Strolling through the little streets of the historic town of Scalea, I stumbled across the most unexpectedly charming discovery!
Imagine yourself, climbing the stairs of centro storico (old town) and as you turn the corner, your eyes are delighted to see a sporadic array of tables positioned around a staircase piazza with red and white checkered tablecloths, sitting beneath twinkling fairy lights illuminating the evening cielo (sky). Bellissimo!
I couldn’t believe my luck! It was a month or two before the trial of what would then become Vera Italia! I was in search of a characteristic restaurant with traditional Calabrian food to insert into an offer for a three-day experience to test the waters and see if people would be interested in participating in a tradition called the Vendemmia (the grape harvest to make wine).
My tradition-saving mission began with the launch of a website called Assaggio (taste), a platform that documents the traditions of Nonni via online video experiences. The idea was that before I set off to save all Italian traditions, I wanted to make sure I had saved my family traditions.
Why not share that with you? I grouped together my Nonni tribe which consists of my grandmothers and great aunts and uncles - and any Nonna or Nonno who has been gracious enough to adopt me - I got to recording their recipes, gardening tips and pastimes, including card games.
The whole idea is that you follow these video experiences and feel like you’re alongside them, learning their traditions. You can meet these Nonni and hang out with them here.
When the time came to test this idea of in-person experiences, I titled it Vera Assaggio - a true taste of Italy!. Three days exploring the local culture, living local traditions and being part of the vendemmia!
Finding this little gem, a Taverna (the tavern) was a true testament to ‘ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened’. I approached the little taverna and met Rosetta, a soft and kind lady with a smile that twinkles just as bright as the fairy lights sparkling above the piazza.
She explained the restaurant was owned by her family, serving typical homestyle Calabrian dishes and her daughter was the Chef, proudly continuing these traditional recipes passed down by her late father.
I immediately made a reservation for the Vera Assaggio team, which comprised of Zio Alfredo (my Nonna’s brother who would be hosting the Vendemmia), Zia Mimma (Zio Alfredo’s wife), Marcello (Zio Alfredo’s son), his beautiful wife Daniela, and their son Ricardo.
Probably the funniest moment was me trying to conduct a team meeting to organise ourselves for the guests who would be arriving, meanwhile Zio Alfredo refused to participate until he had finished singing his repertoire of karaoke hits in the background.
A classic case of Chiara, the Australian-born and Italian-raised, who seeks to implement a stringent work ethic and a serious team meeting, drawing on my experience of having worked in the mining industry and trying to implement this in…well, Italy.
Needless to say, my approach and methods have adapted drastically.
We went to eat in this charming little taverna. They put us at a table perched on a staircase, nestled in the middle of the piazza and as they placed the never-ending series of antipasto in front of us, I nervously looked at Zio Alfredo, a very good cook and a very astute critic when it comes to his life’s one true passion, cibo! (food).
He took a bite, chewed, swallowed, looked up and said ‘hmm, buono’ and ragazzi that’s how we know we’re on to a winner.
I walked inside the little taverna, beautifully decorated with old objects from the agricultural traditions and where the kitchen is located. Anna came out to say hello and it was like meeting a superstar!
I think it is so highly notable to see a young person dedicating themselves to keeping true to tradition, keeping alive the recipes and memories of our ancestors and not being swayed by trends or influenced by modernity.
Eventually when I met with Anna to talk about this new project, she immediately embraced the idea. She was so kind, supportive and interested in doing something that would promote the area where she was raised.
She knows the importance of welcoming travellers to ensure the old town doesn’t lose its life, soul and vibrance. Talking with Anna made me realise just how important this is. Anna’s parents had a profound love for the old town of Scalea.
They moved away to Germany for a period and opened up a restaurant, serving traditional Calabrian delicacies. The opportunity arose for the family to return to Scalea and restore life into the old town, claiming ownership of the restaurant!
Hidden behind a bright green door lies a potter's wheel from the 1980s of a signora who used to teach children the art of ceramics. Anna has an incredible passion for art, even in the dishes she creates, she is an artist!
She jumped at the opportunity to not only revive the old town, contributing to her family’s restaurant, but also by reviving this sweet little ceramic workshop. With Anna you can taste the flavours of a Calabria from the past with her kitchen art or spend an afternoon with her around the potter’s wheel, decorating a little object to bring home with you.
One of the most beautiful things Anna shared with me is that after tragically losing her father, she continued to carry on his culinary art and one day a client had come to visit the restaurant, not knowing about the passing of her father, they said, ‘Wow! He’s done it again’!
Anna sheepishly smiled and said, actually, today I prepared your meals and the clients were totally amazed that she had truly captured her father’s touch in the kitchen and continues to bring it forward to this day. Brava Anna!
