Food has such an enormous impact on our lives but especially our health.  We know this, research has proved it time again. Processed food is bad for us. Eating what is fresh and preferably in our locality is best but yet, most of us go on 'digging our grave with our teeth? ' as someone wrote somewhere.  Food is tantalizing and for some, even an obsession. Eat we must so the least we can do it find out how best to enjoy food while at the same time preserving our health. 

There are all sorts of trends such as Slow Cooking but another one is going back to our roots and to food our forefathers enjoyed and seemed to thrive on. L'Istituto Italiano di Cultura organized another interesting talk  this time by Pietro Parisi the acclaimed chef who worked with Alain Ducasse, Gualtiero Marchesi and at the legendary Burj Al Arab in the United Arab Emirates.  But Pietro's roots lie in a village, Palma Campania,  near Vesuvius, in the Campania region of Italy. In spite of his prestigious alliances with world renowned chefs he says that the formation of his palate and the taste for authentic and natural products he learnt from his grandparents particularly his nonna Nannina.  In her simple peasant way she taught him what makes Italian products so great. He used to go with her to the fields of San Marzano where they lived to water the tomatoes and the purple eggplant. 'Perhaps it is true that the field teaches you how to get by. On the other hand the two great chefs Ducasse and Marchesi taught me the techniques of cooking and it is thanks to them that I have become a professional and learnt the management of products in the kitchen,' he told his audience.

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After twelve years of working abroad Pietro decided to return to his birthplace, Palma Campania, mostly because he was feeling nostalgic but also because of a certain pride: he wanted to make some kind of contribution to his natal village 'Certainly,' he told me, 'only a madman would give up the gourmet and luxury ambience in which I had worked for all those years to return to a remote village and open my first restaurant - Era Ora which is also a 'laboratory'. Of course he admits that it was no easy matter to take his 'gourmet' skills to a small village and make a success of Era Ora. His objective was to promote a traditional cuisine which was at the same time contemporary. He explained that the ingredients he uses come from the village, from the farmers and other small food producers; from the land around, ingredients with which the inhabitants have been familiar since their childhood. In this way he is supporting his own community and helping farmers  and producers who for generations have struggled against the elements and  various difficulties to make a living. He and his team make these ingredients more interesting with new techniques and presentation. Together with the local ingredients there are the peasants and the artisans who had their part to play in his plans.

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Pietro had brought with him a number of jars containing Parmigiana alla melanzane which had been steamed.  Those present loved it. I, too, have to pronounce it truly delicious.  What was so special about it?  How did he manage to bring these jars to Malta and keep them tasting fresh and delicious? Pietro explained that the preservation technique used had been invented by Alain Ducasse. By steaming certain products and sealing them in a glass jar they could be preserved for 180 days and served anywhere in the world while keeping their flavour and freshness.    Apart from the Parmigiana he produces other single portions such as gateau di patate, tortino di ricotta e spinaci, sfogliatella frolla con ricotta di bufola  and more, all steamed in a glass jar. What is impressive is that even after 180 days these dishes retain their flavour.  These are also exported but it is impossible to satisfy the demand. For several months the Parmegiana was also sold to American Air Lines.     

Pietro Parisi is also an ambassador for ExpoMilano 2015 which opened last Friday and will remain open until October, food for everyone being one of the objectives of this important event.  He is there to promote the artisans, the farmers who get very little publicity from the media; people who are always behind the scenes. One way of doing this is through his new publication Pietro Parisi: Un cuoco contadino.  With this publication and his work he wants young people to understand that behind a good chef there is also an artisan. 'We have to make young people take pride in the fact that they are the children of farmers,' he says.

What advice does he give regarding eating healthily? There are no hard and fast rules but when we are eating we should consider one thing: how many kilometers has the food travelled to arrive at our table? The less kilometers the better for our health. And yes, simplicity is always a good thing, even in food. There is much more to say about Pietro Parisi and his passionate beliefs but there I rest my case.