PAOLO RUGGIERO
It’s hard to think that you chose a tomato for your pizzeria, customers find it good, you pizzaiolo you realize that they are not wrong ... return for the second order in that DANICOOP of Sarno and tell you that some customers of your pizzeria have arrived there to buy the tomatoes known thanks to your pizza for its strong characteristics.
It’s hard to think that you find a tomato in your hands, while seasoning pizza, is called San Marzano and that was getting lost because not safeguarded by the EU and forgotten how they were about to be forgotten all the farmers of our territory Agro-Nocerino- Sarnese.
It is unlikely to think that the owner of that DANICOOP, a young man named Paolo Ruggiero, son of that land of Sarno, though instead of 'slapping' a whole community, making real farmers become actors, creating SAN MARZANO DAY, attracting in the middle of the chefs and pizza makers fields of the Slow Food Alliance and not, as well as many common people and VIPs.
To demonstrate what? For the first time man has truly approached the earth, and if truly 'eating is an agricultural and ecological act' then the circle is closed and the result becomes incredible.
In the Farricella district, in the 25 hectares of the Danicoop, where the breeze of Castellammare blows and the land is worked as it once was, the shuttles do up and down VIP seats (expected Ricky Tognazzi with Simona Izzo and Ciro Giustiniani, stand-up comedian Made in Sud television), tourists and supporters of the cause: this San Marzano festival is the first big occasion to celebrate the red gold of the Sarno-Nocerino agro-food, an agro-alimentary excellence that the EU does not protect. "It can be grown outside the defined geographical area and it is not the prerogative of Italian producers", wrote a few months ago the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the Irish Phil Hogan.
But if Europe does not defend it and allows, as has happened, the marketing in Belgium of tomatoes labeled San Marzano, we think the producers. Those 50 farmers who gathered in the Danicoop cultivate the ancient tomato, Slow Food Presidium. They fight against Chinese pummarola and any other form of Italian sounding. Paolo Ruggiero, son of art, is leading them (his father is the president of the agricultural cooperative), a passionate paladin of San Marzano. It is already ready with his and Coldiretti to claim the dop also for the fresh product.
"We wanted to draw attention to a sensitive issue that is that of the protection of our food and agricultural excellence and San Marzano in particular, victim of the worst forms of counterfeiting - explains Paolo Ruggiero - produced even in California and sold in the United States as made in Italy. But this festival is above all a tribute to our peasants, our gratitude for their complete dedication to the land ". In these days for the first time they compete in the league: at the end of the summer will win those who have produced the most beautiful and abundant crop, keeping the land clean.
And then…. a discovery, the otter, and the typical boat on which the peasants cross the first part of the river, listening to the ancient songs of the fields with the blessing of the Franciscan friars.
Thanks to Paolo Ruggiero from all the editorial staff of pizzas salute for letting we try for a day the way of life of our grandparents and to wish our children the preservation of our traditions.