by Lina Malafronte
The English say “God Save The Queen,” let me say “God Save Nutella.” The unique, inimitable, irreplaceable sugary “star” blew out her first 50 candles and she did it organizing a range of events around the world, as worldwide is her fame.
It was 1964: while the 45 rpm record played the top singles, the young lovers, riding their Vespa, roamed the city as the couple Hepburn-Peck, the sitting rooms, at the stroke of 08.50pm, sang the Pagliaccio of Carosello, the Adriatic coast beaches start to liven up, the women bared their legs more and more and the hippies in the Fab Four and the four ugly, dirty and bad boys style enraged their parents, a new snack invaded the Italian tables.
Who would have thought that the vitreous reusable glass adorned with the unmistakable red and black letters and the tempting slice of bread, born under the sign of the fabulous 60’s and the economic miracle, the will to cheer up from the Second World War ashes and the desire for carefreeness, could occupy our kitchen cupboards never leaving them again?
If I say bread I inevitably think about her. And about a slice of bread topped with the hazelnut cream thought Michele Ferrero and his father before him.
In the beginning was Giandujot, the solid block to slice, then to the smart housewives the softest SuperCrema to spread with a knife was offered. The “Tonda Gentile delle Langhe” hazel variety melt into sugar, cocoa and vegetable oils mix for the pastry chef Pietro, Monsù Pietro for his countrymen, recipe. Great for the workers’ pockets, the creamy invention, moderate only in the price, instantly seduced the children’s papillae.
With a new name, half English (nut stands for hazelnut), from Alba it started its march far and wide to become a guarantee of the Made in Italy that captivates the palate. Conquered the old and the new continent, after having come on the big and small screen, having been the muse of some songwriters, the subject of essays and articles, gone into the social media world, this constant presence in the confectionery preparations reached the half-century mark. A stamp, showing a jar of the product on a golden bottom, several events and customizable jars to accompany the cut of its first golden ribbon.
While Naples was getting ready to host the celebrations that saw Mika performing in Piazza Plebiscito, La Notizia, of course, could not miss the opportunity of seeing its name on one of those containers of the virtuous paste, a panacea for all ills. After all, its rotolini of pizza with Nutella, as well as those with handmade dark chocolate, are the hug that ends the evening, because they do not have to be as in Pino Daniele song c’a pummarola ‘ncoppa (with tomato sauce), the sweet version of the long-fermented dough can give strong emotions and you will see that the world then smiles to you.
