A group of 35 people from 14 different countries met in Malga Pontara, municipality of Bedollo on 19 November, 2016. Though from very diverse backgrounds, these people all share a passion. They are all devoted “foodies”. This meeting was for the second event of Food Connects People, a newly formed culinary association from Trentino.
For this event, Food Connects People introduced a tasty twist. The participants were grouped into teams of two, provided with a table-full of ingredients, and a set of constraints in terms of cooking. The end results were unique, experimental, playful and mouth-watering inventions like ” Coniglio trentino affogato” (Drowned Trentinian Rabbit), “Cinderella of the mountain”, and “La cura di Achille”.
The dinner on Saturday night was a scene to behold, as the participants also had to get creative with the garnishing and decoration of their dishes. In the end, the most beautiful and tasty dishes were selected by the participants. Though seeming like a cooking contest, the event had none of the competitiveness. No “Gordon Ramsey”, no “Joe Bastianich,” no pressure. The recipes of the most delicious dishes will be added to the Recipes’ World: Fusion section.
The creativity didn’t just stop there. Everyone present was asked to present their feelings or thoughts associated to the invented dishes. These emotions were then used to create character representations of the dishes. The result was an interactive improvisation enactment which filled the little mountain hut with many laughs.
Food Connects People is dedicated to bringing together people from different walks of life, different nationalities, speaking different languages, for the unique sensory experience of cooking. As very rightly expressed by Asli, the current President of the organization, “Food has a self-expression, taste, touch, smell and imagination, but can also be a carrier of the culture and history of its place of origin. Through food, you can open a small window into that world!”
The aim of this small but ambitious association is to bring this love and passion for food and good company around Europe and beyond. The next cooking workshop is already in the process of being organized, and will be held in Kalamata, Greece, on 8 December.
But how did the food connect people in the beginning? A few years ago in Trento, in the university residence of San Bartolameo, a group of students began to meet with the excuse to cook and eat together. Soon, dinner after dinner, food tied this diverse group of people into a tightly-knit community of its own. A number of years down the road, although many of those students are now scattered around the world, Food Connects People was born; an “official” excuse for continuing to meet, disseminate and expand its network of human and culinary knowledge, and to form new lasting bonds. Stay tuned to discover our recipes and participate in our upcoming events, and in the meantime, check out the cool video summary of the event.
“The Witch’s Wood” – carne salada cooked in the oven with cheese on top
“Cinderella of the mountains” – stuffed pumpkin with lentils and dried fruits
“Searching for Paradise” – speck rolls on a caramelized apple bed
“A thousand and one night at the mountains” – deer meat, red wine and spices served with okra
“La Cura di Achille” – savoury pies with cheese, pears and grappa
“Mr Lemon Head” – a fruity dessert with orange and lime juice, fresh mint and robiola cheese
hey, very nice!
how about a “subscribe-to-blog” or “subscribe-to-mailing-list” option? would like to receive the news from time to time.
Hoping one day to swap the cooking experience!
F.
Hi Fotis! Absolutely it’s in our TO-DO list! In the meanwhile, I am adding you to our newsletter 🙂