Archive for June, 2014

Intermediate Italian, Final Project — Interview With Dario Cecchini

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

Intervista a Dario Cecchini – macellaio artigiano.

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Jen: Hai mai ucciso un animale?

DC: Certo. È il mio lavoro. È importante prendersi la responsabilità delle cose della vita compreso e a cominciare dal nutrimento. Non si può delegare ad altri. Il macellaio ha la delega dalla comunità nel senso che nella tradizione è il macellaio che uccide gli animali per la comunità. Quindi io sono un macellaio e uccido animali. Non è un gioco e non è un hobby o un divertimento. È un’etica professionale.

 

Simon: Perché non usi latticini nei tuoi ristoranti?

DC: Non uso latticini perché nella mia infanzia non c’era latte. In Chianti non avevamo latte avevamo solamente animali da lavoro. Non uso latticini anche perché credo molto nella regola ebraica: o si mangia carne o si mangia latte. Non si cucina il figlio con il latte della mamma. In realtà le regole religiose erano regole alimentari e igieniche. Non credo che faccia bene mischiare le cose. In questo momento gli chef cercano il massimo del gusto. Cioè la ricetta, il piatto, deve essere il più buono possibile. Per me non deve essere solo il più buono possibile ma deve essere il più semplice possibile. Ma soprattutto deve essere il più buono per la salute.

Come dice il motto della scuola di Salerno: nutrimentum medicamentum est, cioè il nutrimento deve essere anche una medicina. Il cibo deve essere anche salute. Per cui non devi pensare solo a un cibo ricco e buono di sapore, ma devi pensare a un cibo che sia anche salute.

La settimana scorsa ho lavorato a Kansas City. Il trenta percento della popolazione è big. Ma in maniera eccessiva. In quel caso il cibo non è salute. Qualcosa non funziona. Non è un problema semplice, ma qualcosa non funziona. Michelle Obama ha provato a mettere frutta e verdura fresca  nelle scuole. Millecinquecento scuole si sono ribellate e hanno rifiutato il programma. Le famiglie levano i bambini dalla mensa della scuola. Ma è cosi che funziona: non puoi imporre una cosa. Devi spiegare. È un cambiamento di cultura. In questo momento non so se è possibile. Il mondo degli chef è troppo easy. Tutto deve essere veloce e tutto deve essere novità. Ma io cerco di fare cibo e salute. […] Io non mangio gelato, non mangio formaggi. Ho provato. Anche quelle cose, quelle cose americane come si chiamano? Milk shake!

Per me è interessante capire perché la gente mangia queste cose. [..] MA perché lo fanno? Ci sarà un piacere una soddisfazione. Bisogna capire. Siete voi che dovete far capire! Io ho fatto tante cose prima di fare il macellaio: ho fatto cose occidentali e cose meno occidentali. Poi alla fine ho cercato un equilibrio come macellaio. È importante. Io vedo che c’è una nuova generazione di macellai che hanno una buona ispirazione Però generalmente poi alla fine l’ispirazione diventa business e non c’è più equilibrio. È giusto fare business. È normale.  Ma devi fare business per la vita e non per i soldi. Se lo fai per i soldi diventi il più ricco del cimitero.

Madison: Perché volevi fare il veterinario?

Perché mi piaceva. E perché erano le mie radici. Le famiglie di contadini lavorano sempre insieme con i macellai e i veterinari. Era il mio mondo. Era il mondo dei contadini, il mondo dei macellai, il mondo dei veterinari. Io volevo fare il veterinario perché gli animali hanno bisogno di buone cure. Ma non per salvare gli animali. Perché volevo aiutare le famiglie dei contadini a far stare meglio gli animali. Come cerco di fare ora. Ma erano animali che poi andavano alla macellazione. Ma c’è modo e modo. Un conto è vivere rinchiusi in una gabbia, un conto è aver spazi liberi, cibo, una buona vita lunga e poi alla fine ti mangiano…

 

 

 

FINAL GROUP PROJECT – INTERMEDIATE ITALIAN

 

Interview with Dario Cecchini. Translated by Vincenzo

 

Jen: Have you ever killed and animal?

DC: Sure. It’s my job. It’s important to take responsibility for the things in life and that begins with nutrition. You cannot delegate this to others. A butcher has a mandate from the community in a traditional sense, a butcher kills the animal for the community. Therefore, I am a butcher and I kill animals. It is not a game, it is not a hobby, and it is not for fun. It is a professional ethic.

 

Simon: Why don’t you use dairy products in your restaurants?

DC: I don’t use dairy products because during my childhood we did not have milk. In Chianti, we did not have milk, we only had animals for work. Also, I believe deeply in the Jewish laws on the matter: one cannot eat meat and dairy together. One does not cook a son with the milk from his mother. In reality, these religious rules were hygienic rules. I don’t believe it is healthy to mix things. In modern day, chefs always search for the maximum flavor. The recipe and the dish need to be as good as possible. For me, it does not necessarily have to be as delicious as possible, but rather as simple as possible. But overall, it needs to be as healthy as possible.

As the motto of the Schola Medica Salernitana reads: nutrimentum medicamentum est. Nutrition also needs to be medicine. The food needs to be healthy. It is one thing to make a food that is rich and full of flavor, but it is another to make a food that is also healthy.

Last week I worked in Kansas City. Thirty percent of the population is obese. In this case the food is not healthy. Nothing works. This is not a simple problem. Michelle Obama tried to put fresh fruit and vegetables into every school. Fifteen hundred schools rebelled and disregarded the program. Families have removed their children from school cafeterias. But it works like this: you cannot impose a thing or a belief. You need to explain it. It is a change in culture that at this moment is not possible. The world of a chef is easy. Everything must be quick, everything must be new. I search to make food and health. I don’t eat ice cream, I don’t eat cheese. I have tried at some point. Even those American things called… milkshakes! For me it is interesting to figure out why these people eat this food. BUT WHY? It must give you a pleasure of satisfaction. Even you must make sense of it! I have done many things before I was a butcher: both Western and non-Western things. Then at the end I find an equilibrium as a butcher. This is important. I see that there is a new generation of butchers that have good inspiration. But, in the end, inspiration becomes a business. It is right to make business. It is normal. But, you have to make business for life, not for money. If you do it for the money you become the richest person in the cemetery.

 

Madison: Why did you want to become a veterinarian?

DC: Because I liked it. Also because of my roots. Families of farm workers always worked together with the butcher and the vet. It was my world. It was the world of the farm workers the butcher and the vet. I wanted to become a vet because the animals need to be in good health. But, not to save the  animals… to help the families of farm workers that needed the animals to be in good health. It is what  I search to do now. They were animals that were going to the slaughter house. There are several ways of doing it. It is one thing to live closed up in a cave. It is another to live with free space, food, and a good long life. And in the end, they eat you (the animal).

 

 

Le Fornaci Wine Estate, Saturday May 31, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

On Saturday afternoon we visited Le Fornaci wine estate in Bolgheri, a small producer in the heart of the Bolgheri wine area. Here we tasted their best wines and toured the vineyards.

 

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Castiglioncello, Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

We slept in Castiglioncello and headed to the beach on Saturday evening and Sunday morning …

http://www.castiglioncello.it/

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Lunch at La Pineta by Luciano Zazzeri, Saturday May 31, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

After Fonte di Foiano, we headed to Luciano Zazzeri’s La Pineta, for a taste of the best local fish prepared in an elegant and simple way.

http://www.lapinetadizazzeri.it/LaPineta/Home.html

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Fonte di Foiano Olive Oil, Bolgheri, Saturday May 31, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

On May 31 we departed for Bolgheri, with a short stop outside the walls of Volterra. In Bolgheri we first headed to the olive oil orchard of Fonte di Foiano, a family run orchard producing high quality olive oil.

http://www.fontedifoiano.it/

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Dario Cecchini’s Shop At 360 Degrees, Friday May 30, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

On Friday morning, May 30, we visited Dario Cecchini’s chianine farm on the Fontodi wine estate, to learn about his project of chianine di lunga vita (long life chianina cows). We then assisted to the processing of a leg, and visited the restaurants that Dario and Kim run.

http://www.dariocecchini.com/

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Hike from San Giusto in Salcio to San Polo in Rosso, Thursday May 29, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

On Thursday May 29, we hiked with Martino Danielli from the pieve of San Giusto in Salcio to San Polo in Rosso, through Galenda, between old samples of Chianti agriculture (terraced cultivations, maple trees, mulberry trees, etc.).

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Visit to Fattoria Nittardi, Wednesday May 28, 2014

June 12th, 2014 by aborghin

On May 28th we visited Nittardi wine estate, at the opposite end of the ‘conca d’oro’ (golden valley) than Panzano. Leon Femfert and his oenologist Roberto Geloni showed us the vineyards, the cellar, and prepared an entertaining game: four groups of students made their own wine starting from three varieties; the winners were awarded a magnum of Ad Astra, one of Nittardi’s red wines.

http://www.nittardi.com/

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“Le ova sono finite!” – A Wine-Making Story in Panzano

June 12th, 2014 by zplong16

“Le ova sono finite!” – A Wine-Making Story in Panzano

Zachary Longo

 

When the last grapes enter the cellar in October, Vicky and Guido brace for a new season of wine making. Their estate, Le Fonti, located in Panzano in Chianti, lies in the heart of Chianti Classico, home to a renown wine biodistrict. This is where my journey begins. How do you make wine out of a bunch of grapes? I came to study an artisan winemaker. I arrived in mid May in Panzano, to complete a four-week course on the philosophy of food and I fell in love with the culture of wine-making.  I became fascinated during this short amount of time with the artisanship that goes into making a craft wine.  While I was only in Tuscany for a month, I was able to gain valuable insight from the producers and from my own studies on the production of wine, after the harvest.

 

Fermentation:

As the last of the grapes enter the cellar, already hand selected from the vineyards, they are sent to the press.  Here they are lightly pressed, in order to start the juicing process.  Guido and Vicky are very focused on producing an organic product, that allows for the sustainability of the land.  This means that they let the grapes go though the process of turning into wine with as little outside input as possible.  After being lightly pressed, the grapes enter large metal vats.  It is crucial that the grapes from different vineyards are separated into different vats.  Guido explains that each vineyard can produce a different quality grape and it is important to not blend them until the quality of wine is determined.

The grapes, now in the metal vats, will start to undergo the fermentation process.  This process occurs in two steps while in the metal vats.  The first fermentation will occur within the first 21 to 26 days.  This is when the sugars in the grape are converted to alcohol.  The grape juice is very reactive with oxygen at this point so it is crucial to avoid air contact throughout this whole period.  The alcohol percentage has the potential to vary greatly year to year.  It is entirely dependent on how hot the summer is.  With a hotter summer, you will get a sweeter grape, which, in turn, means less alcohol.  However, if the weather is not as hot, you will get a less sweet grape, which allows for a higher alcohol concentration. Some producers will add chemicals and yeast to aid the fermentation process.  However Guido and Vicky do not believe in this philosophy.  They choose to let the grapes undergo their process at their own pace, because the grapes have a natural yeast that they will produce in order to drive the fermentation.

As the grapes ferment in the metal vats, the skins will start to separate from the grape.  The skins and other solid parts of the grape will settle down on the bottom of the barrel.  This causes a problem for Guido because this could limit fermentation and also affect the color of the grape.  To resolve this, Guido goes from container to container with a pump, slowly bringing the contents on the bottom of the vat up to the top.  The process is slow as to not break the grape’s seed, which contains bitter oils that will have a negative impact on the quality of wine.  With the slow pump, you get the added benefit of recycling the contents of the vat and also without breaking the grape seeds.  Guido repeats this process daily throughout these first 3 weeks.

It is now the beginning of November and the grapes have completed their first step of fermentation.  The grape skins are now ready to be removed and the second step of the fermentation process can begin.  During the next month, the acetic acid that is in the grapes will be converted into maleic acid.  In order for this process to proceed, bacteria will need to be present in the vat.  Many producers will spend thousands of dollars to buy the desired bacteria to add to the vat.  However, Le Fonti has derived a way to “trick the grapes into producing the correct bacteria.”  By keeping the metal containers around 20oC the grapes will start to produce the natural bacteria that is needed to complete this second step of fermentation.  This not only saves Guido and Vicky from undesired costs of production but also is in line with their all natural philosophy.  These choices by Guido and Vicky early on in the production process already start to distinguish Le Fonti’s Chianti Classico from the many other producers.

Walking into the cellar, the aroma of grapes is instantly apparent.  The metal vats are neatly arranged around the border of the cellar while two wooden barrels sit in the middle of the room.  One of the things I appreciated the most is the cleanliness of the whole room.  Everything was without a scratch and no dirt could be found.  This reflects kindly on the Le Fonti operation because it shows the precision and care that they put into their work.  If you walk into a cellar that is a mess, it could show carelessness, however, if everything is kept clean and the workspace is organized, then it demonstrations that the producer is dedicated to the quality of their wine.

 

Blending:

After months spent in the metal vats, the grapes have finished the fermentation process.  Its now December and the blending of the grapes is now in full swing.  Among the vats, you can observe that Sangiovese dominates the collection.  Along with this, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon can be found.  Guido and Vicky are attempting to determine which grapes from this year will be used in their different wine offerings.  To help with their selection process, they will send blind samples from each of their vats to a consultant who will offer his recommendations.  Vicky explains that they trust his input very much and have been with him for a considerable amount of time.  Taking the consultants recommendations into account, Vicky and Guido decide on the final blend for the Chianti Classico.  In order to sell a wine as Chianti Classico, Guido needs to meet certain criteria.  Specifically, the wine needs to be at least 80% Sangiovese, and aged for at least 12 months. All the grapes need to be grown in the Chianti region and all are required to be red.  Guido and Vicky believe that 80% Sangiovese is not the correct percentage to create a good wine.  While the exact percentages can vary from year to year, Le Fonti’s Chianti Classico is usually slightly over 90% Sangiovese.  With the remaining, there is Merlot, usually around 5-6%, and then finish off with Cabernet Sauvignon, with about 3-4%.  This combination, in their opinion, produces a complex, well-rounded wine.

Le Fonti finds it crucial to blend the wine before aging it.  While many producers will blend their grapes after the aging in oak barrels, Guido and Vicky believe that this is not the correct strategy for today’s market.  If the grapes are blended after the aging process, the wine needs to be aged for a longer period of time before it is pleasant to drink.  Vicky explains, “In the first four or five years this type of wine could taste bitter and unpleasant to drink.”  The grapes do not have enough time to adjust to each other so as a result, they need to age in the bottle before it is ready to be drank.  By blending the grapes and then aging in oak, the grapes are given a longer time to adjust to each other.  As a result, you get a very harmonious wine that is ready to be drank young. In todays wine market, the consumer is looking for a wine that can be drank within a year or two of being purchased.  As a result, a wine that requires aging for about five years will not perform well on the market.

I found this to be very interesting.  I was under the assumption that the blending of the grapes occurred as the last step before entering the bottle.  The concept that the grapes need to get acclimated to each other was also something that contradicted with my prior understanding.

 

Aging:

As the heart of winter closes upon Tuscany, the Chianti Classico blend enters the oak barrels.  Guido and Vicky are very particular about what barrels they will use for their wines.  There are several oak options for the barrels.  American and Hungarian Oak are options, but both face a similar problem; they are too porous and as a result give a very strong oak taste.  As a result, Le Fonti has decided on a French Oak, which they believe provides the perfect amount of structure for the Chianti Classico.  With that decision behind them, they were then faced with the decision on whether to use the barrel right away with the Chianti Classico, or to use it on other wines.  Guido and Vicky decided on the later, for a similar reason for choosing the French barrel, the new barrel will be overpowering for the Chianti Classico.  Le Fonti sends its barrels through a rotation.  The new barrels are used on their Reserva and Fontissimo because they can handle the strong oak influence.  After they are used there, the barrels can then be used on the Chianti Classico wine.  The main reason for aging in oak barrels is that it provides stability to the wine.  As Vicky explains, this means that a wine that would normally only last one or two years can now last from five all the way up to ten in some cases.  While in Tuscany, we visited many other wine producers in the area. The ability to give a wine a longer life is very important because it will make their wine more marketable.  With the wine now blended and sitting in the oak, the long days in the cellar draw to a close.  The wine will now sit in the oak for at least a year before being bottled and sent out to face the market and critiques.

Le Fonti produces Chianti Classico wine that is in tune with the philosophy of Guido and Vicky – to create a production that is natural, organic, and allows for the sustainability of the environment.  While the guidelines for a Chianti Classico wine are stricter than ever before, Le Fonti is able to produce a product that is truly unique in its production and taste.  The production of wine takes a true artisan in order to get out a high quality product.  It is important to have someone dedicated to not only spending long days tending the vineyards, but also spending hours in the cellar with the wine.  By owning the winery and also making the wine, Vicky and Guido are able to construct wines that are in line with their philosophy and are able to fine-tune their craft to meet their desires in the wine.  The Chianti Classico that is bottled each and every year is a true work of art that embodies the dedication, work ethic, and skill that is evident at Le Fonti Winery.  I look forward to additional enjoyable wines and many more successful years of wine production, as I am sure Guido and Vicky do as well.

Grape PressLe Fonti 

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LA MIA PRIMA SETTIMANA IN CHIANTI – Jen

June 12th, 2014 by jlwals16

Abbiamo lasciato Boston il sedici maggio.  Siamo arrivati a Firenze e abbiamo guidato fino a Panzano in Chianti.  La domenica, abbiamo camminato fino a Volpaia con Martino.  Martino ci ha insegnato sulle piante in Toscana.  È stato molto interessante e lui era intelligente, ma abbiamo camminato per sei ore!  Eravamo stanchissimi.  Più tardi per  cena, abbiamo mangiato da Cecchini.  Abbiamo mangiato cosí tanta carne e abbiamo bevuto molti vini.  Io probabilmente ho bevuto troppo.  Pero è stato un buon momento.  Lunedì, siamo andati a casa di Lele e abbiamo cucinato torte salate, pollo al limone, arrosto arrotolato, e il gelato.  Abbiamo mangiato tutto, e molto bene.  Dopo, professore Borghini ci ha insegnato agricoltura e abbiamo parlato della passeggiata di domenica.  La lezione di italiano non era male, ma non ricordo nulla!

Martedì, dopo le lezione, siamo andati a Firenze.  Era bellisimo!  Mi è piaciuto camminare in giro per la città.  Mi è piaciuto Ponte Vecchio.  Alla fine della giornata, Madison e io abbiamo cercato il gelato, ma ci siamo perdute.  Noi abbiamo domandato indicazioni mentre compravamo una bottiglia del vino.  Il vino era molto buono.

Tutto era divertente, ma il mio giorno preferito è stato il mercoledì.  Mercoledì, siamo andati a Le Fonti per la degustazione di vini.  Dopo la degustazione di vini, siamo andati alla casa di Marissa e Mary per la cena.  Abbiamo mangiato quarantacinque pizze!  Abbiamo anche bevuto molti vini.  Ho parlato con Lele e Selah quasi tutta la notte.  Eravamo pazzi dopo che abbiamo bevuto Grappa.  La Grappa è pericolosa.  Io ho saputo che quel giorno ho rotto la porta della macchina.  Ho pensato che avevo perso gli occhiali da sole di Madison.  Ma no, erano sulla mia camicia. Ho imparato altre cose troppo, ma non ho voluto pensare circa a loro.  È stato pazzesco.

Giovedì, noi siamo andati a Le Cinciole per un’altra degustazione di vini. È stata lunga tre ore. Loro erano molte intelligenti e sapevano molto sui vini.  Abbiamo imparato ancora di più sulle caratteristice del vino.  Mi sono piaciuti perché ci hanno insegnato molto alla degustazione dei vini di Le Fonti.

Venerdì, siamo andati alla macelleria di Guido Falaschi.  Lui era una persona molto simpatica e intelligentissima.  Dopo, abbiamo visto la scuola secondaria di professore Borghini e abbiamo mangiato a casa dei suoi genitori.  Abbiamo mangiato la pasta con il pesce.  Era buonissimo.  Dopo la cena, siamo andati a Hotel Royal a Viareggio.  Era enorme e bellissimo.  Il fine settimana scorso ci siamo divertiti.  Mi è piaciuta la spiaggia, però ho preso una scottatura cattiva.  Pisa e Lucca erano bellissime, e la cena a L’Imbuto è stata interessante e differente.  Io spero che tutto il resto sia bello come la settimana scorsa.

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