Expert Giovanni Callea Speaks
Palermo, April 19, 2024 – There is a need to invest in the communication and promotion of the Spiny Artichoke of Cerda as well. The organoleptic characteristics, territorial identity, and the history of an entire community are strengths that, if well structured and nurtured, can initiate a “new chapter” for the development of the supply chain and its ramifications in the restaurant industry, and possibly also in the processing industry. This is a mission that Iocomprosiciliano has been pursuing for several years, with targeted initiatives aimed at engaging markets where the recognizability of the Sicily brand is a strong competitive element. Giovanni Callea, a technical as well as managerial figure in the Made in Sicily sector, has clear ideas: “It is increasingly necessary to target audiences, focusing on the authenticity and identity of our products and our corresponding lifestyles. Look at what has happened with Sicilian wine and how it has become a reference point in Sicily’s affirmation process worldwide. Along the same lines, we also find Sicilian IGP olive oil, which in a few years has become the first IGP in Italy with good prospects for further growth”.
The Cerda Artichoke is the ideal product even for the most qualified restaurants and can constitute an additional basin of sales with a high image content. There are many Sicilian restaurateurs who already use it in the preparation of gourmet dishes, enhancing its versatility in the kitchen. Even pairing with wines can overcome those prejudices of incompatibility between artichoke and wine. The participation of the Monreale DOC is a successful example of this. “It’s a gamble we wanted to take with the Cynara Festival. – says Mario Di Lorenzo, producer and President of the prestigious Monreale DOC – Our production-regulated vines, centered on Catarratto, Perricone, and Syrah, produce wines that can complement artichoke-based recipes well”.