- Today, in Scanno (L'Aquila), the funeral of Gregorio Rotolo, the shepherd and master cheesemaker who has been able to bring to the international limelight the sheep farming practiced in the Abruzzo National Park (Pnalm) and the typical local cheeses by teaching these traditional production techniques even to the Palestinians and New Zealanders.
The "Pecorino Gregoriano", produced by hand in La Prata towards Passo Godi, is a Sloow Food presidium and has accompanied, together with its prosciutto di percora, the great Abruzzo chefs in Dubai and around the world as a real ambassador of the territory.
Gregorio's cheeses are on the menus of starred chefs, from William Zonfa of La Magione Papale dell'Aquila to those of Niko Romito who wrote on social media: "He left us a great friend, a man who made a story out of his life wonderful, a true story that I had the privilege of being part of. Hi Gregory, have a good trip. You will miss me, your loved ones, our territory, all those who have known you and all your animals that you called by name, one by one".
This shepherd from Abruzzo has given voice to mountain micro-entrepreneurship and sustainable development, presenting himself as follows: for more than 40 years I have been transforming cheeses what Creation offers me every day.
From his organic farm Valle Scannese da Gregorio they announced: "Gregorio has returned to the heavenly pastures .... He was not just a shepherd, he looked at the world with different eyes. It was a rarity on this Earth and he left us a legacy. immense that it is up to us to guard and cultivate it ".
From Slow Food Abruzzo they declare themselves "honored to have had him as a friend", but the messages of condolence and mourning for the disappearance of this, so defined by many, "good giant" already exceed 600.
In the last two decades Gregorio Rotolo has climbed the dairy rankings of numerous competitions, among many he was awarded in 2005 at the first edition of the Mountain Cheese Olympics, held in Saint Vincent up to the most recent editions of the Rome Prize.
He also took the stage at Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona, at the premiere of '' Bontagna: fodder, courage, cheese (immortal milk) '' together with the comedian Andy Luotto, now a restaurateur, and Giorgio Baldan (violin) and Tiziana Tornari (harp).
(HANDLE).