WORKSHOPS
Extra virgin Olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil: history, properties, techniques, use (by Salvatore Spatola)
Salvatore will guide you to discover the world of extra virgin olive oil, illustrating you each phase of cultivation, care and processing of the raw material to find out all its different uses, from food to cosmetics.
In Sicily, olives harvest goes from mid-September to the beginning of November. Once the harvest is completed, “new” oil is produced through cold-pressing, then stored in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature in order to keep its organoleptic characteristics unaltered. Once ready, the “new” oil is used in the kitchen, until the next harvest; the remaining oil is then used for many purpose like the production of artisanal soaps or cosmetics. The Case Don Ignazio extra virgin olive oil is fully organic, meaning it is made without the use of chemicals, fertilizers and herbicides. For Salvatore, the company’s founder and curator of oil production, the arrival of September always represents a new emotion, a kind of “sacred” ritual. The quality of his oil is recognized by specific organizations which have honoured it with the title of “Best Mediterranean oil”.
Bread, pasta and cheese
Bread, Pasta and Cheese: how to prepare the basic products of the Mediterranean diet by yourself.
The human body is a perfect machine but, since the advent of the food industry on a global scale, it has started to manifest a series of chronic diseases, attributable to the consumption of this kind of processed food. Also very dangerous for the human health is the atmospheric pollution, to which road transports contribute with heavy emission of gases, toxins and carcinogenic substances.
We deeply believe that food culture is strictly linked to environmental protection so it is really important for us to limit the impact of these substances by choosing direct cultivation or self-production of basic products such as pasta, bread and cheese. In this way you will be sure to eat only genuine and healthy food. This workshop will therefore teach you how to prepare pasta, bread and cheese in the traditional way and tastefully improve your health level.
Traditional cuisine
Sicily is a fertile and sunny land, full of scents and flavors. The ingredients of our traditional recipes are strictly seasonal and our herbs and aromas enrich the dish with Mediterranean notes. This workshop will lead you through the making of a typical Sicilian dish, from the choice of ingredients to tricks and tips handed down from generation to generation for a total immersion in the world of tradition. We will guide you step by step in the discovery of an ancient and genuine way of eating with taste, providing you the basic tools to learn how to choose the best product for a special preparation, how to recognize and use aromatic herbs and how to combine local products and flavors.