L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano W h e n t h e sommelier of a deluxe New York h o t e l wheeled a trolley of fancy aperitifs into the dining room so guests could grandly start their meal, his job was only half done. Minutes later, he returned with another cart, this one displaying six differ- e n t b o t t l e s o f w a t e r . B e s t o w i n g w a t e r w i t h t h e same pomp and dignity as liqueur indicates how far H2O has risen up the dining chain. But you don't have to dine at the Ritz-Carlton or any r e s p e c t a b l e r e s t a u r a n t t o n o t i c e t h e i m p a c t b o t t l e d water is making on eating and drinking habits. Just visit a shopping mall or other gath- ering place and chances are a high percentage of the people there will be sipping water from a plastic container. B o t t l e d w a t e r h a s become ubiquitous, growing steadily in popularity in the US since 1976: that's when the tide came in from per capita consumption of 1.6 gallons per year to the current 21 gal- lons, according to industry r e s e a r c h . A c c o r d i n g t o research, three factors have fueled the trend, health and fitness, purity and portability: water is an alternative to caf- feine, alcohol, and soda pop, p r o v i d i n g a q u i c k a n d healthy form of hydration and, while the majority of tap water is safe, there's a per- ception that bottled water is cleaner and purer. Last but not least, bottles of various sizes enable people to tote water as routinely as they carry cell phones. As with wine, geographical conditions contribute to the taste, texture, and purity of water. Mineral water con- t a i n s e l e m e n t s i n f u s e d through geological forma- t i o n s , w h i l e p u r i f i e d water is well or tap liquid p r o c e s s e d t o r e m o v e t h e m i n e r a l s . S p a r k l i n g water is either naturally car- bonated or carbon dioxide is a d d e d . S p r i n g w a t e r i s derived from natural under- ground sources. Italy is a major player in the water game, supplying such top-shelf brands as San P e l l e g r i n o a n d A c q u a Panna, plus lesser-known l a b e l s . T h e f i r s t t w o a r e among the brands owned or formerly owned by Nestle Waters North America, and distributed worldwide. San Pellegrino was dis- covered in the 13th century at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains, near Bergamo, in the Italian Alps. The water, which comes from 1,300 feet deep springs, is a perfect combination of 14 minerals and trace elements filtered through layers of limestone and volcanic rock. In addi- t i o n t o t h i r s t - q u e n c h i n g qualities, the water is reput- ed to be highly beneficial to t h e d i g e s t i v e s y s t e m a n d liver. It was reportedly used to help cure Leonardo da Vinci's health problems. Bot- tled in a trademark green flask at the rate of 55 million gallons annually, San Pelle- grino has a stimulating taste and is reputed to contain cal- cium, magnesium, potassi- um, sulfates, fluoride, bro- mide, and sodium, but no calories, sugar or preserva- tives. Priced from $4 to $7 per bottle in the US, it is sold in 50 countries. Acqua Panna, commer- cialized in 1927, doesn't have the marketing muscle of San Pellegrino, but nonetheless f i t s a p r e m i u m p r o d u c t cachet. It originates high in the Apennines Mountains north of Florence, on the slopes of Mount Grazzaro, n e a r t h e T u s c a n t o w n o f Scarperia. The source is a vast subterranean reserve nestled below lush meadows. Legend has it that the spring w a t e r s e r v e d a s a c o o l r e f r e s h m e n t f o r a n c i e n t Romans who traveled north- w a r d o n t h e o n l y r o a d stretching from southern Italy. Compared to other waters, San Pellegrino is milder and g e n t l e . A l l o f t h e I t a l i a n drinking waters double as thirst quenchers as well as a non-alcoholic accompani- ment to lunch, dinner, and snacks. "Water, water every- where" is indeed a fitting description of the burgeon- ing bottled water industry. But when it comes to sepa- rating class from mass, the Italian brands are more than just a drop in the bucket. They're making a big splash. C o m m o n t o t h e m o u n - tainous regions of northern Italy, along with drinking water, is polenta, a cen- t u r i e s - o l d s t a p l e u s e d i n place of pasta or rice. Here's the recipe: Ingredients (serves 6-8) 9 c u p s o r 3 b o t t l e s o f water 3 cups yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons of salt Directions Bring water to a boil and a d d t h e s a l t . P o u r i n t h e cornmeal slowly, and stir to avoid lumps, until polenta forms a crust. Cover the pan and complete the cooking in the oven, for one hour, at 350F. A bottle of San Pellegrino, one of the most popular Italian mineral waters abroad (Photo: Tarık Kaan Muşlu/Dreamstime) CHUCK PECORARO Bottled water makes a big splash in Italy Acqua Panna is famous around the world (Photo: Monticelllo/Deamstime) IMPRESA ITALIA MADE IN ITALY TOP BRANDS BUSINESS & ECONOMY

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