Why Tigellae then?
Pronouncing the word Tigellae correctly can be a bit of a challenge for a native English speaker. I’ve now heard so many variations to it – sometimes with really amusing local twangs and inflections, my favourite will always be Ty-g-eee-laaay proudly proclaimed in a broad Mancunian accent – that I really wonder at times if it had been a good idea choosing this name in the first place. Maybe a classic “Da Giò and Laura” would have been better? Nah, we didn’t want to be another run-of-the-mill “Italian” establishment, with their ‘spageti bolognaise’ and ‘proskuito and fungi pizzas’. We wanted to be authentic, truthful, original – maybe a bit quirky? – and what better way of proving our commitment than choosing a name taken from a virtually unknown medieval flat bread from Northern Italy, where I come from? That’s how Tigellae was born.
Our name, our heritage
Tigellae gets its name from an ancient medieval instrument used to cook a very special kind of flat bread, originating from the hills between Modena and Bologna, in Northern Italy.
Tegere is the Latin word meaning to cover as these flat clay discs called tigelle covered the fresh dough, were wrapped in chestnut or walnut leaves and then left close to an open fire to cook. The clay discs were shaped and then carved to decorate the bread during the cooking process: the most typical figure is the Comacina rose, an Etruscan icon dating back to the IV century B.C. but other traditional patterns include coats of arms and crests.
Today tigelle are still consumed and appreciated even after more than six hundred years because of their simplicity, adaptability and unforgettable taste. Tigelle are for sharing, with friends and family, eating together and enjoying life. That’s why I love them and couldn’t think of a better word for expressing all I wanted our new venture to be. Tigellae, what a great little word!
Next time I’ll give you a bit more insights on this Modenese speciality, along with a simple recipe to make them at home and serving suggestions. And, of course, how to pair them with great Italian wines!
Giordano
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