Not Delia

A raw deal

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by

Not Delia
in

I had to laugh at this story on Decanter magazine’s website yesterday about a little sideshow event at last month’s World Business Summit on Climate Change (Copenhagen, 24-26 May):

Decanter: Bulrush stems and raw turnip on menu as top chefs look to raw future

What made me laugh? Not so much the story itself – although that was pretty weird. (Eleven of the world’s top chefs “foraging for wild herbs, flowers and plants”? If only they’d had a camera crew with them.)

No, the thing that had me crying with laughter was the first comment in response, posted by a Neanderthal person named Guk.

I’m sure the chefs were trying to make a valid point. I just wonder how much carbon they poured into the atmosphere in getting there.

Comments

9 responses to “A raw deal”

  1. Guk?

    They did in fact bring a camera crew: http://espresso.repubblica.it/food/multimedia/cuocilo-crudo/6160871

    Guk

  2. Not Delia

    Interesting photos, thanks. (I didn’t understand the commentary – my Italian doesn’t go beyond ‘Due birre, per favore’!)

    Sorry, when I said ‘camera crew’ I meant a film crew – I was hoping to see some footage of these guys wading through the marshes and really getting down and dirty with the bulrushes.

    If anyone knows where there’s some video of this event online, please let us all know. Thanks!

  3. Alessandro Porcelli

    Now, 100,000 years later, I ‘d like to thank Guk and all the other good brothers and sisters who since then have tasted, explored, and experimented with the foods — wild and non — of this earth. They paved the way for a culinary world in which we’re able to indulge in
    making great wines and fantastic food. And where some of us, luckily enough, can think of ways to stimulate the intellects of others to continue this wonderful and important gastronomic journey.

    Nordic Gastronomical Services, my company, is a culinary organization dedicated to providing encounters between chefs and other food professionals and consumers, with Nordic cuisine.

    Our objective is to share the excellence of Danish gastronomy through creative partnerships with leading Scandinavian organizations, international chefs and media communication channels. We want to help raise international awareness of Denmark as a great food destination, and consumer awareness of local Scandinavian ingredients grown in harmony with their unique Nordic environment.

    Cook it Raw! opened the eyes of everyone who attended the event to the fact that Denmark has an incredible variety of local and distinctive foods, and a new generation of young, talented chefs able to interpret them in personal and significant ways, able to open a way forward for the future that is not dependent on imported, non-seasonal produce or cooking styles, but expresses the individual, unrepeatable character of what is local,
    healthy, fresh and — in many cases — even free! Come up and taste them for yourself!.

    Alessandro Porcelli, Copenhagen, Denmark.

  4. Alessandro Porcelli

    sorry, no footage of the trip to the north! Here’s a link to another article of the event: http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090603/LIFE/706029974/1086

    if your french is better then your Italian I suggest you buy Le Figaró, tomorrow. Sunday the 7th of June on the Independent, Terry Durack has also written a piece on the Cook it Raw event. I supposed it’s pointless to send you links in Danish, Swedish or Finnish. El Pais in Spain ( for the poliglots) will also mention something this sunday or the next…arrivederci

    Alessandro

  5. Mr Not Delia

    Many thanks, Alessandro!

    My French and Spanish are a bit better than Not Delia’s Italian, so I’ll look forward to having a look at the Le Figaro and El País articles if they’re available online – I assume The Independent‘s will be. (We’re in SE Asia right now, so it’s not always so easy to get hold of print copies of the European press!)

    Ciao

    Mr Not Delia

  6. Alessandro Porcelli

    Hola Mr Not Delia

    I’m scanning all the articles, so if you’re interested I could send them to you.

    enjoy your trip…Alessandro

  7. Alessandro Porcelli

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/super-natural-a-reverence-for-raw-produce-and-simple-cooking-techniques-heralds-a-new-backtobasics-culinary-movement-1697116.html

    Terry Durack…hope you’ll enjoy it!

    best
    Alessandro

  8. Mr Not Delia

    Sorry, Alessandro – we’ve been home for some time but I forgot to thank you for posting this link.

    Belatedly, then, many thanks – an interesting and enjoyable piece which I would recommend anyone to read.

  9. Alessandro Porcelli

    hi there,

    just finished with the 2nd edition of the RAW! if you’re interested…www.cookitraw.org

    best
    Alessandro

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