Until the ’50s when there was life in the Sassi, nobody used to buy it. The bread in fact, such as pasta, everyone did it themselves at home. Usually once a week, on Monday night, when women remained awake for mixing water, wheat flour and yeast, then to let the mass grow in the right place, carefully shape it as if it was a sculpture and hand it to the baker at dawn. He went from house to house and then bring the loaves of bread (usually 5 chilos) to bring them and bake in one of the many public ovens. But not before he had marked each with its own characteristic stamp made of wood so you can distinguish from the others.
The bread of Matera
An ancient tradition, maybe as the history of Matera. That in December 2007 was consecrated with the recognition of the IGP, with which the EU has established the Protected Geographical Indication of the Matera’s bread. In June of that year four members of the consortium (Massimo Cifarelli, Gennaro and Lucia Perrone and the brothers De Palo) started producing and selling a product 100% Lucan, made for the 30% with the precious wheat “Senatore Cappelli”, typical of the hills of Matera, and the remaining 70% with other Lucan grains. The Consortium aims thus also to the enhancement of the entire production chain involving cereal farmers, stacker of wheat, millers and local bakers, to ensure a better product and absolutely genuine. And above all worthy of its long history.
Lindsay e Peter from the United States
It was therefore a great pleasure to accept the request that I received from an American couple (in the picture) last month: in fact they had booked the guided tour asking me to end it in a bakery, but not just to buy bread, as many tourists do before leaving Matera, but also the flour. “You know – Peter wrote – my partner Lindsay loves to bake at home and would like to try with the Matera’s bread“. And so, after a beautiful tour with these two very nice guys, we enter a bakery in the town center and go out from there with loads of wonders …
More and more subjects to the court of His Majesty the bread of Matera!
