NAVARRA GOURMET

“The evolution of gastronomy. The importance of health through the ages”

GASTRONOMY & HEALTH. Moderator Jordi Estadella

(Albert Adriá. Launching of the book “Natura”. Manuel Toharia. Director of the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum. Valencia.)

“Food & happiness”

At the Navarre Gourmet - Enjoy Vegetables Congress, Albert Adriá, the owner of the Inopia tapas bar and responsible for the pastry-making at the El Bulli restaurant, claimed that, despite the importance of technology at this Catalonian restaurant, the key factors are still the artisan skills and "our hands". This all enhances the final result. "When it comes down to it, we're selling happiness not food", he declared. "Be happy to cook and cook to be happy", were his recommendations to those present.

At the congress, Ferrá's brother presented his book entitled "Natura", which is a compilation of his creations developed to date, with the idea of "showing the beauty" of this establishment. The publication includes 49 desserts, of which eight are new creations. "I had to stick to tradition in order to predict how cuisine was likely to evolve" he stated. From this publication onwards, in which he reviews the techniques developed over his 23 years of experience, the chef is to adopt a more tradition-centred approach.

Manuel Toharia, the director of the Principe Felipe Museum of Sciences in Valencia also debated on happiness, defending the "joys of eating" despite popular beliefs as to the harmful nature of some foodstuffs. "Chefs offer us food as a pretext for living experiences which are quite different from our day-to-day experiences, because the same difference exists between food and gastronomy as between routine and pleasure", he indicated.

With regard to health, the scientist affirmed that "it is not true to say that one is what one eats, but it does depend on what one eats, even on how one eats". Toharía explained that there is no bad food, but bad diets. "Many culinary myths, such as Moslems and Jews not eating pork, are based on a lack of knowledge. Lamb has far more parasites, but it is venerated in these religions", he stated, recommending not to take so much notice of these beliefs which he termed urban legends.

“Today we know that olive oil is probably the best and healthiest edible fat, whilst 50 years' ago people thought quite the opposite", he explained as an example. These myths on health and gastronomy are so widespread "that non-compliance with tradition is considered to be a social sin".

Having said all this, Toharia put forward some basic rules to guarantee a long life: eat everything, but not too much, give preference to plants over animals, and fish over meat, and bright coloured vegetables over light coloured ones. "This is a guarantee of survival", he indicated. "We are how we eat, so we should make eating a pleasure", he concluded.

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