07-11-2014

Quality in quantities

In Milan, Paolo Marchi presented his book XXL, "90% stories of men, 10% stories of ingredients"

A room crowded with chefs, colleagues and enthusiasts last night at Eataly Smeraldo for the presentation of Paolo Marchi’s book XXL, I piatti che hanno allargato la mia vita (Mondadori, 16.90 euros). On the stage, with the author, the colleague of a thousand adventures Roberto Perrone and the patron of Eataly Oscar Farinetti

Question: can we share a dish? Answer: to your own risk. This is how XXL, I piatti che hanno allargato la mia vita (Mondadori) [The dishes that broadened my life/waist] presents itself to the world, a book that Paolo Marchi first experienced and then wrote, as if it were the autobiography of Prussian blue in tuna sauce. Stories and recipes along a journey coloured with life, searching for the perfect dish like an Indiana Jones with a fork in his pocket.

"My life is a craveable one, how about yours?". The question lingers in the (overcrowded) conference room inside Eataly-Smeraldo in Milan, where XXL evokes anecdotes and flavours, unleashes memories and promises smiles. On the stage with the author, host Oscar Farinetti and an exceptional interviewer like Roberto Perrone, journalist for Corriere della Sera, also proudly xxl not only with reference to his size, but also to his curiosity, his desire to experiment, his existence’s horizon. All this following the rule of Messegué: "Eating a good stew with friends is more dietetic than a sad leek soup finished by yourself ".

Left to right, Annalisa Cavaleri, journalist and co-author of the book, Paolo Marchi, colleague Roberto Perrone and Oscar Farinetti

Enough philosophy, it’s time to set the table. Their story is a parallel one, which began with reporting on sport and arrived at food with disarming simplicity. There was no away game by Juventus or Inter, no world football championship, no skiing competition (Marchi) or tennis tournament (Perrone) in which sooner or later a restaurant to be explored, a menu to be perused, a starter to be tasted, would not appear. Two icons.

The journey of Marchi is a linear and straightforward one, following the professional marriage between sport and food that was launched by Gianni Brera. And then Mura, and then these two. Paolo began in the sports editorial staff of Il Giornale, in my mind reviewed all the restaurants around the world on which it was worth writing something, invented Identità Golose and arrived here, at XXL with the applauses, the smiles of a 3D presentation (possibly three desserts). "For a critic, its the size of the curiosity that matters, not that of the suit", "We aim for quality, not quantity ". Here are two mottos that set a good mood in the heterogeneous audience of friends, enthusiasts, bon vivants and starred chefs such as Carlo Cracco, Vittorio Fusari, Massimo Milan, Davide Oldani, Pietro Leemann, Ezio Santin, Antonio Santini, Davide Scabin.

In the audience, left to right, Pietro Leemann, chef at Joia in Milan, Roberto Restelli, previously the curator of the Italian edition of the Michelin Guide. In front, there’s Paola Jovinelli and Claudio Ceroni of Magenta Bureau and Luisa Acciarri, Paolo Marchi’s wife

Curiosity and quality, in the words of a witness, always ready to accept when Marchi summons to explore a new cuisine, or a new colourful dish. Places and recipes and trivia. The bear that made ravioli fly, the boiled meat that should not be boiled, Sultano’s Sicily, but also the best and the worst lunch in his life. And then the challenge inside the Sacrestia in Naples, with a fellow journalist for the ultimate lunch, won with a coup de theatre that tastes of garlic, oil and chilli pepper.

"XXL is 90% stories of men and life, and 10% of ingredients" Farinetti sums up, giving the ideal recipe for a story. The same used by Aldo Buzzi sixty years ago for his immortal "Uovo alla Kok". One could keep on listening to Marchi, Perrone and Farinetti until late at night but then comes Viviana Varese’s polenta with cheese from Piccolo Brite in Cortina. The public is in daze, the mouths are watering. So, while the audience queues with a plate, Marchi signs the copies with judicious attention. And Perrone says goodbye, moving towards the natural evolution of an evening at Eataly: shopping.