“Il Desco saperi e sapori della Lucchesia”, is an event dedicated to traditional food from the Lucca area. It’s held at the Real Collegio in Lucca over the course of 4 weekends in November and December; not only tastings, samplings and cookery courses, but also literary events and shows.
The event opens with the Bean for the plain of Lucca (20 and 21 November), followed by Spelt for Garfagnana (27 and 28 November), the Chestnut for the Serchio valley (4 and 5 December) and ends with Bread & Oil from the Lucca hills (11 and 12 December). Indulgences for 8 December, day of the Immaculate Conception, with a special opening dedicated to Cigars and chocolate. 20-21
SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER
11.30 am
…Desco 2010 starts!
3.30 pm Meeting room – Ground floor
RING!: Lucca’s red bean up against the zolfino bean from Pratomagno
Referee: Fabrizio Diolaiuti
Commentators: Mauro Chechi and poets in ottava rima
3.30 pm Tasting room – Ground floor
“Una sagra al giorno” (A feast a day): the “Tagliarino festival” introduces us to the best use of local beans and the flavours of Capannori with the dish: beans and tagliarini.
4 pm – Inauguration
5 pm Third cloister – Ground floor
Performance by Reiko Hhiramatsu to mark the opening of the exhibition “Kakushiaji – il gusto nascosto (the hidden taste)”. Desco has organised this Japanese photographer’s exhibition in collaboration with the Lucca Digital Photo Festival.
5 pm Meeting room – Ground floor
Presentation of the book ”Salvaguardia della biodiversità in Garfagnana” (Protecting the biodiversity in Garfagnana) by AnnaMaria Giannotti and Elisa Giannetti.
5.30 pm Relax area – Ground floor
“Incontri fumosi” (Smoky meetings): tastings and chatter while savouring a Tuscan Cigar
Sweet – Tuscan Modigliani – Smoke coupled with cannellini bean dessert and Modigliani wine.
Presented by Roberto Giomi (Independent Smokers Group)
6 pm Palazzo Sani, via Fillungo 121
“Il piatto” (The dish): cookery lessons by the Associazione Lucchese Cuochi (Lucca Cooks Association)
Today’s menu: blend of three local beans with stewed pork rib meat.
6.30 pm Palazzo Tucci, via Cesare Battisti
“Scrivi come Mangi” (Write how you eat) meeting with wine and food critic Fiammetta Fadda (Panorama)
Presented by Sebastiano Mondadori (writer and Director of the Barnabooth School of Creative Writing)
8 pm close
SUNDAY 21 NOVEMBER
11.30 am Tasting room – Ground floor
“Buongiorno Desco” workshops: cakes “co’becchi” (beaked) by Mariella Lencioni. Organised by the Academy of Italian Cuisine
3.30 pm Tasting room – Ground floor
“Una sagra al giorno”(A feast a day): the “Aquilea soup festival” introduces recommended uses of local beans and wild herbs and the preparation of the legendary traditional soup from Aquilea.
4 pm leaving from Desco
Lucca Underground – guided visit beneath Lucca
Under shopkeepers’ houses: the basement of Villa Buonvisi-Bottini and cellars of Palazzo Bernardini.
4.30 pm – Tasting room – Ground floor
Wine in 5 senses: Approaches to wine appreciation by the sommeliers of the F.I.S.A.R. – Lucca Garfagnana delegation
“touch, before being wine” with Dr. Valdo Filippi (University of Pisa)
8 pm close