Italians are not patriotic about much…except their food. They tell me French cuisine is the art of making a fine sauce to cover the taste of mediocre ingredients. In Italy, they say, “La miglior cucina comincia dal mercato” — “the best cuisine starts from the market.”
It’s the ingredients, stupid. And that’s the topic of conversation (which can become an animated debate) when a chef comes out to chat with his diners. “Arugula is not yet in season. But oh, Sra. Maria has more sun in her backyard…and her chickens give her a marvelous fertilizer.”
It occurred to me that high cuisine has evolved like flowers. The most attractive get all the attention, and over time get even better. I’m in hog heaven with my Amarone wine, cheese plate, and honey. When the fancy wine glasses come out, you know it’s a particularly complex wine. At my last fine dinner, the glasses seemed designed to function like a gas mask…or drug paraphernalia, if the truth be told.
Then Corinna, who ran the enoteca I was enjoying, takes things up a notch proposing “a dish of walnuts for acidity and texture…to give things a kick. And the walnuts rake your palate.”
To go gourmet and not go broke, I like a small, classy enoteca (wine bars are trendy in Italy these days) owned and operated by hands-on food evangelists. A great wine costs €8 (about $10) a glass. Rather than bog down on an expensive entrée (or secondi), I order top-end on the antipasti and primi piatti list. That’s appetizers — the best meats and cheeses possible, and the chef’s favorite pasta dish of the day. Again…it’s the ingredients.
Strangely for me, even in the finest places, Italian waiters and waitresses don’t think coughing into their hands is a problem. (There’s been no rain here for a month. People keep telling me that’s giving everyone colds.) When I complain about this to people who run restaurants…they look at me like I’m from Mars. I guess that’s the downside of a hands-on food evangelist.
Mr. Steves,
I read your interview with Michael Shapiro in the book A Sense of Place. I’ve never been to Europe but I am majoring in European Studies and have often enjoyed it mostly through armchair travelling. I’m from the Philippines, we don’t get much of the opportunity to board a plane and go someplace–reading about you and what travelling is for you has been such a delight on my part. Thanks for stopping by all the corners I dream of. Thank you also for being the poet that brings the world to life again. Something tells me all the technology in this century just makes travelers so desensitized and I appreciate the traveler/storyteller who knows how to keep the magic in the real. Please continue writing.
And one day, when im done with school i will look you up in the States and sign-up for those free travel classes!
Thank you!
p.s. India is beautiful! (Never been there but I have with E.M. Forster and National Geographic.)
Rick,
I agree! It is all in the ingredients! Italians do it right!
Bethany
Cin, Ohio
This comment is not relevant to this post in particular; it’s just a simple thank you from a high school teacher in Illinois.
It’s a delight to read your blog. I check everyday for updates. My husband and I have dreams of traveling all over Europe and beyond, but so far we’ve only managed England and Scotland. In the winter, we’ll go to Paris, and we’ve already purchased your guide book and French phrase book. My husband in particular would like to thank you for the translation of “I am rich and single.” (I doubt he’ll get much use of that one while I’m there.)
Thank you for your wonderful shows, books, and website. It’s nice to travel vicariously with you.
Steve I’m a huge fan and really enjoying traveling with you via this blog!
I’m a nursing student and had to laugh at your comment about the coughing. I’m sending the link to a hilarious video about coughing into the hands. I thought you might get a kick out of it if you have a minute to watch it.
http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html
Thanks for all you do for us travelors!
Rick–As always, I love reading your blog. But this time, it’s driving me nuts because I, too, am in Europe for over 2 months, traveling all over, but I think not overlapping with you, based on what I can tell of your itinerary! I’m in Florence now, then London, Paris, and Munich (with Prague somewhere in there)…mostly on business and some holiday. Anyway, I hope to run into you, so I can tell you in person what a great travel companion you are. Buon viaggio! Stacy Ferratti
Hi Rick: A year ago I was in Paris for 10 days and your guide book was never far from my hand. Today I decided to go to Italy or Spain in October so came to your site to see what you had to say about these countries. I will follow you through your travel and see what insights I can gain. For sure I will be purchasing one of your books for the country we choose.
Your comment about coughing into the hands reminded me of someting I witnessed today. I am travelling all of Europe for about 8.5 months and I am currently in Bologna. I was at the market today and witnessed the woman selling produce digging into a bin of green beens for a customer. She was wearing laytex gloves. Then she promptly took the customer’s cash, rang her up on the register and counted out her change. All while wearing the same gloves. Then her hand went straight into the tomatoes for the next customer. What IS the point of the gloves then? Might as well take them off.
Hi from an Edmonds escapee (OK, North Seattle isn’t much of an escape…) Its the time of year when the grass grows so fast you can hear it and I’m planning for a 2008 vacation between mowing the lawn. We’re trying to choose between South Africa, Costa Rica, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, or Chile. I know you are knee deep in Europe (and THANKS to you and your staff for all the travel tips that we’ve used over the years) and I was wondering if you had any advice on where to visit first? We loved Italy the last time we were there but we did only the Tyrolean portion and Venice (traveling around Austria and Germany a bunch). We had a blast in England and we love Mexico too. sigh, so many places and people to see and food and drink to consume!
Every time I am in Europe I am amazed at how everyone handles food. Here in Atlanta everyone is wearing a hazmat suit. Once, in Paris I went to a little pizza shoppe near Notre Dame and the guy just manhandled my pizza. I kept telling myself we are in Europe this is how they do it. Now I just ignore it and figure its part of the charm. Rick you are right, having the small plates can be the way to go…and less expensive. Nothing beats picnicing. Best picnic I ever had was right in front of the Eiffel tower. 15 Euros for wine, torpedo strawberries,French Salami, a baguette, and some fromage. Can’t beat it.
Fred in Atlanta
MMMmmm… Can’t wait to come to Italy. I’d love to watch the chefs at work. Also, would love to attend an Italain cooking school for a few days.
Hi Rick – To answer your “Best Piazza” Pole: I vote as Napolean described: “Europe’s Drawing Room” Piazza San Marco in Venice! Rome too – at the Vatican & nearby Piazza Navona!
Hi Rick, My husband and I traveled to Italy last Fall, and we loved the piazza in Sienna. The church also was my favorite of all I saw in Italy. San Gimignano was favorite of ours also. For favorite piazzas, it is piazza navona in Rome, and St. Mark’s Square in Vienna. Although we traveled to picturesque Sorrento and Amalfi Coast, their piazzas were smaller by comparison. We drove from Venice to Bologna to Florence to Rome to Sorrento/Pompeii/Amalfi Coast for a wonderful 3 wks. Except for the humidity, I can’t wait to go back.
Pickpockets – gypsies or whomever. One of my new graffiti wall friends told me to say “vada via” which means “go away”. I have this in my memory and hopefully will remember to say it if and when I am approached while in Italy. Any other good phrases? Be sure to put the translation in English. Thanks.
Rick, Grazie for all the useful travel information. We need to know the trattoria you had dinner in with the lively couple AND what town? You certainly got people talking and reminiscing about their favorite Piazza. I’ll be looking for mine while we travel Italy.
Safe travels to you and your guides.
Loved Piazza San Marco in Venice for the sights and the bands…loved Orvieto for the peaceful feeling!
I am trying to located the names of Restaurants in Rome, Florence and Amalfi that serve wheat and gluten free pasta ans pizza. Please e-mail me if you know of any.
nstewart@kraft.com
Ah yes, Italians and germs – they don’t seem to be afraid of them. ;) But I do have to say about your first sentence in this entry, I think Italians ARE patriotic about a LOT of things (I’m a dual citizen who lives there part-time which is how I know). hometown, region, soccer team… and they have definitely been patriotic since winning the World Cup!