Marble returns to patisserie Petra di Bronte launches a line of plastic free products

A new “highly ecological” kitchen and pastry product could replace plastic objects from China. This is the idea that Nicola Dell'Erba has been pushing forward for a few months; owner of the Petra company in Bronte (Catania), a dozen employees at the foot of Etna, specialized in art, innovation and design through the processing of any type of stone, from marble to lava basalt. “Since last December we have been making everyday objects that replace plastic materials. We are specializing in utensils used daily in the kitchen and pastry shop,” explains the owner. First of all the “spreader” entirely in stone, created in various colors and customizable: “it is used to distribute the cream, in panettone, in colomba, and on slices of bread, but also to collect it from the containers.” The project is called “plaka,” from the Greek word “plate,” from which the name of the oldest neighborhood in Athens derives. The initiative has intrigued several local companies involved in the processing of pistachio cream (a Bronte specialty par excellence; but also strawberry, hazelnut, chocolate and orange), used in the filling of panettone and colomba, and in a few months the requests have been pouring in. "In short, we recycle the stone waste that comes from the marble industry and make small artifacts that are very useful for certain purposes: starting with the agri-food industry, as they can come into contact with food. The object must have refined lines and at the same time must be easy to handle, highly resistant to impacts, very light (does not exceed 35 grams)". At the heart of the company's "creative space" is a laser tool for engraving contours, "in order to adapt the object to individual needs." "The desire to create stone objects as an alternative to plastic has given strength and energy to the entire project. Eco-sustainability must in no way create objects that replace plastic with lower quality and higher costs. This is now possible thanks to industrial robotics and the creativity of artists," explains the company owner.