An 85-year-old retired greengrocer from a small Ligurian hamlet won the World Pesto Championship in Genoa yesterday.
Carla Pensa was proclaimed the new champion at 4:30pm by Silvia Salis after emerging as the best among 100 participants from around the world.
Pensa, born in 1940, comes from Roccatagliata, a hamlet of just 53 inhabitants in the municipality of Neirone, in the metropolitan area of Genoa. She had been added to the list of competitors for the World Pesto Championship at the last minute.
The judges selected ten finalists during the morning before choosing the overall winner in the final round. All competitors were provided with identical ingredients, including Italian pine nuts, Vessalico garlic, Genoese basil DOP, “Riviera Ligure” DOP extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio, aged Pecorino Sardo and coarse salt from Trapani.
Judges evaluated the pesto using five criteria: manual skill and organisation of the workspace, texture, creaminess, colour and overall harmony of flavours.
Pensa received the competition’s traditional “golden pestle” award, along with applause from the audience at the closing ceremony.
Other prizes awarded
During the event, the first edition of the Pietro Cheli literary prize was awarded to Senegalese author Mareme Cisse for the book “Dreams of Ginger”, published by Slow Food Editore.
The cultural association “A Compagna” also presented its traditional plaque to the competitor who travelled the furthest. This year’s recognition went to Craig Stanley Wales, originally from Hawaii.
