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Januar y/Februar y 2024 XIII MAGAZINE solutions, which can allow the lighting points to be moved according to the location of the tables. “Flexibility,” says the architect, “also means designing the system so that lights can only be switched on in one part of the venue. This avoids unnecessary waste in case not all tables are occupied. If the design of the lights has not been optimal, battery-operated lamps can be placed directly on the tables that are left in the dark due to incorrect lighting are useful”. In the dining room it is also really vital that the light enhances the colour rendition of the dish: the wrong shade can make the food less appetising, make it appear less fresh or even penalise it. BUT HOW MUCH DOES GOOD LIGHTING COST? It is not easy to establish a priori how much a good lighting system can cost, because it depends on the size of the dining room and the kitchen and the type of lighting system installed. “On the market,” says Sartore, “there are many lighting companies that offer both decorative fixtures, with their own aesthetics and design, and architectural ones, such as spotlights. The prices are very wide ranging, and you can choose according to your budget. What I would like to emphasise, however, is that investing in good design, with the help of an expert, is less expensive than intervening later to correct faulty lighting. And sometimes correction isn’t even possible. When I talk about lighting I like to use the term design and designer to define who is in charge of it, because it’s not enough to know the guidelines and apply them, you have to be able to read the space and find solutions consistent with the client’s needs. __________________________________ BOX The outside also wants its share Light also plays an essential role outside the venue, to make access safe and the venue visible. “For exteriors,” Sartore points out, “you have to comply with local regulations on public lighting, while maintaining a style consistent with that of the venue. Light games A recent experience confirms the importance of light in dining venues. In September 2022, Pacta, IACC Italia and Comunità Oklahoma organised the culinary, sensory and philosophical event ‘A cena con Itten’ (Dinner with Itten) in Milan: a dinner organised in a setting where the colour of light changed periodically. The dinner was attended by a designer and a lighting designer. After the experience, the diners’ impressions were collected and interesting considerations emerged: blue light did not encourage people to eat, unlike yellow light. Red light enhanced the sweet taste, while white light enhanced the taste of cheese. Some diners also remarked that with bright lights, the tone of voices became louder and more festive, while with bluish atmospheres, voices became whispers and the conviviality seemed to diminish. __________________________________ AT PAGE 46 ON THE ROAD Friuli-Venezia Giulia - Crossroads of tradition and culinary avant-garde FRIULIAN CUISINE COMBINES LAND AND SEA. A LAND THAT OFFERS GREAT REWARDS TO THOSE IN SEARCH OF CULINARY GEMS AMIDST CENTURIES- OLD DISHES AND BAROQUE DESSERTS, EACH CUSTOM TELLS A STORY AND OFFERS THE PALATE THE PLEASURE OF DISCOVERY by Alessandro Vergallo Leaving the capital, we arrived in Friuli- Venezia Giulia, a land that comprises two geographical regions with different historical and cultural characteristics, just as different is the morphology of the area, where the sea, hills and mountains coexist, a distinction that allows this area to possess a multiplicity and variety of ingredients including fish, meat, legumes, fruit and vegetables. What makes it even more special are the two foreign countries that border it: Austria to the north and Slovenia to the east, states that have influenced its language, culture and cuisine over the centuries. The two world-famous excellences of local gastronomy are Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO and Montasio cheese. The earliest evidence of Prosciutto di San Daniele dates back to Roman times, as confirmed by a funerary log of a butcher from Portogruaro, while that of Montasio cheese is confirmed by a 13th century recipe for Frico , an appetiser that allows leftover cheese to be reused, by Maestro Martino da Como , the Patriarch’s cook. Other typical local products are salt cod, which first appeared in the 15th century, and potatoes, introduced in 1765 by agronomist Antonio Zanon, who first cultivated them in the fields of Count Fabio Asquini di Fagnana (also known for being the first to appreciate the excellent qualities of the Picolit grape variety). TYPICAL PRODUCTS FVG has different microclimates and temperatures that favour the growth of various wild herbs such as the dandelion , the centocchio pallida, better known as chick weed , wild valerian , and roberta , a medicinal herb also known as geranium robertianum . Another ingredient exclusive to this wonderful land is the Rose of Gorizia , a vegetable that grows only in the areas of the municipality of Gorizia, cultivated by 8 local companies. It is basically a chicory that turns into radicchio over time but resembles the shape of a rose bud (hence the name). The texture is crunchy with a strong but