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HEALTH

Italian ministers furious at French ‘coronavirus pizza’ joke

A French television channel apologised to Italy on Tuesday for airing a mock advert for "corona pizza" in which a coughing chef hacks green phlegm onto Italy's national dish.

Published: 3 March 2020 17:25 CET
Italian ministers furious at French 'coronavirus pizza' joke
Italy's service sector is suffering as customers stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio slammed a 10-second gag on the satirical Groland programme on French network Canal+, in which the red tomato base, white mozzarella and green mucus make up the colours of the Italian national flag, as “bad taste and unacceptable”.

LATEST: New coronavirus infections in Italy show signs of slowing

Globally, more than 3,100 people have died of the coronavirus and over 90,000 have been infected.

Italy is the worst-hit country in Europe, with 79 deaths and over 2,500 people infected.

“Here's the new Italian pizza, which is going to spread around the world,” the fake advert says.

Countries from Britain to China and France have reported cases of people bringing the virus back with them from Italy.

“Making fun of the Italians like that, with the coronavirus emergency we are facing, is profoundly disrespectful”, Di Maio said, adding that he had ordered the Italian embassy in Paris to voice Rome's displeasure.

He insisted the media were “morally obliged” not to spread disinformation, saying the Italian economy was paying the price.

The tourism sector in Italy has been hit particularly hard, with lots of airlines cutting or reducing flights to the north, where the outbreak is concentrated, and hotels reporting widespread cancellations while monuments and museums lie eerily empty.

Soon after Di Maio's comments, Canal+ issued a statement admitting that its joke was “in very bad taste”.

Canal+ said it had removed the clip from its reruns and replay channel, and was “sending a letter of apology to the Italian ambassador to Paris this [Tuesday] afternoon”.

READ ALSO: Is it still safe to visit Italy after the coronavirus outbreak?


The unusually empty Piazza del Duomo in Milan. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

Earlier Italy's agricultural minister Teresa Bellanova slammed the video as “shameful and horrifying”.

“This is not satire, it's an insult to an entire nation,” she said. “As the European and international authorities have repeatedly stated, it is not transmitted through food.”

Despite that, Di Maio said unspecified countries had “called for a 'virus free' label on Italian products”.

The French joke also bombed with Italian farmers' association Coldiretti. It slammed it a “stab in the back” for the Made in Italy industry, worth some €5 billion in exports to France, the second largest market after Germany.

READ ALSO: 

Italy and France historically compete on wine, cheese and bubbles, with Prosecco giving Champagne a run for its money.

The Alpine neighbours have long had turbulent relations. The last time the neighbours swapped outright insults was under Italy's populist government, when political and diplomatic dialogue effectively ground to a halt.

But Di Maio opted on Tuesday for the moral high ground, inviting the video's makers “to come and eat pizza in Italy, a pizza like they have never eaten in their lives”.

Canal+ made no mention of Di Maio's offer in its statement.

READ ALSO: 'Sadness and fear won't solve problems': Italians respond to coronavirus with wine and jokes

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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