CASTELBUONO (PALERMO) – Symbol of rebirth and spring, the rose is the queen of all flowers, emblem of femininity and elegance, but also a refined ingredient of the most recent confectionery creations by Nicola Fiasconaro. And just one year after the launch of his pink and prickly pear panettone, the master dedicated a special day to “rosa damascena”, a great element of inspiration for his pastry art. The event, which took place behind closed doors and in compliance with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, saw actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, ambassador of Mediterranean beauty linked to the Fiasconaro family by a deep friendship as a special guest of the day. The origins of the ‘Damask Rose’, with its large and fleshy petals, are lost on the borders between fable and legend. It is said that the queen of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies sent her daughters around the world in search of the perfect rose.
Princess Rosa Canina came to South Africa to collect her namesake flower, with small white corollas with an intense fragrance, while the princess Rosa Damascena arrived in Turkey, where she discovered the extract of Turkish rose – of Damascus – a flower loved by perfumers. And in the same enchanted atmosphere the celebration took place at Tenuta Fiasconaro in homage to the precious flower. During the day, the thousand suggestions of flowering were declined through the performances of local artists, who gave life to scenic moments of great beauty against the backdrop of the evocative natural stage of the farmyard of Tenuta Fiasconaro, surrounded behind by the embrace delle Madonie, marking the different hours of the day from Brunch to dusk. The artist Angela Sottile gave shape to a three-dimensional sculpture thanks to the skilful use of rosebuds, inspired by the jazz soundtrack of the young Maestro Michele Mazzola, which gave those present the vital energy and the subtle magic of spring. And in the wake of these notes, the artist Solveig Cogliani has created a portrait of ‘his Majesty’ the rose, using natural elements such as wine. To sweeten this beauty journey the voice of the young singer Debora Marguglio and the creations of the Fiasconaro pastry chefs, with their blown sugar rose. The master rediscovered the precious essence of Damascus roses, also known as the ‘rose of perfumers’, in the innovative recipe of pink panettone and prickly pear. A special panettone, a symbol of hope and rebirth, in which the rose with Mediterranean fragrances meets prickly pears, in the embrace of Sicilian soft wheat flour. The pink chocolate pearls, with a fruity taste, embellish the soul and the double covering of the cake, made with white chocolate and prickly pear jam. A sensory journey through Sicily, a harsh land parched by the sun, but always generous and capable of giving Mediterranean fragrances and ancient fruits with a unique flavor. A product that comes from the tradition and characteristics of the Sicilian lands, inexhaustible sources of inspiration and creativity for the master Nicola, who will also be the protagonist for Christmas 2021. Flavors, perfumes and alchemy of Sicily are the evocative setting of history and tradition of the confectionery company Fiasconaro, founded in 1953 in Castelbuono, in the heart of the Madonie park, in the province of Palermo. Today the company, now in its third generation, is an excellence of Made in Italy, with a turnover of over 21 million euros and a growth of 20% on all the main markets: Italy, Canada, France, United States, Germany, England, Australia and New Zealand and with a strategic horizon aimed at the Asian market. Fiasconaro is totally made in Sicily and also its related activities follow the territoriality. Panettone and Fiasconaro colomba represent the core business of the company, but the incidence of the continuous product line is also constantly growing: nougat, cubaite, spreads, honeys, jams, jams and aromatic sparkling wines.