Running from November 20 to 27, the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (Settimana della cucina italiana nel mondo), will celebrate its second edition in the utmost style.
The seven-day event is promoted by the Italian government, and myriad organisations and businesses involved in Italian culture, cuisine and agriculture participate by holding various related activities across the globe.
Last year, 1,395 events took place across 108 nations, and the initiative was considered a great step forward in the promotion of Italian culinary traditions and products sourced or made in the Belpaese.
Following the success of the first edition, this year is set to skyrocket even higher, with events including conferences, tastings, thematic dinners, exhibitions on culinary themes and technical and scientific workshops to unfold in over 100 nations.
In Australia, the Italian Consulate in Perth is proud to present four events in the spirit of the week.
The first will take place on November 4, at WA Opera’s closing night performance of Donizetti’s classic, Lucia di Lammermoor.
Guests are invited to enjoy an evening of opera and gourmet canapés at His Majesty’s Theatre, and the pre-show cocktail function includes an exclusive meet and greet with leading tenor Aldo di Toro, who performs the role of Edgardo.
The festivities are set to continue in the west, with the World of Food Festival to be held at Government House Gardens on November 19.
During this annual event, various communities from around Perth come together to celebrate the obvious: food.
Italy will have its own stall, featuring the flavours and scents of the Belpaese through delectable wood-fired pizza and refreshing gelato.
A few days later, on November 23, South Fremantle restaurant L’Antica will host a pizza-making and wine-tasting night.
By invitation only, this event aims to celebrate pizza napoletana and the art of Neapolitan pizza-making.
Guests will also have the chance to taste Italian wine and learn the importance of its classifications (IGT, DOC or DOCG quality).
Perth’s celebrations will conclude on November 26, with the ‘Foods from Pompeii’ seminar to be held at the WA Maritime Museum.
Dr Moya Smith, curator for ‘Escape from Pompeii: The Untold Roman Rescue’, will discuss what we know of ancient foods from the exhibition currently on show at the museum, as well as ancient sources, including Pliny the Elder’s Natural History.
Dr Smith will include some age-old recipes for the more adventurous to try at home.
Meanwhile in South Australia, the Consulate of Italy in Adelaide will present a program of events throughout the week.
The festivities will begin on November 20, with the Opening Gala Dinner to be held at Osteria Oggi.
The dinner will feature an official five-course chef selection showcasing Italian ingredients.
The following day, Campbelltown’s Mercato will host a pizza al taglio cooking demonstration, followed by an exclusive pizza lunch deal (this event will also be repeated on November 23).
That night, Italian restaurant Ruby Red Flamingo will house the Paste d’Italia event, organised by the Dante Alighieri Society of SA.
On November 22, the Marche Club will run a cooking demonstration, featuring classic dishes from the region.
That same evening, Bottega Rotolo in Goodwood will hold a mouth-watering cheese and wine class.
On November 23, Rusco and Brusco will host an Italian aperitivo night organised by Com.It.Es.
The celebrations will carry on at Bene Aged Care on November 24, with a lesson on ‘Food and Togetherness’ by Professor John Coveney from Flinders University.
The week will end with a wine masterclass at The Hilton Adelaide on November 25.
The masterclass will be presented by Italian sommelier Alessandro Ragazzo and Italian oenologist Michele Guglielmi.
Many specials and deals will also run in various Italian restaurants and eateries across Adelaide throughout the week.
Events will also unfold across other Australian states, including NSW, where Italian sommelier Piero Fonseca will lead a wine masterclass hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in Sydney.
The evening of November 23 will be dedicated to the wines of three Italian regions: Friuli, Marche and Calabria, in order to cover the north, centre and south of the peninsula.
During the event, participants will be able to sample some of the most celebrated wines of these regions.
The Institute will also organise a cooking class by Italian chef Gabriele Taddeucci at Casa Barilla, to be held on November 21.
Mr Taddeucci will offer an overview of the most typical products of the Italian gastronomic tradition, such as its cheeses and preserved meats , as well as the different types of wheats used all over the peninsula and their uses.
With all of this and more to do, there’s something for everyone to enjoy as we join together to celebrate Italian cuisine!
