Marco Reitano
Dumplings with squill-fishes, artichokes and sweet potatoby Moreno Cedroni
Dall'Italia Vito Mollica: «Non mi interessa solo il piatto, ma come la ristorazione può cambiare una città»
Perhaps it's because I was lucky enough to be hired by Il Giornale when its reigns were still held strong by Indro Montanelli, and I would feed on Controcorrente, his short commentaries on the first page, but I've always admired those who avoid easy choices as much as possible and follow the road less taken. Luigi Dattilo is one of these people. I admire him because as the owner in Savigno (Bologna) of Appennino Food Group, he rejects living truffles according to the more popular rules. He sells 32 tons each year and even for this reason at one point, basically right from the start, he decided that it would be penalising to focus on the precious white one. Why so? Its season lasts only three months, from October to December, too little for him who, though adoring white truffle, doesn't deny the sincere dignity of the other types, from the pallid white to the pitch black.
The treasure chest of truffles at Cerea's
It's very true, buy you must always consider that "little attention". It may well be a little, or a lot. On December 2nd, last year, it meant a lot because at da Vittorio in Brusaporto, this became a topic of discussion between Dattilo himself and Chicco and Bobo Cerea. And around them, a theme that went far beyond white truffle, an approach so strong it gave life to the First Vertical tasting of Truffles.
Tartare of fassona piemontese with Beaufort and marsala sauce, a charming delicacy from da Vittorio in Brusaporto (Bergamo): And the truffle? Macrosporum or Nero Liscio
Truffle Burger from Bobo and Chicco Cerea
Bianco latte with Brumale truffle
But being a careful chef is only one of the curbs to the experiments. The other is caused by those who do business in these vocated areas, harvester, distributors, shopkeepers, and restaurateurs who have every interest in preserving the myth of White truffle and of his black cousin, without ever clearing completely the fog wrapped around this world, which counts around one hundred different species of which only five are edible. Luigi Dattilo goes against the tide, and I respect him for this because he sheds light on these masterpieces that are born in the dark soil. Which not always is the one that is proclaimed on the ideal line that joins Piedmont, Tuscany and the Marche.
A souvenir photo of a dinner on the 2nd of December 2021 that made history in the truffle universe. Left to right, Luigi Dattilo, Paolo Marchi and Chicco Cerea
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso
born in Milan in March 1955, at Il Giornale for 31 years dividing himself between sports and food, since 2004 he's the creator and curator of Identità Golose. twitter @oloapmarchi
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