CRITICAL TASTING TECHNIQUES - QUALIFICATION
cod. 1008087

Academic year 2018/19
2° year of course - First semester
Professor
Pietro D'ALESSIO
Academic discipline
Sociologia dei processi culturali e comunicativi (SPS/08)
Field
A scelta dello studente
Type of training activity
Student's choice
21 hours
of face-to-face activities
3 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Learning objectives

The student must be able to:
 Recognise, evaluate and describe food and drink from an organoleptic-qualitative and gastronomic point of view through a series of objective, precise and repeatable descriptive parameters
 Judging the gastronomic and hedonistic experience through learning and acquiring defined information and criteria
 Report on significant events in the history of taste, its evolution and its masters
 Linking typicality and agri-food specialties to their respective geographical areas of origin, production and consumption
 Highlight the value of semiotics as an important means of communication in gastronomy.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of gastronomy and geography, English and French languages

Course unit content

Origins of taste. Elements of organoleptic-qualitative evaluation. Parameters of critical and hedonistic tasting of food and beverage products and meal-experience.
Brillat-Savarin and Escoffier, Vincenzo Corrado and Luigi Veronelli. Taste liturgies, protocols and etiquette. Semiotics of gastronomy. Seminar "Planet Restaurant 2018".
Tasting activities planned
The taste of wine ◊ Sake Lab ◊ Geometry of artisanal ice cream ◊ World of tomatoes ◊ Physiology of panettone ◊ Chocolate and milk - quality and types ◊

Full programme

 Origins of taste and culinary art
 Elements of organoleptic-qualitative evaluation
 Parameters of critical and hedonistic tasting of the product and meal-experience
 Taste scenarios and variables that influence food choices
 The masters of taste from Archestratos to Ferran Adrià
 Semiotics as a strong tool for communicating food and its situations
 Brillat-Savarin: a thoughtful analysis of parts of 'The Physiology of Taste'
 Luigi Veronelli, gourmet anarchist and mentor of the gastronomes
 Vincenzo Corrado, visionary and forerunner of the Mediterranean Diet
 Between Gastronomy and Gastrosophy
 Taste liturgies, protocols and etiquette
 Seminar "Planet Restaurant 2018".

Bibliography

Students will refer to notes taken during lessons, PowerPoint presentations and handouts. In addition, they will use parts of the following volume:
Brillat-Savarin J.A., 2011, The Physiology of Taste: or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy (Vintage Classics Ed.).
Marconi M., Fainer D., Benevelli G., Nicoli G., 2007, Dentro al gusto, Edagricole.
Suggested texts for further information and consultation:
Peynaud E., 1987, Taste of Wine: Art and Science of Wine Appreciation, Little Brown ed.
Barthes, R., 1978, Brillat-Savarin read by Roland Barthes, Sellerio Ed.
Guarnaschelli Gotti, M., 2007, Grande enciclopedia della Gastronomia, Mondadori

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, cooperative learning activities, audio-video contributions, gastronomic workshop, educational outings; presentation of case studies, debates. Guided tastings with guest specialists

Assessment methods and criteria

Final written test

Other information

The teaching material will be published on ELLY.SAF.UNIPR.IT at the end of each lesson.
Possible variations caused by extraordinary situations will be communicated promptly

2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

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