Genuinely Italian Lecture Series At NYU’s Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’

radicchioblog — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:00:12 +0000

Food is a topic that is on everyone’s mind and these days what is genuine Italian is a hot topic. This evening, three owners of Italian Specialty shops in New York city will share their secrets and talk about smart shopping. The lecture is part of a series of six educational lectures organized by Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ and the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani.

The panel includes Lou DiPalo of Dipalo’s Fine Foods whose family originally hails from Basilicata. DiPalo’s family opened its first shop in 1910. Today’s store is much larger than any of its previous incarnations and Lou’s son has opened his own wine shop next door.

The second guest at the lecture will be Louis Coluccio Jr of DColuccio & Sons in Brooklyn. Louis Jr. is very entertaining and passionate about food, especially those that his family has been importing for decades.

The third speak is Antonio Magliulo of Buonitalia in the Chelsea Market. Buonitalia is very well known in New York restaurant circles and many order directly from his wholesale business. There is also a lovely cafe’ within the premises and many consider it to have some of the best espresso in New York. All told, the evening should be exciting with tidbits and new information. I’m looking forward to going.

-Susannah Gold

Filed under: Cheeses, Coffee Bars, Cooking, Cured Meats, Dining, Events, Fresh Pasta, Fruits, Grains, Ingredients, Restaurants, Uncategorized Tagged: Anthony Magliulo, Buonitalia, Coluccio & Sons, Dipalo's, Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, lectures on food, Lou DiPaolo, Louis Coluccio Jr., NYU Casa Italiana, Zerilli Marimo'

A Look At An Italian Hog Raised In The Wild: The Cinta Senese

radicchioblog — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:40:08 +0000

Italy raises many hogs for its numerous charcuterie products, sauces and roasts but not all of these hogs are created equal. A limited few are very lucky and very special and are raised outdoors, practically in the wild. One such hog is the Cinta Senese which resides in the countryside of the Tuscan city of Siena. The Cinta Senese been grown in this area since the Middle Ages. It’s presence is even seen in a 14th century fresco painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, “The Allegory of Good Government” for the Palazzo Comunale of Siena.

The Cinta Senese is the only hog native to Tuscany to have survived. It is slightly different looking than many other hogs. It has a long snout, black hair and a white band or a cinta around its middle. The hogs roam free in the woods, eating grass, roots, tubers and acorns.

Specifically, the Cinta Senese’s natural habitat is around the beautiful small town of Monteriggioni, an entirely medieval hamlet enclosed within a circular wall and perched on a hill. The economy in the middle ages was based on agriculture and the raising of hogs was essential both for the products that they produced for sale as well as for the food they provided for the farmers.

The Cinta Senese is an ancient race and is now a Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP). It’s official name is Suino Cinto Toscano DOP.

In the past there had been some cross breeding between different types of hogs but in the last decade, local farmers have return to raising hogs of this particular race in order to save it from extinction.

Another reason that it made such as comeback is because it has a higher percentage (57%) of “good” fat as opposed to a normal pig’s 50%, which makes the meat both tastier and healthier.

Most of the products that come from these hogs are consumed within Tuscany, a mecca for tourism all year round.

You can find these products in a number of places abroad as well. Academia Barilla, for example, offers some of these products for sale in the United States.

Posted in Cured Meats, Italian Regions, Tuscany Tagged: Cinta Senese, Suino Cinto Toscano, Tuscany

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Genuinely Italian Lecture Series At NYU’s Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’

A Look At An Italian Hog Raised In The Wild: The Cinta Senese