Tuscan cuisine

Although many people would believe that Italian food is the same around every region, it is actually very different. One of the most delightful variations of Italian food I have found is in Siena, or the Tuscany region. I love Tuscan food! With rustic pasta dishes, grilled meats, and delightful wines, Tuscan cuisine is fulfilling in every way. In Siena, grilled meats can be found everywhere. From wild boar to pork, the grilled meats in Tuscany are some of the best in Italy. The pasta dishes consist of homemade thick noodles and heartier sauces. Sun dried tomatoes are also a specialty here. The wines come from the Chianti region which has the ideal climate for producing grapes. Ultimately whenever I visit Siena, I always set aside a few hours for a long scrumptious dinner.

Wine Labels

If there is one food item that I have found plenty in Italy, it is wine! Italy is one of the top producers for wine and certainly consumes the most of it. The ideal climate, rich soil, and plentiful hillsides are perfect for growing grapes. There is a large variety of grapes and Italians have found how to make a plethora of wine varieties. Although with so many different types of wines how does one choose the best one? Well thankfully, the Italian government divides the wines into four different labels to help distinguish the different types- DOC, DOCG, and IGT. DOC is the cheapest wine but can be surprisingly delicious. There are many different kinds around Italy and Tuscany provides some of the best from the Chianti region. DOCG is the highest grade of wine. They are the best quality but it is sometimes hard to determine certain aspects about the winemaker. IGT is a pretty broad range of wines that range from poor quality to very good quality. Over all, these labels provide a great range of wine that are sure to please even the pickiest wine critic.

Apertivo

Yesterday I got to experience my first apertivo! My friends and I went to a bar that overlooked the most ancient piazza known for its open produce markets: Campo Di Fiori. Apertivo is comparable to an American happy hour. You pay for a cocktail, beer, or wine and get access to an unlimited buffet of finger foods and appetizers. There are little slices of pizza, mini sandwiches, fried vegetables, and pasta salads. Appertive is a great way to have a light dinner overlooking the busy piazza. Local vendors and musicians line the streets as tourists casually gaze where one of the most ancient produce markets take place. It was a very relaxing experience.

Anchovies are animals too!

I have never been a fan of seafood. Ever since my horrifying previous encounters with fish sticks, I have never had a pleasant perspective on seafood. However, living in Rome has taught me that not all fish comes from a frozen package. I have even tried new types of fish that I would never experience at home including swordfish, lobster, fresh salmon, and anchovies. But as I sat in front of my cutting board with 5 whole anchovies staring back at me, my fear of fish quickly returned. My teacher Christina told us that we were first supposed to rip off the heads, carefully pull out the internal organs and remove the spine from the muscle. I was mortified but had no choice. Christina was not going to let us leave the room without fully dipping our hands in fresh anchovy blood. So I sucked up the courage, closed my eyes and began decapitating the heads of my anchovies. I felt like Sweeny Todd! After the first one, the others weren’t as bad. It was hard to get used to the feeling and I had to keep telling myself the anchovies were dead. As nauseating and painful experience as it was, it helped me realize that the meats and fish that we eat everyday come from living creatures. Many people often go to the grocery store and buy clean packages of meats and forget about where it comes from. Those spotless cutlets of chicken were once a part of a full animal that had internal organs and a head. If more people had to prepare their own meat, I’m sure they would have a different perspective of what they are ingesting. Our society is fortunate enough to have someone else do the dirty work for us. Now every time I buy clean cut meat at the grocery store, I always appreciate it.

The magic of gelato!

If you have never tasted Italian gelato, you are missing out on one of the most incredible treats in the world! There is something magical about fresh, creamy gelato on a warm afternoon in Rome. The intense flavor, creative ingredients, and velvety consistency is enough to make anyone feel like they are in heaven. But gelato is more than just a delicious enjoyment. It is a stress free moment of pure bliss. Gelato is enjoyed best while strolling down the street or casually sitting on the sidewalk. The creamy consistency is unlike anything I have ever tasted. It is thicker than regular ice cream but also contains fresh ingredients. If I could take one thing back with me from Rome, it would absolutely be gelato! But that would be a big mess, wouldn’t it?!

Something smells fishy in here!

Living in Italy has really taught me how to respect the aquatic ecosystem. When I visited San Lorenzo restaurant in Rome, I had the chance to understand how Italians handle their seafood in the restaurant industry. Coming from a family of fishermen, it was very interesting for me to see how other fisherman treat the aquatic environment. I learned that fishing is dependent upon the condition of the sea. The fishermen only catch the fish that are in the water that day. They aim to catch only large fish because catching smaller fish during their reproductive stages could harm the ecosystem. I also learned that charters that don’t respect the ecosystem will catch large amounts of the fish and preserve it for mass production and storage. After talking with the manager of San Lorenzo, I was able to tell if a fish is fresh. A fresh fish’s gills aren’t black and the under belly is still white and not yellow. The eye is elastic and not sunken in. The muscle on the back of the fish is firm and the fish smells fresh and like the sea. A fish can stay fresh up to 12 hours until it goes bad. At the restaurant, the fish comes into the harbor at 2:30 in the afternoon, arrives at the restaurant at 8 pm and are cooked for that night’s dinner. San Lorenzo is respected for its loyalty to the sea and the way they prepare the freshest seafood dishes.

Cheese please!

Our trip to Cilento was a satisfying way to get acquainted with the Mediterranean diet. It was not only cultural, but very fulfilling. One of the most common food items that I encountered was mozzarella de buffalo. We went to an organic farm that specialized in fresh, organic mozzarella. One of the key ingredients in mozzarella is the milk. The milk comes from the buffalo and the buffalo at the farm were treated very well. The stable was well kept and had a modern elegance that would make any buffalo very happy. The buffalo are milked 3 times a day and there are no preservatives added to the cheese. When the milk is made into cheese and solidifies, it is formed into balls and stored in a water sack in order to preserve freshness. I learned that a fresh piece of mozzarella should ooze out milk when cut into and the color should always be whiter than a bright white plate. The cheese at the farm was the freshest mozzarella I have ever tasted and I definitely enjoyed my time watching the production!

I feel just like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love!

If I could pick the best city for pizza, it would be Naples, hands down! Naples is the original birthplace of pizza and has some of the most incredible pizza I have ever indulged in! Napoli pizzerias bake just the right combination of fresh sauce, mozzarella, and tomatoes in traditional wood-burning ovens. While visiting Naples, I had the chance to eat at one of the most recognized pizzerias in Italy- Da Michele. Da Michele is filled with locals and tourists and only serves two types of pizza: margherita and marinara. Da Michele is so well known that it was even in the movie Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts. Julia is filmed taking a big bite of delicious margherita pizza! I had the chance to even sit at the same table she did and reenact the scene. It was truly a memorable experience and the pizza made it that much better!

Nutella is everyone's best friend!

What is it about Nutella that makes every kid’s mouth water? Throughout my time abroad I have never come across a more distinguished, loved product. Although it would be assumed to be a dessert item because it contains chocolate, many Europeans use it as a spread on bread or crackers for breakfast. Nutella is popular in many countries around Europe and included in a lot of cuisine. France includes Nutella in crepes and Italy makes Nutella gelato. It is located in every grocery store and is sometimes incorporated in beverages. This hazelnut chocolate spread is a seriously addicting product and loved by people everywhere. Many other brands and grocery stores have tried to replicate Nutella’s delicious creation but have failed in their attempts. To this day, I’m not sure what it is about Nutella but I can’t get enough of it!

Armando de Pantheon

After being submersed in Italian cuisine for a few months, I am beginning to truly understand the importance of fresh, natural ingredients to Italian food culture. When our class visited Armando de Pantheon, a restaurant known for its fresh ingredients, I got a chance to talk with the owner who truly respects natural ingredients in his cuisine. Armando gets his fresh ingredients every morning from the open markets and prepares it that day because he wants to respect the seasons. He says that a set menu with consistent dishes is not fresh and doesn’t respect the seasons. That is why he only cooks with the produce that is available that day. His menu also changes with the seasons as well. He said food is more than putting ingredients together, but an emotional and personal thing. It comes from the heart and is inspired by his family's traditions. His restaurant is well respected for this reason and he has a lot of regular customers (especially famous painters). Some artists love it so much that they will donate a piece of their art and the owner hangs it up on the wall. He is very loyal to his customers and considers them all his friends. He is inspired by them and says that each painting has sentimental value. Armando is an incredible chef and I can’t wait to finally experience his cuisine!

Water water everywhere!

As I was coming home from class the other day, I came across a large tent set up to protest water preservation in Rome. On the outside of the tent hung multiple signs stating, “Water is not a business”. As I thought about that statement, I couldn’t help but realize the way water is treated in Rome. At restaurants, people always have to pay for water, unless they ask for tap. However, if you walk through the streets of Rome, you will notice how much water is actually being wasted. For the longest time, Rome has been known for its excess supply of water.  Nasonis, fountains, and even the long Tiber river are always running. It doesn’t make sense for a city to charge people for something that they have excess supply of. And many Romans are beginning to recognize this and don’t agree. Water preservation is becoming a main concern for Rome and there is even going to be a referendum this June to determine whether people think water should be free at restaurants. In my opinion, water is a necessity of life and should be free to the people.

Pasta Carbonara!

Our first cooking class was an exciting and memorable one! Our chef Christina is an incredible cook and owns her own restaurant in Rome. She values fresh ingredients and adds a unique flair to all of her dishes. She is truly very talented. One of the dishes that we learned how to make was the traditional Roman dish, pasta carbonara. Before our cooking session, I had never tried the dish and was a bit skeptical about raw egg being the foundation for the pasta sauce. Christina began our lesson by first teaching us about the fundamentals of cooking pasta. She told us that good quality pasta is determined by the location it is produced and the ingredients it is made of. The first thing we had to do was boil a large pot of water for our pasta. Then we had to make our carbonara sauce by combining raw eggs, parmesan cheese, and pecorino cheese together. We also had to cut up some pancetta and begin frying it in a pan with some olive oil. Christine told us that our pancetta is done when the fat of the pancetta becomes translucent and allows the meat to easily slide in the pan. We moved to the other stove and quickly added our pasta and egg sauce. Christina eased my skepticism of raw egg by explaining how the raw egg is actually cooked when the hot pasta is immediately added to the cheese sauce. Afterwards, we added the pancetta. After combining all of the components together, it was finally time to taste! It was absolutely delicious! The combination of the fresh cheese with the spicy pancetta made for a delightful treat! I will definitely be making this dish in the future!

A Barbarian Feast

Out of all the places I would have expected to have good food, Prague was the last place that came to mind. I can honestly say that before coming to Rome, I had no prior knowledge of Czech cuisine, their language, and especially their currency. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the food in Prague was interestingly delicious. Although the cuisine consisted of tastes, smells, and names that I was unfamiliar with, I ended up being completely fulfilled after every meal. The hearty meats, rich simple sauces, and fulfilling dumplings and potatoes create a menu fit for a barbarian. Duck, pork, and beef are the typical meats you will find and they are often served with a thick sauce and complimentary dollop of whipped cream or cranberries. Although I found this combination appalling at first, the savory sauces and sweet cream complimented each other quite well. Czech recipes don’t include a lot of spices, so the food ends up being fairly simple. Traditional desserts include light pancakes with sour cream and fruit and hot apple strudel. Czech is also known for having really incredible breweries so beer is a popular beverage during dinner and really compliments the heartiness of the meal. This contrasts the light Italian cuisine that I am currently familiar with. Italian cuisine doesn’t revolve around hearty meals. Italian cuisine consists of a few lighter dishes served consecutively after each other. Italian sauces are light and fresh with natural ingredients and spices. Also, wine is a traditional beverage during meals and really compliments the light and flavorful tastes of Italian cuisine. After experiencing Czech cuisine, I have been more open with trying new dishes and flavors. I don’t want to restrict my palate because then I would be rejecting the essence of other cultures. I believe you should always be open to new tastes and dishes because the ones you reject could actually be a pleasant surprise.

Italian versus American Restaurants

As I envisioned my semester abroad in Rome, one of the things I was looking forward to most was the Italian food and dining experience. I imagined myself sitting at a romantic Italian candlelit table outside of the Pantheon with a generous plate of pasta. Although this is a very accurate description of the Italian dining experience, I have discovered during my two weeks in Rome that there are quite a few differences in the way Italians and Americans traditionally dine at restaurants. In American restaurants, waiters and waitresses continually wait on customers to ensure good customer service. They are friendly and polite, ask you how your food is, and offer to bring the check. In Rome, you need to alert waiters and waitresses if you want something, are ready to order, or want the check. Also, in American restaurants, you always tip the waiters 10-15% because the service fee isn’t included. In Rome, the service fee is usually included with the bill so no tip is needed. The Italian dining time is also very different from American dining time. Italians usually eat a bit later than Americans. Italians eat lunch around 1-3pm and dinner from 8-10:30pm. Americans usually eat lunch around 11-1pm and dinner from 5-7pm. Americans also tend to eat on the go and usually prefer a quick dining experience. But at restaurants in Italy, a dinner should last as long as possible and should be savored. At most traditional Italian restaurants there are no salt and pepper shakers and usually no ketchup or other condiments compared to American dining. Also, at an Italian restaurant in America you will find olive oil and cheese to go along with your bread. However, olive oil and cheese is not a common tradition at restaurants in Italy. If you eat the bread at an Italian restaurant, they usually make you pay for it compared to bread at an American restaurant which is always free. Italians also like to have either a coffee or type of alcohol after to dinner to help digestion, which is different than America. The portion sizes are also different. American restaurants have massive portion sizes and always give you a lot of food. Italian portion sizes are generally smaller but there are more courses including an antipasta, main entrée, second entrée dessert or fruit platter, and coffee or alcoholic beverage. The tables and place settings are different too. In American restaurants, utensils are on the table and the tables aren’t usually set up nicely. Tables in Italian restaurants are mainly decorated with a fresh table cloth and multiple glasses. Thus, what we percieve in America as an authentic Italian dining experience is not what you may expect. However, the two different experiences make for a memorable meal that can satisfy any type of expectation.