D.

Are 'Organic Products' truly organic or do the current controls not allow for reliable verification?

R.

Personally I believe that a good 80 percent of products labeled as organic are truly so. Unfortunately, I have never had the possibility checking first hand if all the steps of the process, from the preparation of the fields to the harvest, conservation, transformation, packaging and sale meet the required specification. I think that the official controls are trustworthy but, as in any sector, there might be someone who plays dirty and, in some of these instances, the media have soundly denounced them.

D.

Are the certifying agents trustworthy and competent?

R.

I think so, in almost all cases.

D.

What exactly does it mean that a product was obtained through 'organic agriculture'?

R.

This reflects a deep integration, almost a marriage, between the grower, earth and the living beings that are part of it.

D.

The use of organic products is growing steadily, at least in home kitchens. How does this trend compare to the chefs' kitchens?

R.

Though slowly, the traditional cuisine is integrating organic products into the preparation of some recipes, and in some cases we are witnessing the launch of restaurants that serve exclusively organic menus. I would also like to point out the worthy effort made by some catering enterprises in adopting organic products. This is in addition to the school system that educates students at an early stage as to the consumption of organic foods. From this point of view, Emilia-Romagna has certainly made a noteworthy contribution.

D.

Which organic products do you use most in your own kitchen?

R.

Cereals, vegetables, flours, some kind of cheeses, meats and cold cuts.

D.

What do you teach the students of the school about organic products?

R.

First of all, expertsgive the students coursework in theory lessons in the classroom, then those students are trained in the actual preparation of a variety of organic recipes.

D.

"La stagione della cucina biologica. Ricettario a base di prodotti da agricoltura biologica", or "The Organic Cuisine Season. Recipes Made with Products from the Organic Garden", is a new book edited by your school currently in the press.

R.

Yes, it is a wonderful collection of refined recipes based on organic products that will certainly be deservedly successful. The book will be introduced to the Bologna Journalist Chapter in the presence of 30 food editors on February 26.

D.

Thank you, it is now time for the monthly recipes for WineCountry.IT web users. Obviously, it should be prepared entirely with organic products.

R.

You're welcome. Here is the recipe.