Ep. 2170 Valentina Todino | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

Were telling me about another drink very linked to Benaventor. Yeah. I have actually taken English students to visit the Museum of Lasrega, which is very beautiful. Mhmm. So when you walk Kim, there is a table, a good five, seven meters long table with all the different spices that go into the liquor. Right. Forty six, something like that. Oh my goodness. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Billen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we'll learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life. The local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, we travel, but actually not very far from my home here on the Excessuary in Devon to the nearby Cathedral City of Exeter to meet my guest, Valentino, Research at the University of Exeter, translator, Italian teacher documentary maker, musician and singer with her group, Trike Balake, and the founder and curator of the Italian Cultural Association here in Exeter. Valentina is currently working with refugee support, Exeter, helping refugees to assimilate and settle in our area. I've been studying Italian language and culture with Valentina For the better part of two decades, I can't believe it's that long already. And I've learned a great deal from her and really enjoyed the many cultural events that she's organized, including the regular showing of Italian films, often with expert commentaries, musical events, food and wine events. Valentin has done a great deal to bring Italy and Italian culture to Southwest England. So thank you very much for being my guest today, Valentina, for all that you do. And how are you? Oh, hi, Mark. Tao. Thank you for having me. It's really nice to be here. You. And thank you for the wonderful introduction. Well, Valentina, you do so many things here, and I know how busy you are. So thank you for taking the time to have our chat. I would have preferred if we were having a glass of wine together and maybe something nice to eat as well. Yeah. Me too. That would lock in. We'll we'll do that soon. I'll do that. That would happen. Valentina, let's start at the beginning. Tell us about your childhood because although you are very much from the south, you feel from the south, you were actually born in the north of Italy. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. So bit of a mix, really, because I was born in Piamonte in a small town called Noviliguer. Well, I guess he's a bit bigger now, but Noviliguer, my parents that originally are from Campania, from a small village on the hills outside Avelino, between Avelino and Bernimento. They were working in Piamonte. So they moved there, were all asked children were born. And I was the last one to be born. And after two years of believing that the family, the parents decided to move back towards South. So, well, we actually moved back and, settled in a town not far from Rome called Chistairna, which is not at all the most amazing town. But it was lovely. The area is really lovely surrounded by some of the upper nines, some beautiful old, medieval villages, the gardens on NIMFA and very close to Rome about forty minutes away on the train. So quite a useful location because it also allowed the family to go back often to Campania for the weekends where the grandparents were. So from where we were to my grandparents house about two and a half, three hours driving. So it's a trip that we could do over the weekend. Sometimes even in one day just to go down and see the family. And that's where I kind of spend most of my summits. So although you were born in the north, your family had moved up there for work. Is that right? Does. And then came back down to south of Rome, but you always had that strong connection with, where your family was from with your grandparents in this, part of Urpina between Avilino in Benavent. We'll we'll talk about that area a little bit more detail later. Now, Valentina, you speak perfect English, better English than me, I think. Was that your subject when you studied at university? And was that in Rome? Yes. Yes. I studied at University of Romeapienza and my subjects there were, up to English literature and Russian literature, which I forgot to call my Russian. I was very well enamored. I was I was really interested in English literature, which is partly the reason why I eventually visited these parts of the world and settled. Yeah. You tell us about that story, Valentina. So you came down to live in a very remote part of Navruguiera dartmoor. This wonderful remote, wild place just outside of Exeter. Absolutely. Yeah. That was a long time ago now, well, twenty two years ago. And I moved here, well, partly because as I was saying, I wanted, really wanted to be immersed in, I had to all this idea of somehow, you know, the romantic English countryside really fascinated me. And I also met someone that then became the father of my children and the victim in this area of Devon. I met him in Italy and he said, oh, come in this year. It is so beautiful. And I came, and I saw, and I never went back. Basically, that's what happened. I found that Devon has got everything that you know, that I really enjoy, which is a beautiful natural landscape, Dartmouth is one of my favorite places, and also the Sea, the coast of Devon, if you see in C proximity, we call north. It's just so stunning and the lifestyle, the pace of life. That's so interesting, Valentina because it's so different from Italy where where we are here in Devon, but you see and you still feel that attraction for life here in Devon. Yes. I thought, you know, with time, things changed, and also it's as you say, Mark is very different. So when I arrived in Exeter, there were barely any foreigners, let's say. And there weren't any I think there was only maybe the, the main art center, the Phoenix art center was the only place where, there were sometimes some cultural things opening It's so so changed now. It's become I wouldn't say Metropolitan, but it's multicultural now. But when I arrived, it was nothing. So it was on one side. It was very shocking to such a big change from me because at the time before moving here, I was actually living in Rome, therefore, you know, for a few years while I was at uni and then working around the area. So I was coming from quite a big, very lively city. And also, as you probably know, Mark, in Italy, there is, you know, the the people leave their life the life outside and the square and the evenings are full of like. You know, people going to the place and there's the bar and there's the music and there's the exhibition and then, you know, there's all sorts of things where here, you know, I remember thinking, you know, after a while, six o'clock and there's no idea around. Yeah. Yeah. Very, very different, especially from Rome. My story is not dissimilar, Valentino, though it was much earlier, I came over just when I was nineteen years old, only for one year. And many, many years on, I'm I'm still here because I met my wife Kim then. So, this is how things happen. We don't always end up where we ever expected to be. No. No. Not at all. But your children have grown up here, Leo and Sophia are growing up. And Leo now at university, have you been able to maintain and impart their Italian heritage to them? And how have you done that? Well, you know, it takes a lot of work because you have to keep from the top, especially for with the language. So they grow up. Of course, their father is English. He speaks English. I try to speak in Italian to them as much possible, because they were so exposed to English as well. They always well, they they reply to me in English most of the time. But because I kept some talking to him to them in Italian, Finally, now we have, you know, they they can have proper conversation. They can speak Italian quite fluently. They understand Italian very well. And of course, you know, we kept contact with the, with my side of the family. We go very often back to visit my family in Italy. They have cousins. They have cousins, and they feel very proud to be Italian. I think for Leo, it's been a way to say, oh, I can cook really well. And I know everything about fifth Adi and though that kind of thing because I am a half Italian. Yeah. That is the way. Yeah. It is a thing. Yeah. They feel very strong. They Italian identity, I would say. Yeah. Well, speaking of Italian identity, Valentin, I just wanna mention a very important project that you did, which is the documentary you made about Italians living in Exeter, really interviewing people from a whole range of different activities, professions, lives, ages, and who shared with you their stories. Let's just a little bit about this project. Absolutely. Well, this project brought me to then do the job that I'm doing now with migrants and refugees. I have always this keen interest in finding out people's stories of migration. So why does people move around the world? We always done this and what are the reasons why we settle in one place instead of another and what he said that we bring with us. So my my background is in translation. I did a master in translation here at University of Exeter. And I developed this interest in self translation. So how does people, when you move to another country, what ways do you find to define yourself? As an individual, but also inside the community that is hosting you. So, for example, as you were saying before, for me, this way is the music, you know, I play I see Italian songs that play Italian music because it's some kind of ways of translating myself to other people saying, you know, this is me, this is what it brings. So, yeah, I decided, I was working in the Italian department at the time, I was doing some supply teaching in the Italian department, and I worked with, professor Danielle Yps. She's a specialized in Italian cinema. We decided that we would have liked to do some video interviews with Italians Living in Devon. And so, yeah, we interviewed a few people. These videos are on YouTube. And, yeah, so, yeah, we we did these interviews. We started these interviews. And then from there, We actually continued this project and the project became kind of an archive of video interviews of Italians first and then of all migrants speaking other languages living in Devon. So we were interviewing people in their own native language, and then we worked with students in the department, students of languages, of course, to help with the interviews and then subtitle them So there is an archive. There is a website with an archive of stories on migration to Devon. And the project is called was called Transcaltura Devon, and it's now become a module for the Department of Motor Languages. I'm still interested in the small research side. I'm not really part of the module as such. In the documentary I remember was so fascinating and such an important social history documenting people who have really made grave decisions to move to new places and create a life, but also wanting to maintain ties and identity with where they came from. Valentina, how important is food and wine as a means for Italians to maintain ties with where they come from and with who they are. Very very important. And I think it's well fundamental for us, yeah, as Italians to meet and to be together through food. And wine, of course, but mostly, you know, the food is like the main thing I hung out sometimes with a few Italian friends. Yeah. Apart from the Italian culture association, there's bringing many Italians, to our social events, but I got close group closer group of friends with which I meet sometimes and it's all about the food, what we're gonna cook, what are we going to eat, and then there's people from Northern Italy that we left the the favorite recipe and then we have discussion about how that dish is then made in different parts of the countries and, you know, it's all about food. It's a lot of diseases. I think when you're with the times, whenever anyone is, we often turns very quickly to talking about food in in very precise and detailed ways. So let's turn in precision and detail then to a little bit more about where you're from in Campania about, I guess, let's talk about some of the foods that link you to a place. To a family. I was thinking, you know, this morning I was thinking, what I'm gonna say to Mark. And, something that relates me to this time of the year, I remember, you know, something that I really miss is the it's cooking the chestnuts on the fire. So remember my granddads, they would put the fire on in the house, and they would have this pan with holes at the bottom, and they would see he would sit there. In the evening, just cooking his calderos, the chestnuts on the fire, and then he will have a glass of allianico. And, you know, we would see I remember, you know, sitting there with him and in the evening. Maybe they would tell me stories. And you're peeling the hot chestnuts with your fingers, and they're almost burning you as you're peeling them. And you have that smell of the burnt chestnuts with the sweetness of the flavor in the mouth. Absolutely. I I love that that memories. I Yeah. And I can imagine washed down with just simple tumblers of the local mine, in this case, of course, one of the great grapes of Italy, Alianico. Yes. Yeah. So yeah, memories of Adianaigo are stuck in my memory because my my uncle is still producing it. No. Just for family, you know, just for literally for his family, his close relatives, I remember at the time of the year in which, you know, the grapes have picked and then I remember they would press the grapes in this big barrel with their feet. I see. They don't do that anymore. Until a few years ago, that was the way they they would do it. Another memory that I have that is not much related to food. Well, yeah, there are two memories. One is related to, unfortunately, the killing of the pig, It's not very overly pleasant. Of course. Yeah. Lamontagne. Yeah. I remember that. Yeah. So the family would have kept a pig and killed it themselves or a a butcher came to the house to come. Don't remember that detail. I don't I don't have that detail, but I remember that it was a big kind of retool, you know, they're all fine. Yeah. Sure. Yeah. And then with the hot blood, they would make this sanguinaccio, which is, like black pudding, and then mix the blood with cocoa powder and sugar. And the smell, I still, you know, that's something that stuck in my memory. I can't eat that because this mare was so strong. So it was mixed with cocoa and sugar. Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. It was a sweet. It was like a sweet pudding or something. And the prosciutto and the salami would have been made. So salting the meats to cure them and stuff them in skins to make the salami, the very different types of salumi. Yeah. For us, it's lalonsa. Lalonsa. Where does that come from? Is that from? Yeah. I think so. Think so. It's kind of similar in taste to prosciutto, but it's more more spicy most of the time. Uh-huh. Probably the neck. I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't Oh, no. I'm sorry. I can't remember loans. I think actually the neck is the the cafe corner. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which is the same as Lalonsa for us. Oh, okay. From my area. Yeah. Could vary in different parts of Italy. The name might be the same, but the parts might be different. Yeah. So Capical lawyer. Yeah. So we're really talking about this time of year of 'nineteen. You're remembering the wine, the grapes being harvested, treading the grapes with feet, the making of wine, this transformation of juice from the grapes for through fermentation into wine. And I guess a young wine would be something that would be drunk along with those roasted chocolates. Yes. Yes. And teas made of chip milk. Especially. Okay. A pecorino. Yeah. Kind of pecorino. Very much more similar to. Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Did the family grow vegetables? And for example, did you make the tomato paste, the conserved? Yes. Yes. That's another big memory of my childhood. Yeah. Absolutely. The gathering of the family to make the passata that would last for the all year for the all family. Right. Yeah. So as a child, I would be in charge of, like, turning the handle of the machine that would press the tomatoes and make the juice. I don't like to hand the machine that would decorate the skin and the seeds. And the seeds? Yeah. From the juice. So we would sit, I remember sitting on the the grapes. The grapes would be Fragolino grapes. So the very small Yeah. Grapes. And we would sit there preparing the tomatoes, you know, cleaning washing, whatever it was necessary. We do literally with the old family. Like, I remember my auntie, I remember my grandmother, grandfather, everybody. So we would prepare everything. And then once the tomatoes are put in the bottles. They are left to boil in these big tins with fire for a couple of days. So Oh, rooney, to to really concentrate. Well, no. They they already Oh, they were in the bottle. To disinfect them, making sure they last. They disinfect it. Yeah. They last. Yeah. For the whole year. Yeah. Yeah. And other vegetables preserves so salty. See, it's c c eight. So that was the time. Well, maybe a bit earlier than now, but aubergine's sutolia, olives, everything that can be put in oil. We would do that. Yeah. Are family members still doing these things? Yes. Some of them are. Yeah. Some of them, not all of them, but some of my family, they're still doing that. Yeah. Yeah. And your location is actually between Avilino and Benavento. It's it's really straddles to great wine areas, great wines from Urbina, such as Taurasi, and also, fernodia Avilino, but on the Benavento side, we have the Alianico del Taborno, another great oppression of Adiatico and the Valentina wines from Sanuel and other white and red wines from Sanja. So you were really in a very much the heart of wonderful wine country. Absolutely. Yes. Yes. So you're saying from my dad's house, you can see the tabernan just in front of our house. The whole area is local, small production of Alyanico, of course. And, yeah, that's the area where the Falangina has been kind of really COVID does. Yeah. Wonderful fan and Gina from Benavento. Yes. You were telling me about another drink very linked to Benavento. Yeah. Last Yes. I have actually taken English students to visit the Museum of Lasriga, which is very beautiful. So the familiar, the family, alberti, in Belenvento, they own this factory. Mhmm. And they have this beautiful museum in which they explain the origin of the liquor and the production. So when you walk in, there is a table. I probably not far my memory doesn't fail me. Good five seven meters long table with all the different spices that go into the liquor Right. Forty six, something like that. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Of course the main one is suffering. So That gives it the color, the beautiful, yeah, okay. And then all the all different kind of flavors and smells, and a lot of the spices come from, north and Africa calls. And that is also, you know, Benavento has been it's historically in pre christian time was one of the cities that had the most contact with Egypt. Oh, how interesting. In fact, there were, you know, ruins of Egyptian temples and especially the colts was the colts of isis, which was the divinity of the underworld. Oh my. And from there, then this tradition of the witches have developed because, apparently, again, in later times, they were some northern tribes that established themselves in the area, and they kind of taken this tradition of Isis's and developed it into other rituals that were considered more as witchcraft. So dancing around trees. They found paintings of people dancing around these Asenau trees. So, yeah, the name Strega comes from the beach. Oh, gosh. And the city has this very long tradition of, you know, legendary of course, but also related, you know, and there's some historical and archaeological findings that relate the city to Yeah. To this. And in fact, on the ISIS Temple, they now build the church of Santa Sophia. Well, not now, but Christian times, the temple. On about the temple, they built the church of Santa Sophia. So it's a beautiful city if you ever wanna visit. I've not been to Benavant. I'm gonna love to go. That sounds really beautiful. Yeah. And I know, you know, you're talking about the some of the cultural aspects in Benavent and what? And Campania has such a richness, even going back to pre Christian times, to pagan times, but through the Greeks in the Romans. So we're really in, an area that more Italian culture would really develop the, the Campania Felix, this fertile Campania that was fed the Roman empire with wonderful things to eat and drink. So it's an area, a region. I really, really love visiting. I was, as you know, I was in Naples just a few weeks ago. Yes. And I always loved to be in Campania. It's such a warm and friendly place. And I know that this expression of Campania, this expression of Italian Meridianale, the south of Italy, something very close to your heart, and something you express in your music through Trike Balake. Tell us a little bit about Italian folk music and Southern folk music. Yeah. Yeah. And why this is so important for you? Yeah. It is very important for me. You know, the reasons I was telling you before is a way of kind of expressing my my identity where, you know, what what I bring with me but I found that connection strong connection with this music when I was here because I've kind of missed my roots. So I went back to listen to this kind of music and also I did a lot of research around the origins of the music and created this at the beginning small group, quite quite a big group of people that shared the same interest. And the music that we play is related to, as you were saying, Mark, to some more ancient ritualistic music that accompanied more in Christian times accompanying processions. But before that, there were pagan rituals with music and singing. So so and dancing, of course. There is one aspect that to me is very fascinating. And it's the music of Tamuriyata, which is kind of a style of music played in the area of Naples. This relates to ancient rituals, and some of them are related to the black madonna. So the worshiping of the black lady, and this black madonna, we got a sanctuary very close to my dad's, which is called But the worshiping is now dedicated to the black madonna, the black lady, but in the ancient times, the temple was dedicated to Cybilis, which was an anatolian divinity correspondent to mother earth. And the reason why the statue is black is because the material that was that statue was made of is it was a black stone. So this statue was broke to Italy, in pre Christian times and the worshiping, the all the priests that accompanied the the rituals, they were all eunuchs. So from this tradition that of course had music, and singing and dancing of worshiping this goddess, this mother earth goddess, this tradition was brought in, was then developed in Christian times, and until now, twice a year, there are processions up to this mountains accompanied by music and dance, but because of the tradition of the Unerks, the people that participates in these possessions are mostly part of what is now the lgbt community. So this Madone is considered like the protector of the lgbt communities, which is a really interesting aspect of how we, especially in companion, Italy, we have this very important connection between the female and the male parts of humanity really. Well, is a is a long conversation. No. No. No. That's absolutely fascinating. And I know I know a little bit about that tradition because we've seen that in cinema as well in in some of the events that you've put on Valentina. So it's really interesting to hear more of that. Yeah. That's great. Well, Valentina, I know that you're very busy and you have a busy day today. I'm not going to take up more of your time. We could talk on and on. I'd love to keep talking with you for another half hour, but I think we've probably run out of time because I know you have things to do, but Yes. But thank you so much for taking time from your busy day. To share your story with us to talk about how you've brought Italy and Italian culture here to Exeter. And at the same time, how you maintain your Italian roots, your Italian ethnicity, through links with family, food, wine, and music. You've really enriched life in Exeter for me, and so I'm really grateful for that. Thank you so much. Okay. We hope you enjoyed today's app episode of wine, food, and travel. With me, Mark Millen on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe right here, or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at Italianwine podcast dot com. Until next time, Chinch in.