L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano dimensions in 2019. A staple of Father's Day celebrations ( 1 9 M a r c h ) i n I t a l y , z e p - pole are made with simple ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and olive oil, enhanced with custard, icing s u g a r , a n d b l a c k c h e r r y . Their history be traced back to deep-frying practices in ancient Rome, evolving over centuries and becoming a significant part of the Feast o f S a i n t J o s e p h . S o m e records suggest that the con- v e n t o f S a n t a P a t r i z i a i n Naples first made a baked version of them, back in the 16th century. However, it was Pasquale Pintauro, a 1 9 t h - c e n t u r y b a k e r i n N a p l e s , w h o p o p u l a r i z e d them by selling them from a street cart every March 19. In a grand celebration of this tradition, chef Stefano A v e l l a n o p r e p a r e d t h e world's largest zeppola at the historic Caffè Gambri- nus, in Naples, in 2019. This culinary giant weighed 84 kilos, measuring about one m e t e r i n d i a m e t e r , a n d included 25 kilos of cream g a n t u a n p a n e t t o n e w a s a meticulous process, requir- ing one hundred hours of labor and the expertise of six professionals. The ingredi- ents used were staggering in quantity: 49,500 g of flour, 37,800 g of butter, 25,200 g of sugar, 25,000 g of dark chocolate, 22,500 g of sul- tanas, 22,500 g of candied orange, 22,500 g of water, 1 8 , 0 0 0 g o f e g g y o l k s , 1 5 , 0 0 0 g o f c r e a m , a n d 7 , 0 0 0 g o f s w e e t R u b y chocolate. The history of panettone itself is fascinating, dating back to at least the Roman Empire. Its evolution over centuries, from a luxurious bread sweetened with honey to the modern-day version w i t h c a n d i e d f r u i t s a n d raisins, mirrors the culinary journey of Italy. The cre- ation of the largest panet- tone is a tribute to this jour- n e y , c e l e b r a t i n g I t a l i a n baking on a grand scale. 3. The biggest zeppola Zeppole are a treasured I t a l i a n p a s t r y a n d o n e o f them reached remarkable and sour cherries, making it a true masterpiece of deli- ciousness. 4. The most coffees made in an hour Italy's relationship with coffee is legendary, and the record for the most coffees made in one hour further cements this reputation. Set b y N e a p o l i t a n b a r i s t a Francesco Costanzo, it was achieved on 23 Septem- ber 2019 in Piazza Munici- p i o , i n N a p l e s . C o s t a n z o managed to prepare 703 cof- fees using lever machines within a single hour, each served in 25 ml cups with a saucer and teaspoon. Adding to this impressive feat, 23 a d d i t i o n a l c o f f e e s w e r e made but were not counted in the official tally. 5. The Longest Tiramisù W h o d o e s n ' t k n o w t i r a m i s ù ? I t ' s d e l i c i o u s , known worldwide, and has an interesting and some - w h a t m y s t e r i o u s s t o r y t o tell. Its origins, while debat- ed, are often traced to the 1960s in Italy. Some claim it w a s i n v e n t e d a t L e Beccherie restaurant in Tre- viso by Alba di Pillo and pastry chef Roberto Lin- g u a n o t t o . T h e d e s s e r t gained popularity and was added to the restaurant's menu in 1972. Another ver- sion of the story, however, suggests that tiramisù may h a v e o r i g i n a t e d f r o m a T i r e m e s ù s e m i - f r o z e n dessert served in the Vet- turino restaurant in Pieris, Friuli Venezia Giulia, since 1938. But our Guinness-record tiramisù is more recent, it dates back to 2019 when, in Milan, an impressive 273.5 m e t e r - l o n g v e r s i o n w a s crafted by 30 pastry chefs. The quantity of each ingre- dient used to prepare it was o u t s t a n d i n g : 5 0 , 0 0 0 ladyfingers, 500 kg of mas- carpone cheese, 300 liters of coffee, 65 kg of sugar, 60 kg o f e g g y o l k , 7 0 k g o f e g g whites, and 65 kg of bitter cocoa. This extraordinary creation surpassed the pre- vious record of 266.9 meters set in Friuli Venezia Giulia, o n l y a y e a r e a r l i e r . I n a beautiful gesture of commu- nity spirit, 15,000 portions of this record-breaking - and c e r t a i n l y d e l i c i o u s ! - tiramisù were donated to canteens across Lombardy, T u s c a n y , a n d E m i l i a Romagna, turning the event into a celebration of both gastronomy and solidarity. ian design on a miniature scale, maintaining all the classical elements of larger s t r u c t u r e s . I t s i n t e r i o r , a d o r n e d w i t h f r e s c o s b y Luigi Agretti in 1892, adds to its historical and artistic value. After closing in 1951 due to post-war deterioration, it was purchased and restored by the municipality in 1981 and reopened in 1993. The theater, besides hosting per- formances, also serves as a venue for cultural events, m e e t i n g s , a n d c i v i l m a r - riages. 2. The largest panettone The record for the world's largest panettone was set, of course, in Milan, in Decem- ber 2018, when a giant ver- sion of this iconic Christmas c a k e w a s u n v e i l e d i n t h e splendid Galleria Vittorio E m a n u e l e I I . C r a f t e d b y maitre-chocolatier Davide Comaschi, it weighed an astonishing 332.2 kg, with a diameter of 115 cm and a h e i g h t o f o n e a n d a h a l f meters. The creation of this gar- I taly's record-break- ing feats are a fasci- nating blend of the e x p e c t e d a n d t h e u n e x p e c t e d . Renowned for its contribu- tions to art and culture, the nation also shines in areas that might surprise many. My customary research journey to find interesting topics for our beloved paper has recently led me to an interesting article on visiti- taly.eu that painted a vivid picture of Italy's less con- ventional achievements as recorded in the Guinness World Records. This article will delve into five of these unique Italian records: from the grandiose to the minute, they show- c a s e I t a l y ' s l o v e f o r t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y a n d w i l l delight us with their ingenu- ity and charm. Join me as we explore a side of Italy that goes beyond the con- ventional, to reveal a nation that takes pride in both its c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e a n d i t s penchant for record-break- ing marvels. But first, let's see where these records come from. T h e G u i n n e s s B o o k o f Records, established in the 1950s, began as a novel way to settle pub arguments in Ireland. It has since blos- s o m e d i n t o a s y m b o l o f h u m a n c u r i o s i t y a n d achievement, capturing the world's most extraordinary feats. The brainchild of Sir Hugh Beaver of the Guin- ness Brewery, this book was initially a record of superla- t i v e s – t h e f a s t e s t , t h e strongest, the largest - but, o v e r t h e y e a r s , i t h a s expanded to include records that are as quirky as they are impressive, making it a glob- al phenomenon. Among Italy's Guinness World Records, we find... 1. The smallest theater: Teatro della Concordia Teatro della Concor- dia, in Monte Castello di Vibio, is an ar chitectur al marvel and a significant cul- tural heritage site of Italy. Built at the start of the 19th century, it was a vision of nine wealthy Umbrian fami- lies during the Napoleonic Wars. With a seating capaci- ty of 99, divided between 62 b o x s e a t s a n d 3 7 i n t h e stalls, the theater reflects the charm of 19th-century Ital- Italy's quirky side: a look at five unusual Guinness World Records GIULIA FRANCESCHINI The record for the highest number of espresso coffees ever made in one hour belongs to Italy (Photo: Vladimirs Poplavskis/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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