OREANDA-NEWS. January 19, 2016. To mark the 9th International Day of Italian Cuisine, Costa Cruises will be presenting the “costoletta di vitello alla milanese” (Milanese style veal chop), a tasty dish that is part of traditional Italian cuisine, onboard 12 of its ships sailing in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Oman, South America, India and Madagascar and on the Costa Luminosa Around-the-World cruise. 

Costa ships involved in the initiative will offer cooking demonstrations in the pool area, showing guests how the real “costoletta di vitello alla milanese” is prepared, with tastings and distribution of the original recipe. The dish, made according to tradition using 100% Italian meat, will be served at dinner in the main restaurants on the Costa ships, as it already happens during each cruise. 

“Our ships are true ambassadors of Italy’s finest throughout the world, which includes our excellent culinary tradition. We want our guests who come from over 200 different countries to get to know traditional Italian dishes that are all prepared using traditional recipes. We are therefore very pleased to be taking part for the fourth year running in the International Day of Italian Cuisine", said Stefano Fontanesi, Corporate Executive Chef at Costa Cruises.

The “costoletta di vitello alla milanese”  is the official dish for the 9th International Day of Italian Cuisine (idic.itchefs-gvci.com). The event, which every year pays tribute to a traditional Italian dish, was conceived by the Virtual Group of Italian Chefs (www.itchefs-gvci.com), a network of over 2,200 Italian chefs and restaurateurs who work in 70 different countries throughout the world, whose aim is to promote authentic quality Italian cuisine worldwide.

The 9th International Day of Italian Cuisine will also be an opportunity to learn interesting facts about the real “costoletta di vitello alla Milanese” and its history, the origins of which date back to 17 December 1134 when it first appeared at a nine-course banquet offered to the high clergy of the city of Milan by the abbot of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, as recounted by Pietro Verri in his History of Milan. The recipe for the Milanese style veal chop was published for the first time in 1855 in a book entitled “Gastronomia Moderna” (Modern Gastronomy) written by Giuseppe Sorbiatti who suggested serving the dish with the same butter that the chops were cooked in accompanied by slices of lemon.

Costa Cruises involvement in this important event confirms once again the Italian cruise company's commitment to offering its guests only the best of Italian traditional cuisine. From January 2016 onwards, Costa ships will be offering an amazing new gala menu created by the Michelin-starred chef, Bruno Barbieri: a journey offering genuine taste and flavour and a skilful combination of creativity and authenticity that presents Italy to the rest of the world from North to South.

As well as this special proposal, Costa gourmet cuisine is also based on the great Italian regional culinary tradition, with over 400 dishes representing 16 regions in Italy and symbolising the identity and pride of Italian cuisine. The new Pummid’Oro pizzerias serve real pizzas with dough made from 100% natural yeast thanks to special collaboration between the Italian company and the University of Gastronomic Science in Pollenzo. Costa Cruises, which has always focused on the needs and wellbeing of all its guests, also offers complete menus that cater for vegetarians and vegans with speciality dishes that embody Italian excellence.