Memories of a delicious and tasty qassata (rikotta pasty) I had during a weekend stay in Gozo, made me want to savour once again, after a number of years, this icon of a tasteful endemic product for which the island has always been renowned.
To my absolute disgust and horror, I have to observe that the present product produced on the sister island is as insipid and inedible as its counterpart across the narrow channel.
How very disgusting indeed that all the ingredients but particularly the supposedly rikotta filling is now simply cheap ‘ersatz’ stuff that puts you off after the first bite and you dispose of the rest in the rubbish bin.
It is amply clear that producers on both islands are only interested in making a quick buck without the slightest thought and consideration of giving the consumer his money’s worth and satisfaction.
All these producers must be reminded that ‘ersatz’ stuff was introduced and adopted in Germany only during the war years when the real thing was unavailable or in very short supply.
What a shame that in spite of local genuine ingredients being in plentiful supply at a reasonable price, these producers persist in perpetrating the disgusting practice and state of affairs.
Consumers should make a united protest and appeal to producers to serve the customer with only genuine products even at the cost of increasing the price of this national, delicious, gourmet product.
Cheating and chasing after quick piles of profit are the most abhorrent principles in business ethics or lack of them.
The sooner this situation is corrected the better the sales results and customer satisfaction will be.
It certainly, and equally, behoves the food authorities to delve deeply into this universal and established practice thereby protecting consumers’ rights and health interests.
Obviously, the urge of eating a qassata is to taste and enjoy the goodness especially of the rikotta filling and not the horrible and revolting much cheaper rice substitute, which even hungry dogs find inedible and refuse to eat.
Edwin Calleja
BALZAN