ZUBAIR QURESHI
Italy’s embassy organized ‘Italian Cuisine Week’ and Olive Gala Festival hosted by Ambassador Mr Andreas Ferrarese and his spouse Mrs Albana Ferrarese at the Marriott Islamabad.
Ambassador Ferrarese who himself is an accomplished chef of various Italian dishes participated in cooking activityand prepared (along with other chefs) ‘Pasta Alla Norma,’ ‘Potato Gnnochi Resto Genovese’ and ‘Pasta with fresh Salmon and French Green Peppers.”
The idea behind celebrating the Italian cuisine week is to present to the guests what is served on the streets of Rome and other cities, therefore we have invited a largenumber of lovers of the Italian culinary delights, he said.
Italian food is healthy, delicious and has large number of fans across the world, said the ambassador adding tomato,fish and olive oil are indispensable ingredients of the Italian food.
He particularly mentioned olive oil and said the Italian people used the virgin olive oil to make their food healthier and tastier.
Italy has also requested the UNESCO to recognize Italian culinary traditions as intangible heritage, he said.
He highlighted Italy’s impact on local and global gastronomy and the diaspora of approximately 50 million people of the Italian origin, contributing to the dissemination of Italian cuisine worldwide.
Globally, pizza and pasta, have become household names and symbols of Italian gastronomy, the envoy said. He also referred to the fusion of traditional Italian culinary practices with influences from immigrant communities, such as Albanian immigration.
We are working to enhance business-to-business (b-to-b) ties with Pakistan and last year a delegation of approximately 800 businessmen from Pakistan visited Italy to expand this cooperation, the envoy said.
He also introduced Head of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) Mr Salvatore Parano to the guests and said the agency had formally established its office in Islamabad and would play role to expand bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors including culinary linkages.
A project in Pakistan funded by an Italian agency for collaboration and development focused on olive oil production is already underway.
On the occasion, experts of olive oil production project Marchetti Marco and Costantino Parma and Researcher at CIHEAM (Bari) Antonio Trani introduced virgin olive oil being locally manufactured with Italy’s support.
