Training: Made in Italy rice enters the classroom, from the field to the plate we protect biodiversity
To make a territory grow you must focus on culture, tourism, art, food and cuisine. Rice is the protagonist with its countless facets. From the history to the different varieties, the organoleptic qualities, the protection of local local produce and, of course, how to cook it so that it maintains its nutritional characteristics.
Rice is one of the basic foods of the Mediterranean Diet, used in the kitchen from appetizers to desserts and made precious by the vitamins that practically make it a food that can be compared to a medicine.
All this was discussed at the Professional Hotel Center of Acqui Terme during a lesson aimed at students, future chefs, who will become ‘ambassadors of the territory’ through food, promoting biodiversity and awareness of the use of local and seasonal products.
A training lesson with 4th year students, ‘cooking’ training course, an educational path aimed at making known and experiencing first-hand the quality of short supply chain products and the values of health, authenticity and environmental sustainability, which inspire the entire teaching and training activity of the institute.
The meeting saw as speakers the Provincial President of Coldiretti Mauro Bianco, the President of the Acqui Terme Area Bruno Roffredo, the entrepreneur Domenico Costanzo, rice grower from Villanova Monferrato, and the Secretary of the Acqui Terme Area Andrea Branda.
Domenico Costanzo explained to the children the characteristics and history of rice as a versatile and precious food, suitable for everyone, even those suffering from intolerances and allergies. The students were able to see the different types first-hand and learn about the tools that have made the history of rice ‘cutting’.
Intrigued and fascinated, the kids transformed the lesson into a journey into the world of Oryza Sativa, from the field to the plate.
“Rice, among cereals, has a place of primary importance in the Mediterranean Diet, with a growing interest from consumers and the scientific community on its healthy properties: from brown rice to pigmented rices, such as red and black, which can be considered real functional foods, rich in polyphenols, also capable of halving some pro-inflammatory molecules. It is essential to make the new generations aware of the territory, the products and the quality level of our agricultural production, which is based on environmental protection. Concrete actions that are part of the good practices to be followed to give the right value to food along the entire supply chain, food which today is no longer just a raw material or product, but a key cultural and social vector for the promotion and economic-tourism growth of the entire Alessandria province”, stated Domenico Costanzo.
“It is always engaging and exciting to observe the interest that the world of agriculture attracts among students. We think involving young people is the best way to disseminate and grow the opportunities linked to supply chain projects,” added Bruno Roffredo, President of the Acqui Terme Area. “It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to collaborate with schools, the idea of organizing educational-training moments arose from the fact that young people understood that to make the territory grow we must focus on distinctiveness, guaranteeing added value in the global competition that sees tourism, culture, art, food and cuisine at the center.”
“The collaboration with Coldiretti Alessandria has grown and strengthened from 2019 to today with appointments in class and among producers, at the Campagna Amica Market in Acqui Terme in Piazza Addolorata, where we will return next Thursday, 23 May,” underlined the teacher Samuela Mattarella, project manager. “Today’s event was a further important step: it is essential that the kids understand the importance of starting from a quality and local product to create unique dishes, practically a flag of biodiversity.”
Andrea Branda, Area Secretary of Acqui Terme, underlined how “the spa town is responding very well to the collection of signatures promoted by Coldiretti, a tangible sign of how attentive the consumer is and is increasingly choosing to buy quality foods, truly Made in Italy, from field to table.”
“We believe it is essential to meet and dialogue with the new generations of students who have chosen to attend the catering institute, where the art of hospitality at the table and the love for good food translate into being innovators, safeguarding recipes and traditions and in educating aware consumers,” concluded Mauro Bianco, President of Coldiretti Alessandria. “We explained the reasons that made us return to Brenner and our battle to obtain the obligation of origin on all agri-food products, so that citizens, consumers, can choose what to buy without being deceived.”
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