Over thirty cooking workshops, twenty cultural meetings, twenty-four traditional cod dishes, eight educational workshops, four festivals, fourteen hosts and much more, will enliven the four days of Rome Baccalà, the event dedicated to gastronomic culture and the new frontiers of cod in the kitchen. Rome cod will be held from 8 to 11 September in the Garbatella district, for a long time considered a somewhat infamous working-class village, which has now become one of the most coveted and livable districts of the capital, which due to its architectural characteristics has been chosen as the setting for many films from 'A violent life' by Pier Paolo Pasolini, to 'We loved each other so much' by Ettore Scola, to 'Caro diario' by Nanni Moretti and in recent years for the successful TV series 'I Cesaroni', shot almost entirely in the streets of this neighborhood .
This year the event enters into the merits of the issues related to protection of the seas and of the communities that preserve their cultural matrix and that have chosen an agriculture that respects the Earth.
"Previous editions have given us the opportunity to welcome thousands of fans and this year we are returning to the square with a new party dedicated to openness and inclusion" say the organizers Antonella Bussotti and Luca Broncolo of Un/Lab, who for a more effective management of flows, have decided to review the organization of Piazza Damiano Sauli and the adjacent spaces.
The theme of inclusiveness and sustainability will be at the center of the cultural program of the event as explained by the Artistic Director of Rome Baccalà, Frances Rocchi: “The world of cod is much more than a story linked to a product but rather a metaphorical place which has intertwined fundamental historical events and which has left an indelible mark in our cultural, gastronomic and religious matrix. The strength of our event is probably the vision of bringing cultural themes linked to the awareness of who we are through food, and at the same time entering the square with exciting and iconic dishes".
The program includes over 20 cultural meetings, more than 20 traditional cod dishes, 30 cooking workshops and 14 hosts. The event will kick off on Thursday 8 September at 19.30 pm with the opening talk show on the theme "sustainablefish"
Over the four days, the new VIB lounge will host lunches and dinners dedicated to the tradition and new frontiers of cod in the kitchen with the Venetian chef Stefano Aldreghetti e Anna Maria Palma, creator and founder of the Tu Chef school.
The Ostissimi association, on the evenings of Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September, will offer tastings of many Roman specialties based on cod. In the two opening days, Thursday 8 and Friday 9, six other innkeepers from Rome will arrive: the chef Thomas Pennestri of Trattoria Pennestri, the chefs Nicolò e Manuel Treccastelli of Trattoria Trecca, the chef Matthew Ballarini of the Old Velodrome of Rome, Tiziana Favi by Namo Ristobottega e Julia Gherardi of Terre and Domus. Among the guests of the showcookings, Giuseppe Garozzo Zannini Quirini, one of the most loved characters of Masterchef 4 and the food historian Sandra Ianni who will dedicate herself to the combination of cod and flowers.
Rome, discover the history of cod protagonist of festivals throughout Italy from Veneto to Calabria
The dishes of the Festivals of Italy, representatives of the history of cod and stockfish in Italy: the Festival of Badiola Perugia, the Festival of Borgoricco Padua, the Festival of Mammola Reggio Calabria and Catanzaro. To be tasted Cod fritter, the iconic Baccalà alla vicentina, the Stocco alla Mammolese and the most ancient Cod morzello, to remember that nothing is thrown away from cod and stockfish!
Among the novelties of this edition the focus entirely dedicated to the food and wine culture of Calabria: "Our region has historically a deep bond with the culture of stockfish in Italy, being able to boast the roots of this incredible product introduced by the Normans already around the year 1000 This is why Calabria is one of the capitals of stockfish in the world - says the Councilor for Agriculture of the Calabria Region, Gianluca Gallo – and for this reason we will bring our stories, our dishes, our culture intertwined with biodiversity, but also our folk music, to the festival dedicated to cod and stockfish in the heart of Rome".
The Centro Agroalimentare Roma and Arsial, in collaboration with Slow Food Lazio and the Alliance of Chefs, will focus attention on biodiversity of the Lazio region and on the link between the production of regional DOP extra virgin olive oil and the traditional cuisine of cod, in the Inspirations in the kitchen space, an area reserved for cooking demonstrations with tastings.
The gastronomic offer of the third edition of Roma Baccalà will have an enhanced range of dishes.
Also this year we will take a dip in the North Sea and its culture at the table thanks to the Norwegian Embassy. Saturday 10 September at 21, the chef of theEmbassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Rome he will guide those present on a sensory journey in the land of the sword.
Another country that undoubtedly has the roots of its culinary tradition in the cod is the Portugal. To find out more, it will be possible to participate in Bachalau: meeting with Portuguese cuisine in Rome. Fatima Pereira Afonso, founder of the Tre Pupazzi restaurant in Rome, will talk about the inexhaustible world of Portuguese cod in the kitchen on Sunday 11 September at 19.30 pm.
Cod between fasting and religious abstinence and the dispute with the herring at the time of the Counter-Reformation
To enrich the third edition the training meetings scheduled in the Exchange Theater in Piazza Sauli. The appointment is with the historian, researcher and writer Claudio Ferlan who will guide the public to discover the origins of lean days and the differences between fasting and abstinence, which will be followed by discussion with the anthropologist Lucia Galasso, which will recount the dispute between cod and herring at the time of the Counter-Reformation.
