam who presented the “Frau Knam” brand, highlighting the importance of building an entrepreneurial project not only “in real life” but also on social media. There were lots of emotions for the 15th edition of the Comunicando award by puntoIT, an event dedicated to communication within the Gelato and pastry industry, returning to Sigep after two years of “forced absence”. A jury of experts examined 270 campaigns published on specialized magazines between 2020 and 2021 and it proclaimed 14 winners. The Unica award was given to Disìo for its ad “Lamarenarossa – Rosso Profondo” (Deep Cherry Red) and to Medac for its campaign “Everything that you can imagine is real”. A breath of fresh new developments From the Pastry Arena’s stage, the maestro Iginio Massari announced the birth of the APEI association, Ambasciatori Pasticceri dell’Eccellenza Italiana (Ambassador Pastry Chefs of Italian Excellence). The goal is to unite multiple experiences and skills, creating synergies between the areas of pastry, chocolate, gelato and business. In this way, in a not-so-distant future the different specialties can become an intrinsic heritage for every professional. The association also aims to spread the art of Italian sweets throughout the world. 32

It is worth highlighting the complete restyling of the Academy of Master Italian Pastry Chefs, which presented itself with a new look and new logo. The president Sal De Riso has made himself a promoter of cultural exchange between pastry arts and gourmet cuisine, underlining the importance of collaboration with companies. And the project “Ampi Giovani” gave maximum attention to the new generation. Furthermore, the candidacy for the qualification of Maestros of Traditional Italian Artisanal Gelato as a UNESCO intangible heritage of humanity was announced. The initiative is promoted by the UNESCO Club of Udine and by the Municipality of Cividale in Friuli, with the support of Gelato e Cultura, organizer of the Gelato World Cup. The idea is to certify training methods and educational excellence for some types of artisanal gelato, through a school of higher education that draws from regional resources and that interacts with five clusters of circular economy: agri-food, processing, food & wine, tourism and foodservice & hospitality. In the meantime, Sigep continues along its journey of open internationalization, and it presented “Sigep China” to professionals, of which the first edition is scheduled for April 19-21, 2023, at the World Exhibition & Convention Centre in Shenzhen. The 44th edition of Sigep will return to its usual time slot at the beginning of the year: mark your calendars with The Dolce World Expo that will be held from January 21 to 25, 2023. Photo by Carlo Fico 33

RECIPES FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER By Antonio Mezzalira Hardworking bees fly between the acacia and orange blossoms corollas to produce two types of the most tasteful honeys. And in these recipes, you can find the delicateness of these delicious ingredients. 34

with cream base 50 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 670 g • skim milk powder 10 g • dextrose 20 g • acacia honey 15 g • cream base 50 35 g • white chocolate 250 g Total 1000 g with cream base 100 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 665 g • acacia honey 15 g • cream base 100 70 g • white chocolate 250 g Total 1000 g Add 30 g of chamomile for every kg of mix. INSTRUCTIONS Blend well all the ingredients except the white chocolate and the honey (to avoid caramelization of the lactose contained in the chocolate) and heat the mixture to 85°C. At 85°C, add dried chamomile flowers to be infused, let rest for at least ten minutes, then filter. Cool the mix and when it reaches 50°C, add the chocolate and the honey. When the mixture reaches 4°C, pour it into the batch freezer. Extract the gelato and blast freeze it for one day at -18°/-20°C. Place in display case set at a temperature of -11°/-12°C and variegate with pieces of white chocolate and chamomile flowers. Chamomile 35

RECIPES with cream base 50 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 420 g • almond milk 125 g • cream with 35% fat content 160 g • turmeric paste 15 g • skim milk powder 50 g • sucrose 90 g • dry glucose syrup 30 DE 75 g • cream base 50 35 g • acacia honey 30 g Total 1000 g with cream base 100 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 420 g • almond milk 125 g • cream with 35% fat content 160 g • turmeric paste 15 g • skim milk powder 40 g • sucrose 80 g • dry glucose syrup 30 DE 60 g • cream base 100 70 g • acacia honey 30 g Total 1000 g INSTRUCTIONS Blend well all the ingredients except the honey and the turmeric paste, which will be added when the mixture is cold, and heat mixture to 85°C. Once the mixture has reached 85°C, cool to 4°C. Add the honey and the turmeric paste, blending with an immersion blender. Pour the mixture into the batch freezer. Extract the gelato and variegate with honey strands and a few pieces of fresh turmeric. Blast chill the gelato for about ten minutes then transfer to the display case. Golden Milk Turmeric paste INGREDIENTS: • turmeric powder 10 g • filtered water 38 g • ground black pepper 2 g Cook all the ingredients in a non-stick pan (or in the microwave), mixing constantly to avoid lumps; you will quickly obtain a smooth and creamy mixture, which is relatively dense. Store in a closed, airtight container in the refrigerator. Golden Milk A drink made with milk and turmeric; it is known for its many benefits. It is used as an efficient anti-inflammatory, and it is an antioxidant with antibacterial power. It boosts the immune system, improves metabolism and in some cases, it can regulate blood pressure. 36

with cream base 50 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 390 g • cream with 35% fat content 100 g • skim milk powder 30 g • sucrose 100 g • dextrose 25 g • dry glucose syrup 30 DE 50 g • cream base 50 35 g • sheep’s milk ricotta 250 g • orange blossom honey 20 g Total 1000 g with cream base 100 INGREDIENTS: • fresh whole milk 390 g • cream with 35% fat content 100 g • skim milk powder 20 g • sucrose 90 g • dextrose 20 g • dry glucose syrup 30 DE 40 g • cream base 100 70 g • sheep’s milk ricotta 250 g • orange blossom honey 20 g Total 1000 g INSTRUCTIONS Blend well all the ingredients except for the sheep’s milk ricotta and the orange blossom honey, then heat to 85°C. Cool the mix to 4°C then add the two remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour the mixture into the batch freezer. Extract the gelato and blast chill for ten minutes. Before transferring to the display case, variegate with clementine jam. Sicilian Flavours Orange blossom honey The orange blossom is the flower from an orange tree, which blooms between April and May. Its honey has a light-yellow colour, and it is particularly rich with vitamins and minerals. It is characterized by an intense aroma and a pleasantly delicate flavour. 37

FAIRS TOUR By Davide Pini EXPO SWEET Warsaw (Poland), 27 February - 1 March The Warsaw convention centre reopened its doors after forced closure due to lockdown. And so, the largest Polish exhibition dedicated to the world of sweets and gelato was finally able to resume its usual and dynamic business activities. A chronicle of the trade fairs visited by puntoItaly during its travels abroad. A first-hand reportage of meetings, emotions, and experiences. puntoItaly wire 38

Of course, the exhibition area was slightly smaller than the previous edition held two years ago: it is not simple to reactive all the gears, both on behalf of the exhibitors as well as the specialized operators. The organizers nonetheless declared to be satisfied with the results they obtained. 150 exhibiting companies, both national and international, participated in the event, coming specifically from Italy, Lithuania, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. Regarding the visitors, there were more than 10 thousand. The exhibition was the background for a rich calendar of competitions and shows that allowed us to approach “in-person” the state of art of creative techniques applied to the world of desserts. The next edition is scheduled for February 26 to March 1, 2023. 39

FAIRS TOUR space and the same dates, were able to return on top, creating the largest international platform for the food, gastronomy and foodservice equipment industries that occurred during the first semester of 2022. All the relative numbers are interesting, with over 3000 exhibiting companies from 52 countries, covering a surface of 85.000 square meters, with 1.400 important buyers invited from strategic markets for exporting equipment for food and foodservice, who participated in 13.000 meetings with companies. For puntoItaly, it was a new occasion to meet professionals in a generally optimistic context with the desire to continue working with enthusiasm and hope. ALIMENTARIA - HOSTELCO Barcelona (Spain), 4 - 7 April Spain followed Milan’s example, when in the Fall 2021 Host and Tuttofood joined forces to give life to a single event able to gather the attention of the entire HoReCa world and to send a significant sign of recovery to all professionals. The alliance of two leading industry exhibitions such as Alimentaria and Hostelco allowed the Barcelona Convention Centre to repeat this experiment in the spring which, considering all the factors of an international event, once again sent an electric charge to the industry, concentrating its attention on new developments in agri-food. Two prestigious names that, uniting themselves in the same 40

ROMA FOOD EXCEL Rome (Italy), 24 - 27 April Being at its first edition, this biennial trade fair event dedicated to the food and wine industry immediately attracted the attention of Italian and international buyers, especially those coming from the Balkan countries. On an exhibition area of nearly 10 thousand square meters, we were able to approach the latest developments regarding the wheat industry: from bakery to fresh pasta, from pizza to pastry. Specific emphasis was given to the gelato, beer, wine, bar, foodservice, packaging, and hotel industries, with an offer of the most advanced ingredients, machines and technologies. Many participated in the schedule of events consisting of masterclasses, workshops and seminars which allowed for an update on the current state of evolution in the agri-food world. And the national and international competitions thrilled the audience with spectacular performances. The Movida Competition for the best gelato with alcohol or best savoury gelato paired with an alcoholic drink awarded in a tie Mimmo Lucchese and Mattia Parri. Mario Serani won first place for the best pistachio gelato in the Palatino d’Oro competition. More than two hundred and fifty pizza chefs competed against each other in the Pizza Without Borders World Championship, consisting of eight categories over two days of competition. As part of the Gelato Show, the area dedicated to the presentation of events connected to artisanal gelato, a conference was held regarding the potential of investments in the artisanal sweets industry in Albania. Many interviews and live meetings with industry professionals were scheduled, together with two mini courses on marketing held by Franco Cesare Puglisi, editor of the puntoIT and puntoItaly magazines. Furthermore, the Italian Gelato Chefs Association organized two gelato competitions. 41

FAIRS TOUR NRA Chicago (USA), 21 - 24 May After three years of waiting and suffering, the National Restaurant Association Show 2022 reunited the foodservice industry protagonists in a climate of renewed energy, desire for innovation and willingness to collaborate. The result was a four-day show at McCormick Place that had strong international participation, with over 51.000 foodservice professionals that observed, tasted and participated with enthusiasm in all the proposed activities. The words of Armetha Pihlstrom, Senior Director di US and Canada Foodservice Sales, Future Farm, an innovative producer of alternative plant-based meats, present at the event for the first time as an exhibitor, were significant: “This event is the Super Bowl for foodservice industry, the place where dreams become a reality for new brands that want to enter the industry and make a name for themselves. We had a great time at the Show. The chains and restaurants to whom I talked are of such a high profile, and we are enthusiastic about what this means for our brand and for our innovative industry”. This Chicago event confirms its position as a trampoline towards the complex American market, whose commercial rules have become even more complex with the pandemic, but whose potential has been confirmed yet again as fundamental for any company that aims at significant international expansion. 42

BELLAVITA EXPO LONDON London (Great Britain), 22 - 23 June Walking through the pavilions of the prestigious Olympia National Hall convention centre, we felt a considerable buzz this year. The event, which has the goal of promoting the best Italian and Mediterranean food and wine, has recently acquired the European Pizza & Pasta Show, the main European event dedicated to pizza, pasta and bakery. In this way, this London exhibition rightly stands as a point of reference for the best of what the immense industry of the Italian foodservice world has to offer. Organized with the support of Vinitaly and Cibus, the event welcomed more than 7 thousand visitors, including special guests and star chefs such as Giorgio Locatelli, the Master of Wine Peter McCombie, importers, distributors, buyers and many professionals with a desire to learn about the latest products and trends of the Italian and Mediterranean food & beverage market. Overall, 200 brands exhibited their products on a show floor that was always full of enthusiasm. Bellavita, as organizer of the event, also provided educational content, including masterclasses with starred chefs and wine experts, together with seminars and debates on market trends. The London trade show joins those held in Hamburg, Warsaw, Parma, Toronto, Chicago, Mexico City, Bangkok, Riga and Amsterdam. 43

RECIPES NATURE’S MIRACLE It’s what the small, tireless bees do day after day to give us one of the most delicious ingredients: honey. Here it is as the star of two recipes, paired with walnuts and figs. By Alice Vignoli Photos by Studio Phototecnica 44

Themed decorations with walnuts and caramelized sugar Gelatine marbled with honey Walnut praline pieces Honey semifreddo Cookie-crumb crust with Nocino liquor syrup Honeymoon Suitable for… Single portions, cakes, loafs on a baking sheet Amounts required for two 30x20 cm moulds, h 4 cm HONEY-FLAVOURED ITALIAN MERINGUE INGREDIENTS • Egg whites 500 g • Sucrose 600 g • Honey 150 g • Water 125 g Follow the traditional procedure, treating honey like you do sugar. SEMIFREDDO • Fresh cream with 35% fat content 1500 g A • Pastry cream 300 g B • Honey-flavoured Italian meringue 1400 g C RECIPE AND COMPOSITION Prepare the mould by breaking up cookies and placing them on the bottom. Flavour the cookies with a sugar syrup or an alcoholic-syrup using Nocino liquor, and cool in blast freezer. Line the inner border of the mould with an acetate cake collar. Prepare the honey-flavoured Italian meringue. Delicately mix the meringue with the pastry cream until well blended. Whip the cream to soft peaks in a stand mixer and add it to the rest of the mix one spoon at a time as to not deflate the mixture. Portion the semifreddo into the mould until it is half full. Sprinkle the surface with a layer of walnut pralines, then finish filling the mould with another layer of semifreddo. Place the mould in the blast freezer until hardened throughout. SUMMARY Prepare honey-flavoured meringue. Unite B + C. Whip A and add to mixture. Arrange dessert following instructions. DECORATION Once the semifreddo has hardened, cover it with a layer of neutral gelatine that’s been marbled with honey. Extract it from the mould, form loafs and position them on top of cake board to be sold. Decorate accordingly. STORAGE If the decorated product has been blast-frozen, it can be stored in the display case at -19°C for two weeks. If it has been blast-frozen to its core (for example: at -32°C for 1 hour) it can be stored in a storage freezer set at -19°C for 3 months. ON THE MARKET The whipped product A can be substituted with a semifreddo base product with a neutral flavour. INTERESTING NEWS Depending on the type of honey used, the flavour of the final cake will change. For example, millefiori honey/neutral flavour; chestnut honey/ distinct flavour. 45

Decoration with caramel strips and caramelized figs Ricotta semifreddo Caramelized figs Almond sponge cake RECIPES Fig Delight Suitable for… Single portions, cakes, loafs on a baking sheet Amounts required for two moulds, Ø 12 cm h 6 cm SEMIFREDDO • Fresh cream with 35% fat content 1500 g A • Fresh ricotta cheese (mix of cow and sheep’s milk) 300 g B • Honey 30 g C • Italian meringue 500 g D RECIPE AND COMPOSITION Prepare the moulds by cutting out disks of almond sponge cake that are the same size as the mould. Line the inner border of the mould with an acetate cake collar that is the same height as the mould. Moisten the sponge cake with a neutral simple syrup. Mix the ricotta and the honey in a stand mixer. Add fresh cream to the stand mixer and whip. Make the Italian meringue and delicately add it to the rest of the whipped mix. Portion the semifreddo into the mould until half full and blast freeze for 20 minutes. Distribute a layer of reduced caramelized figs in large pieces on top of the hardened semifreddo, then fill the mould with another layer of semifreddo. Return to blast freezer until completely hardened. SUMMARY Unite B + C. Add A and whip A in stand mixer. Add D to the rest of the mix. Arrange dessert following instructions. DECORATION Once the semifreddo has hardened, add a thin layer of neutral gelatine. Extract the cakes from the steel cake rings and position them on cake boards to be sold. Decorate accordingly. STORAGE If the decorated product has been blast-frozen, it can be stored in the display case at -19°C for two weeks. If it has been blast-frozen to its core (for example: at -32°C for 1 hour) it can be stored in a storage freezer set at -19°C for 3 months. ON THE MARKET The whipped product A can be substituted with a semifreddo base product with a neutral flavour. 46

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EVENTS By Federica Serva – Photos by Brambilla-Serrani Fabrizio Fiorani Creation by Gusto 17 Paula Stakelum Creation by Luigi Buonansegna Creation by Davide Oldani Pietro Leemann 48

“The Future is today” is the theme of Identità Milano 2022, which from April 21 to 23 brought prestigious protagonists of the international foodservice world back on stage. “We must take note – was the premise that Paolo Marchi and Claudio Ceroni, founders of this culinary and pastry event – that there is no more time to lose. We cannot just keep asking ourselves what to expect, or what will await us. We need to bring within each one of us every possible future; we need to search for it within because… The future is today. The pandemic, and with it, the environmental catastrophe, economic disparities, the new international tensions: all these factors have placed an enormous responsibility in our hands, which shorten the time available and invite us to overcome any delay”. At the end of the event, we were very satisfied as we were able to put people back in touch. “The online environment is cold - was the final comment of the two organizers - whereas here there is warmth: the warmth both of concern, for what is happening in the world, as well as of hope, for the recovery and the starting up again for which we have waited so long”. Identità Milano 2022 returned to putting chef de cuisine and pastry chefs into contact with each other to reflect on the future of foodservice. International event Claudio Ceroni and Paolo Marchi 49

EVENTS From Italy and from abroad Future, new visions, projects and perspectives, amongst cooking demonstrations and insightful discussions... The main players of the Italian foodservice industry were at the centre of the discussions in which they participated: from Massimo Bottura to Carlo Cracco, from Antonia Klugmann to Cristina Bowerman, and then Niko Romito, Enrico and Roberto Cerea, Davide Oldani… just to name a few of the over 100 speakers at the event. They were joined by international chefs. After two years of travel restrictions, important foreign guests were able to participate in the event, coming from France, England, Spain but also Peru and United States, going from Virgilio Martinez and Pia León to Michele Casadei Massari, from Victor Lugger to Eneko Atxa and Matteo Manzini, all giving impulse to the international vocation of Identità Milano. Davide Oldani Cristina Bowerman 50

Make way for younger people In additional to the usual thematic events such as Dossier Dessert, Identità di Gelato, Identità Cocktail, Identità di Champagne, Identità di Pizza, Identità di Pasta, Identità di Formaggio, a new panel made its debut “The future is theirs”, dedicated to young chefs. For two consecutive days, sixteen young Italian and international chefs took turns on the stage that Identità Milano has decided to bet on, including Davide Marzullo, Antonio Ziantoni, Fatih Tutak, Xinge Liu. See you again at… The future of the event has truly projected itself so much so to be able to unveil the dates of the next two editions of 2023 and 2024. The eighteenth edition will be held on Saturday January 28th until Monday January 30th, 2023, whereas the nineteenth edition will be held from Saturday March 9th until Monday March 11th, 2024. 51

EVENTS Sweets that provoke emotions The world of sweets was in the spotlight with Dossier Dessert and Identità di Gelato. The Dossier Dessert panel opened with a tribute to the Italian gold medal team from the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. It focused on pastry in foodservice, to which the difficult task of ending a meal in a memorable way is assigned. Various visions were proposed, starting with the playful interpretation of Titti Traina and Paolo Griffa which aims at the “wow effect” by turning the way of looking at a recipe upside down, The support of partners At Identità Milano the participation of commercial businesses proved to be even more interesting and selected. Joining the main partners such as Acqua Panna - S.Pellegrino, 1895 by Lavazza, Berto’s, the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, Veuve Clicquot and Moretti Forni, new entities approached the event for the first time, such as Big Mamma, an international foodservice chain that has grown rapidly offering an informal and modern Italian cuisine. A network of businesses that believes in the dynamic relationship of foodservice leaders has developed thanks to the numerous initiatives of sharing within the exhibition circuit. 52

such as the Upside-Down Cheesecake or the Banana Splash, or transforming into a dessert form traditional games such as Tic-Tac-Toe. The event then passed to considering desserts with “as a sense of place” by Paula Stakelum and as a passionate search for ingredients with Roberta Merolli and Giovanni Solofra, to conclude with a classic item of chocolates from Turin, the Gianduiotti, proposed in a new way by Guido Castagna in consideration of sustainability. Roberta Merolli Creation by Guido Castagna 53

EVENTS Gelato, what passion! Amongst memories, social commitment and hope for the future, the Identità di Gelato session was held. Regarding the theme of memories linked to the desire to make known a territory though gelato, Luigi Buonansegna presented his idea of a snack made with a sandwich and gelato. Brioche Tropezienne stuffed with Malaga gelato and walnut pralines was offered by Alain Locatelli, the result of his training journey at boulangerie and viennoiserie. Chef Viviana Varese illustrated her new project “Io sono VIVA dolci e gelati” (I’m ALIVE sweets and gelato), born during the pandemic period, that unites the research of gelato with the desire to do something for those in need. In the gelato and pastry shop female domestic-abuse survivors work. The daily activity in the production kitchen and knowledge of one’s own territory were at the centre of the speech by Maria Chiara Sanna, whereas Rossella De Vita, Vincenzo Fiorillo and Stefania Urso retraced the birth of the “gelato created by the bees”, that is, the laborious research to use honey in gelato recipes. Finally, Fabrizio Fiorani concluded with a lesson on vanilla-flavoured soft serve gelato. Variations of pasta The event always has a significant space dedicated to the Identità di Pasta session, considering the importance this food has for Italy. This year, the chefs embarked on a sort of trip around the world drawing on traditions, contamination and different cultures. One example Creation by Viviana Varese 54

of this double offer was made by Matias Perdomo and Arianna Consiglio with an egg-pasta ravioli realized with spinach striping, filled with sheep’s milk ricotta, next to Fideuà, with a preparation that is very similar to making paella but using fideos, or broken-up spaghetti, instead of rice. Jessica Rosval and Zouhaira Mahmoudi proposed their version of cous cous, obtained by mixing wheat semolina, the same with which pasta is made, with various flours derived from peas, fava beans, lentils, and chickpeas, together with juices from various fruits. Cristina Bowerman focused on classic Roman cuisine with a Carbonara, overturning the delivery version changing the format of the pasta and some of the ingredients. Pietro Leemann and Sauro Ricci tested themselves with turmeric Spätzle with a bitto cheese sauce and topped with powders made from kale, red cabbage and butternut squash, to give a new texture and colour to vegetarian cuisine. Room for cheese An ingredient for many dishes, sprinkled on top of pasta to give flavour, served by itself before dessert: thanks to a dedicated session at Identità Milano, cheese found space to establish a dialogue between quality Italian cheese producers and the foodservice industry. Instead of offering signature dishes like Riccardo Forapani and Michele Casadei Massari did, Davide Oldani explained his “Cheese cart”, the result of his selection of producers. To the customers in his restaurant, he offers different varieties every two weeks, which represent the complex and fascinating landscape of Italian cheeses. It is a selection that chooses a small quantity but of enormous quality. The pastry chef Carmen Vecchione performed a preparation of a robiola-cheese based dessert perfectly paired with a raspberry compote. Creation by Cristina Bowerman Creation by Carmen Vecchione 55

RECIPES GOLDEN WAVES By Beppo Tonon Photo by Studio Phototecnica An easy-to-make pear carpaccio expresses liveliness thanks the winding movements that are present also in the glass sundae cup used for plating the dish. A composition that can be offered as a light snack, as a refreshing dessert or in a savoury version for lunch. 56

Select an Abate Fetel pear with perfect ripeness, that is, with a firm and elastic consistency. It should be suitable to be sliced, then the slices should be able to fold without breaking. First and foremost, thoroughly wash the fruit, then cut it transversally so to obtain round slices. Set the slicer to obtain slices that are two millimetres thick (naturally, this depends on the degree of the pear’s ripeness). Place vanilla or fiordilatte gelato on the bottom of the glass sundae cup, cover it completely with whipped cream, in which the slices of pears that have been delicately folded into two will be set. EXPERT TIP. The advantage of working with this fruit lies in the fact that it is possible to find various variations thanks to the different, brilliant colours of the peel. ALTERNATIVE. The pear carpaccio can be placed on a wooden cutting board and accompanied by pieces of Grana Padano cheese, nuts and honey. Photo by KamranAydinov on Freepik 57

EVENTS Also in public establishments, sustainability will guide the choices of interior design, as suggested at the Salone del Mobile.Milano. By Federica Serva Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano - Alessandro Russotti The future of furnishings 58

Quality, commitment, cohesion and lots of desire to be present and to start up again were the ingredients of success for Salone del Mobile.Milano. The 60th edition, which was held on June 7th - 12th with the participation of 2.175 exhibiting brands, registered 262 thousand visitors from 173 countries. 61% of the buyers and professionals came from abroad. “The participation represents an excellent result for which we worked hard. This edition confirmed the international pulse of the event and the cohesion in the design community” commented Maria Porro, president of Salone del Mobile.Milano. This edition demonstrated once again how quality furnishings find their most important showcase in the world at the Salone and how much the event is able to attract talent, tell stories of creativity and of projects, and be an exceptional point of gathering, exchange and sharing of ideas. Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano - Diego Ravier A social ecosystem This year, lots of attention was given to the sustainable component, both regarding the organization and management of the event as well as regarding research and the proposals of valuable and concrete solutions that can already be put into practice. They were presented by “Design with Nature”, by SaloneSatellite and by many exhibitors. “Design with Nature” was the exhibition curated by architect Mario Cucinella, who invited us to reflect on the transformation of ways to live on the earth. The ecological transformation, the home as the first piece of the urban puzzle and the city as a treasure trove were the three main themes the installation wanted to communicate through a large area that became a landscape. It was also a space to discuss and a haven for sharing, reading, reflecting and working. Two large tables told the story of the materials of ecological transition, and they repre59

EVENTS sented a space around which people could unite, especially after the events of the last few years. The value of social interaction was rediscovered, which still needs to find a new balance especially regarding space and the resources available. Green proposals The solution of a display with new sustainable materials coming from selected research centres from around the world was found in the SaloneSatellite area dedicated to young designers. Among many exhibiting booths, there were projects with a clearly eco-friendly approach which from the world of the home was transferred to the world of public establishments. There were various examples such as the Re-Chair created by Kartell in a project with Antonio Citterio which reutilized used illycaffè capsules; the Afrika collection of furniture by Marcantonio for Slides made with a bioplastic derived from the natural fibres in sugar cane; the armchair Dunk designed by Philippe Tabet for et al. available in a 100% recyclable polypropylene version or in a recycled polypropylene r-PP version with a composition that varies between 65 and 85% from materials that have been recovered from previous use. Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano - Ludovica Mangini 60

Cinema and words In addition, the Salone del Mobile.Milano wanted to narrate and make known its founding values with an original approach. In the Sala delle Cariatidi at Palazzo Reale, “The Magical Box” went on stage. The site-specific audio-visual installation, designed by Davide Rampello, rotated around eleven institutional principles that have always been imprinted into the DNA of the event. Eleven directors made eleven Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano - Alessandro Russotti short films that interpreted these principles: Francesca Archibugi (Emotions), Pappi Corsicato (Business), Davide Rampello (Quality), Wilma Labate (Design), Bruno Bozzetto (System), Luca Lucini (Communication), Claudio Giovannesi (Culture), Gianni Canova (Youth), Donato Carrisi (Talent), Daniele Ciprì (Milan), Stefano Mordini (Know-how). 61

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