Photo: Avocado-Sudachi-Kiwi by Gabriele Riva
In these liquid times, in which everything is relative, fleeting and changing, it is not easy to orient oneself in general or in more specific activities such as gastronomy or our beloved patisserie. Thus, ephemeral fashions arise that vanish in a heartbeat and more solid currents that are sometimes also treated as if they were fashions.
Nowadays, a chef, a company, a school, a fair or any other agent operating in the gastronomic sector must necessarily include some reference to sustainability. It seems that concern for the preservation of the environment is finally on the table. This implies optimizing the energy used for the elaboration or manufacture of a product, reducing waste to a minimum and in general making responsible use of all natural resources. So far so good.
But as is often the case with trends, instead of assimilating the objective of sustainability as a necessary and laudable evolution, it is used on the one hand with the frivolity of a fad, and on the other with dogmatic fanaticism. It is nice to say that one works in a sustainable way (even if it is a mere label), and at the same time, whoever does not adhere visibly and forcefully to this noble cause can be condemned for environmental insensitivity.
We believe it is necessary to find a balance. Eggs and butter are at the base and foundation of our pastry tradition. There are many recipes that are difficult to understand without the participation of these ingredients. And we do not think that they should be included in blacklists at all. But good practices are indeed required for obtaining these products and any other raw material extracted from nature.
The most commonly used definition of sustainability refers to meeting current needs without compromising future ones, ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental protection and social welfare. This is perhaps too generic a starting point, but it is neither selective nor fundamentalist. This is the only way to build a viable sustainability – a sustainable sustainability.
