I recently had the opportunity to visit Alois Winery , a family winery located in the Caserta province.This
winery, located in Pontelatone, not far from the Caserta palace, has been around for over 30 years. It is a winery that
focuses on the production of three grape varieties tied to the territory- Pallagrello
Bianco (white ), Pallagrello Nero and Casavecchia (red).The drive from my house to the winery takes
about 50 minutes or so.On my way there,
I realized that I hadn’t been in 8 years.8!Wow.Did I remember the way?Maybe better to use Google Maps.I arrived without problems.
The harvest was just over, but
no problem.I decided to visit the
vineyards another time.My eyes were
attracted to the bottles.A certain set
of bottles in particular.Their Crus-their
wines produced from particular vineyards.
Trebulanum® Casavecchia
di Pontelatone DOC – Casavecchia
Morrone® Terre
del Volturno IGT - Pallagrello Bianco
Murella® Terre
del Volturno IGT - Pallagrello nero
I was attracted to these particular bottles, not just for the clean white and gold labels- but for the clean wooden boxes. Each box had 6 bottles. And in that box, there
was another box.And in that box there
were jars.
Let’s take a closer look.How many times have you bought a bottle of wine, read the label and
tried to imagine what and where was being described?Massimo Alois asks himself the same questions,
and is a soil collecting fanatic.So
besides the (numbered) labels giving info about the location and altitude of
the vineyard, Alois has included samples of the terrain in little jars.Pretty cool!
Alois has also included maps- maps designed in collaboration
with artist Felix Policastro and printed by Massimo Longabardi.
What better way to learn about a territory? Open a bottle, pour
yourself a glass, check out the maps, run your fingers through the soil in the
jars…
Then have your own mini tasting- swirl the glass, take in
the aromas, and finally taste.
I'm so excited to announce my first in a series of events where the focus is the food and wine of the Campania region. If you are in the Naples area on the 6th of December, check this out. Proceeds will go to support my In the Kitchen Campania crowdfunding campaign.
Over the past 14 years, I have travelled the Campania region visiting over 100 of the region's restaurants. I have enjoyed sharing my gastronomic adventures on my blog, Andiamotrips, as well as on various social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. My focus has always been to share through words, photos and videos to those, like me, who want to discover the traditions, stories, and recipes of this vast and varied region. Over the years, I realized that one of the best ways to learn about Campanian cuisine was to observe those who have made it their profession. To visit those who work day to day in the kitchen. I have often dreamt about how I could share this passion of mine with the world. How it might be exciting to go one step further, go that extra mile. Now I strongly believe that I am ready to take that dream to a new level by creating a video travel diary documentary series which will focus on the chefs, restaurants, and traditional recipes of the Campania region. This series will be called In the Kitchen Campania.
The project
In the Kitchen Campaniais a documentary video series which explores the cuisine of Italy's Campania region. I chose to feature the phrase in the kitchen because in Campania, that is the focal point of the home. A place where friends and family can feel free to discuss just about everything. In this series, I will meet with chefs in their kitchens to learn and discover the history, traditions and recipes of their territory. The web series will consist of 5 - 10 episodes that will be 10-15 minutes long. Each episode will feature a different chef/restaurant in which the chefs themselves will serve as our tour guide throughout the territory. They will share with us their background stories, describe their cuisine, discuss typical dishes of the area including a favorite dish or two from their childhood. The video stories will be accompanied by a short summary of mine in English to allow access to the entire audience of my community. The chefs' story will be in Italian with English subtitles. The project will also be the main ingredient for other mini projects with the In the Kitchen Campania drive and spirit such as the creation of ebooks, travel guides, and culinary events.
What will I do with the funds?
An elaborate project like this has its cost. Each episode has an average cost of 3,000 to 5,000 euros for all the activities to be carried out. For the launch of the project and the development of the first series of episodes, I have chosen to carry out an online crowdfunding reward campaign by presenting some of the gadgets and products that are part of the venture as well as giving the community the possibility to be part of the project as a partner of an episode and/or as a sponsor.
To reduce costs, the first edition of the web series will see me as a protagonist in the various activities of design, development, management, production and marketing. However, I hope that the project will grow quickly and I will be able to create an international team for the different activities. I would like to invest in the series and in Andiamotrips by adding to my team (extra cameraman or sound person, IT, etc.). I would also like to invest in new equipment, software, as well as the blog itself by transferring it to its own domain.
In this way I will be able to share with you how In The Kitchen Campania’s growth and discover the different aspects of the development and promotion of the project.
The first objective is 2,000 euro with which will go towards the first few episodes of the series. Other funds will be allocated towards future episodes with the possibility of creating sponsored and customized projects.
The first series
The first series will be published online in early 2024 on the Andiamotrips YouTube channel with an episode broadcast every 2-3 weeks. The episodes will also be shared with the chefs and their restaurants.
Your journey in life changes
you.Your passions eventually become
your professional projects expressing your talent and dreams. So, after more
than 14 years of storytelling on my blog Andiamotrips I have
chosen to start a new professional chapter and to create, in first person, a
digital documentary series that explores the cuisine of Italy’s Campania
region.
The project will be launched in
preview with a crowdfunding campaign on the website www.eppela.com
at the personalized address www.eppela.com/inthekitchencampania starting
from November 9 with which it will be possible to participate and support the
development of the project.
In the Kitchen Campania is a digital documentary series that
explores the cuisine of Campania. I chose to include the phrase in the kitchen because in Campania that
is the focal point of the house. A place where friends and family can feel free
to discuss just about anything. In this series I will meet with chefs in their
kitchens to learn about and discover the history, traditions and recipes of
their territory.
A crowdfunding reward campaign
has been created to share the project’s objectives, its development, the
opportunity to expand the scope of the series and proposals at a national
level, promote the first edition of the web series, and to create partnerships
and travel companions for
the project. The rewards are based on my ideas and designs and are meant to be a way to have a memory of a professional and personal experience.
The crowdfunding campaign has
also been created to share a professional travel diary, welcoming suggestions,
and stimulate ideas during the course of
the 30 day campaign.
So, save the date- 9 November. I'll see you in the kitchen!
Ciao, guys! I've been hinting about it for days, and maybe some of you have figured it out. I have an exciting announcement. After over 14 years of narrating the places and players of food, wine and tourism in Campania and Italy, I decided to create my own video culinary journal, to discover the places and personalities of the region. It’s name? In the Kitchen Campania. The project will be supported with a crowdfunding campaign that will go live on the 9th of November on the crowdfunding site www.eppela.com. The site is in Italian, but my project will pre presented in 2 languages. Feel free to go to the Eppela site and pre register, that way you will be ready on the 9th of November.
After a successful first edition last year, the Monteruscello Fest is back. It will be held in Piazza Agro City on 11
and 12 September and this year will be dedicated to the theme "we are
one", just to underline how all the main social actors of the territory,
institutions, citizens, entrepreneurs are on the side of the overall growth of
this neighborhood and how Pozzuoli is, in fact, only one: from the sea to the
border with Quarto.
This year, the event will last two days, instead of just one and will feature 200
operators in the food sector. As always, among the stands there
will be chefs, pizza
restaurateurs, pastry chefs all ready to guarantee a particular gastronomic offer.
The intent is first and foremost beneficial: to
support the Telethon Foundation program dedicated to Diseases Without Diagnosis
implemented by Tigem (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine), thanks to
the donations of those who want to participate in the event that is entirely
non-profit.
To obtain the entrance ticket that includes
consumption at all the stands present on the single day, simply connect to the
www.monteruscellofest.it website and make a minimum donation of 40 euros.But of course everyone is free to make a
donation of a higher amount. It is also possible to book the ticket for both
days: in this case the minimum donation can be 60 euros. Children who are less than one
meter tall, accompanied by at least one paying adult, do not require a ticket.
Monteruscello Fest is organized and promoted by
the restaurant entrepreneurs Daniele and Simone Testa together with the
Municipality of Pozzuoli and Giovanni Tammaro, leader of a network of companies
for the enhancement of Monteruscello Agro city.
"The fact that we had to double the days to be
able to accommodate the many requests of operators who wished to participate,
fills us with joy and pride. It means that the world of food and wine – explain
Daniele and Simone Testa – is always ready to lend a hand to scientific
research. We thank the Municipality of Pozzuoli who is supporting us, the
Chamber of Commerce of Naples, the Aicast and the ASL Napoli 2 for the
patronage and the many artists who this year will not miss their participation
".
Names like Gigi Finizio, Sal Da Vinci and Fatima
Trotta are expected.
In just a couple of weeks, the 7th Edition of Ischia Safari kicks off This fund raising event has reached it's 7th edition featuring chefs, pizzaioli, pastry chefs, and artisans from the food and beverage sector with one objective in mind. That objective is to raise money to train young people in the hospitality industry. This year, the funds raised will be dedicated to aninstituteinEmiliaRomagnathat the SaperieSapori Association,promoterof the event, has identified withthesupportoflocalchefs. The dates for this not to miss event are the 17th-19th of September.
Nino Di Costanzo and Pasquale Palamaro
"The
commitment is as always at the highest levels" – explain the Ischian starred
chefs Nino Di Costanzo and Pasquale Palamaro, the two creators among the
promoters and organizers of the event -. Already last year we witnessed the
resumption of the event that for two years had been stopped due to the Pandemic,
now we are even more charged and eager to do well, to raise funds for the
training of young people who invest their future in this sector. We have
already supported the students of Basilicata, Campania, Umbria, Calabria and
now Emilia Romagna to establish a sort of bridge of solidarity towards a
territory that, like ours, has suffered a flood and where there are many accommodation and
catering facilities, a natural employment outlet for young people from hotel institutes
in the area."
Here is the breakdown:
17 September 2023 - Charity Dinner
Theseventhedition of IschiaSafariwillbeginonSunday17Septemberwith the charitydinnerat the AlbergodellaReginaIsabella.Theappointment is atthehotel'sDolceVitarestaurantwhere Michelin starredchefs will collaborate with pizzaioli, pastry chefs and food artisans will collaborate together to createanexclusivemenufor a dynamicgourmetdinner that willbetheforerunnertoaveryspecialevent.
18 September 2023 - Negombo Festival
The festa will be held attheNegomboThermalPark.Thelong-awaitedappointment in the bay of SanMontano with foodpoints and standssetupin the park of overninehectaresshowcases the gastronomicexcellenceof the territory, with around 250 booths. Not to miss! A particular shout out to Ischian born and raised pizzaiolo Ivano Veccia who organized an amazing line up of 30 or so top pizzaioli from all over Italy.
me, Ivano Veccia, and Carl Sammarco
19 September 2023 - A Dessert for Ischia
This is something new for the2023edition, at the AragoneseCastle: the pastrycompetition(Entrancebyinvitation)thatwillidentify a DessertforIschia,atributetotheislandanditstypicality.
The cultural association Ischia Saperi e Sapori - Cultural and Artistic Center organizer of Ischia Safari has as its founding members Nino Di Costanzo, Pasquale Palamaro, Giancarlo Carriero, Marco Castagna, Paolo Fulceri Camerini, Marianna Schiano. It is non-profit and pursues exclusively the purpose of promoting food and wine culture.
Involved in organizing Ischia Safari also two personalities known for their commitment to accrediting Ischia as an international tourist destination, Giancarlo Carriero of the family that owns L'Albergo della Regina Isabella and Paolo Fulceri Camerini, owner of the Negombo Thermal Park.
For more info and tickets to the events, check out the website.
I'll be at the Negombo Festival. I'm actually quite excited since I haven't been since 2018. You can see my video tour of the stands (in Italian) below.
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