The International Chef Congress  in Milan

We are in February and this means that one of our favourite food appointments of the year is starting again! Next weekend from the 5th to the 7th of February,  Pastificio dei Campi will be in Milan for Identita' Golose 2012,  an event all dedicated to the most famous chefs and their creations.

We couldn't miss this gourmet appointment, especially considering the theme of this year: "Oltre il mercato' 'Over the market', to underline the importance of the raw materials, of the content and of the simply, natural and high quality products.
To embrace the event in the best way, we will host  in our stand  everyday some great italian chef, who will cook our pasta following the great Neapolitan recipes... but it's not all.

We are also putting together the past and the future with a funny surprise that will have place on Monday in the "Sala gialla"...i can't wait for Mafaldina to tell me more :)

If you are passing by milan this weekend and especially if you are actually going to identitta' golose, don't miss our stand... The best from the italian cuisine all in one event!
And come to say hi!

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This time in company of some great wines

While in Italy and in London everyone is thinking about the Christmas, the magic menu we will prepare, the presents still missing to buy and some great time with family and friends, in France the atmosphere is much more relaxed: they have still plenty of time to dedicate to the good food and wine.

This weekend in fact Pastificio dei Campi had the honor to be part of the Salon des Vignerons for the event Le Vin en Tête, the show dedicated to natural wine. On Saturday the 3^rd and Sunday the 4^th  Pastificio dei Campi offered to all the French visitors a classic familiar Neapolitan Sunday dish, Ziti alla Genovese, inviting all to party in the italian way.

Two cooking workshops had taken place to explain the history and original recipe for this delicious and unique dish made ​​of onions, meat and pasta from Gragnano.

Are you curious to know what really happened? Just look at these nice instagram pictures taken during the event by the same... Mr Pacchero :)

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Between bloggers and pasta lessons to children… and not only

It was a really great festival the one in Olympia during the past weekend. If you have been there you have probably pass by our stand. If you didn’t you missed a nice bunch of people and a great opportunity to know a bit more about high quality products and our pasta.

I have spent my days with Niccolo from foodinthecity and the funny Andreasveg. We had a good time and the people who passed by (famous or not ;)) have been great! I had the pleasure to finally meet Sabrina, Steven, and Monique but especially I spoke with lots of people who have never known anything about Gragnano before, our tradition in making pasta and why our products are so special.

Do you know what was the most common question in these days?

"What are this?" Looking at some Paccheri.

I have to admit I was really surprised especially because this question was not just coming from children but even from some adults, but it was really great to explain and educate them to the real Italian pasta and show to the children the magic of the bronze extraction: 

"Look children how the pasta is made…look where the shape of this Eliche comes from!” They were really hypnotized by the pictures I was showing them and it was amazing. I’m also sure lots of them have never seen a field of grain… ! Anyway they all loved our Paccheri and i can't wait to repeat the experience soon!

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An occasion to meet Pastificio dei Campi too.

We are happy to announce that we are part of this big event starting today at London Olympia: MasterChef Live 2011.

You probably know very well the Tv programme MasterChef, great occasion for lots of people passionate about cooking and food to try the street of the success, challenging them self with recipes and complicate dishes until the selection of the best one. Based on that show, this event will let you take part to the live challenge, at least as the audience if not as a contestant. (Thanks for the picture at the blog Morethancupcakes.com)

From today until Sunday (11-13 November)  in fact in Olympia  there will be plenty of good food, chefs, restaurant experiences, tasting sessions, wine and food shows, challenges between contestants and real chefs and lot more.

Come and see John Torode and Gregg Wallace, get a master class from Michel Roux Jr. Also, watch MasterChef Professionals Champion of 2010, Claire Lara or cook-off against this year’s MasterChef Champion, Tim Anderson. Come to see the Producers' Village, a space just dedicated to local producers who specialise in seasonal and home-grown produce. But especially…come to meet us at the stand F24.

And if you really can’t be there with us, follow me on Twitter (@linguinadc) and check my Facebook page, to have all the latest news and pictures directly from the event.

See you there?

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Lunch at Fornata and a quick stop in Melograno Deli

 
What does it means when daddy is at home? That excitement and positive vibe is in the air and everyone starts to organize lunches, dinners and coffees trying to meet him, while he is rushing and jumping from a place to another. You need to be quick if you want to reach him.
 
So in all this messaging, texting, chatting, being careful about scheduling and flight-trains departures, I was lucky enough to meet him in Fornata where we enjoyed a quick but great lunch with Niccolo from Foodinthecity too!

A part from the classic and well known starters made of Arancini with meat ragu' and Mozzarella in carrozza (delicious), we had directly from the artistic inspiration of the chef Douglas Santi this great pasta mista dish with courgettes, endive, anchovies, a sprinkle of chili (soo tasty) all combined by just a bit of fresh ricotta! Gorgeous! Then we couldn't miss one of the signature dish of the place the FORNATA hamburger: a delicious hamburger in a focaccia. It has all the taste of my childhood bread, the rosetta, that my mum used to give me with the meat, when I wasn't happy about the meal.  

And finally, to complete the feast, we had a slice of tiramisu... And I repeat a slice! Go and try it... I won't tell you anything more but you then will understand what I'm speaking about.
 
I didn't even had the time to finish the dessert that he was already gone for a quick hello to Dino at Melograno! 

Anything else you want to do in the last five minutes before your flight?

Torna presto!

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3 days of food, music and fun for a unique festival.

As the majority of you, this year I could not attend this beautiful event, La festa della Pasta, the Pasta Festival that took place in the Campagnia region last weekend. In these days I was craving and just waiting for some pictures from the event. I was curious to see  what happened in Gragnano during the celebration.

If I was thinking that the last Festival could have been hard to overcome, these pictures from this year just told me the contrary: there was food, there was an enormous amount of people, there was music, special shows, magic in the air and of course the best pasta in the world with its never ending tradition.

With the help of the government of the region and with the participation of the Slow Food organization, the party was at its best! It's always nice to see people working in the production of this precious food, sharing and enjoing all this with their family, friends and  with all the people in love with the good food and that  appreciate this fundamental element of our culture.

Here some pictures made by the italian blogger Giovanna Esposito and by Alessandro Savarese for E-comunica. Thanks to both of you for these beautiful images that are able to catch the real vibe of this great party.

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2, 3 and 4 September 2011 in Gragnano

Are you thinking in a last little holiday before the autumn begins? are you looking for a bright place, good food and an amazing atmosphere?

Maybe is the case for you to consider to spend some days in Gragnano, near Naples and on the stunning Sorrento's peninsula. Gragnano is especially known in Italy and abroad as the hometown of the pasta, reason why every year there takes place this great Festival. This year the party will start on the 2nd of September for a three days celebration of this important ingredient, everyday on our tables, but also all the tradition and culture behind it.

If last year the theme was "the truly pasta's charm", this year the theme will be "the pasta's madness" and I can only imagine what this is going to mean. 

Usually in fact the festival includes lots of different shows, concerts and workshops open air all around the city, but there will also be three big guests: for this edition they will be the famous italian Circo Nero, Simone Cristicchi e Mario Biondi.

We are really excited by this event that puts together, tradition, amazing shows, music concerts, and where you will have the chance to try the real PGI pasta from Gragnano with all the people who actually make that and leave in the city. 

It's a very unique experience in an amazing environment, and the best way to visit the Campania region. You will find all the latest news here in some days, or just leave a comment to this post and I will answer as soon as possible.

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