Local, Artisanal, Slow: Badamo, Sicily

Nestled on the isolated peaks of the Madonie mountains in Sicily, Italy lies Badamo: a bakery that epitomizes what the slow food movement – particularly in this country – is all about. To be fair, this is not a stylish spot. There’s no chic space in the middle of a buzzing metropolis. And hipsters don’t spend their days here tweeting away on their laptops. Yet, Badamo – in its principles and goods – is trendier than it knows (or cares, for that matter). In this quiet, still space, family bakers produce fresh loaves, exceptional biscuits, and heaps of gorgeous baked goods for a devoted, local following. On their ranch, full of horses, The Urban Grocer sat down with the bakers to get the anti-urban down low on what they think make exceptional eats.

TUG: What do you say to people who think that living and working in such a remote town is like running away from where the crowds are?

Nicola Badamo: It is, a bit. But you don’t need to live in a big city and show off your bread to have customers. We believe if it smells great and tastes even better, people will go on a hunt for it. And that’s more or less what happened with us.

TUG: What, in your opinion, is the added value of artisanal bread?

NB: It’s very easy to rush into the first bakery around, where any loaf will taste the same, turning hard as a rock in less than 24 hours. But bread made with artisanal techniques and high quality ingredients just tastes and smells so different. There’s a fantastic sensory experience that only traditional bread could provide. And if you buy a loaf today, you will still be able to break it with your hands and eat it in a week.

TUG: For you, what is fundamental in making bread?

Giuseppe Badamo: We use local wheat, such as the ‘Russello’, which is a very rare variety that’s been used in these mountains for centuries. It gives flavors and scents that you can’t get anywhere else; only nature can do it. We also rise our dough with slow processes. This is a very important step for reaching the right acidity and developing those exceptional aromas.

TUG: You both work all night long. What else does a master baker like to do when not baking?

GB: I don’t think there’s very much free time when you’re a baker. I prefer to check if the rise of the dough is going well, like a baby!

Panificio Badamo Giuseppe
C.so V. Emanuele 56
Isnello (PA), Sicily, ITALY
+39.0921.666.2129

[Photos via Salvatore Cavalli]