Bari women's strike. italian pasta wars
In the Italian town of Bari, women who make and sell traditional pasta from the region went on strike. The protests were sparked by some media outlets suggesting that their products were machine-prepared rather than handmade.
One of the colors and charms of Bari's historic center is the fresh homemade orecchiette. It is sold at stalls in alleys and narrow streets, and sometimes directly from floured boards in the ground floor kitchen windows. Many local families are involved in its production.
They are round, hollow dumplings, and their name means “little ears.”
Italy. Strike by women who make pasta
The women reacted against various media outlets criticizing factory-made pasta being sold as homemade and poor hygiene in the kitchen.
Nunzia, one of Bari's most famous housewives who sells Puglia's specialties, insisted that she and the other women make the products by hand.
– No scams. Orecchiette is specially dried, which is necessary for hygiene reasons. Tourists take them to Paris and America. Therefore, it must be kept dry to prevent it from spoiling during the trip. Otherwise, mold could grow, explained a representative of the protesters who closed the doors of their stalls and houses over the weekend.
“We want to work in peace,” she added.
Italy. The mayor protects tradition
Commenting on the strike, the Mayor of Bari, Vito Lessese, said that the city authorities want to protect the traditions passed down from generation to generation and support those who nurture them.
“The famous street where dumplings are made and sold is a special tourist attraction,” the mayor said, as reported by local media.
On Sunday, the “pasta” strike will last half a day.
JKN/PAP
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