The Neapolitan Pizza- Enzo Coccia's New Adventure

Pizza Maestro Enzo Coccia

A few months back, I received news that pizza maestro Enzo Coccia was about to present his new book.  A book which would explain the production process of Neapolitan pizza - step by step - scientifically- like it had never been presented before.  This book took two years to complete alongside with Paolo Masi and Annalisa Romano of the University of Naples Federico II. When I contacted Coccia about where I could pick up the book, he suggested I wait a bit.  The Coccia team was working on an English translation.  Ok.  This made sense to me since Coccia's Pizza Consulting firm, which has been training pizza makers  and opening pizzerias worldwide for about 15 years.
I waited, and one day in late September I received a phone call.  A phone call from Coccia letting me know that the book was ready and he had plans to present it to an international audience during Expo 2015 in Milan.  Why don't you come along? he asked.
He didn't need to ask twice.  On a cool and rainy October evening, I sat alongside with Coccia at the Slow Food Theater to share his experience with a packed house of pizza lovers, enthusiasts, and curious bystanders.

Coccia began to speak about his book.  A brief description of its contents.  How its mission, so to speak, was to map out the artisanal process.  The importance of the basic ingredients; water, yeast, salt, and of course, time.  The importance of quality products and how the need to protect them.  Products such as San Marzano tomatoes, which although a DOP product, has unfortunately been marketed around the world with tomatoes produced from places as far as China and being sold in the United States.

Products such as fior di latte, a cheese that is also permitted on Neapolitan pizza, but unfortunately, unlike mozzarella di bufalo PDO (protected designation of origin) , has not received any type of classification to protect the cheese of its geographically origins or the consumer of the guarantee of where the product comes from.

Coccia felt out the crowd and realized that many were unfamiliar with the specifics of Neapolitan pizza.  So he involved the crowd in his discussion on leavening and cooking times.
I even had a chance to give my impressions on the book, focusing on the trouble shooting guide which comes complete with photos, possible reasons why a particular defect may occur, and changes to consider during the production process.
An exciting question/answer period included several people who desired that Coccia open up a pizzeria near them.
Coccia smiled.
So did I. Somehow Coccia turned that cool wooden theater in Milan into a warm environment.  Similar to his Pizzaria La Notizia back home in Naples

The Neapolitan Pizza  by Doppiavoce Edizione is available online.

Bruno Gambacorta's Eat Parade

Pizzeria La Notizia in Naples was not only the place to be for Enzo Coccia's famous pizzas.  Monday night it was the ticket as journalist Bruno Gambacorta presented his new book Eat Parade.  Eat parade is a collection of 35 stories spanning 14 years of Gambacorta's television program which focuses on food and wine in Italy.  Antonio Tubelli, Luciano Di Meo, and Beradino Lombardo who are featured in the book were also on hand to share their stories as well as their gastronomic specialties including arancini, salamis and cheeses...
It was basically a  parade of ...eats.

"Guida alle Piccole Cantine della Campania " - Winery Guide Presentation and Wine Tasting in Capua (Ce)

Caserta like you've never (wine) tasted  before! 

On the 22nd of January, journalist Luciano Pignataro will present his guide, Guida alle Piccole Cantine della Campania at Palazzo Lanza di Capua -Ex-Libris.


The evening begins at 1830 hrs.with Maria Teresa Lanza,  National Councilor, Fisar, Generoso Marrandino, President Agrisviluppo and Luciano Pignataro.  Beatrice Crisci, journalist, will serve as cordinator .

Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to try wines from the wineries listed in the guide from the Caserta area;
ALEPA, BIANCHINI ROSSETTI, BRUNIGI GALCO, CAPIZZI, CARLO ZANNINI, CRAPARECCIA, DELLA SELLECCOLA , MASSERIA PICCIRILLO, MASSERIA STARNALI, PAGANO, PAONESSA, PAPA, PODERE SAN DOMENICO, RAO, REGINA VIARUM, TENUTA SAN BIAGIO, TERRE DEI COLAPIETRO, TERRE DEL PRINCIPE, TRABUCCO, VINEA LI PALDI, VITICOLTORI MIGLIOZZI

The event is free!

For more information contact;
Palazzo Lanza di Capua
Corso Gran Priorato di Malta 25

Tel. 0823.962097 – 333.7570189
http://www.palazzolanza.it/

Capua-Il Luogo della Lingua Festival-21 through 30 May

Hey...Capua is not that far away...

And from May 21st  to the 30th, The Luogo della Lingua Festival, an event promoted by Architempo involving the city of Capua, will take place.  An event held annually where literature is  surrounded by so many important tools: cinema, theater, visual art and the media, music in all its forms, architecture and sculpture. This year the festival reaches its sixth year, enriched by the first edition of "Falerno First Novel Award. The prize, dedicated to novice writers, combining wine and literature. Ghirelli Antonio, Mario Venuti, Marcio Rangel, Amanda Sandrelli, Blas Roca Rey, Francesca Melandri, Margaret of Rausa, Paoletta Pelagalli from RTL, Peppe Servillo, Fausto Mesolella are just some of the names who will take turns on  stage.

All the events are free.

For more info, check out the following web sites

http://www.illuogodellalinguafestival.com/

http://www.premiofalerno.it/

DIVINI LIBRI .... Drink a Book-Read a Glass of Wine

                                               

If you are like me and enjoy cuddling up  by the fire with a good book and a great glass of wine, this might interest you. An exciting fusion of wine tasting and theater has its debut this Saturday, February 6^th at 1930 in Caserta at  Teatro Comunale.  Mariano Rigillo, a major Italian actor and Manuela Piancastelli from the winery Terre del Principe will team up for what should be an interesting evening of literature and great wine.  Mariano Rigillo will degusterà Romolo il Grande by Friedrich Durrenmatt (a play in which he is starring in at the theater) and Manuela Piancastelli will read her award winning wines, Pallagrello and Casavecchia.  

Here is the entire schedule for this innovative series:

6 February 2010, 19.30  € 5

Opening night

MARIANO RIGILLO will taste ROMOLO IL GRANDE by Friedrich Durrenmatt

MANUELA PIANCASTELLI will read Fontanavigna 2008 Pallagrello bianco and Castello delle Femmine 2007 Pallagrello nero & Casavecchia di TERRE DEL PRINCIPE

20 February 2010, 19.30  € 5

GIOVANNI ESPOSITO e la compagnia de GLI IPOCRITI  will tatse MORSO DI LUNA NUOVA by  Erri De Luca

MARINELLA CAROTENUTO and FELICIA BRINI will read Sinopea 2008 – Falanghina IGT Campania bianco e Falerno del Massico 2007 doc  di MASSERIA FELICIA

13 March 2010 19.30  € 5

LUCA ZINGARETTI and GIOACHINO LANZA TOMASI DI LAMPEDUSA will taste LIGHEA di Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa

MARINELLA CAROTENUTO and ELENA MARTUSCIELLO will read Falanghina dei Campi Flegrei 2008 doc and Piedirosso dei Campi Flegrei 2008 doc di GROTTA DEL SOLE

In collaboration with

Teatro comunale, Teatro pubblico campano, Comune di Caserta,  Architempo, F.I.S.A.R  Federazione Italiana Sommelier Albergatori Ristoratori  delegazione di Caserta, Terre del Principe,  Masseria Felicia, Grotta del Sole,

Movimento Turismo del Vino della Campania.  

Tickets are available at the door. Your ticket to DIVINI  LIBRI is good for a 20% discount for performances of  ROMOLO IL GRANDE, MORSO DI LUNA NUOVA, LA SIRENA at Teatro Comunale in Caserta.

Is There Life After Aglianico?

About a month ago, friend and mentor Fabrizio Erbaggio, and I were having a conversation about a wine tasting that was held at Ciao Vino. I mentioned that I didn’t really like one of the reds that he served. He asked me why. I said that it didn’t taste like Aglianico. Wrong answer? OK, I know over the past couple of years I have been playing it safe. I found a wine that I liked and I stuck with it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Don’t get me wrong, I have other ‘favorite ‘wines; Piedirosso, Pallagrello Nero and Bianco, Fiano di Avellino, Falanghina. They are Campania wines, but it’s a big world out there; I felt I needed a little help to expand my horizons. Last weekend I was at Fnac, a bookstore in the heart of Vomero. There I think I found un pò di aiuto. I purchased 101 Vini Da Bere Almeno Una Volta Nella Vita-spendendo molto poco by journalist and author Luciano Pignataro (www.lucianopignataro.com) . This book has been out for a few weeks and it looks like it will be a great resource for me to ‘discover’ wines from all over Italy; reds, whites, sparkling wines, rosés, etc. Luciano has chosen 101 wines that are of high quality and low price .He has provided the reader with information such as which grapes are used, and data on the aging process. Addresses and phone numbers are included. He shares with us his wine tasting notes as well as particulars on the wineries and owners themselves.

101 Vini Da Bere Almeno Una Volta Nella Vita-spendendo molto poco is in Italian only, but maybe Mr. Pignataro will think about putting it into English one day. In the meantime, I will take this book as an invitation to get out and try new wines and visit wineries that are off the beaten track. I can’t wait!!

P.S. Wine #74 is an aglianico !