Upon first arrival to Italy, I was hesitant but extremely excited. I had read the culture books we were assigned for this class, so I already had some preconceived notion about the food and wine culture throughout Italy, but in all honesty, I was not completely ready for what I was going to experience. However, it wasn’t until my first meal on my own in the astonishing city of Orvieto that I truly realized the beauty of the food and wine culture here.
The first meal was one for the books. My naive friends and I thought we could just run somewhere really quick for a semi quick dinner; we knew about the Slow Food movement from class, but we really did not take the term slow all too seriously. We decided to stop at this little restaurant off of the main street running through the quaint little town. We sat down and the waiter already chuckled at us because he could tell we were American as we looked like lost little puppies. We decided that we were going to just have a glass of wine and an appetizer and then go try another restaurant down the street because we wanted to try as many places as possible. Well, our short little appetizer turned into a two-and-a-half-hour ordeal and asking for the check took 45 minutes alone. We decided to make pasta back at one of our apartment’s because we were not mentally prepared for a full-on meal after that.
To say this story sums up the transition from American food culture to Italian food culture would be an understatement. The culture of food and wine in Italy is one to be treasured and one that I have grown to love. As in the United States, here in Italy, the restaurants value friendly table service which was comforting when I walked into the first restaurant. In the United States, for the most part, chefs pride themselves on the dishes they serve; however, at the same time, at a majority of restaurants, there is a sense of efficiency and ease. One of the major aspects that I have loved about the Italian food and wine culture is the quality of the food and wine. In Italy, the chefs and locals pride themselves in the dishes that they prepare and the food that is served. They meticulously plan out the flavors that will best work with each other and the way the food will be served to you. I was a little taken back at first when I heard that they don’t do left overs, but after thinking about it, it makes perfect sense in terms of the food and wine culture here involving freshness and quality. Another one of the major aspects of the Italian food/wine culture that I have noticed since my time here has been the time component of the meals. Back in America, everything is fast; it is more about convenience than quality food or quality time with others. Here in Italy, it is about sitting down an enjoying the food and enjoying those around you. Both of these major components are all thanks to the Slow Food Movement.
A prime example of the Slow Food Movement in action this was on the second day I was in the city. I went out to get lunch with my friends, which turned into a two-hour experience. While I was sitting there, eating my fresh chicken dish, which was one of the most amazing dishes I have ever had, I took a second to realize where I was and who I was with. I hate to admit this, but it had been a while since I had truly just breathed while eating a meal. This meal was not just about the quality of the fresh, local food I was eating, but it was also about the people that were surrounding me. It was in this moment that I was able to truly get a glimpse of the beauty that is the Slow Food Movement. The Slow Food Movement fosters personal relationships through the combination of promoting local food. With the utilization of the Slow Food Movement, I had noticed that I can actually sit there and taste every flavor of my dishes in addition to actually enjoying the presence of those around me.
I can truly say that there has not been a single dish that I have not enjoyed here in Italy. I am normally an extremely picky eater, but here in Italy, I have pushed myself to branch out and try a whole variety of new food. I can confidently say that I have opened my palette up to a whole new, amazing world of flavors and dishes. If I had to choose some of my favorite food items, it would definitely have to be either of the chicken dishes I have had In Orvieto. One was a citrus chicken dish, topped with arugula and balsamic vinegar. The other was a chicken dish covered in almonds and a citrus glaze. In addition, the gelato and pastries have been about of this world whether it be the array of gelato from Slavic up at Montanucci’s or a chocolate pastry from around the bakery around the corner. In terms of drinks, I have been impressed by all the wine. When going out, we try to ask for wines that are produced here in Orvieto, and I have enjoyed them all. However, I was not impressed with the Campari Spitzer I tried. I was really looking forward to trying it, but it was not my favorite at all. I had a hard time even taking a single sip of it due to the flavor.
Over the weekend, me and some of my friends traveled down to the Amalfi Coast. We stopped in Sorrento, which is supposed to the be the lemon capital. It was really cool to go from one region to another because the atmosphere and agriculture in one region is completely different than the other. It was really interesting to see how they grew all the lemons because I had never experienced anything like it. On our trip, we visited some of the touristy cities such as Sorrento and Positano, so we were trying to find more local restaurants, but it was hard. Consequently, we didn’t fully get to experience true coastal cuisine. It was funny though because at one restaurant we stopped in, they not only brought flavorful bread with salt to the table before the meal, but they also brought olive oil and balsamic vinegar as well. My friends and I all started laughing and were a little bit in shock because we knew it was a hundred percent against the Italian food culture. However, while there I did notice that the cuisine was based more around fruits and sea food. I was more adventurous with drinks there; I ordered a lemoncello spritzer which was amazing, and I also ordered a Rosini, which is Prosecco and strawberries. Overall, it was an amazing weekend, and one I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Italy has been more than I could have ever wished.
Ariana' Blog 