In this photo Stephen Forzoni [ROCK]*, Found George and Enrico Fiorentini photographed during a fun faux pas that I have been guilty.

Thursday 26 June I attended a wine tasting evening dedicated to 'Oltrepò Pavese Cruasé and to Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Wine tasting, of food and cooks in the scene. Protagonisti dello show cooking: Enrico Fiorentini, Executive Chef of Restaurant Canneto The Sheraton Milan Malpensa, and Giorgio Found, Executive Chef at the Hotel Villa Curina Resort in Castelnuovo Berardenga Siena.

Without the obligatory presentations, be’, I was there, as always pleasantly greeted at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa. I will stop here for a moment to a premise, I have often said that a voice, but I've never written.

I remember the first time I was in this hotel. My first impression from the outside, having regard to its position opposite the airport, was of an environment suitable for a stop on the way, where people, hastily, ed hard scenes. Well, is not so.

The atmosphere that you live, and I've always lived whenever I stop them both, is courtesy, Manners, but most of tranquility. L'elegant atmosphere, accessible and open spaces, does not feel anything for the hectic pace that you would expect from a hotel in this location. Requirements are, per me, among the most important. Mean good reception and a safe 'word of mouth', the most loved by Italians.

Do not forget that companies are made by people, and how people always make the difference in any reality. Having a healthy relationship with their staff and proper, has a positive effect on job satisfaction and consequently the final user. Un vero investment on the quality of, that has a significant effect on the results.

You will excuse my long introduction, but in addition to telling of events, I love to make sense of what I write. Tornando alla serata coordinata da Carlo Vischi del ciclo “The wine is a journey… the glass is half its”, alla quale ho partecipato accettando con piacere l’invito dell’amica Micaela Scapin, friends, what to say ... I've tasted wines I tasted foods and interpreted by expert hands that now I present to you.

• Enrico Fiorentini

From 2010 Executive Chef of Restaurant Canneto The Sheraton Milan Malpensa. Its, a multicultural education thanks to the experience gained in Italy and abroad in various countries.

With Henry there have long been acknowledged. Always brave Come, nice and a bit 'crazy. There is also one ... I am wary of those who will not let go once in a while. If you want to know the man besides the professional, I recommend the reading of one of our 'chat' some time ago came from a photograph of his plate. I quote a passage.

“Enrico Fiorentini, lo chef, but especially the man”

“Cynthia, I can start by telling you that I liked being in the kitchen because my, for work, They were often absent. Saturday was market day, you shopped, and then, back home, you cleaned vegetables. I liked the manual and the product processing in food, was fascinating, and it still is. I remember an old cookbook found in a drawer, "Multi Carnacina". Initially seemed to me almost incomprehensible, then, on the occasion of get-togethers at the end of the school at the time of medium, I used venturing into some marble donut not properly leavened. I smile at the thought still ... When it came time to choose the address of the high school I was tempted to orient toward the hotel. I was not aware of the sacrifices of life to which I was getting into…”

(To continue reading click which)

• Giorgio Found

Executive Chef at the Hotel Villa Curina Resort in Castelnuovo Berardenga Siena. It’ founder of the 'Found Food Project', consulting firm in catering. He is also chairman and professor of the Italian Federation of Professional Personal Chef (Fippc) that, through refresher courses, has as its objective the training and retraining of cooks.

My encounter with George was the case in a fun way. We say that, for the initial misunderstanding, it seemed a bit like a 'haughty. Precisely for this reason I had promised, as soon as the opportunity presented itself to me, to give it a 'playful placed my'. Too bad that, making a sensational gaffe, I placed the wrong person!  😉

Let me explain ... Not being very good at faces I exchanged with the poor George Stephen Forzoni, più conosciuto come[ROCK]* (stenblog.com). The poor, perplexed, listened without being able to understand and even speak ...! Want to know how it ended? Be’, I had to repeat the cabal at the real culprit, then that he was not guilty at all! Once it is clear the misunderstanding, after the inevitable laughter, I caught the chef to know him better, telling us how to love me, with an equal exchange of life experiences.

Calabrese of birth, but adoption of Siena, despite having graduated in Law, has turned the love of cooking that sent the grandmother, in his profession. Its, mainly understood as a kitchen seduction, convinced that, the expected primary who expresses himself through the preparation of dishes, realized in indulging the senses and giving pleasure and memory over time.

What I liked most of George? The simplicity and sympathy with which he responded to my little provocation, but most of all I liked his attention to agriculture, traditions and authentic products of the earth. I often say that the caterers, with their choices to the production, can greatly for both territories for their economies. Cooking is much more than preparing a dish.

By Alessia Bianchi and Stefano Forzoni [ROCK]*

Therefore, Let me explain. A few nights ago I attended an evening in which the protagonist was a truffle, and truffle… the “tartufo bianco d’Alba”! 

Alberto Cirio, Councillor for Tourism and Tartuficoltura Piedmont Region, presented by Charles Vischi, organizer of the evening, has described the peculiarities and it told the story.

Truffles are not cultivable, are hypogeous fungi 'spontaneous' who commit their entire life cycle underground. They grow in very specific areas and under specific environmental conditions, living in symbiosis with the roots of some plants. Their birth is still shrouded in mystery. Pliny tells us that a bolt of Zeus, railing on earth, fertilized the point from which it originated.  Whatever the case, io continuo ad amarne i profumi e i delicati sapori che trasformano un semplice piatto in una prelibatezza degna degli dei… 😉 

The location of the event was that of 'Hotel Sheraton Milan Malpensa, while preparing the menu was coordinated by Enrico Fiorentini, chef executive del The Cannetto, in collaboration with colleagues Walter Ferretto of New farmhouse of Isola d'Asti, and Bruno Cingolani of The Castle Stables Govone. 

Before, after visiting the annual International Fair of the White Truffle, hor had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of this fungus prized. From 12 October will begin a new edition, ben he 83esima che, with a rich array of events, I will celebrate the customs and traditions.

Having said, because you never stop learning, oggi vi parlerò di tartufi! 

Did you know that…

• There are many species, but the white truffle of Alba white, the Tuber powerful Pico, is the most valuable and larger. Do you think its value is around 250-300 the euro etto. Piedmont is the region in which it is no longer present, but can also be found in Lombardy, Pavese hills dell'Oltrepò, in Mantua, and albeit rarely, nell’Italia centrale. 

• The truffle contains about 80% water. It is rich in potassium, soccer, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper. Anyway, its value does not impact significantly on the contribution food. For fans is pure pleasure tasting. 

• At one time the white Alba truffle is retained in rice, now, for its conservation, is recommended to keep it wrapped in absorbent paper and in cool environment with temperature dai 3 to 6 degrees. A product warranty is sold in a numbered bag due to the origin of origin.

• In October 1990 was founded in Alba 'sNational Association of the city of truffles for the promotion and dissemination of the culture of this prized mushroom appreciated around the world. The quality is determined by expert judgment, men and women, specially trained. 

• To assess the quality of a truffle must be based on 'view, touch and smell '. A nose should be clean so that the gravel does not cover defects. At the touch must be compact but with a slight note of elasticity, while the nose the smell is perceptible only in the time of ripening. Its aromas are reminiscent of the garlic, mushroom and damp earth. 

• For the truffle hunter, in Piedmont is called with the dialect term trifolau o trifulé, good agreement with the trained dog digger is essential. The search of the precious fungus occurs from September to January, and preferably at night, this not to arouse too much attention while keeping secret the routes followed. From this it is easy to deduce that local knowledge is essential to the success of the mission. Italian legislation provides that the collection is free, whether it takes place in the woods than in the uncultivated land.

In addition to this valuable quality, there are many others with a more affordable price. Without removing the undisputed crown with white truffle, cyto eg prized truffles blacks, available until March, or between April and May the whitebait, or July the scorzoni. 

The white truffle cleans well, but does not peel. Unlike the black, should not be cooked. It is used as a condiment, cutting it into thin slices of lightly seasoned dishes. Come me, love the simple dishes and not too elaborate. Maybe that's why during the evening I especially enjoyed the risotto and eggs.

That is a bit too 'trifulé ?! 😉

Source: “Discovering the truffle” – Slow Food Editore

A few nights ago Enrico Fiorentini, chef del The restaurant Canneto at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel, I was just amazed! Let me explain why ...

When I see posted on social networks photographs of dishes without the slightest explanation I stizzisco somewhat. I like to understand what I see, and it is for this reason that the curiosity to know I do not hold back from asking information about the creations of raids cook on duty.

I am convinced that curiosity, Ben fasting, to be successful. It 'just ask without fear of not knowing. Many do not know, but alas they do not ask. You can make good food culture, wine, oils and vinegars as well, information with pills that do discover an underwater world of good things.

Good, This time the photographer-cook-creator to be pinched is Enrico Fiorentini.

I must confess, I saw that I myself almost did not believe it, that, after a couple of times ironically I pointed out the lack, to remedy he wanted to dedicate a plate, but not only, also he told me unless I ask him! 😉

Read below as he described it…

"Fettuccine with saffron drawn to the bronze fennel cream, prugne rosse and cacao "

Cynthia, the fettuccine with saffron bronze drawn, is a limited production dell’The. Agr. Vigna di More, very small company Marche, rather small, of which the holder is one of the simplest and most genuine people I've ever met.

The prugna rossa in this period is at its highest, with the balance between sour and sweet it is extremely sugosa. The fava di cacao enriches and gives the character of crispness and authority in respect of saffron, noble spice made from the flowers heart. The wild fennel finally, is the spontaneous grass for excellence this season, gives freshness, pleasant feeling of lightness and clean on the palate.

I have dedicated this dish because I think you have a lot of similarities with all these qualities that I just listed. An understated elegance and a sophisticated simplicity ... a combination of qualities that may seem conflicting, while on the other hand they are each the other compensation.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised that Henry. Think about that as soon as I met him I was a little obnoxious. I asked him to tell me a bit’ di's, but with a recommendation, to use the heart…

But who is Enrico Fiorentini? I mean the man, as well as the chef ...

Cynthia, I can start by telling you that I liked being in the kitchen because my, for work, They were often absent. Saturday was market day, you shopped, and then, back home, you cleaned vegetables. I liked the manual and the product processing in food, was fascinating, and it still is. I remember an old cookbook found in a drawer, “it Carnacina”. Initially seemed to me almost incomprehensible, then, on the occasion of get-togethers at the end of the school at the time of medium, I used venturing into some marble donut not properly leavened, to smile even thought ...

When it came time to choose the high school address I was tempted to orient myself to the hotel. I was not aware of the sacrifices of life to which I was getting into. From the first year I was involved from my era chef, Marco Olivieri, little extras in school events. At a distance I can tell you without a doubt that I was lucky, because it was a serious professional who carried out his work with passion. Here is the key word for those moving towards this career, the passion and the feeling, basic requirements for those who want to cook.

I do not hide that I put more effort at work and in school, of course when there was an opportunity; why I take this opportunity to thank my family who constantly has always supported me. After graduation I started with the first experiences, da Peck, from the Orti di Leonardo, by The Duke of Milan, until the Emerald Coast and Tuscany, then continue abroad, with the meeting of cultures and ethnic cuisines. A continuous metamorphosis of man and chef who was in me.

With foreign travel I have changed many things in my life, It took over the loneliness, melancholy, remoteness. It 'was then that I would concentrate more on the job, locking me in myself, in my world, surely with a different impact on being, becoming less social, less communicative, more closed, Bear and moody. When I came, after a long stay abroad, I found myself almost catapulted into an environment that no longer recognized. When came the time to leave was invading me anxiety and anguish ... A succession of strong emotions that was pouring in the kitchen, perhaps, because over time, It grows emotion ...

That was what I wanted to Henry, I wanted to come out and so the man was. Reading his words, besides to excite, I understand a little more what it means to be a chef today affirmed. A tough job that, seen from the outside, really it does not make the idea of ​​the difficulties. As I often say, to understand the people and their work, the only solution is to live them, directly on the "field".

Henry also loves music. This is what I wanted to give me, music reminiscent of the sea, summer, and walks on the sand barefoot ...