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.