I remember when I was a child the familiar smell of fresh baked cookies made by my mummy in the kitchen. Cookies were ready for me on the table, lovingly wrapped in a cloth, next to my favourite mug, milk and cocoa powder.
Today, every time I smell an intense aroma of butter and cookies still warm, my mind takes me back to that particular moment of my childhood.
Have you ever felt a similar feeling? The smell of fresh cut grass in summer, coconut and fresh seaside smell in August, the aroma of roast and rosemary in the kitchen on Sundays…
Smells or flavours can take us back in time, as mentioned in the most prominent work of Marcel Proust In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu), in which the taste of a Madeleine cake dipped in tea recalled to the author’s mind a nostalgic moment in his childhood.
Food is part of our culture and of our life. It creates an experience which is, each time, unique and different. For example, a glass of wine is much more than just wine. It involves our frame of mind in that moment, how and with whom we shared that glass of wine and the story behind that wine. The story of the vigneron who devoutly worked the soils to have healthy vines, of hand pickers who harvested the grapes and of all the people who enjoyed that wine.
This is the soul of the food and wine tourism project “Emilia Storytellers”. Sharing stories about the food and cuisine of Emilia that can evoke emotions and leave you good memories of your trip in Emilia Romagna.
Katia Perdicaro, Co-Founder of Emilia Storytellers
