Adventures by Train

We sure have spent a lot of time on the train recently. The trip from Parma to Verona, where I have started working, is only 1 and a half hours by car. But if you take the train like we do it can take most of the day, depending on when you leave. Last week, travelling by myself, I left at 8am and got there at 2pm, taking 3 trains and a bus with stops in Modena, Mantova, and Suzzara. At a minimum, the commute is 3 hours, and is much more fun when Paul is able to come with me. Moving to Bologna will allow me to just take 1 train and to get there in an hour and 20 minutes.

Going to Verona has been worth it -- I am working with an MD/professor who runs an obesity and diabetes clinic. He and one of the dietitians who works there are willing to help me do a small study in the public schools nearby to answer some of my research questions about the associations between family cooking and shopping habits and obesity prevention. On Tuesday I was able to observe an afternoon of dietary counselling appointments with families at the clinic, which I found facinating. Another post to come on that soon.

The train rides themselves have also provided a different type of opportunity for research. For example, on my way home last week I sat next to Roberto, an engineer from Milan. I was pleased to discover how happy he was to discuss the Italian culinary tradition with me. We were talking about the differences between "fast food" in America and in Italy, and he mentioned that he had brought some artisinal snacks for the train rather than buying McDonalds at the station. Here I am having a taste of the speck, a type of cured, smoked ham, that he offered me.



A few days later, Roberto e-mailed me some information on speck along with the following message, posted with Roberto's permission.

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Emily,
I enjoyed talking with you for a lot of reasons.

First one: I spoke with a lot of US people, and I noticed that it's very difficult to find out Americans speaking Italian. Probably they are thinking that the world had to learn and speak English.
Like Romans in the past, who introduced Latin everywhere.
But if you speak the language of the nation you are visiting, you will learn a lot more.
It's more difficult, needs a lot of time but demonstrate your interest to a specific culture.
So thanks for your interest to the Latin World (spanish+italian) ! (Now you have to learn Chinese ...)

Second one: Your simplicity. Symptom of a large education and culture. (Sorry, I'm using medical terminology without knowledge).

Third one (last, but not least) : you are brave and a bit greedy, too! In Italy Doctors usually tell you not to eat cheese, not to eat eggs, not to eat ham, etc. And I think that in US it's the same. So I appreciated your dangerous taste test. In Italy I like to eat the same food our Grandfathers eated, like parmesan, maccheroni, ravioli, and to drink red or white wine (like Vernaccia).

Now I have to go to drink a pint of Omega 3 to reduce the damage of cholesterol.

Bye.

Roberto

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As you can tell, it was an interesting conversation, and we are happy to have Roberto following our blog. I love how Italians of many different ages and many different sectors love to talk about gastronomy and agree upon the importance of eating food that is produced artisanally rather than industrially. Some of the best conversations I have had about food have come about when I least expected it. For instance when I went to buy a plant last week, the florist dictated a recipe for cappelletti. I love Italy!