Casa Artusi Philippines

Never Lose Your Sense of Awe

I was a twenty-year old eager young mind, quickly learning the ropes as a lifestyle segment producer and even sooner getting jaded and bored, when my first boss, Joel Jimenez of then-Alta Productions, a subsidiary of GMA Network Inc that handled the morning show Good Morning Asia, wrote me a note saying, "NEVER LOSE YOUR SENSE OF AWE."

The message stuck and I am lucky to have kept this sense of appreciation for things fascinating, amazing, wonderful. Not only in terms of grandeur but even in the littlest things that in fact mean a lot.

One of these "little" things is food. I am lucky enough to continuously to stumble across events that keep my sense of awe ever present.

Yesterday I had the privilege, thanks to the amazing Margarita Fores, of attending the Italian National Day celebrations at the home of His Excellency Luca Fomari in Dasmariñas Village where the latest project of Ms. Fores, CASA ARTUSI Philippines, was formally launched.

Mr. Paolo Zoffoli, the Honorable Mayor of Forlimpopoli, where the late Pellegrino Artusi himself hails from and where Casa Artusi is, flew in to attend the event.


 
Pellegrino Artusi

At first I thought Casa Artusi was just another Italian restaurant whose franchise Ms. Fores would be opening here in Manila. Wrong. It goes deeper. This is a significant, SIGNIFICANT project. After a chat with Mayor Zoffoli (I was lucky enough to have an Italian gentleman named George translate for me!) I learned the following:

Pellegrino Artusi is a foodie legend in Italy. He authored the book "La Scienza in Cucina e l'Arte di Mangiare Bene"; in English, The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well. It is a compilation of 790 (seven hundred and ninety!) heirloom recipes of matriarchs and home cooks from every corner of Italy in the late 1800s. The book has been translated to five languages and remains to be the quintessential handbook for Italian cooking to this day.

Mayor Zoffoli explained that this book is more than a cookbook. It was the first document to successfully define Italian cooking as Italians know it. If you want to know what Italian cooking is all about, it's all in this book.

Mr. Artusi passed away in 1911 but his spirit and wisdom live on to this day, thanks not only to the book he authored, but also because he founded Casa Artusi, now a renowned Italian culinary and gastronomy center in his hometown of Forlimpopoli.

Casa Artusi - Philippines

Casa Artusi, a culinary institution, offers a curriculum that is anchored on Italian culinary traditions and techniques. Students on campus spend hours perfecting fresh pasta or other Italian heirloom recipes.

So it is a great honor that Casa Artusi decided to open its FIRST offshore campus in the Philippines, co-founded by our very own Italian guru Margarita Fores. Here, Filipinos can enroll and learn how to cook Italian recipes the Italian way, as instructed by no less than Artusi-trained chefs.

R-L. Margarita Fores, Chef Marietta Carla Brigliadori, Chef Margarita Fores' grown up son Amado

Of course it is no wonder that Ms. Fores was chosen for this gargantuan task. I was just a fresh college grad when she opened her first venture, Area Cafe, followed by her very own Cibo, which redefined Italian cuisine as we know it here in Manila. Pasta back then meant just spaghetti, but Fores slowly educated us on the delights of al dente fetuccini, penne, ravioli, risotto. Then there was her high-end version of Cibo: Pepato (now in the form of a pop-up at Whitespace on Pasong Tamo - you'll have to log on to their page on Facebook to find out when they're popping up next!). So there is no doubt that when it comes to all things Italian in Manila, top of mind is Margarita Fores.

Now, with the opening of Casa Artusi in 2013,  Margarita Fores can add educator to her many caps. (I'm certainly hoping to enroll!)

Casa Artusi will be housed at a section of White Space on Pasong Tamo. We will be updated, of course, when it will open for enrollment. Meanwhile a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Casa Artusi and Margarita Fores the other day over a press lunch/launch.

Italian National Day

Another part of the launch was the celebration of Italian National Day at the Ambassador's House where His Excellency Luca Fornari (first in the row) personally welcomed guests to his home.

Guests could lounge at this area beside this red "man". Someone tell me who the artist is please. I want one in my house!

Artusi's wisdom was also spelled out around the grounds, just as the buffet tables were at various sections of the house. Meats were by the garden. Now I understand the concept of the Roman nose - it must be from the flavors of these meats that go straight from your tongue up to your nose, hehe!! The more pungent salami to love! It was meat heaven, I tell you. Milano Salami, you have captured my heart. I love you.

They were almost as yummy as this guy below, hehehe. I don't know if he was trying to dress up as Pellegrino Artusi going to war ...

This guy must have been dying - it was SO hot! Like him!

Inside was the pasta section where Chef "Marietta" Carla Brigliadori, one of Casa Artusi's instructors, made fresh pasta. Of course I couldn't talk to her because she doesn't speak English but she was charming nonetheless! My favorite was the risotto cooked on that block of Parmigiano-Reggiano. If I remember right they used to do this at Pepato. Also saw it done once at L'Incontro.

Then there was the Filipino-Italian section where they had the Italian lechon "Porchetta" for the pork lovers to devour. Of course I had my share! It tastes similar to Cebu lechon but instead of tanglad or lemongrass they use rosemary.

Italian lechon: Porchetta

Siyempre hindi nagpatalo ang dessert station. There was this cake in the image of the Italian flag. And a gazillion other goodies that I could not eat anymore because I slobbed on risotto and salami! There was also a gelato stand at the garden. Manila's who's who, of course, were present. I spotted BPI's Montinola, Metrobank's Sobrepena, Lifestyle Asia's Anna Sobrepena, and President Aquino's first ladies Ballsy Aquino-Cruz and Viel Aquino-Dee. I was so starstruck when I met them I curtsied! Haha!

I don't think my eyes could be any bigger after finding out that Lady Viel reads margauxlicious!

Music was very classy as well, with live music from saxophonist Vince Lahorra. Catch him at the Rockwell concourse level every Friday at noontime (or search him on youtube!).

Vince Lahorra

With events like this, how can anyone ever lose his sense of awe? Viva Margarita! Viva L'Italia!

Casa Artusi Philippines will open in 2013. 
Official website to be launched next month. 
In the meantime, check out casartusi.it.