By Simone Bandini
We meet the Guidubaldi family who for 35 years have been taking care of the desire for sweetness of the inhabitants and visitors of the medieval village of Gualdo Tadino. Once the pastry shop was located right in the centre, in Piazza dell’Erba. Marco Guidubaldi, known by all, had followed his passion for ‘sweet things’ from a young age until, in ’97, the artisan workshop and the cafeteria moved to the valley, to support the strong growth and industriousness of the town. We are today with his wife Daniela Paciotti who reminds us with a generous smile and a touch of satisfaction of the ‘Quattro Porte’ (Four Doors) affair.
“It was the year 1989, I remember the opening date well, it was March 18th. Why? Because in three days I would have given birth!”, she immediately amazes us. It is understandable how the history of this family business, like many small companies in Italy, is the story of great sacrifices and ambitious bets.
Her daughter Federica, in the years to come, follows the family tradition and becomes a source of innovation and change for pastry: breakfasts, small sweet and savoury pastries, buffets, classic and monumental cakes and a whimsical, artistic cake design that enriches and personalizes receptions, anniversaries and family celebrations in this wonderful area. A talent for languages – she speaks English, Spanish, French, German and even a little Russian – in addition to made-to-measure creations, she takes care of the laboratory and likes to stay behind the counter: the relationship with her customers is absolutely confidential since ‘Le Quattro Porte’ is a great company, a meeting point between the production area and the town.
Artisan pastry focuses a lot on the absolute quality of the raw materials, of Umbrian origin when not completely local: “From flours to sugar and up to eggs we choose the best and prefer small producers to the large industrial chain”, they say.
Marco has always been the point of reference, the master pastry chef. Federica, a creative and willing daughter, in concert with her mother has updated the ancient methods used in the laboratory, revisiting doughs, shapes and decorations: “We have set up large and small events that have met the approval of local and international guests; we manage the path that leads from the morning buffet with sweet and savoury artisanal petit patisserie, to the wedding cake,” explains Federica.
We are fast approaching Christmas, so we then ask Daniela what is the typical dessert of this period: “Without a doubt our ‘Serpentone’ (Big Snake), made with almond paste refined in flour, egg white, egg and vanilla”, avoiding revealing anything else, of course!
“You have to work a dough of the right consistency and place a kind of spiral on the work surface – which is then cut into pieces like the scales of a snake,” she tells us.
Also for the Christmas holidays, ‘panettone’ are snapped up – which also have a valuable and unique packaging chosen and designed, every year, by the Guidubaldi family. The most original and appreciated? “The panettone with spices, the one with walnuts and figs, candied orange, or with sinful tears of chocolate,” she explains.
On this year’s ‘new’ panettone, the reserve has not yet been lifted. All that remains is to wait a few weeks and find out directly in the pastry shop!
The family, as we said, has also organized special events with lactose-free or gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan desserts, to meet the ethical and nutritional research typical of our days. Last but not least, the artisan workshop serves local accommodation facilities and restaurants – which make use of this precious resource for breakfasts, small pastries and quality desserts.
“I still enjoy being around people, from the long, bright summer days to the grey winters. We are a reference for the village, we are committed to this all year round – and this also qualifies our lives”, concludes Daniela, allowing us a last, sincere, smile of complicity.
Info: Pasticceria ‘Le Quattro Porte’, Via Vittorio Veneto 48, Gualdo Tadino (Pg) / Tel. and Whatsapp 075 913128