Joško Sirk

Carmòns in Friulian, Krmin in Slovenian, Kremaun in German. Three names, three peoples: it happens, to border villages. When Joško Sirk was born - August 29, 1952 - the three ethnic groups used to bivouack in Cormons mostly to drink beer or bite Bismarck steaks, a legacy of the former Hapsburg domination. Almost 60 years later, if this little village is given a culinary identity, well carved at the foot of the Julian Alps, we owe it to the local winemakers but also to this gentleman who, in 1968, took over his father tavern to lead her, four decades later, to the her first Michelin star.

On Sirk’s time half-line two other relevant notches are etched: 1977, the year when he married Loredana Antoni («she helps me and stand me» and she will give him three children: Tanja, Erika and Mitja). And1983, when he began designing its Subida in the form we know it today: a small center for “green” tourism, with a dozen apartments obtained in a group of rural farm houses, at the foot a beautiful forest. Under linden trees in the garden, we kick off a three-traditions’ dance, from Potatoes with ricotta Ciompe in slana skuta in the opening up to a Black cherry strudel with butter and cinnamon at the end of the meal.

But it’s the sour wine vinegar (both red and white) the more substantial contribution Sirk gave to the community of contemporary food: also because of the lack of a good law ruling on it, in Italy we have just a few cases where they produce real vinegar, that is left to acidify in a natural way, with acetic fermentation in hot seasons and stabilization in winter time. Then, the vinegar factory in clay and wood that the gentleman has recently built at the foot of the same forest, aims to fill the bottle with this great flavor enhancer. Strong drops to be poured on eggs, asparagus, soups or fatty fishes. But on meringues and desserts exaggerating in nauseating sweetness as well.