Who is behind the fire
Five generations have stood between this counter and this oven. The last two are still here every evening.
The room
The pan is carried through the room by hand, on a cloth, still hot. It is the shortest trip in the house: oven, counter, table.
The counter
Cut by eye with the wheel, never in equal squares: each portion follows the blisters and the crust.
The guests
Regulars, neighbours, people off the train and people off the television. The apron with the gold name has been in every photo for years.
Giovanni
Still the one who decides when a farinata comes out, and who does the preparations in the order he has always done them.
Mum
She still takes care of the counter, because she cannot do without it, and she does it the way she did as a girl.
Andrea
Fourth generation with his brother: he takes the orders, explains the toppings and tells visitors what farinata actually is.
Adele and Stefano
They are the ones now, every day: the counter, the room, the phone orders. They learned by watching, like everyone before them.