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A showcase of regional produce Madia of tastes
[Maddalena Delli]
From November 20th to 25th the fair complex of Fortezza da Basso (meaning Lower Fortress because the other city fortress, Forte Belvedere, was built on a hill) will host Madia, a new event dedicated to typical cuisine and aiming to act as a meeting place between producers, marketers, catering industry and end users. Agricultural produce is by far the most pleasant introduction any region can count upon to welcome its visitors. Conversely, one should never disregard the local cuisine as a privileged way of gaining an insider’s view into a country’s innermost character. In Tuscany, the artistic heritage is probably so overwhelming that it may have somewhat overshadowed the local potential for good food and good living. Well, things are changing at last: at Madia, you will be able to have a unique overview of the finest Tuscan traditional produce, such as wine, oil, cheese, honey, sweets and “salumi” (cured meats), with a special eye for the growing market of organic agriculture - all conveniently gathered under one roof.
If Tuscan wine and oil are known far and wide in every corner of the globe, there are other excellent products you might never have even heard of. For instance, you may well know Montalcino for its Brunello wine, but never dream that it also produces some of the best honey (miele) in Italy. Or you may have heard of the Vernaccia wine from San Gimignano, but not of its prized saffron (zafferano).
Likewise you may not be aware that in the Sienese countryside a number of farmers are reviving the breeding of the local cinta pig. Though the rest of its bristles are dark, this peculiar semi-wild pig has a white band around the body (hence ‘cinta’, meaning ‘girdled’). Cinta is a very old breed and appears in some Medieval paintings including Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s “Buongoverno” frescos in the Palazzo Pubblico of Siena. The Sienese cinta has been in serious danger of extinction because it was not suitable for industrial-scale rearing, but now its excellent lean meat is enjoying a revival.
At Madia you will discover all this and much more. Better still, the best of typical produce will not just be on display, but it will be available for tasting thanks to several restaurants that will cook the regional ingredients provided by local farmers and breeders and offer free samples of the delights of Tuscan cuisine. Meanwhile the Italian Association of Sommeliers (AIS) will demonstrate wine and food matches.
Each of the first four days of the show will highlight a different kind of product: Tuscan bread on Thursday 20th, fish on Friday 21st, meat on Saturday 22nd and oil on Sunday 23rd. Finally, Monday 24th will be devoted to Vetrina Toscana a Tavola, a special project promoted by the Regione Toscana to develop a network of restaurants specializing in typical Tuscan dishes based on local ingredients. In order to qualify and join the scheme, restaurants will be required to have a majority of typical Tuscan dishes in their menu, to offer at least thirty different Tuscan wines, to use Tuscan extra virgin olive oil and to be able to provide customers with information about local produce and crafts.
A feast for the all the senses, Madia is an unmissable opportunity for students of Italian cooking and culture, and an enticing temptation for everyone else...
Practical Info: Madia is held at the Fortezza da Basso on November 20th-25th. Midweek opening is from 10am to 7.30pm, but in the weekend the fair will be open until as late as 11pm. For further info call 055.417272
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http://www.madiafirenze.it/