L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2020 L'Italo-Americano L igurians, often, don't come across a s p a r t i c u l a r l y p l e a s a n t : t h e y lack the expansi- veness of our Southerners, but also the good-tempered simplicity of the Piedmonte- se. Perceived as perennially i n a b a d m o o d a n d unfriendly to the verge of rudeness, in truth Ligurians are not like that at all. In many ways, they are people stuck in the very idio- s y n c r a s i e s o f t h e i r l a n d , which is full of light and sun, opened to the world as you would expect from a place by the sea, but that, at the same time, is also attached to the past, to tradition, to the soil that gives food and sustenan- ce, as a place made of moun- tains and rocky hills always is. Liguria has two souls, that only apparently don't mix, just like only apparently its people are antipatici: they may have some rough edges and a penchant for calling non-Ligurians foresti, but underneath the surface they are just good natured, well rounded people. If you want t o m a k e f r i e n d s w i t h a L i g u r i a n , t h e n a s k t h e m about the many excellences of their beloved land: from focaccia genovese (never, e v e r c a l l i t p i z z a b i a n c a , though!) to cappon magro — a sublime layered concoc- tion of fish, potatoes, green beans, and pesto, layered upon a base of gallette — f r o m c h i n o t t i t o h e r , t h e empress, the most beautiful and beloved of all: the olive. And the olive in Liguria has one name: Taggiasca. T a g g i a s c a i s a c u l t i v a r typical of Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, that is, of the area that goes from Genoa to France. While it derives its name from the border town o f T a g g i a , i t w a s l i k e l y imported from France in 9th century AD by the monks of Colombanus, who had lear- ned to appreciate it on the island of Lérins. In Taggia, monks dedicated their time to its cultivation, which con- tinued even after their mona- s t e r y w a s d e s t r o y e d b y Saracen invasions. Eager to increase production, these i n d u s t r i o u s m e n o f G o d began a process, that of ter- racing, which was to tran- sform the way Liguria looked like, creating what is today considered one of the most recognizable landmarks of t h e r e g i o n , i t s terrazze. Terrazze are nothing more than artificial embankments contained by stone walls that allow — among others — olive tree cultivation on the many, beautiful hills of the region. This little, resilient variety of olives quickly charmed the people of Liguria, who took up its cultivation eagerly. The Imperia province remains, however, home to the best quality Taggiasca, unsurpas- sed for taste, organoleptic characteristics and level of production. Taggiasca olives are smal- ler than many other varieties and are easily recognizable for their purple-green color; they are extremely fragrant, delicious when eaten alone, s o a k e d i n t h e i r o w n o i l , perhaps enriched with some local fresh herbs. O f c o u r s e , s p e a k i n g o f Taggiasche means speaking of their oil. DOP certified since 1997, the olio extra- v e r g i n e d i o l i v e Taggiasche is sweet and low in acidity, with a light almond aftertaste and a fruity scent. As a matter of fact, Liguria has been the first r e g i o n i n I t a l y t o o b t a i n European DOP recognition for the production of its oil: this means that Ligurian oil made with the region's typi- c a l c u l t i v a r s ( T a g g i a s c a , Lavagnina and Razzola) and produced in the Riviera dei Fiori, Riviera del Ponente Savonese and the Riviera di Levante are all protected at both national and European level. T a g g i a s c h e a r e o f t e n added to flavorsome dishes such as coniglio alla Ligure (Ligurian style rabbit) or insalata di polpo e patate (octopus and potato salad), which gain layers of com- plexity and deliciousness thanks to them. Indeed, olive Taggiasche are a staple ingre- dient in a number of typical Ligurian dishes: you'll find them in stoccafisso in umido, a stew made with stockfish and potatoes, but also in the famous brandacujun, salt cod with pine nuts, parsley a n d T a g g i a s c a o l i v e s a n d olive oil. Taggiasche olives are also, famously, the top- ping of sardenaira, a variety o f f o c a c c i a t y p i c a l o f S a n r e m o , t o p p e d w i t h tomato sauce, garlic, capers, T a g g i a s c h e , o r e g a n o a n d a n c h o v y f i l l e t s , w h i c h L i g u r i a n s — a n d Piedmontese — enjoy a lot, especially in the morning or as part of their aperitivi. H o w e v e r , a s r e c e n t l y r e p o r t e d b y I t a l i a n f o o d m a g a z i n e A g r o d o l c e , Taggiasche olives are not as present in Ligurian cuisine as one may expect for such an important regional produce. The reason is historical, as C h e f D a v i d e Z u n i n o , o f Sanremo's Hotel Miramare explains: "Here in Liguria, olives too ripe to be used in oil production were traditio- nally preserved in salamoia (salted water), and consu- med like this, with a slice of bread, throughout the year. This was a typical merenda, especially in the countryside, a n d a c o m m o n ' w e l c o m e ' food offering when guests came to visit." Modern chefs have been e n j o y i n g c o o k i n g w i t h Taggiasche a lot, though : Zunino himself, as Agrodolce reports, makes a lightly sweet jelly with them, to be served with white chocolate, but also uses a dehydrated variety to enrich raw fish or raw meat dishes. He also says they are delicious with cheeses. Taggiasche may be smaller than other olives and not as simple to come by outside of Liguria, but if you manage to get your hands on some, buy them aware of the fact you're bringing home a little treasu- re of taste and history. LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Small, purple-green in color and rich and flavor: this is the Taggiasca olive (Photo: Elisabetta Donatiello/Dreamstime) The iconic oliva Taggiasca, the pride and glory of Liguria's Riviera di Ponente FRANCESCA BEZZONE

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