GALDINO THE SHY AND THE INCORRUPTIBLE JURY
Extract from "I Magnagatti" written by Vincenzo Scapin
Galdino is insatiable. Its customers have just finished eating and he is already in front of their table to ask if the food and drinks were to their liking. He look on the plates with narrow-eye for a final confirmation. If there are no conspicuous traces of food left, everything went off smoothly, its cuisine has not betrayed. Galdino is the son of art, his mother Isetta taught him the first rudiments in the culinary arts. He never attended school, neither had the opportunity to be examined by professors that evaluated, biasimassero or give thanks to his work. So he has chosen the most numerous, diverse body of judges above all suspicion, a jury that could not be bribed, the honest viri that continuously alternated in this court: its own customers. For years, Galdino with his waddling gait, of who is accustomed to long labors, approaches the table of his diners to be examined. The rite of judgment is now part of the traditions of the house, and the judging is always presented with the serene face at the ceremony that, as repeated, never loses sincerity. The Gianesin family work for fifty years (to date are 63) in Pederiva, Grancona. His father, after the adventure in Africa as a sergeant in the infirmary and attendant of a general, had returned home and was employed in the town hall with 500 Lire of monthly pay. While he was still in the black continent had received the news of the birth of his eldest son. Full of joy had told the general that honored him of his familiarity. "Call him Galdino," the scholar had suggested above. The fighter had been answered "yes sir" and so he found himself christened with a name that come from Manzoni. The father was not satified of the municipal employment and had founded a cooperative shop, where they sold sugar, coffee, salt cod, herring, it was pouring wine and you could play cards. Later, the restless trustee will also buy a tavern license which will support a real grocery store without having the permission ...
...He opened his new business in the first slice of home that he was able to build, and where it's now located a part of the restaurant "Isetta." In the village of Val Liona at the time reigns poverty and hunger. Men to bring home some money were digging peat which will be sold in Brescia and Milan. They also begins to build brick houses, Count Costozza in pity for so much poverty, lends horses and carts to transport sand, lime and stones. Galdino is already a boy and becomes a good carter. He likes this job immensely, horses become his passion. In '54 driven by the need to increase revenue to be of help to the family abandons the horses and start a new experience as a truck driver. Transporting firewood, sand, and iron between Bolzano, Rome and Naples. The trips are exhausting, last an average of fifteen days. When he returns home give the paycheck to the mother who has to pay off the debts. The father of the truck driver in addition to nearly licenses held, become a butcher. The commitment is too much trouble for the poor Isetta, and Galdino leaves the truck and becomes a butcher itself. It is difficult to sell the meat, in the country they arrange with the chickens and the pig - The young butcher prepares the packages inside with the need for soup or stew and he place in front of the church waitin women who go out from the mess. But still he did few business, they sell the quarters ahead, the rich thighs take the street for the city. In the 60's a lucky wind invests Gianesin home. The municipality decided to build the street Brendola-Orgiano, workers eat and sleep in the inn "Isetta." Galdino, all noons with the wagon brings the meal in the yard. These gains smooth out the debts, the family begins to breathe. Meanwhile, the economic boom begins to show, people attending the inns and country inns where they serve bigoli, lasagna, stewed chicken, guinea fowl baked skewers of birds. On the occasion of village festivals the business are very good. Always in the '60, the feast day of the liberation Galdino married Guerrina that will go straight to the kitchen to help his mother-in-law...
...In '76 Isetta dies between the desperation of the whole family. Galdino alone can not hold all the commitments, close the butcher sells and takes care of the restaurant, which keeps the name of the mother '. He walks proud through the tables showing immense T-bone, fruit of his profound experience as butcher. But Galdino feels a half cook, he masters the meat, but feels that his gastronomic culture is lacking. His colleagues of the Bericis organize evenings with sophisticated menus, and he hasn't the audacity to put his head out the door. He fears to be accused of going to copy. Meanwhile, customers begin to grow, until in 1980 the unknown, the shy Galdino was discovered by the Michelin guide. This recognition makes him disappear all the inferiority complex: always more proud of the semplicity of his food, takes full advantage of his vast experience as a butcher, his passage through the tables with oval plate on which sits a cost worthy of a cow- boy is a triumphal march. Veronelli discover Lazzarini wines, who opened his winery next door to "Isetta." Go to eat in the restaurant, he remains enthusiastic, so much to write about it in Panorama. Now Galdino collaborate with her daughters, their husbands, but it is him to go out in the dining room staggered slightly like a penguin to see if there are suspect leftovers in the dishes. He, self-taught chef not only has the credentials in the kitchen, and has also created an immense cellar digging in the heart of a mountain looming over his house, rich in the many thousands of rare bottles. Sometimes likes to conduct its clients at this winery unreal atmosphere, where Palladio could dig the stones for some of his palace. Not to repay their judgments, but because they dream with him, the self-taught chef now kissed by success, passionate carter, and truck driver in his youth, butcher, who hesitated his goods in front of the church of Zovencedo and he deserved a place in the Michelin guide, without begging for favors from anyone. And never trescare with culinary trends.