CASTEL DI SANGRO: Niko Romito, chef of the three Michelin star restaurant Reale in Castel di Sangro, Italy is taking his creations from his laboratory including his famous ‘panettone’ that travels the world to a temporary pop-up store in Milan that will be open up to 6 January.
The temporary pop-up store has opened at 3 in Piazza Risorgimento, Milan. Apart from the Panettone, there will be also his ‘pandolce’ a new creation as well as other items from his new organic and vegan line including a ‘super cookie’ made without eggs and lactose ingredients as well as a range of jams, spreads and fruit juices.
The Italian chef had to close his restaurant in Castel di Sangro because of the pandemic but has been keeping active with his technical creations including the development of a new product line that is sourced 100 per cent from organic agriculture.
These products follow the same philosophy of his cuisine which can be described as deceptively simple.
The research on the healthy aspect of food led Niko and his team to create a product line that focuses on the reduction of fats among others.
“This year more than ever, has taught us that nutrition, food and its complex coming and transformation process are tightly linked with people’s health and well-being. I have often asked myself why healthy food is often associated with a poor and unpleasant taste and starting from this assumption I decided to try and overturn this paradigm,” he said.
Niko added that together with my team in the lab, they carried out countless tests spending months correcting and fine tuning recipes, preparations, processes and baking techniques to obtain a range of products that were at the same time delicious, light and healthy. “It became a challenge that I shared with the entire team. It was one that I think we won the minute we tasted what I call the super cookie which we are presenting this Christmas in limited and numbered edition in the chocolate version.
“This cookie is baked without eggs and without any lactose ingredients but just with technique and passion that are the two main ingredients of the work that we’ve been carrying out from the beginning,” the chef said.
“I’ve spent many sleepless nights over this biscuit. It is made with oat milk and fine Ivory Coast chocolate. Light, delicious and crispy, this biscuit is a cuddle for the entire family,” he said.
The laboratory has been open for two years and is the result of research that has gone into identifying the nutritional balance of the ingredients.
The entire range of products has been revised with the focus being that of eliminating added sugars and the reduction of fats to ensure that each ingredient’s taste is immediately recognisable.
Niko and his team have also worked on the packaging to ensure that is is sustainable and reusable. “There is a profound relation between nutrition, wellbeing and sustainability,” said Niko.
The jams include strawberry and peach and is based on over 90% of fruit with just between 5 to 7% of organic sugar added to the fruit and lemon juice. Niko has also created a hazelnut and chocolate spread that has no lactose or animal fats. The fruit juices are prepared with 100 per cent organic fruit juice and puree and have no added aromas nor preservatives.
These can be bought either separately or in a newly created Christmas Box.
More details on the online shop here.
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