In this edition of Hello From, we are onElba island with Michele Nardi, Chef of Emotions, to talk about the gastronomic and wine traditions of Elba.
Good morning Michael! Kiss, kiss you!
“Hello and good morning!”
It’s almost time for the table, what would you advise.
“Well, of course, Elba offers, as you said, a vast panorama of culinary traditions thanks to the influence of various peoples, both the French and the Spaniards and Arabs. You talked about “Schiaccia briaka”, which has a small peculiarity: in fact, it is of Arab origin, it was not born “briaka” in the sense that it arrived on the Elbe as bread for sailors, therefore made from oil, water and flour seasoned with honey and then a lot of dried fruit, it was actually an energy bread that lasted a long time on long trips. So those who came to Elba liked it, but the island has always had a problem with water supply, not with wine, since Roman times vines have been grown everywhere.”
You also mentioned Elba wine, even Napoleon himself gave it the name DOCG. You, Michel, are known, especially abroad, for your collecting; Can you explain to us what it is?
“It all started with the fact that we lived on the Elbe, and living on the Elbe, watching it, you understand that it has great potential. I went for a walk – exactly – along the coast and along the paths, and noticed it from scratch, and less than a hundred, because it is from under the water up to a thousand meters of Monte Capanna, where you can find almost the entire Mediterranean. Flora and fauna. Here, in this little coriander patch in the middle of the sea, there’s a little bit of everything.
What a show. You are practically shopping between a walk by the sea or in the mountains.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I do, and, let’s say, this is something like a new gastronomic proposal, it can be combined with tradition or the creation of a territory, getting to know the territory and thereby bringing what you see while walking into the course of a day at sea, flavors and colors, scents and everything you see to bring them to your plate. So unite the sea with the land, unite the wild herbs of all kinds with the fish.
We can define it as the apotheosis of everything “fresh” in the kitchen. Michelle, we thank you for being with us and telling us about this feature of the island of Elba, good job. and don’t forget to visit visitelba.info for all the news and details about this magnificent Mediterranean island!