Saint George’s Focaccia, an introduction to Genoa
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| Taste Focaccia di San Giorgio, taste Genoa! |
Food as the storyteller of places. An innovative project celebrates the genius loci of Genoa, one of the capitals of Mediterranean food culture
Celebrated worldwide, Saint George’s Day (April 23rd) takes on special relevance in Genoa, as the iconic flag representing the dragon-fighting saint has been acting as the city’s bandiera since the Crusades. Interesting to note, in the Middle Ages London (and England) obtained use of the red and white flag - the most effective of warnings against enemy ships - from the maritime republic of Genoa in exchange for an annual tribute.
This year, the recently founded “Genova World” association has planned an innovative project inspired by this festivity: the focaccia di San Giorgio features a special interpretation of Ligurian focaccia’s dough, completed with a topping that epitomises the tribute of the regional capital to the other 3 provinces (Imperia, Savona and La Spezia).
The focaccia di San Giorgio will be “revealed” on April 30th at 16 CET via the social media channels of the Comune di Genova (@visitgenoa in English, @genovamorethanthis in Italian).
The focaccia di San Giorgio will be “revealed” on April 30th at 16 CET via the social media channels of the Comune di Genova (@visitgenoa in English, @genovamorethanthis in Italian).
Mediterranean genius loci in a bite: ingredients, recipe, wine matching
Created by food historian Umberto Curti and craft baker Manuel Carbone, the recipe was also “validated” by allergist Paola Minale (all of them members of “Genova World”).
Italian farina semintegrale 1 (bran-rich semi-wholemeal flour), potatoes, anchovies, olives, prescinsêua (a dairy product obtained from curdled milk, fresh, sour and dense yoghurt-like in texture) and oregano. More than flatbread: the focaccia di San Giorgio also works as a driver to raise awareness on the subject of wellbeing, locally-sourced food supply chains, quality flours, slow leavenings (based on highly fluid pre-fermented dough), extra virgin olive oils, DOC wine matching (indigenous white Bianchetta from the Polcevera Valley immediately comes to our mind – yet, Liguria features an array of pleasant alternatives such as Vermentino and Lumassina). Through time, all these issues are going to be shared with a wide-ranging domestic and international audience: hotel schools, professional bakers and pizzaioli, restaurants, food bloggers, agriturismi, wine shops, clubs, amateurs…
The project and its aims
Umberto Curti, Scientific Coordinator of “Genova World”, sums up the origins of the initiative: “The project initially included a preview on April 23rd (guided tasting for a delegation from the UK), hands-on classes in hotel schools, social media posting by foreign chefs to promote the focaccia di San Giorgio worldwide in their restaurants, and a video presentation (both in Italian and in English). The recipe, in fact, will act as an ambassador of Genoa and Liguria - two icons of Mediterranean gastronomy”. Our mission as “Genova “World” is to support city branding in a variety of contexts, both offline (conferences, expos, events, congresses, education, B2B incoming…) and online (video, webinar, blogging…). Due to the Covid19 emergency, the kick off of the project will be limited to the foreseen videos, webinars and an intense institutional promo-communication campaign (online and offline."
Umberto Curti, Scientific Coordinator of “Genova World”, sums up the origins of the initiative: “The project initially included a preview on April 23rd (guided tasting for a delegation from the UK), hands-on classes in hotel schools, social media posting by foreign chefs to promote the focaccia di San Giorgio worldwide in their restaurants, and a video presentation (both in Italian and in English). The recipe, in fact, will act as an ambassador of Genoa and Liguria - two icons of Mediterranean gastronomy”. Our mission as “Genova “World” is to support city branding in a variety of contexts, both offline (conferences, expos, events, congresses, education, B2B incoming…) and online (video, webinar, blogging…). Due to the Covid19 emergency, the kick off of the project will be limited to the foreseen videos, webinars and an intense institutional promo-communication campaign (online and offline."
A Mediterranean celebration of biodiversity
As for the nutritional value of the recipe, Paola Minale underlines: “Recent findings about microbiome - the complex of microorganisms living in our digestive system - and its relationship with our immune system show how our dietary habits (in terms of food quality and quantity) do influence our health and our defences against pathogenic agents. Scientific evidences confirm that allergies and intolerances are more frequent in places where diets are unbalanced and do not safeguard biodiversity. A very hot issue nowadays… With a view to these priorities, science has awarded the Mediterranean Diet with the winner’s spot: its Ligurian declination, with its bounty of typical local products and produce, represents “the best of the best”; the focaccia di San Giorgio embodies this primate: biodiversity, fibres, anti-oxidants, vitamins – not to forget about its aesthetic pleasantness – make it a product we can definitely describe as “therapeutic”.
As for the nutritional value of the recipe, Paola Minale underlines: “Recent findings about microbiome - the complex of microorganisms living in our digestive system - and its relationship with our immune system show how our dietary habits (in terms of food quality and quantity) do influence our health and our defences against pathogenic agents. Scientific evidences confirm that allergies and intolerances are more frequent in places where diets are unbalanced and do not safeguard biodiversity. A very hot issue nowadays… With a view to these priorities, science has awarded the Mediterranean Diet with the winner’s spot: its Ligurian declination, with its bounty of typical local products and produce, represents “the best of the best”; the focaccia di San Giorgio embodies this primate: biodiversity, fibres, anti-oxidants, vitamins – not to forget about its aesthetic pleasantness – make it a product we can definitely describe as “therapeutic”.
The “Focaccia di San Giorgio Charter”.
Bakers, restaurateurs and Horeca professionals are warmly invited to sign the “Focaccia di San Giorgio Charter”. The first chefs to have enthusiastically joined the project are Genoa's Taste Ambassadors in New York (Roberto Caporuscio, Cesare Casella and Angelo
Competiello) and Roberto Costa, who owns restaurants in Miami, London, Milan and Genoa. As soon as the Covid19 emergency will be over, their restaurants will feature the "Focaccia di San Giorgio" in their menus.
The role of the Municipality of Genoa
Welcomed by Mayor Marco Bucci, the project is supported by three Deputy Mayors.
«Genoa City Ambassadors prove once more to be very important resources,
who are able to develop effective ideas to promote our city. I would like to
thank the Genova World team and the whole working group for organizing this
important initiative, that pays homage to Genoa and St. George» says Barbara Grosso, Deputy Mayor for
Cultural Policy and representative of Genoa City Ambassadors around the world.
«This event represents an important occasion to define city branding through
two strong symbols of Genoese identity: St. George’s flag and focaccia –
explains Laura Gaggero, Deputy
Mayor for City Marketing – St. George’s flag reminds us of Genoa’s splendour
and power - a commercial and financial capital of the Mediterranean through the
centuries, while focaccia represents Genoese identity and is a primary element
of Genoa’s role as a capital of Mediterranean food culture».
"Two icons of our city:
St. George’s flag, that made Genoa’s maritime power and strength well known
through the centuries all over the world and focaccia, that has always been the
symbol of Genoa’s identity as well as the most eaten food by Genoese people –
adds Paola Bordilli, Deputy Mayor
for commerce and handcraft – focaccia is something unique, the result of
Genoese ability: a manual art that creates a symbol and highlights the industriousness
of Genoese people, of their firms and historic shops, an established economic
fabric of our city to be promoted and valorised over and over".
“Genova World” brings together a group of professionals, including four Ambassadors of Genoa in the World, who operate in close synergy with the local Municipality to support the "Genova" brand and its positioning as one of the capitals of Mediterranean food culture nationally and internationally.
The Association's members include four “Ambassadors of Genoa in the World” (Luisa Puppo, Paola Minale, Stefano Bruzzone, Roberto Costa); Luisa Puppo is a member of World Food TravelAssociation, the international reference organisation in the sector.
"The Genoese incitement "Viva Zena, Arremba San Zòrzo!" will certainly evoke memories of Shakespeare's Henry V ("Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!"). For us, it is a call to action towards resilience, energy and perseverance - qualities we need now (more than ever) to redesign development, also in tourism and enogastronomy", says Luisa Puppo, President of Genova World.
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