L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano MANUELA CARACCIOLO H ealthy ingredients at the table? The quality of raw materials, the sustainabili- ty of the products and the sim- plicity of traditional recipes. All this is summed up with a con- cept: the Mediterranean Diet. These are the main points of Antonella Ricco's kitchen, Pugliese chef, culinary instructor, and nutrition consultant who spe- cialized in Professional Holistic Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition of New York, while in Italy she is certi- fied in Culinary Nutrition at The AJN Academy. Antonella has been in New York since 2010 but for 25 years now has promoted the culture of cooking and health through the education of nutrition and the wellness culture. In the United States, she founded COOKITA NYC, a non- profit initiative that promotes the prevention and conscious choice of quality food. Its mission is to inspire and sensitize others to eating and cooking healthy, sustainable, unprocessed and organic ingredi- ents that have a low environmen- tal impact, so they can rediscover food not only as nourishment but as an elixir for long life with all its properties. We interviewed her right after her lesson at Dartmouth College where 50 students from the Italian Department were able to deepen their basic concepts of the Mediterranean Diet and its bene- fits. Here along with Prof. Tania Convertini PhD, director of the linguistic program of the French and Italian departments, we also talked about the father of the Italian kitchen, Pellegrino Artusi. What is the inspiration for your kitchen and what does it intend to convey? "Mine is authentic Italian, revisited on a healthy note, which has married the science of nutri- tion by transforming tasty tradi- tional dishes with healthy ones without changing the taste. "There are two goals: to create dishes that help to prevent and slow down the cellular aging of the body; and to prepare tasty, nutritious and healthy dishes related to the Mediterranean diet. "Following the tradition of our country, I choose raw materials that respect each season." How did the American adventure begin? "I came here to bring some of the values and flavors of my land, Puglia, and I have promoted its products and gastronomy as vice president of I Like Puglia International, a multimedia cul- tural platform accredited to the Puglia Region as the Puglia Association of the World, and became the head chef of the Texas Chamber of Commerce. "Here in America, it is impor- tant to inform the final consumer, explaining the substantial differ- ences between authentic and fake Italian products. "My job is to help them make healthier choices to create a real lifestyle based on the rhythms and seasonality of products and what our hectic existence requires." Are Americans ready to be educated on a healthier approach to food? "Eating is necessary but cook- ing is an art. I have created an ad hoc program to help them lead a better life, steering away from junk food, synthetic foods, and pre-cooked foods. "I look for the average American, one with a good cul- ture and who is informed about the Mediterranean diet, or who is curious about Italian culture and wants to learn its values and apply it to their own lives, marry- ing love for food, cooking and themselves! For many years, I dedicated myself to teaching those who have problems with dietary restrictions, intolerances, allergies, gluten and celiac sensi- tivity, how to cook. "I provide practical, precise information on what's important to buy and from where, from veg- etables to meat, to cheeses, to oil, so you can eat what you love and love what you eat: in short, taste and pleasure can go hand in hand!" What are the musts in choos- ing what products to cook? "I stick to my principles and chose everything organic and exclusively wild, so nothing was processed and nothing was wast- ed...I recycle the leftovers to invent new recipes that are sur- prisingly tasty! One example is chips from kiwi peels, baked in the oven, these are a delight! "I use many vegetables, cere- als, and seeds. I also leave other regions of Italy newly inspired by the choice of recipes and, in addi- tion to the quality and taste, I con- trol the nutritional values and the elements present in each food, in addition to the origin, the source, which tells me what kind of culti- vation it had, and by following the processing and conservation processes. To do this, I have enriched my skills and experi- ences over the years with chefs who have specialized in nutrition and healthy coaching, creating a profession that combines the culinary aspect and nutrition in a holistic way." The Mediterranean Diet has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010 and as such should at least be known throughout the world. What do you think? "As explained by the etymol- ogy of the word, diet is a way of life, a modus vivendi, a rational and cultural element that strengthens the sense of belong- ing to a history and tradition. "It is the sharing of health and wellness values that promote fes- tivity and therefore dialogue and exchanges to pass on identities and values. "To foster this I am bringing healthy and unrecognizable gourmet products to the store shelves of America. The con- cepts of Farm to Table, traceabil- ity, food product safety, and sus- tainability are the new frontier of Made in Italy. "I'm selecting Italian compa- nies and their products to ensure the highest quality and safety for the American consumer even with food-related issues. "All the ingredients and prod- ucts used come from farms resid- ing in Italy, selected exclusively by the underwriter for quality, taste, nutritional value and impact on health. They are 100% authentically Italian of the high- est quality, accompanied by organic-proven certification, free of genetically modified organ- isms (GMOs), with biodynamic activity and only available through e-commerce. That is why my all-female company, Edesia WorldWide, is committed to spreading these principles. "The goal is to promote cul- tural exchanges and excellence between the United States and Italy in a modern and dynamic way, focused on innovation and excellence, able to understand and exploit new opportunities from a country that offers so many riches in wine and food, and in the historic, tourist, cultur- al and even entrepreneurial fields." Antonella Ricco, chef ambassador for healthy nutrition and Mediterranean flavors LIFE PEOPLE MOVIES MUSIC BOOKS Chef Antonella Ricco "Mine is authentic Italian, revisited on a healthy note" Eating is necessary but cooking is an art

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