Throughout the summer, until October, the most beautiful squares in the historic center of Rome will have an additional reason for attraction, a synthesis of ancient and modern: the protagonists are some of the most famous colossal statues by Fernando Botero the brilliant Colombian artist who passed away a year ago, to whom Rome, with this initiative, pays homage.
“Fernando Botero's work is a permanent celebration of life,” he says Lina Botero, daughter of the artist, curator of the exhibition and adds, quoting her father's words, “art must above all produce pleasure, it must be an oasis of joy in the difficulties of life. For him the greatest gift was seeing the smile on the face of those who appreciated his work."
Lina Botero, daughter of the artist: "art must above all produce pleasure and Quinteiro translates the work of art into a dessert
And that Botero's art should produce pleasure not only in art galleries, museums, squares but also at the table Juan Camilo Quintero of Colombian origins, star chef at Poggio Rosso in San Felice in Castelnuovo Berardenga, is absolutely convinced of this, with a wealth of highly cosmopolitan experience, who trained alongside starred chefs such as Massimo Bottura and Juan Mari Arzak.
The original Gertrudis is located in Cartagena and weighs 630 kilograms
Lo Colombian chef paid homage to Fernando Botero with a dessert, "Gertrudis" a small sculpture in chocolate which takes up the shapely shapes of the Gorda Gertrudis a colossal work donated by maestro Fernando Botero in Cartagena which was originally called Reclining Figure 92 with its imposing 650 kg and its roundness. Today it can be observed in Cartagena in the beautiful Plaza de Santo Domingo in front of the church of the same name where it attracts the attention of all the tourists who do not fail to take a souvenir photo with the imposing forms of Gertrudis in the background around which a legend why her breasts have become discolored, it is said that whoever touches her breast will have long love relationships with the loved one.
In the case of the Poggio Rosso restaurant we can perhaps hypothesize that it could be beneficial to taste the small tasty creation of the chef Camilo Quinteiro who proposes in a small and with so much sweetness, the forms of the Gertrudis of the artist from Medellin.
The base of chef Quintero's dessert inspired by Fernando Botero is a very particular green chocolate whose project is strongly supported by the chef, which owes its color to the avocado, produced by the organic and sustainable company Cordillera Chocolates. Complete and The dish is balanced by a completely Italian citron sorbet.
Quinteiro, a chef in love with Tuscany, interprets its gastronomic style with great refinement and taste
To get to Poggio Rosso you have to cross a fairy-tale landscape of hills dotted with cypresses, olive trees, woods and vineyards, to finally find Borgo San Felice, a luxurious hotel that houses the restaurant. “At the stove – says the Michelin guide – the Colombian Juan Quintero, the child prodigy of the multi-starred Enrico Bartolini's team. But don't be fooled: here and there there are some hints of South American cuisine, but basically expect creative dishes with frequent regional references. Juan is in love with Tuscany and interprets its gastronomic style with great refinement and taste contemporary. All in a luxurious, but not rigid, context, starting with the service, which is impeccable and smiling."
In Quinteiro In addition to the red star, the Michelin Guide also awarded the Green Star which attests to the chef's loyalty to the principles of sustainability. “Sustainability in Poggio Rosso also means participating in social agriculture projects, such as the Orto Felice, which aims to improve the quality of life of children with disabilities and promotes their integration through horticultural activities carried out in the field, with the involvement of the elderly people of the area. 0 km products are the protagonists of many seasonal recipes.” It's not difficult to find chefs in the garden harvesting fresh ingredients minutes before adding them to delicious dishes. There's basil, rosemary and sorrel. The aubergines ripen in the sun alongside rows of crunchy courgettes, kale and numerous varieties of tomatoes. Every morning the boys also collect the fresh eggs laid by the laying hens. A social agriculture project wanted and promoted by the Allianz UMANA MENTE Foundation, together with the Koiné cooperative. “A project says the property – of which we are particularly proud, especially because our young farmers contribute to our well-being and to San Felice's commitment to sustainability”.