With almost 400 years of activity, the family combines the great regional classics with excellent dishes and canvases
In the land of Sangiovese di Romagna, of “piadina”, and the “Mora Romagnola”, a cuisine of ancient and rural origins is handed down. The strong point of the dishes that were brought on the table is the taste, by fully using the available resources. This deep-rooted culture of food has led to the development of a real design, a style closely associated with the incredible food and wine heritage of this land, a unique artistic expression, found in everyday objects in the kitchen.
In Santarcangelo di Romagna, a municipality in the Rimini province, a printing company has been creating masterpieces on canvas and fabric for over 400 years with the same colours, methods and wood clichés of the past. It’s the Antica Stamperia Marchi that, like a precious treasure chest, carefully preserves the entire decorative heritage of Romagna, still represented by canvases printed with rust. Inside the workshop, the canvas, an essential component in the kitchens of the Romagna azdores, is smoothed, stretched and glazed with an ancient Mangle wheel of wood and stone, dating back to the XVII century, the only example left in the world for weight and dimensions.
Antica Stamperia Marchi produces several incredible products, fabrics and dishes for oenogastronomy: tablecloths, napkins, dishcloths, aprons, chef’s hats, a pocket to keep the piadina warm, drip-catchers for wine bottles, rolling pin holders, bags for bread and cheese, a wide selection of ceramic plates and dishes completely hand-painted with very personal logos and designs. We were very keen to know the story and the deep secrets of this place, so we contacted the owners Lara and Gabriele Marchi, who kindly answered our questions.
How close is the relationship between your prints and the territory oenogastronomy?
“They fully represent Romagna since 1633. In our workshop, the whole iconography of our history from 1600 to today is impressed through the moulds”.
Are there any restaurants that use or display your works?
“Some places locally. An example is the renowned restaurant “La Sangiovesa” in Santarcangelo di Romagna. Our products are appreciated overseas as well, especially in Washington DC, where we serve the restaurants “La Sfoglina” by Chef Fabio Trabocchi“.
One last point of interest: how did you come up with the idea of the pocket for piadina with the drawings of Tonino Guerra’s poems?
“He was a dear friend of both our grandfather and of our father, and he assiduously attended the family press”.
