Event celebrating culture

Enjoying great wine, natural food, and Tuscan Hospitality

An evening devoted to friendship between Italy and Canada, the presentation of some typical Tuscan products - especially of Chianti - and the presentation of awards to people who distinguished themselves in developing relations between these two countries.
This, in essence, was the event organized last week by Promochianti at the Toulà restaurant, with representatives from some of the major companies trading between Italy and Canada as well as officials from the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Trade Commission.
"Our prime motivation," explained Marcello Zeppi, chairman of Consorzio Promochianti and founder of the Amerigo Vespucci International Committee, "is gratitude. We are convinced (and data support us) that there are two laborious Italies, one inside the national borders and another living abroad for work, family, or other reasons, maintaining solid links with its country of origin."
From a commercial standpoint, the event presented some typical Tuscan food products that the whole world envies us, ranging from spelt to wines like Chianti Classico and Brunello, from Panforte to cheese, to precious truffles. Toulà served its guests some exquisite dishes prepared by two master chefs: Claudio Piantini, direct from Tuscany, and Pino Pedula, Toulà's executive chef.
Pino Pedula is a familiar name among Toronto gourmets; as to Piantini, in addition to plying his trade he also teaches and researches the good food of Tuscany. Piantini has been a passionate supporter of authentic regional cuisine, to the point where he owns his own cultivations as a way of ensuring quality, pursuing excellence with rigour and humility and relying on nature's sophistication for the best in food and wine.
As regards the Amerigo Vespucci project, founded by Marcello Zeppi who is also the main driving force behind it, this Club aims to expanding awareness of values and resources. Thanks to sponsorships from several Italian Ministries (first and foremost those for Cultural Heritage and Italians Abroad), it promotes Italian taste and culture in every country.
Last week marked the official opening of the Toronto Chapter of the Club, with Toulà Canada President Luca Viscardi, affectionately dubbed "a new Lorenzo de' Medici", being acclaimed club President.
The event was the starting point of a programme that Consorzio Promochianti will carry on for a whole year, possibly even three years, in Canada and particularly in Toronto, with the co-operation of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and other public and private entities.
"For us, Canada represents a different approach to the North American market," concluded Zeppi, "where culture and trade become two aspects of the same thing."

Publication Date: 2003-12-07
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3428