Andrea Cerrato Anita Casamento
The Monferrato oil: good taste in good health
Anita Casamento is a pioneer of olive cultivation in Piedmont. Anita expanded her olive cultivation at the end of the last century, transforming an initial hobby into a prevalent and passionately pursued business. Despite not having a strong background in farming, Anita built her expertise step by step, becoming a certified Olive Oil Sommelier with the Bibenda Foundation and achieving great recognition, such as the Cinque Gocce Bibenda (Five Bibenda Drops) in 2025, presented to her by President Mattarella, and seeing her oil categorized as gold internationally.
Production in Piedmont is very challenging and represents only 0.40% of the oil produced in Italy. The variable and often adverse climatic conditions make every year a unique struggle. Anita therefore decided to start an olive-growing tradition by planting eleven different cultivars, increasing those best suited to the territory, such as Grignan and Bianchera.
The central point of Anita's philosophy is to consider oil as a nutraceutical and not just a simple condiment. The Monferrato oil, known for its lightness and fresh notes, inspired her claim: "Good taste in good health."
Video table of contents
- Introduction
- From commitment to rewards
- Oil as nourishment, not just as a dressing
- How did my olive grove start
- The ongoing climate change
- The worst enemy of olive trees
- Choosing the varieties by following the heart
- The choice of the layout
- The olive oil mill
- The marketing
- Networks, associations, and events
- Women if the olive oil sector
- The importance of the storytelling
- A perfect oil for regional cooking
Interview information
Country: IT
Region: Piemonte
City: Olivola
Locality: Regione Abba
Anita Casamento
Date of birth: 01-08-1946
City: Roma
Profession: Entrepreneur
Languages: Italiano
Document by: Laura Bugliazzini
Video by: Laura Bugliazzini, Andrea Icardi
Created: 26-11-2025
Questo video fa parte del seguente archivio
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Nourishing Piedmontese Identity: Bagna Cauda’s tales
Bagna cauda is a complex and multifaceted gastronomic system partly constituted by its ingredients and, above all, by a repertoire of cultural aspects capable of conveying symbols, traditions, and knowledge of the communities of Southern Piedmont, from which it is considered an identity food.
A dish in which every variant of the recipe is evidence of a different tradition: hundreds of possible preparations that differ from each other, connected by distinctive traits such as conviviality, sharing, irony, and the celebration of a non-solemn festive event. A unique convergence that represents the common thread of this repository that contains interviews with farmers, cooks, and those who experience the practice of bagna cauda as a moment of communion with food and collectivity.
A meaning that, in the last twelve years, the Astigiani Cultural Association has been able to grasp, proposing to the Piedmontese communities all over the world the participation to the Bagna Cauda Day. A very successful initiative that involved over 30.000 diners in the 2024 edition.
