L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano T he history of our Made in Italy is long and many businesses and families have contributed to it. Since 2000 there is an association, the Unione Imprese Cen- tenarie Italiane, that brings them together as "expressions of tradition rooted in our ter- ritory and nurtured by a growing spirit of innovation." The history of the Unione Imprese centenarie Italiane, o r U I C I , b e g i n s i n 2 0 0 0 , when 11 Florentine compa- nies, the Imprese Storiche F i o r e n t i n e , c r e a t e the Associazione Imprese Storiche Fiorentine (AISF). In 2006 more Tuscan reali- t i e s a r e w e l c o m e d i n t h e association, which changes its name to Unione Imprese Storiche Toscane to mirror its territorial expansion. In February 2012, the associa- tion becomes national, with t h e U n i o n e I m p r e s e S t o r i c h e I t a l i a n e ( U I S I ) and, finally, in 2019, UICI comes into being. But which are the compa- nies part of the union and how have they been chosen? According to the Union itself, the imprese centenar- ie are "prestigious realities from many Italian regions (that represent) the most sincere expression of entre- preneurial quality." The aim of the Union is valorizing Italian companies' historical heritage, focusing on those that have been active for more than a century both from a productive and cul- tural point of view. Indeed, the companies part of the Union are active also in the fields of cultural heritage and they have "tied their historical identity (…) to the development and dissemi- nation of their work as an expression of civic, social and economic principles" while maintaining a strong connection to their territory. Y o u m a y b e c u r i o u s t o know which companies are p a r t o f t h e U n i o n . W e l l , m a n y o f t h e m a r e w e l l - known names in Italy and a b r o a d . W e c o u l d s t a r t with Amarelli, historical producer of licorice candies a n d p r o d u c t s , b a s e d i n C a l a b r i a . T h e c o m p a n y started operating in 1731 to maximize the use of licorice, a p l a n t t h a t g r o w s a b u n - dantly on the Ionian coast of the region. Their products - which include traditional licorice candies in beautiful collectible tins, sugar-glazed l i c o r i c e , c h o c o l a t e a n d l i c o r i c e c a n d i e s , f r e s h licorice root, teas, but also pasta, salt, beer, and grappa among many others - are known across the country and have a following abroad. Amarelli also has a museum, the Museo della Liquirizia Giorgio Amarelli, which r e c e i v e d t h e P r e m i o G u g g e n h e i m I m p r e s a e Cultura in 2001. Antinori wineries have been a Tuscan reality since 1 3 8 5 , w h i c h h a s s i n c e expanded all around Italy and the world, with vine- yards and wineries also in Chile and the US. In more than 600 years of history and throughout 26 genera- tions, the Antinoris have been creating wines while keeping a strong connection to the territory and the tra- ditions of local wine-mak- ing. I f y o u l i k e s w e e t s a n d delicious desserts, then you can go for Antica Dolceria Bonaiuto – which L'Italo- Americano had the plea- sure to have a chat with a f e w m o n t h s a g o – and Fiore. The Bonaiuto family has been producing traditional Sicilian sweets a n d c o o k i e s s i n c e 1 8 5 4 . They are based in Modica, o n e o f I t a l y ' s c a p i t a l s o f chocolate, and they are the longest-running chocolate- m a k i n g c o m p a n y o n t h e island. For six generations t h e y h a v e b e e n p u t t i n g a smile on the face of choco- late lovers from all over the world. Besides their bakery in Modica, the Bonaiutos also ship their products in Italy and abroad. They also h a v e a c a n n o l i k i t ! F i o r e b a k e r y w a s founded in gorgeous Siena in 1827; their production f o c u s e s o n t r a d i t i o n a l Tuscan sweets, cookies and cakes, including panforte, ricciarelli, cantucci, and tor- r o n e , a s w e l l a s s e a s o n a l specialties like panettone and colomba. Fiore was, ini- t i a l l y , a s p e z i e r i a , w h i c h was, back in the day, what we now call a pharmacy. At the back of it, the family also made and sold traditional S e n e s e b a k e d g o o d s , researching old recipes and bringing them back to life. Through this work of culi- nary archaeology, the Fiore f a m i l y m a n a g e d t o k e e p alive ancient local baking traditions. What about pasta? A very famous pasta producer has recently become part of the Union, De Cecco. De Cecco w a s f o u n d e d i n 1 8 8 6 b y Filippo Giovanni De Cecco i n F a r a S a n M a r t i n o , Abruzzo. They are present with their products - which t o d a y i n c l u d e n o t o n l y a v a r i e t y o f p a s t a s h a p e s , gluten-free and whole-wheat products but also olive oil and tomato sauces - across the world, including the US. B u t t h e u n i o n d o e s n ' t only welcome food compa- nies: some of its members are producers of other types o f g o o d s . F a m o u s M a n i f a t t u r e S i g a r o Toscano, founded in Lucca in 1818, make handmade q u a l i t y c i g a r s t h a t w e r e loved by Puccini. While we don't endorse smoking, the cultural value of the compa- ny, which represents a sym- bol of the local economy and h e r i t a g e , i s w o r t h t o b e mentioned. L a s t b u t n o t l e a s t , w e s h o u l d m e n t i o n t h e O f f i c i n a P r o f u m o - Farmaceutica di Santa M a r i a N o v e l l a , i n Florence. Operating since 1221 from the convent of the Dominican friars of Santa Maria Novella, its products are the result of 800 years of l e a r n i n g a n d k n o w l e d g e about the uses and charac- teristics of plants and flow- ers. Part of its selection are c o s m e t i c s , c a n d i e s , f r a - grances, and a plethora of natural health remedies. All of these companies, a l o n g w i t h a l l t h e o t h e r s members of the union, have one thing in common: their c o m m i t m e n t t o k e e p i n g high the name of Made in I t a l y a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , through quality and respect for tradition. Unione Imprese Centenarie Italiane: a journey through one hundred years of Made in Italy LUCA SIGNORINI De Cecco pasta is one of the companies part of the Unione Imprese Centenarie Italiane (Photo: Walter Cicchetti/Dreamstime) HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS

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