Beware of Microwaves

As I am sure you can tell, we love the food in Parma. This is not to say, however, that you can't find a disappointing meal. We certainly shouldn't try to romanticize every eating experience.

For instance, let me tell you about what happened on Saturday at lunch...Paul and I didn't really feel like cooking. We were out in the center of Parma, not too far from our house, walking around looking for a place for lunch. It was around 2, so it was a little late for the lunch hour, and we ran into the same dilemma that we have had a few times now. Either you find something very very casual like a slice of pizza to go, or maybe a pizza to share at a pizzeria...or, you splurge for a ristorante where you order a couple of courses. Option one costs like 5 euro for the pizza max, or maybe 10 if you have wine. Option two costs at least 30-40 euro, if not more. We haven't found much in between these two options. Trying to save a little money, we thought that maybe we would just have a sandwich at a bar or a paninoteca, but really we were both in the mood for something more substantial, like a hot dish and a salad. We saw some people eating in a bar on a corner near one of the main sqaures, and when we went in, I asked just by chance if they had a lunch menu other than the sandwiches in the display case. The waiter said that they did have first courses at 5 euro each and salads, but that the menu changed daily and wasn't printed so the server would tell us about the options. This sounded perfect. They must have a little kitchen in the back we figured. Paul picked gnocci and I picked tortelli with radicchio, and we ordered a large mixed salad to split. We were so excited for our lunch to arrive, until we looked over and saw our waitress putting frozen entrees that looked like regular tv dinners into microwaves along the wall. Could this really be happening? Sure enough, we then saw her nicely plate these entrees onto ceramic plates and the prepacked, microwaved gnocci and tortelli came our way. We felt duped. The menu changed daily, huh? According to the whims of who swung by the grocery store frozen aisle? Anyway, we made the best of it. Lesson learned: if you approach a cafe for lunch, look closely.

If you see 3 microwaves lined up along the wall, as you can tell upon studying this picture, don't go there for lunch. In fact, if you see a microwave at all, beware.


Instead stick with the awesome pizza. See my favorites here from the place near our house. One has pumpkin and Parmesan cheese and the other just has tomatoes, olives, and olive oil, with no cheese. Price: 1.60 to 1.90 euro.

Or, save up and splurge a little to have lunch at a real restaurant. Or cook at home. Even better!

Pasadena vs. Parma Coffee Culture

Ordering a cappuccino at Peet’s in Pasadena:
Step 1: -Good morning
-Good morning, what can I get you?
Step 2: -A cappuccino please
Step 3: -What size?
-Medium
Step 4: -What type of milk?
-Whole
Step 5: -For here or to go?
-To go please
Step 6: -That will be $3.30
-(Hand over credit card)
-Debit or credit?
-Debit please
-Please enter your pin
Step 7: -Do you need your parking ticket validated?
-No, thanks.
Step 8: -Your name?
-Emily (mind you that my friend Claudia and I went to Peet’s at least twice a week for 4 years and they still didn’t know my name or anticipate my order, though I will admit that I didn't always get the same thing.)
-Thanks Emily. They will call your name.

Ordering a cappuccino at our favorite little neighborhood bar in Parma, Bar Gnocla:


































Step 1: -Ciao Luisa!
-Ciao ragazzi!
-Come stai?
-Bene, grazie, e voi?
-Molto bene
Step 2: -Due cappucci? (Cappuccio, literally meaning “hood” (or the plural "cappucci"), is how a cappuccino, or “little hood,” is often called in Parma.)
-Si, grazie
Step 3: -Vi porto al tavolo. (I'll bring it to you at the table.)

Step 4: Instead of paying when you order, if you are going to have it at a table rather than having it at the bar, it is common to pay when you leave. A cappuccino costs $1.40 and I haven’t seen anyone paying with a card, but rather with euro coins.




















While paying we usually chat with Luisa the bar owner and her employees about what we are going to do for the day or they teach us some Italian and we teach them some English. Because the ordering is so simple, it frees up time to chat about other things.
















Italian perceptions of American coffee:
While ordering coffee at various places including our bar we have also been chatting about the differences between American coffee and Italian coffee. A couple of the observations I have heard are “Americans drink a liter of coffee!” or “Americans drink coffee like it is mineral water. This can’t be good for you!” When a professor in Modena recently took me to coffee, when he asked me what I wanted and I said “un caffe macchiato,” his response was “brava.” I think he thought I would be ordering a caffe Americano (which I will admit I do sometimes order in the States). I doubt I will order that back at home again though. Now I think it would seem enormous. Before I didn't usually order something small like a caffe macchiato because I was sad when it was gone so fast, and I liked to have something to sip on while working or talking with a friend, but now I appreciate a simple espresso or macchiato much more. It is nice to have something small and strong with a great taste, which leaves you wanting more rather than wishing you hadn't had so much. Here is a picture of two caffe macchiati, which we like to have in the late afternoon. They cost 1 euro even each, or the same as a normal caffe (espresso), and it is nice to be able to just give a simple coin at the bar.

No joking around with the Parmesan cheese

When we first saw the size and quantity of the wheels of Parmesan cheese in the local stores here in Parma, we were shocked. And then we saw the size of the pieces that people were buying. No one is joking around here.

The small pieces you see at the stores in the states are more in the realm of what would be cut for a taste for a few people, rather than an amount to take home. The role of Parmesan and the quantity in which it is eaten was solidified for us today when our landlord came by with a gift. Mr. Franchini has cows, and he gives the milk from them to local farmers who use it for their cheese. Check out what he brought us! As I write, I am snacking on some prime Parmesan, by the hunk.

Moto and Modena

Paul here...I'll make a little break from the food posts to keep with our original theme....

I've wanted to post more about motorcycles here but the Parma motorcycle community is still a bit hidden to me, probably because of the weather. As it warms up I see more and more bikes on the street.

There's a really good Yamaha dealer close to us, I took a walk there and met with the manager. He speaks good english so we had a long conversation about the market situation here....unfortunately it's the same as in the US, which is terrible! Makes for a good buyer's market though, and I saw quite a few used bikes for sale in the shop...also it had by far the best selection of Dainese gear I've ever seen.

Prices are fairly high due to the dollar/euro exchange rate, and I'm still not sure what the rules are for foreigners buying and registering motorcycles here. So, I don't know what the chances are of picking something up to use while we're here....but I sure would like to try!

Public transportation is very good here, but so are the roads, and I'd love to ride them. We'll see.

Emily and I took a trip to Modena, too, which is the home of Ferrari and Maserati. Didn't make it to the factory in Maranello, but next time we go I will. Modena is beautiful and I love that they have the Ferrari flag in the town center next to the national flag:

OK, the food here is just too good and prevalent....I can't resist commenting on it a little bit more.
Of course we couldn't visit Modena without picking up a bottle of authentic Aceto, which is highly prized and like everything else here, not cheap. We've used a tiny bit already, it's much, much different and better than the "balsamic vinegar di Modena" that you commonly see in the states. Some of the oldest bottles in the shops were 400 euro, which is almost $600!!!

Also I got probably the best cannoli I've ever had (sorry Mom!), the owner of the cafe we went to handmakes them in the back. Yum! Although moustaches and powdered sugar are a difficult combo....

organ meats -- can we be friends already?

I will admit, I don't like them...yet! My mom fed me chicken livers and kidneys when I was a toddler and apparently I was on board then, but since I can remember, I am really not a fan. I am a pretty adventurous eater, especially when I am abroad or at someone else’s house. While living in Ecuador I had guinea pig (which was my first pet as a kid), cow’s udder, cow’s foot, ants, tripe, fish head soup, fried sheep’s blood, etc. While in Mexico I had worms and ant eggs. In Portugal I had barnacles. In LA I recently had some tongue which Paul grilled at the house. When I compare these things, I can honestly say that I would rather eat a bug than an organ. Give me chewy or crunchy to rich and smooth any day. There is something about the richness of organ meats that I find hard to stomach. I don’t like pate, and really don’t like foie gras, which I think is better for ethical reasons anyway.
While in Italy, I hope to change my perspective on these functional delicacies as they are an important part of the cuisine and I appreciate that more parts of the animal are used and prized here. But this may take a little time. A few nights ago at a bar, we found that one of the free snacks offered were fritto misto which included organ meats. I tried to be a good sport but woke up in the middle of the night with a stomach ache. Paul thinks it was from the Aperol spritz, my new favorite aperitif. I think it was from the fritto misto. I’ll keep you posted as I give it another shot.

Farmers' Market

Not sure how we missed it last Saturday, but this morning we walked one street over from our apartment and ran into a great little Farmers’ market. Now we know where we will be doing our weekend shopping! We bought lettuce, pears, a few types of local cheese including Parmigiano, wine (a white called Malvasia dell’Emilia and a red blend from nearby Piacenza), honey, eggs, and a crumbly almond/honey torta from Mantova called sbrisolona. Everything was of excellent quality and sold at a price that seems more reasonable than the local shops, which helps our student budget – and we got to meet the people that produced it. I couldn’t believe that an enormous piece of top quality formaggio Parmigiano, approximately 8x6x1 inches was 4.50 euro. I am looking forward to getting to know the farmers more each week and seeing what comes to the market as the seasons change.

UNISG

On Thursday I had my first meeting at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, which is my primary affiliation for my Fulbright grant. Arriving in Colorno, I was struck with the beauty of the campus – the University is housed in a palace first build in the 13th century. After so much dreaming about being at UNISG, I couldn’t believe I was finally there. I met with my advisor, Simone Cinotto, who is a food historian and the director of the Masters programs. We discussed possibilities for my research project, in which I hope to integrate the worlds of preventive medicine and gastronomy with a focus on nutrition in youth. In addition to doing independent research, I will also have the chance to audit a Food Culture class in May which is part of the Masters program in Food Culture and Communications. I am excited about studying similar themes I have focused on researching over the last 4 years from the perspective of a different discipline.




As I nice coincidence, while at the University I saw that there was a book signing with Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food, the following night. I wasn’t sure that I would have the chance to hear him speak while in Italy, none the less during one of my first weeks here, so needless to say I was thrilled. Set in one of the historic rooms of the University, the talk was very intimate, and Mr. Petrini gave an inspiring talk about his recent book, Terra Madre. One of the main themes revolved around how cheaply produced food is really expensive when you consider the harmful effects to our health and the earth. He mentioned that when we are first born and rely on our mother’s milk, we naturally have a very close relationship with our food source, and that we should strive to continue to be connected to where our food comes from, by either farming ourselves or by building friendships with the farmers who grow our food. Mr. Petrini ended with saying that when albatross walk, they are clumsy, but when they fly, they are beautiful and graceful. He encouraged all of us to “fly high” and create a better way of life now and for the generations that follow.



The talk was followed by a tasting of local artisanal food products including prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, and Lambrusco wine. I had the chance to speak with Mr. Petrini, in my limted Italian (!), and he was very welcoming and gracious to both Paul and I, and was enthusiastic about my research interests.

Getting home from Colorno, which is a small town outside of Parma, is a little challenging, particularly late at night, given the infrequent bus and train schedule. Though we thought we may have been stuck there overnight, we managed to catch the last train home at 10pm. Here is how we entertained ourselves in the deserted train station.