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The baker who beat McDonald's
Times Online ^ | 01/07/06 | Richard Owen in Rome

Posted on 01/07/2006 6:56:01 PM PST by Pikamax

The baker who beat McDonald's From Richard Owen in Rome

AFTER a five-year battle, the fast-food giant McDonald’s has retreated from a southern Italian town, defeated by the sheer wholesomeness of a local baker’s bread. The closure of McDonald’s in Altamura, Apulia, was hailed yesterday as a victory for European cuisine against globalised fast food.

Luigi Digesù, the baker, said that he had not set out to force McDonald’s to close down in any “bellicose spirit”. He had merely offered the 65,000 residents tasty filled panini — bread rolls — which they overwhelmingly preferred to hamburgers and chicken nuggets. “It is a question of free choice,” Signor Digesù said.

His speciality fillings include mortadella, mozzarella and eggs or scamorza cheese, eggs, basil and tomato, as well as fèdda, a local version of bruschetta — toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and covered in chopped tomatoes.

McDonald’s opened in a piazza in the centre of Altamura, 45km (30 miles) south of Bari, in 2001, infuriating devotees of traditional Apulia gastronomy such as Peppino Colamonico, a doctor, and Onofrio Pepe, a journalist. They campaigned against McDonald’s as the Friends of Cardoncello, named after a southern Italian mushroom.

Altamura, founded in the 5th century BC and rebuilt in the Middle Ages by Frederick II, is famed for its fragrant, golden bread — and for Signor Digesù’s victorious panini.

“There was no marketing strategy, no advertising promotion, no discounts,” Il Giornale commented. “It was just that people decided the baker’s products were better. David has beaten Goliath.”

The queues outside the bakery grew longer while McDonald’s gradually emptied, despite the best efforts of Ronald McDonald, the mascot clown, changes of management, children’s parties and special offers.

In July 2003 Altamura bread was recognised by the European Union as a protected regional product after lobbying by Enzo Lavarra, Euro MP for the Bari area, Rachele Popolizio, the Mayor of Altamura, and Giuseppe Barile, head of the local bakers’ association.

Signor Pepe said that he regretted the loss of 20 jobs at McDonald’s, but “tradition has won”. The campaign was supported by the Slow Food Foundation, founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini, an Italian journalist incensed by the opening of a McDonald’s on the Piazza di Spagna near the Spanish Steps in Rome. It has 82,000 members in 107 countries.

Despite a series of closures around the world and active opposition, McDonald’s increased worldwide sales by 4 per cent last year. Jim Skinner, the chief executive, said that it was “the leading global foodservice retailer”, with more than 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries, 70 per cent of them “owned and operated by independent local businessmen and women”.

Shirley Foenander, vice-president for marketing and communication, said that McDonald’s had adapted to local cuisines and tastes.

But Signor Digesu’s victory was seen as more than a local setback by some. The French newspaper Libération said it showed that there was a “peaceful alternative” to the militancy of José Bové, the French farmer and anti-globalisation protester, who was given a three-month prison sentence after ransacking a McDonald’s in the town of Millau in 1999.

THE BREAD THAT RAN THE BIG MAC OUT OF TOWN

Altamura bread was the first baking product in Europe to be granted a DOP certificate, and is so far the only Italian bread to qualify for the honour. DOP stands for Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, or denomination of protected origin, the equivalent of DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or denomination of controlled origin), used for wines. DOP products must be specific to a geographic area

The bread is made from locally grown durum wheat flour with yeast, water and marine salt, according to a recipe dating to 1500. The formula is almost certainly older, however, because Horace, the Roman poet, called the bread “the best in the world”

The flour must be ground in mills within the communes of Altamura, Gravina di Puglia, Poggiorsini, Spinazzola and Minervino Murge, all in the province of Bari. The baking process has five stages from the rolling of the dough to baking

It is baked in an open oak wood oven. It is unusually long-lasting and was originally created for shepherds and farmers who worked in the fields and hills of Apulia for days or even weeks at a time

Altamura bread is the basis of several local dishes, including a winter soup called cialda, in which slices of the bread line a pot to which are added water, onions, tomatoes, parsley, basil, potatoes, olive oil, olives, celery and lemons


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: altamura; altamurabread; baker; baking; bread; dop; italy; mcdonalds; mickeydssucks; wheat
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"His speciality fillings include mortadella, mozzarella and eggs or scamorza cheese, eggs, basil and tomato, as well as fèdda, a local version of bruschetta — toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and covered in chopped tomatoes. "

very nice.

1 posted on 01/07/2006 6:56:02 PM PST by Pikamax
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To: Pikamax

McDonald's didn't have a chance up against the guy who seems to have invented fast food itself!


2 posted on 01/07/2006 6:57:42 PM PST by muawiyah (-)
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To: Pikamax

"AFTER a five-year battle, the fast-food giant McDonald’s has retreated from a southern Italian town, defeated by the sheer wholesomeness of a local baker’s bread. The closure of McDonald’s in Altamura, Apulia, was hailed yesterday as a victory for European cuisine against globalised fast food."

And a victory against choice? These zero-sum types think it's an either-or situation.


3 posted on 01/07/2006 6:58:34 PM PST by Frank T
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To: Pikamax

Now, I'm hungry. Thanks a lot.


4 posted on 01/07/2006 6:58:58 PM PST by i_dont_chat
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To: Pikamax
"toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and covered in chopped tomatoes"

I am so there

5 posted on 01/07/2006 7:00:39 PM PST by muir_redwoods (Free Sirhan Sirhan, after all, the bastard who killed Mary Jo Kopechne is walking around free)
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To: Pikamax

The Slow Food society? Now I've heard everything.

Sounds like great bread.


6 posted on 01/07/2006 7:00:59 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: Pikamax
There were a lot of little stores around New Orleans, Arabi and Chalmette that put Fried Chicken places out of business.

Oh how I miss the food, (not the place)
7 posted on 01/07/2006 7:00:59 PM PST by TexasTransplant (NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET)
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To: Pikamax

Well, if people don't want a McDonalds in their town, this is the way to do it. Not "anti-globalism" types throwing bricks through the windows and railing against American imperialism. Just make good cheap food that people like better. Das all. It's all about choice. Nobody's holding a gun to anyone's head.

Good for this guy. His food sounds good. In fact, my mouth is watering.


8 posted on 01/07/2006 7:01:20 PM PST by saquin
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To: Frank T; BlackElk
And a victory against choice? These zero-sum types think it's an either-or situation.

Actually, it was a victory FOR choice. The locals CHOSE not to patronize McDonalds. (For the record, I eat there regularly myself, though I generally prefer Wendy's among burger joints).
9 posted on 01/07/2006 7:02:33 PM PST by sittnick (There is no salvation in politics.)
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To: Pikamax

McDonalds sells food? Who knew?!


10 posted on 01/07/2006 7:05:10 PM PST by Revolting cat! ("In the end, nothing explains anything.")
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To: Pikamax
"His speciality fillings include mortadella, mozzarella and eggs or scamorza cheese, eggs, basil and tomato, as well as fèdda, a local version of bruschetta — toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and covered in chopped tomatoes. "
very nice.


Exactly what I was going to say.
11 posted on 01/07/2006 7:07:29 PM PST by Termite_Commander (Warning: Cynical Right-winger Ahead)
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To: Pikamax
Best bread in the world for more than 1,000 years..

Hard to beat that with a Big Mac..

12 posted on 01/07/2006 7:08:33 PM PST by Drammach (Freedom; not just a job, it's an adventure..)
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To: Pikamax

Ditto... I'm saving this thread for my family. Yum!


13 posted on 01/07/2006 7:08:56 PM PST by cgk (I don't see myself as a conservative. I see myself as a religious, right-wing, wacko extremist.)
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To: Pikamax
"His speciality fillings include mortadella, mozzarella and eggs or scamorza cheese, eggs, basil and tomato, as well as fèdda, a local version of bruschetta — toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and salt and covered in chopped tomatoes. "

This description of ingrediants sound delicious. However, the typical American kid would say "YUCK!" and cry for their "Happy Meal."

14 posted on 01/07/2006 7:09:50 PM PST by jonrick46
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To: Revolting cat!
We were in Florence, Italy last year around Christmas/New Years.

We took our three kids, all 10 or under, into MacDonalds as a reward for good behavior. They let us go to the museums, they got to eat at McD's.

It was a perfect deal and I recommend it to any parent travelling with kids.

p.s. In Europe you can get a Heiniken with your Big Mac.
It just might be a superior culture!

15 posted on 01/07/2006 7:11:23 PM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: Pikamax
Actually, make that 2,000 years..

Horace died in 8 BC..

16 posted on 01/07/2006 7:12:26 PM PST by Drammach (Freedom; not just a job, it's an adventure..)
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To: Pikamax

Capitalism works!

Whoda thoughtit?


17 posted on 01/07/2006 7:12:46 PM PST by freedumb2003 (American troops cannot be defeated. American Politicians can.)
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To: Pikamax

So is he going to open a restaurant here?


18 posted on 01/07/2006 7:14:29 PM PST by pepperdog
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To: Pikamax

mmmm... A mouth watering news story mmm...


19 posted on 01/07/2006 7:14:53 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: Pikamax

Anyone have a recipe?


20 posted on 01/07/2006 7:15:03 PM PST by PastorBooks
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