August Newsletter: Preservation Of Culture
Preservation Of Culture
by Vincent Nattress
As someone who has studied food for a long time (my Bachelor's emphasis was A Cultural and Historical Perspective on the Culinary Arts), I have read a lot of historic recipes. I find it fascinating to read how people thought about food in Roman times, for example. But if all you have to go by is a written recipe, it's nearly impossible to know if you have accurately recreated a dish you have never seen or tasted.
Learning to master a technique, like Nona's handmade pasta, is about nuance, subtlety, and context. What is the correct texture for the dough? How much pressure is just the right amount to get that special shape? How many minutes in the water will yield just the right chew for the finished pasta? Food traditions are passed down by experiencing the intimate physicality of the process. Learning and preserving traditional foods is a sensual process that no book or IG video can adequately convey.
We believe in teaching and learning these traditions every day.
Last week’s feature:
Trofie is a short, thin, twisted pasta from the Liguria region of Italy, traditionally made by hand. Its texture is pleasantly toothsome and is often served with pesto. Because this style of pasta is time-consuming to make, the tradition was to gather as a community. Women would use the time to talk about family and farming as the hours passed. Many hands make light work.
Completed Dish
Hand Made Trofie with Local Blue Oyster Mushroom Ragout, Fresh Tomato Sugo, Toasted Garlic & Prosciutto Crumble
