07-11-2016
Massimo Bottura and Riccado Camanini joke during the dinner that had Bergamo’s chef from Lido 84 as the protagonist, with his most famous dishes, and the chef from Modena sitting at the table. The event is part of the “Storie di gusto e di passione - Viaggio alla scoperta dei protagonisti della nuova cucina italiana” project organised by Coincasa with Cargo Etc. in collaboration with Identità Golose (photo Brambilla-Serrani)
Snacks della cena di Camanini: Alga nori e mortadella, Riso soffiato, nero di seppia e Parmigiano tostato all’anice stellato (tutte le foto sono di Brambilla-Serrani)
Gambero, olio di semi di fragola, Campari
Mandorla e gin
Spaghettone al burro e lievito
Cacio e pepe in vescica
Brodo di pesce azzurro
Trombette della morte, marsala invecchiato, collagene, fondo di faraona, cacao
Gelato al latte di montagna
Meringa al cioccolato bianco
Torta di rose cotta al momento con zabaione al Vov e limoni del Garda
Cannoncino king size ripieno di crema alla noce di Sorrento e caffè
Banana caramellata con frutto della passione, noci, uvetta, capperi tostati, limone sfusato, salvia, cannella e anice stellato
Crosta tostata al cioccolato fondente
Fondente 85%, Lagavulin e cuore di alce affumicato
Coccole finali: Burro d'arachidi e arancia
Abbraccio finale
«I want you» is more or less what chef Massimo told Riccardo Camanini when he had to establish which chef would cook – with the above mentioned Bottura as guest of honour – at the private dinner in Milan which yesterday celebrated the gourmet tour called “Storie di gusto e di passione - Viaggio alla scoperta dei protagonisti della nuova cucina italiana” organised by Coincasa with Cargo Etc. and the collaboration of Identità Golose (we wrote about it at length, for instance here and here). Cesare Battisti took instead part in the grand final open to the public on Friday night, 4th November, at 6.30 p.m. also at the Coin store in Milan V Giornate.
Camanini thus had to exploit the chance to do the best he could with his cooking, a sort of certification of a period of extraordinary growth: while the public storms in, critics praise him, his Lido 84 grows dramatically, the chef and his brother Giancarlo – in charge of the cellar and more – still champion modesty, on top of cooking, and keep their feet to the ground: «We were born to two workers, we give value to work. So for us the time has not yet come to achieve [be it money or famous awards, it’s of little importance]. We reinvest everything to make the restaurant nicer. On 14th November we’ll stop for three weeks for a total makeover», but he won’t sit idly by: first stop in Sweden, visiting the “right” places, starting from Fäviken of his friend Magnus Nilsson, then Australia at Margaret River Gourmet Escape, the gourmet festival a three hour drive south of Perth with marvellous surroundings.
Camanini at work with Roman Andrea Capasso. Helping the chef at Lido 84 there’s also Gilles Fornoni from Bergamoand Martina Sguerso from Savona: the people in his team are all young and very promising
His humbleness is typical of the people from the mountains of Bergamo. His quick steps instead show mostly his origins from around the lake, as he’s from Lovere, near lake Iseo. Always on the west bank, though of another lake, the ancient Benaco, in the very Gardone where his Lido 84 having returned to the old splendour – in fact it’s being considered among the temples of taste as never before in its history – clever Rick created dishes that he presented in the best possible way during the evening in Milan. Bottura took a second helping of Prawn, strawberry seed oil, Campari, a magical aperitif thanks to this very precious oil made in Austria and sold at 120 euros per liter.
Marchi took a third helping of the Cacio e pepe in a bladder, of which we’ll write again: pardoned as the dish subsists and is a great dish too, the author of this piece himself just took a second helping but would have gone on and on, as with the small cannoli made with Nori seaweed and mortadella, an irresistible appetizer served with Puff rice, squid ink and Toasted Parmigiano with star anise in beautiful handmade pewter bowls made by Marinoni in Brescia. Before sitting at the table they also serve Perch, porcini bark, bay leaves which is an unexpected hymn to meatiness, «the meat is so firm because the waters of the lake have turned cold these past few weeks. And then you have the bay leaves…», which you can sense very well indeed.
Camanini’s Cacio e pepe in vescica [Cacio e pepe in a bladder] is very photogenic...
The tart had fallen on the top side of the plate. It broke up, but “elegantly”: hence the idea was not to recompose it as the one that was still intact, but to create the same effect. «The result was a dish which is a perfect metaphor of Southern Italy: broken, cracked, yet including iconic ingredients (lemon and citrus fruits, bergamot, capers, oregano and chilli pepper) with an extraordinary, I’d say poetic, outcome».
The Milanese Coin store in Piazza V Giornate. The grand final of this event within “Storie di gusto e di passione - Viaggio alla scoperta dei protagonisti della nuova cucina italiana” – organised by Coincasa with Cargo Etc. and the collaboration of Identità Golose – took place on Friday 4th November at 6.30 p.m.. There were Severino Salvemini, professor of Business organization at Università Bocconi in Milan (and a great lover of music and cooking) and Cesare Battisti, patron chef at restaurant Ratanà and Chef Ambassador at Expo (they joined a discussion on the meaning and value of the creativity that has Milan as its ideal habitat. Paolo Marchi, creator and curator of Identità Golose, guided the conversation and commented on the recipes prepared by Battisti during a cooking demo after which guests were invited to taste)
Camanini ends handing roast chestnuts. Everybody leaves happily.
An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief