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Monday, February 2, 2009

TRADE LUNCH: FOOD ROOTS Project, December 10, 2008

The Time and Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008   Noon to 2:30 PM
The Event: A luncheon seminar about FOOD ROOTS (European Geographical
Indication Cooperation Project).
The Venue: Willard Room, Intercontinental Hotel.
The Target Audience: wine and food writers, wine and food trades.
The Quote/Background: The international FOOD ROOTS program seeks to
promote the local food movements. It made its North American debut in
Toronto today, seeking to educate the Canadian agri-food industry on
the tangible benefits of promoting local and protected product.
Geographical Indications (GI) highlight a territory's product, quality
and tradition. They offer increased value to food production and
stimulate the economic activities of a particular region. Well-known
examples include Prosciutto di Parma, Gorgonzola and Parmigiano
Reggiano. There are over 4800 GIs in the EU, and this includes 4200
wines and spirits. Guest speakers included Walter Brunello (Chairman
Buonitalia Spa), Pier Maria Saccani, Paol Ponti, and Fred Kingston
(Senior Advisor Economic and Cultural Affairs, delegation of the EU in
Canada). The emphasis is on protecting the name of the product,
especially when the name is the same as the point of origin. We've seen
all this in the wine world (e.g., Chianti, Chablis, Sauternes,
Burgundy). The groups would like Canada to join in, to protect its own
Geographic Indications.
The Food: At lunch we had wine. Here was the menu – Prosciutto di Parma
DOP and Prosciutto de San Daniele DOP with salad of ripe figs and
microgreens (accompanied by Prosecco Conegliano-Valdobbiadene San Fermo
2007 (Bellenda)); Risotto di Nano Vialone Veronese IGP with radicchio,
Prosecco and parmigiana Reggiano DOP (accompanied by Pinot Grigio
Valdaige 2007 Santa Margherita); Italian DOP cheeses Taleggio,
Gorgonzola, Asiago, Fontina); San Pellegrino; Caffe Illy.
The Downside: it was overcrowded, and the wine service was out of
joint. Also, the material was too introductory.
The Upside: a chance to network with food people.
The Contact Person: benedetta.marassi.toronto@ice.it
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 84.
 

 
 
 

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