In the Odyssey, the Greek term Nostos (νόστος) indicates the hero's "return home" after his adventures. It is not a simple turn back: the person who returns is no longer the same person who left, because the journey has changed them, enriching them with new experiences and connections. Ulysses returns to Ithaca different from how he had set out, enriched by everything he saw and experienced along the way. And we too, from our trip to Fromago 2026, have brought home memories, relationships, and experiences that we will carry forward well beyond this edition of the fair.
What We Brought Back With Us
First of all, a warm welcome: the friendliness and warmth of the Spanish people struck us from day one. Zamora is a city that comes alive especially after 7 PM, when the streets fill up and social life explodes with a dynamism that we Italians observed with curiosity and admiration. The biggest surprise, however, was discovering how much the Spanish love Italy and its traditional products. In particular, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Pecorino PDO won over the public: at our stand, we sold out of everything we had brought, from Parmigiano to Grana Padano PDO, as well as Pecorino and matching fruit preserves: pumpkin, watermelon, apple, and pear jam with Lambrusco.
Voices from the Team
Who better than those who experienced the fair firsthand to describe what this Nostos really means? Here are the impressions of our team representing the Consorzio Gourm.it in Zamora:
Mahi describes the city coming alive at night: "A city that comes alive in the evening, filled with warm people who love Italy."
Sabrine experienced something out of the ordinary: "A new experience, different from standard business fairs, getting directly in touch with the local people."
Margherita highlights the biggest surprise: "This fair pleasantly surprised us; we didn't expect such a turnout and such great interest in our products."
A Return, Not an End
Like Ulysses in Ithaca, we return enriched by this journey. Fromago 2026 confirmed to us how much Italian products, and particularly our PDO cheeses, speak a universal language capable of overcoming borders and cultural differences. And like any return home, this is not a destination, but the starting point for our next journey.
