Salone coverage

[echriste]

I'll be attending Salone del Gusto for the first time. With all of the possible tasting opportunities, I'm looking for suggestions from others who have been there before how to make the most of the four days. I've signed up for a couple of workshops, but it seems like the food halls and the tours would be just as interesting. I'd appreciate any advice on preventing the kid in a candy (or pork) store dilemma.

[robert brown]

echriste, you lucky guy (or gal). Having never been, I can't give you any advice. However, welcome to eGullet. Any chance you can share your impressions? Have fun.

[albiston]

echristie, welcome to eGullet.

Not having much experience with Salone del Gusto and not being able to make it this year I'll leave suggestions to the others.

I wanted to take the chance to encourage anyone going to report their impressions, pictures, complaints, i.e. anything pertinent on this forum. Salone del Gusto is an important event and it would certainly make us happy to have some discussion about it here on eGullet.

[russ parsons]

i haven't been in several years, but the salones are among hte best food events ever. a couple pieces of advice:

1) pace yourself. when you walk into a hall and find there are a) 6 sources of traditional lardo; b) a half-dozen parmigiano producers offering everything from 5-year-old stagionato to red cow to black label; c) an entire porchetta being carved for sandwiches with a glass of valpolicella for $3; d) a sicilian guy hand-making cannoli to order with sheep's milk ricotta ... well, you get the picture. allow several days.

2) along with 1) don't plan on dinner. well, you can. maybe a walk for some bollito misto.

3) give yourself plenty of time and, as our current governor used to say: "stay hungry".

[docsconz]

The Salone del Gusto are supposed to make the Slow Food Congress Presidium of Taste seem like nothing. That was great, so you should be in for a treat. My big concern would be crowd control, although that apparently isn't too much of a problem. I too, look forward to reading some reports. I would also love to see some photos.

[Marco_Polo]

Russ's advice is spot on. I was there a couple of years ago and will be going again this year. The Salone is vast (it takes place in the immense Lingotto Fiere) and there will be some truly astonishing and wonderful things to sample, not just from Italy but from around the world. You need to be selective with the taste workshops but they can be great opportunities to taste and learn. At such events, I inevitably flag after a day or two, so we'll be heading south to Alba to stay with a winemaker friend for a day or so for some r & r in the form of Barolo and white truffles.

[robert brown]

Marco, please let us know how you find the truffles. Thanking you in advance.

[Ore]

Ciao,

I will be attending the Salone (a short vacation from my stage too!!!). I get there Wed. night and my hotel cost 570 E for 6 nights...not bad i think!

I hope to meet some other Egulleters there. PM me if you get a chance!

I will def. report back with some photos, etc.!

Ciao,

Ore

[chardgirl]

I'm also attending the Salone di Gusto for the first time. I'll also be attending Terra Madre beforehand, as an organic farming delegate. I'll report back, with photos too. thanks to Russ for the advice... I'm pinching myself everyday to remind myself I'm truly going, I CANT WAIT.

cg

[divina]

Sorry I can't make it this year...

Last show I really enjoyed the section that was food from Italy's national parks..

including eel, salt, aged beef... the presido's are in their own section...

It is much better than the first time..when sardines were next to chocolates!

I have never attended the organized tastings.. there was so much to see and taste..

I did stay in Torino..and have a couple of great meals, saw the market.

ate chocolate! and walked!!!

It is like trying to see all the Louvre or Uffizi in one day.

Pace your self... go outside for air every once in a while.. take notes! gather brochures... ENJOY!

I am jealous!

The Salone del Gusto alternates with a Tuscan SLOW FOOD event.. so will catch that next year.. so much to taste.. so little time

[robert brown]

A few of you have signaled your intention to take pictures at, and write some text about, the Salone del Gusto. Would those who will be doing so, please reconfirm on this thread. Albiston has offered to write an introductory essay that will be followed by each of your contributions. If we can have everyone post their stories at about the same time, we can then keep all the follow-up posts together and after your special coverage.

[echriste]

Hello Robert,

This is a quick confirmation that I will take pictures and keep my notebook handy between sips and bites. Sounds like we are all in for a treat - those who will attend in person and those who will vicariously attend via the thread. Thanks for proposing some organization for "on-site" correspondents.

[albiston]

This year's Salone de Gusto, the seventh since 1996, has now reached international proportions. No longer a purely Italian event, the Salone attracts food lovers and culinary entrepreneurs from everywhere. The 2004 edition will take place October 21-25 in Turin, inside the Lingotto Fiere complex.

Salone del Gusto is sponsored by Slow Food, which was founded in the Piemonte town of Bra in 1986 in reaction to the rapid and alarming growth of world-wide standardized food. In 1989, the International Slow Food Movement began, and a Manifesto stating the association's aims and philosophy was published. Today the ISFM has offices In 83 countries and a network in Italy, France, Germany, the USA, Japan and Switzerland. Its philosophy is to follow its original goal of protecting traditional foods with projects aimed at enhancing biodiversity worldwide, through a special foundation, the Presidia and the Arca project. Since 1990 SF has had a publishing company emphasizing on tourism, wine, recipe collections and gastronomic education. Two of its most known publications are Osterie d’Italia, and the Vini d’Italia guide, published in a joint venture with Gambero Rosso magazine.

Salone del Gusto.

Since 1996 SdG has been one of the most interesting culinary events In Italy, with a progressive increase of participating international food artisans, cooks and wine makers. The event takes place in a series of spaces dedicated to a particular aspect of food and wine, and through a series of events. Here you’ll find a brief overview of what the Salone offers.

- The Market: The market is divided between a larger Buon Paese Market, dedicated to Italy and a World Market focusing on other countries. The Buon Paese part is divided into thematic lanes, such as the Cheese Lane or Grain Lane, depending on the products on offer. The World Market is dedicated to international products, mainly from Europe, the US and Japan. In both markets a special place will be reserved for the Presidia to bring attention to the products at risk SF is supporting through special projects.

- The Enoteca: A space dedicated to wine, with over 2000 products available by the glass with appropriate food to accompany them.

- The Taste Workshops: Following principles of taste education, SdG offers over 200 seminars, booked in advance, with a variety of themes: food tasting, wine tasting, food-wine pairing seminars, meetings with producers among others.

- Theater of Taste: Here visitors will follow demonstrations by famous Italian and International chefs.

- Dinners: Throughout the SdG days, special dinners will take place with some of the best restaurants in Piemonte, some of which will be hosting chefs from Italy and Europe.

- Tasting Areas: Every year particular regions have a chance to showcase their cuisine and products. This time Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, Puglia, Campania and Veneto will share the honor in the Italian Regions space, while Slovenia and Japanese Chef Teruo Sato will provide some of the highlights of the World Tables space.

Have fun if you are lucky enough to be attending. We look forward to your reports and photos as of October 21st.

[robert brown]

albiston, well done. echristie, we really appreciate, and are needy of, your forthcoming coverage. Have a blast!!!

[docsconz]

I can't wait to get a sense of the Salone. I expect this to be my best source for living vicariously for this event. Don't skimp. I want details!!! Please?

[chardgirl]

Hello, I'll post a couple times if I get to a computer, and certainly upon my return. I arrived in Italy last night, I'm thrilled to be here. Before the Salone, I'll be a 'delegate' at Terra Madre. Today I'm going to explore the farmers market in Torino, if my guide book and sketchy knowledge of Italian will allow me to find it, stay tuned. I look forward to hearing from other attenders of the salone.

two workshops I hope to attend are: Bagna Cauda and Presidium Vegetables where they go into the history of this dish and then sample with cardoons, turnips, cipole, etc. Also I'm interested in the guided tasting of the extra virgin oils of Lazio.

There are LOTS of wine and other boozy workshops, but I'm mostly a food girl, with little knowlegde of wine (ok, no knowledge) so I hope the true wine geeks will attend and report for those of you with a thirst!

stay tuned...

ps my email while here is chardgirl27 at yahoo

[tanabutler]

Hello, I'll post a couple times if I get to a computer, and certainly upon my return. I arrived in Italy last night, I'm thrilled to be here. Before the Salone, I'll be a 'delegate' at Terra Madre. Today I'm going to explore the farmers market in Torino, if my guide book and sketchy knowledge of Italian will allow me to find it, stay tuned. I look forward to hearing from other attenders of the salone.

two workshops I hope to attend are: Bagna Cauda and Presidium Vegetables where they go into the history of this dish and then sample with cardoons, turnips, cipole, etc. Also I'm interested in the guided tasting of the extra virgin oils of Lazio.

There are LOTS of wine and other boozy workshops, but I'm mostly a food girl, with little knowlegde  of wine (ok, no knowledge) so I hope the true wine geeks will attend and report for those of you with a thirst!

stay tuned...

ps my email while here is chardgirl27 at yahoo

←

Ciao, bella! Julia, I am so excited for you! Find Rancho Gordo and give him a big baccio on his cheek. Can't wait to hear your adventures, and see you when you return.

[echriste]

I've just walked in the door. this is over the top. Everything here looks delicious. Everyone is smiling and having a good time. The experienced ones have brought wheeled shopping baskets. One guy has modified a hand truck to carry at least two cases of wine and any think else needed for the larder. Off for a glass of prosecco a bit to eat and to plan my three days.

[divina]

Saw Terra Madre onm TV today.. what a fabulous place.. the true UN of food!

Hope this really brings the focus of the importance if OGM free food.

They also had a meeting in Tuscany and are setting regulations to have OGM free zones in Italy.I am sure soon we will road signs like for nuclear free!

Edited October 23, 2004 by divina (log)

[robert brown]

Divina, would you explain further what these terms are? Thanks so much.

[Ore]

Ciao,

Salone is going well...I can't speak much...ciao for now

(this place is amazing)

Ore

[docsconz]

Saw Terra Madre onm TV today.. what a fabulous place.. the true UN of food!

Hope this really brings the focus of the importance if OGM free food.

They also had a meeting in Tuscany and are setting regulations to have OGM free zones in Italy.I am sure soon we will road signs like for nuclear free!

←

Bravo! I would think that indigenous Italian varieties would have a lot to fear from nearby OGM crop plantings. While in theory genetic modification could instill "ideal" traits into plant genomes, it could also spread and ruin othewise fine varieties that don't need any "improvement".

[echriste]

Sorry for the delay in getting an updated post. My Treo was on it's last legs and I forgot my charger. I'm putting together my notes and photos, but in general the Salone was one of the most memorable food experiences of my life. It was not the complete sensory overload or the intensity of the crowd, but the passion of the producers that I am most remembering. I had a great conversation with the representative of the Rapa di Caprauna (a "sweet" white radish from the mountains in Piedmonte) about how good there flavor was. I was so inspired that along with the salumi and cheese, I bought two bags of radishes. I just made a simple pasta sauce tonight with the rapa and there is some great food chemistry going on here. My simple Cote du Rhone is tasting like a Cote Rotie Blond et Blond with exotic spices and bright red fruit. This is truly a great tasting radish and it is exactly what the producer talked about.

I now understand why Slow Food is picking products and giving them exposure - this would be flavor treasure not to be missed. From beans to curly haired pigs to unique olive oils to anchovies to Amazonian fruit, Slow Food brought 90,000 people (including Prince Charles) to one place for people to discover these rare and wonderful food stuffs. Hopefully, someday, everyone will have a chance to try a Rapa di Capruana that Slow Food has helped preserve.

I'll be posting more during the week.

[tanabutler]

I am so glad I am on the mailing list for Two Small Farms.

Julia Wiley's coverage of Salone de Gusto can be found on SauteWednesday.com.

Thank you, Bruce, for hosting her coverage from Eden.

There truly are 130 countries, and 4888 "delegates" to Terra Madre, a historical summit of small scale producers (farmers, ranchers, fisherpeople, nomads) and "artesanos" for cheese making, etc etc etc. When you gather this many people with this many languages from that many countries - well,imagine the logistics! But here we are in Germanic, organized, industrial northern Italy, and life details are going very smoothly to my untrained eyes.

She's got Ari Zingerman next in line to use the public computer.

Great stuff, Julia. Thanks again, Bruce.

Ciao and good night from the Venetian in Las Vegas. (Hey, we all do our part.)

[rancho_gordo]

Well, I'm just back as of last night. I spent a few days in Amsterdam to pursue the best croquet and herring in the spirit of Slow Food! I know a lot of people like Amsterdam for the pot and beer but I really adore the fish!

If I had known what my schedule was going to be it would have been fun to meet up with other eGulleters but the whole thing whizzed by and as a delegate at the Terra Madre conference, I was a guest and not really in charge of my own time.

Salone di Gusto was great but it was a lot like a trade show and I really burn out after about 2 hours. Although I did manage to buy two big bags of goods, mostly beans!

This pic is of a bean grower from nearby Cuneo I met. I was "networking"!

The Terra Madre conference was great and makes me oddly emotional when I think about it. Meeting small cooperatives of women from Benin to cheesemakers in Switzerland to a nursery 1/2 an hour away from my home was a gas. The speakers were sometimes inspirational but the real kick was sitting in this huge center with 5000 other like-minded producers. The workshops were pretty weak but a great way to meet interesting people.

Some of us stayed quite away from the center but it was worth it. I stayed with a wonderful winemaking family and let's just say the meals were glorious. I'd say about 20 of us stayed in the town of Dogliani and it was a mutual love fest.

The last night's dinner was help in the local wine co-op and included the mayor!

I'm still high from the trip and have a new appreciation for Slow Food. Yes, it can be a little precious and self-congratualtory but how many other groups encourage you to go ahead and indulge rather than tell you what not to do? And I can also assure the cynics (my former self included!) that a lot of good came from the Terra Madre meetings. I'll go into more detail as my plans develop.

edited to add this link for more pics and details

Edited October 27, 2004 by rancho_gordo (log)