In March 2007, Luciana Parodi was awarded the title of World Champion of Pesto al Mortaio. Luciana, a genuine Genoese, was fondly nicknamed “Scià Parodi” by the local press, which in Genoese means “Lady Parodi”.
photo (Luciana dressed as a cook with bunches of basil, pestle and mortar and pesto).
The Championship was held in Genoa, home of Genoese Pesto and about one hundred competitors participated; most of these were Genoese, although there were also participants from other regions of Italy and from abroad. Among them there were chefs, professionals from the sector, and simple lovers of pesto who are experts in making this noble sauce with a pestle and mortar. One hundred people challenged each other for a whole day of beating the mortar to win the coveted title of World Champion of Genoese Pesto al Mortaio.
The competition was a fair fight, all of the participants competed with the same weapons; the ingredients, the same for everyone were provided by the organizers. Some bunches of basil from Prà, pine nuts from Pisa, garlic from Vessalico, coarse salt, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil DOP, parmesan cheese, mature Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese and of course, a pestle and mortar.
The competitors availed themselves of their experience and skill, of the small but important secrets regarding the crushing and mixing of the ingredients at their disposal to make the best pesto in the world.
The jury, made up of thirty judges – tasters, restaurateurs, gastronomic journalists and experts – assessed the dexterity in the use of the mortar, as well as the appearance, the fineness, the consistency and the balance of the pesto made by the competitors.
Luciana’s pesto was considered to be the best of all the challengers, therefore winning the title of World Champion of Genoese Pesto al Mortaio.
The winner was awarded the trophy for the World Champion of Genoese pesto al mortaio, an olive-wood pestle with its handle covered in gold (photo).
The greatest satisfaction for Luciana is the glory and honour of being judged the best in the world at making Genoese pesto, a real icon of the Ligurian gastronomic tradition. In fact, some recent research showed that pesto is the real symbol of Genoa; 86% associate Genoa with pesto and only 64% with Christopher Columbus.
Cart