Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Cook and restaurateur who brought authentic Italian cuisine to London in the 1970s, founded Neal Street restaurant, and was hailed as perhaps the best Italian c
On the island
Eight records
It's so tender, the music. I mean it it's a sad story somehow.
The Moldau (Vltava) from Má vlast
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Václav Talich
It reminds me from the beginning, exactly the same in Austa Valley, where we used to live. the little rigorates of uh water coming from the glacier and then enlarging, enlarging, enlarging. And that was my memory, and I find it really fascinating.
It's the story of a tree which all of a sudden s sprouts and and and flowers in August. We should have done it about two or three months before. And he believes that the tree believes that he wants to show off. It's a very similar thing to man and uh obviously. A sad but lovely uh story. And the melody is lovely.
The Thieving Magpie (La gazza ladra) Overture
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan
I like the magpies, I don't know why. They they steal, but uh and Rossini, I love Rossini he died with food actually.
Now I am enough in uh England to appreciate all the music and this is a gentle, gentle, wonderful song. For me i it's a classic, not pop at all.
Dance of the Knights from Romeo and Juliet
The next piece of music, it's a wonderful one.
The Carnival of the Animals (Finale)Favourite
I like animals and this is dedicated to them, the Carnival of the Animals by uh Sansong.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:39What is the difference between educating and enthusing people about the taste of Italian food?
There's a big difference. If you transmit to other UN users, this much better. It comes down uh simpler. And the people they receive it and then they adopt that. My personal motto is MOF MOF, which is minimum of fuss, maximum of flavor.
Presenter asks
2:09What was the food like when you arrived [in London in 1975]?
I find it very sad actually. The Italians they were in offering this sort of classic uh for ages food, uh just chicken kievo, poldo sorpreza was called, but when you pierce it, butter comes all over the place. … And then what did they yeah? Well, see it's avocado pier gamberetti, they discovered the avocado pear and they put in the holo a little bit of um gamberetti with prawns and the aurora sauce, which was nothing else but mayonnaise with a bit of ketchup. Not the best of Italy, though.
Presenter asks
9:33How did [the death of your brother] affect the family?
Oh, that's my mother when mad.
The keepsakes
The luxury
Actually you said I can't take a person because luxury would be my wife. White truffle from Alba. One that lasts very, very long.
Presenter asks
9:46Did you leave [for Vienna] because you couldn't bear the sadness of the situation?
The sadness of the situation.
Presenter asks
26:38Does Italy still feel like home to you?
Not really. I can tell you one thing, that the umbilical code is cut forever when your mother and your father died. So I go to Italy now and uh I see my brother and my sister. Then on top of that, after fifty years in Ivrea, where we the last time I lived there was Ivrea, I don't know anybody anymore. So you are relatively solo and alone there.
“My personal motto is MOF MOF, which is minimum of fuss, maximum of flavor.”
“You see, when you taste something that your mother cooked about twenty, twenty-five years ago, I assume that it's the a the age where you were very small, then then immediately the taste buds they react, and it's not the look of the food that you remember, but the taste.”
“The mother that cooks uh seriously food for her family, she gives love to them. Dru cooking.”