"How one man got the world making pesto by hand", writes BBC

I had the good fortune to meet, interview and photograph Roberto Panizza, the man who has the world excited about making pesto by hand.  Here, I caught him in a rare quiet moment, at Il Genovese, the restaurant he and his brother own, in the city of Genova.  I cannot say enough good things about the restaurant ... the menu, the quality of the ingredients, and the friendliness of the staff there.  All are superb.

But Il Genovese is only one of many projects Roberto works on ... more on that in another post.

This weekend, I get to catch up with the man, as I fly in to take part in the 6th Pesto World Championship, hoping to be that New Zealander who makes a good pesto.   While there, I plan to gather as many stories and photographs, as is possible while competing. 

This event is an event that grows larger each time it is held ... a sign, I think, that the world is so very definitely embracing a return to the authentic ... in this case, to the old-fashioned way of making pesto while incorporating a recognition of the growing importance of good ingredients.

Their website tells the story of how it all began ...

I love the idea that it was created in the 90's, by group of friends who had a passion for gastronomy and for the art of being a bon vivant.

They came up with the idea of organising a World Championship for Genoese Pesto, using the mortar ...  Made with a Mortar, Campionato Mondiale di Pesto Genovese al Mortaio and the championship has gone on to become this huge international event that showcases Ligurian excellence.  But more than that, it has become a way of introducing the world to this ancient city, with its fascinating and complex history, loved by the likes of Charles Dickens, and so many other, including this Kiwi.

The association also promotes the culture of cultivating good traditions that start in infancy. It has a non-competitive contest for children, the Campionato dei Bambini, and offers other events dedicated to the little ones during the Rolli Days.

The BBC article is here.

The official recipe is here, on the website but the ingredients ...

MORTAR-MADE PESTO SAUCE RECIPE
FOR THE WORLD CUP

• 4 bunches of fresh PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Genoese basil, which guarantees high-quality taste and flavour
• 30 g pine nuts
• 445-60 g aged Parmesan cheese, grated
• 20-40 g Fiore Sardo cheese (Pecorino Sardo), grated
• 1-2 garlic cloves from Vassalico (Imperia)
• 10 g coarse salt
• 60-80 cc PDO extra-virgin olive oil from the “Italian Riviera”, renowned for its sweet and fruity taste, which adds flavour to the basil and dressing..

An Update ...

I needed a portrait shot for a testimonial I was giving to Business Coach, Tara Lutman Agacayak.   The photograph was to appear in her newsletter.

Miss 11 decided she would take up the dual challenge that is the weight of my camera gear and getting me to relax ... in front of the camera.  

And so ... this is me lately.  Forgive me the selfies but I am losing weight and getting strong. It's almost as if I need a visual record of this time of huge change:-)

The Genova Pesto World Championship ... & Me

In lovely news, the best news I've had in months... I was recently invited to participate in the World Pesto Championships, in Genova, Italy.

I will be the first-ever New Zealand representative and, one of 100 competitors from around the world, competing to make pesto ... the old-fashioned way. 

Our task will be to prepare Genoese Pesto, using locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and yes, a traditional marble mortar and wooden pestle.

We will be judged by a jury composed of 30 experts ... restaurateurs, chefs and professional testers and they will then select 10 finalists in this year's search for a world pesto champion.

Am I nervous?

Mmmm, a little but honestly, the sheer joy I feel about returning to Genova is so much more and all nervousness disappears.  I have been continuing with my daily life but fighting to contain that bubble of joy that wells up when I think, 'Genova!  Soon!!'

The city, in that low-key yet always superb style I've come to associate with Genova, is opening its doors and you can read about other events here.

There will be news from me.  There will be blog posts.  There will be photographs too ... perhaps an avalanche either while I am there or in the days afterwards.  Although I find myself returning to my massive photo library titled GENOVA, again and again and may blog during these days before flying.

I'm there, in 6-days and really, I can't wait!!

The image above, those are the hands of Roberto Panizza, the king of this pesto kingdom ... demonstrating his skills for one of my photography workshop groups.  He's the loveliest man, that pesto man.  It will be good to see him again!

Ciao from the Kiwi, so absolutely ready to represent New Zealand in Italy.

Kerry Lemon - That Remarkable Artist I Met, London.

I met Kerry Lemon a couple of weeks ago and, since then, I've struggled to write of that meeting. 

Why?

Well, she was so remarkable that I have had no idea where to begin ...

There's an interview that gives you a sense of her.  But that's complicated, due to the fact that she's being interviewed by another truly remarkable being ... Elizabeth Duvier. 

I met Elizabeth via her blog - Mystic Vixen. Over the years her writing and photographs were that place where I wandered when I needed beauty and intelligence, and some soul-soothing too.

And so, it has to said, Elizabeth is also remarkable, for many reasons but perhaps SQUAM is her biggest, most beautiful and inspirational thing.  Well, that and her beautiful writing, and art.

Their conversation follows ... however there is more.

The meeting happened like this ... Elizabeth put out the call, writing to her friends, that I was new to the UK.  Kerry Lemon replied, saying she was madly busy with work but how about meeting up on 'this date'? 

I said 'Sure!'  

And eventually that date came round.  I headed for London, and met up with the delightful woman you see in the photograph at the start of this post.  I took photographs along the way, and managed to capture Kerry caught up in the awe and wonder she felt when viewing the work of one of her favourite installation artists, Rebecca Louise Law. 

Kerry is short and cute. Spending time with her, I decided, is a little like spending time with a very alive fairy.  One who sprinkles fairy dust where ever she goes, engaging all those she meets in delicious conversations that leave people smiling.

But more than that.  She's talented, driven, self-disciplined, intelligent, and entirely inspirational.  And wise.  So very wise.

Do you see what I mean?  How to write of this Kerry Lemon ... how to share something of her remarkableness.  It's difficult.

We met at Waterloo Station, under the big clock, and we clicked.  Just like that.  I felt like I'd known her forever.

But she's like that ...

She was taking me to the Columbia Road Flower Market, Sunday morning magic.  I'd never heard of it. 

What a sensory overload.  Meeting Kerry Lemon and visiting the Flower Market too. 

Yes, I promise, it's impossible not to adore her.  I imagine that's clear.

I could have followed her around for weeks.  I wanted to try and capture something of her fairy-dusting all those she met while she wandered.

It was a good day with a remarkable soul. 

And that's about as clear as I'm able to get on Ms Kerry Lemon.

24 Hours in London ... and the books that were found

I wandered off to London yesterday morning.  It was time. 

I was heading for Lenn's house.  That oasis of Kiwi-ness, the home that allowed me to feel anchored back when I was quite unmoored in the world. 

But I know a little of London now and so chose to weave my way here, quietly enjoying the stunning Spring day that we had yesterday.  I made the wickedest detour, to the Russel Square stop ... visiting one of my favourite bookshops, in the world, called Judd Books.

Once I arrived in that part of London, I realised my first-ever exposure to Carluccio's happened over there too.  So I popped in for an espresso, as you do.

Judd Books was as mind-blowing as ever.  I left when I picked up a new but heavily reduced copy of Jane Rogoyska's book titled, 'Gerda Taro - Inventing Robert Capa'.  I have quite a few books on, or based on, these two war photographers but this was one I had never imagined being able to own. 

I started reading it on the Underground out to Alperton.  It was as good as I had imagined it might be.

I also picked up The Wasted Vigil', by Nadeem Aslam - the prose is quite beautiful, although the story is tough, or so I read.  I always check on the first line, or paragraph, when buying a book unknown to me.  This one ... 'Her mind is a haunted house.' 

And I couldn't resist picking up a very cheap copy of 'That Summer Book', by Tove Janssen.   The story seems like one I might love and I have enjoyed anything I have read by her, and about her too,

Then I stopped off in Hammersmith to refill my USB modem.  It's meant to last one month but it didn't work out that way.  And so that was me, back at Vodaphone talking to Prince, on ways to conserve it.

People who know London say, 'Hammersmith??!!  Why Hammersmith?' It's fairly simple.  need a wee hub.  Somewhere that had a bank, a phone company, a printer, some department stores ... all within easy walking distance.  For some reason I decided on Hammersmith.  It's on the way to my Alperton stop, and it has all that I need.

I met Emily on the last part of my journey.  She was kind.  That story unfolded like this ... on recognising she was a Kiwi, I may have launched into enthusiastic conversation with her.  We didn't have long to chat but I did enjoy meeting her.

And finally I arrived here at Lenn's place. Planet Rock was on the radio, like it always is.  Nugget, the regal black cat, seemed happy to see me.  And that was me, happy to be some place familiar.

This morning finds me curled up on Lenn's big blue couch, enjoying unlimited broadband, while trying to cough, sneeze and blow my nose quietly, as one of my allergies does its ridiculous thing. 

My policy of ignoring these allergies seems not to be working.  Disappointing, to say the least.

Everyone else is still asleep, even Nugget, who took over my bed the moment I climbed out of it.  I might quietly bake that Apple Sponge soon.  I promised Lenn one ... an Edmonds Cookbook fruit sponge, like my Mum and my Nana used to make when I was a child. 

Just a glimpse from this world ...

Another Country, Another Hairdresser ...

I'm 10kgs lighter, and finally my hair has been dealt with in this new UK life.  I feel like I'm putting my Self back together.  It's been a really long time since I last visited a hairdresser.  Actually, she came to my place.

And it turns out I adore Vikki - my brilliant English hairdresser.  She listens, she sympathises, she cuts only the amount of hair this Kiwi client can bear to have cut (less than I expected actually).  And she understood about colour too ... I mean, she understood my ideas about what I liked.

She's an absolute treasure, and I'm so grateful to Becky for recommending her to me.