Qormi bread festival draws hundreds

Tiziana Bartolo

Sep 13th 2009, 15:24

It's a rare occasion when you can appreciate and experience a typical Maltese evening. Yesterday, I attended the Bread Festival with some friends. I must say that I was quite surprised with the large attendance. It was very interesting getting to know this village better. Personally, I didn't know that there was so much going on in this village. I also went on one of the tours organised by the organisers to modern and old 'fran'. It was very interesting to see how bread is made. I have a newfound respect both for bread and the families who make it. I also had the opportunity to speak to some organisers after an exhibition presented at the centre of P.L.Y.G. about women's role in the bakery and bread itself. I also watched a feature on bread. I got to know that the feature was done by the organisers themselves and that they visited many bakeries to gather the info and footage. I also bought some bread from an old 'karrettun'!!

I was very proud of such a presentation of the Maltese product since I heard many different languages as I was walking through the crowd!

Rebecca Vella

Sep 13th 2009, 14:55

In reference to the latter comment, apart from the entertainment, both traditional and modern, and the mouth watering food privided in the square, one may also note that there was a well researched exibition, based on the 5 senses, in the Pastoral Centre, a few steps away from the square. From 8pm - 11pm there were tours, every half hour, to two local, traditional bakers , provided by a vintage bus. I am pleased to say that this was a success since all the tours were full.

On Friday at 7pm, a forum was held in the Pastoral Centre , for which a lot of people, mainly tourists, attended under the title of "Id-dell tal- hobza Maltija fuq il-familja tal-furnar". A treasure hunt for children and youths was held on Saturday morning, around Qormi. This was highly educational since all the clues included questions about bakers and their trade.

To conclude I would like to congratulate P.L.Y.G., who organised this educational activity, and I am sure that those who attended the QBF for the first time, are enthusiastic to attend in the coming years.

Well done again.

Regards,
Rebecca.

Reuben Gauci

Sep 13th 2009, 14:53

Thanks very much for your appreciation. Nonetheless I would like to note that the socio-eudactional attractiveness was present in the Qormi Bread Festival through the Forum held on Friday by a number of academics which included a historian, an ethnographer, an expert in the Maltese language and bakers. It was well attended and great interest was present among those present. In the pastoral centre in Qormi there was an exhibition about the role of women at the bakeries and one had the opportunity to follow an interesting feature about the methodology of the Maltese bread. Obviously, bread is baked primarily to be eaten and therefore a celebration of the Maltese bread accompanied by music and entertainment was held yesterday with a great response of hundreds of people attending the celebration of the Maltese bread. The Qormi Bread festival feeds both the mind and the body.

marielou camilleri

Sep 13th 2009, 14:35

A big well done must go to the Qormi bread festival team,and in addition,a big thank you to the Qormi local council,our sponsors,and all those involved in this event. we as youths give our 100% in this event throughout all the year,and are proud to say,that this year, like the years before,the Qormi bread festival was visited by hundreds of people that are interested in our traditions,in particular bread.In order to organize a festival of this standard, we make detailed researches every year, about bread and our traditions, which take us a lot of time and dedication.
i must say that the Qormi Bread Festival was not only about last Saturday's festivities, but it included also a forum about bread and its role in the Maltese family. Besides, on Saturday morning a treasure hunt was organized around the whole city of Qormi and its bakeries.
finally i must say, that there were tours around traditional bakers during last Saturday's event, which many people enjoyed.
I,as a youth in the Qormi Bread Festival team,am proud of myself and my colleagues for the commitment and success that year after year we have. thank you, see you next year !

Joe Fenech

Sep 13th 2009, 13:28

Mr Zarb:

" what is more we need to have a DOC style legislation on authentic and original Maltese Bread, what is being produced today by most bakers is NOT the original stuff!!!"

HOW RIGHT YOU ARE!!!!!!

Yes, you're right - most of our bakers produce nothing other than commercial English supermarket quality rolls!!!!! One need to remember that the best bread in the UK is made in the North which is still made in a Roman style using sour-dough?

I must say, I travel extensively, and I still believe that a good Maltese loaf (which is TRUE rustic bread not 'rustic bread' as loosely defined my supermakets) is one of the best bread one can come across. It is very close to bread from Italian and southern French regions.

Malta needs to start labelling our food with a label similar to the British PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and AFO (Assured Food Standards).

Thanks for being a real patriot who has no qualms point out failures in the system - only people who are honest can help this country improve and maintain it's few quality things.

Mario Theuma

Sep 13th 2009, 12:32

Why not attend the Savio College Bosco fest instead? It's bigger than ever, a celebration of talent of over 300 youths. Yesterday's activities went extremely well. Free entertainment for all the family. Today's shows started at noon and will continue rain or shine till 11:30 pm. For more info see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9um0564bPQ or
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2486702&id=79146853877

Anne Marie Bonello

Sep 13th 2009, 11:37

When we arrived...at around 9:30...we went to go buy tokens for food...and although there was still food available they told us the tokens had finished! Since food and 'entretainement' where the only two things present...and we couldn't even eat, there was no point in staying there!

T Mifsud

Sep 13th 2009, 10:50

Very nice initiative! Keep it up!

Good edit too giving it a light humorous touch ;)

Julian Zarb - Tourism Journalist

Sep 13th 2009, 10:12

While it is certainly plausible that we are beginning o show symptoms of creativity and authenticity in our cultural calendar, I was rather disappointed that this year's Bread Festival in Qormi lacked that certain socio-educational attractiveness - why weren't there any tours and visits to traditional bakers? Why were there not any competitions or demonstrations relative to bread? This is one of our oldest food items, still in existence and all I could see was a fair with food stalls and music but very little to do with BREAD - what is more we need to have a DOC style legislation on authentic and original Maltese Bread, what is being produced today by most bakers is NOT the original stuff!!!