London, November 9, 2024 – London’s historic Casa Italiana San Vincenzo Pallotti hosted a memorable “Roots Tourism” meeting, celebrating ITALEA, an innovative project that invites Emilia-Romagna residents abroad to discover their homeland in a unique and personalized way. The initiative, sponsored by the Consulate General of Italy in London, represented an important opportunity for Italian-descendants in the United Kingdom to rediscover their roots and celebrate together the Italian cultural and gastronomic heritage.

 

Organized in collaboration with Casa Artusi, the event was held in the Roberto Russo Room of Casa Italiana San Vincenzo Pallotti (136 Clerkenwell Road) from 14:00 to 19:00. Several institutional and associative representatives participated, such as the Consul General of Italy in London, Domenico Bellantone; the President of COMITES in London, Alessandro Gaglione; the President of the Parma Association, Domenico Sidoli; and Francesco Repetti, representative of the Council of Emilia-Romagna in the world. Each speech highlighted the importance of Italian culture and traditions abroad, with a focus on gastronomy, a pillar of Italian identity.

 

Presentation of the ITALEA – Roots Tourism project

 

The heart of the event was the presentation of the ITALEA project, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Leticia Carpinelli, contact person for ITALEA Emilia-Romagna, illustrated the region’s initiatives to support roots travelers in rediscovering their homeland and Emilia-Romagna traditions.

 

This will be followed by a conference dedicated to Italian cuisine and the role of Pellegrino Artusi in the dissemination of Italian culinary culture in the world. Mattia Fiandaca, expert gastronome of Casa Artusi, shared the cultural value of Artusi’s recipes and their impact on the Italian culinary tradition.

 

Subsequently, the participants had a unique sensory experience with a tasting of products from Emilia-Romagna: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO 30 months and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO, paired with a Chardonnay “Colibrì” Poderi dal Nespoli, which enhanced the authentic flavors of the territory.

 

At the end of the event, Matteo Milandri, head of the Casa Artusi Cooking School, performed a live cooking demonstration, preparing a dish taken from the famous book by Pellegrino Artusi: Passatelli di farina di castagne in broth, accompanied by a Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore ‘Prugneto’ Poderi dal Nespoli. The public thus learned the secrets of Artusian cuisine, enjoying a dish made on the spot.

Inauguration of the exhibition “Italianisms in the World”

In addition to the event on 9 November, 8 November saw the inauguration of the exhibition “Italianisms in the World” at Eataly, a project by Casa Artusi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with the support of ITALEA. The exhibition, which will remain open for six months, is a journey through the language of food, telling the uniqueness and spread of Italian gastronomic culture in the world.

Both the event and the exhibition were made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Emilia-Romagna community, the Italian associations in London and Casa Artusi. It was a special opportunity to rediscover one’s roots through Italian traditions.