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Monthly Archives: February 2013
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- A Delicious Guinness Complete With Shamrock
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Fact or Fiction?
We made a discovery recently about Italians that contradicted an earlier belief of ours. So it got us thinking… what other misconceptions do many Americans have about Italians? Let’s dig a little deeper and see what we discover. This is a collection of observations we’ve made since we’ve been here and we will likely have additions over time (and possibly corrections).
*Disclaimer - this post is meant to be fun and in no way itself, factual! These are simply things that we have observed [and this is important] in this region. One of the first things that we learned is that there are dramatic differences throughout the country - cultural, culinary, lingual... you name it! So, while something may be fact or fiction based on what we've noticed; it's highly probably that it could be the opposite somewhere else.
FACT OR FICTION – ITALIANS LOVE GARLIC…THE MORE THE BETTER!
While garlic is prevalent in many dishes, like most other things… they prefer it in moderation. In fact, what appears to us like a little amount of garlic in a dish is probably already far too much. Interesting Italian tidbit – eating raw garlic is good for you, but cooked garlic has no impact. Vampires beware, I’ve been gulping the stuff!
Answer – FICTION
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FACT OR FICTION – ITALIANS LOVE THEIR COFFEE?
Given the name of this blog, you most likely have already surmised that coffee is enjoyed several times throughout the day. However, the experience is very different than the US. Instead of going to any Starbucks in the morning and ordering a 20 oz coffee that you’ll guzzle in your car on the way to work, Italians prefer several small cups of espresso throughout the day. Sometimes with milk (con latte or a machiatto), sometimes very small (corto) and occasionally a bit bigger (lungo) – but always in an espresso cup and never “to go”. An enjoyable custom is visiting various “bars” throughout the day, ordering your coffee, chatting with your friends, plunking down your €1 and heading out only to return a few hours later. CAREFUL – one of us (and it wasn’t your author) learned a couple years ago that you NEVER order a cappuccino after a meal.
Answer – FACT
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FACT OR FICTION – ITALIANS HAVE TWO HOUR LUNCHES?!
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| Pranzo circa 2006 when we were here for Jens cousin’s wedding |
Perhaps not two hours exactly, but pranzo (lunch) is an event that is not to be missed or rushed. In most households, pranzo is the most important meal of the deal – a wonderful moment to spend time with family. You’ll find most shops close around 12:00 and don’t re-open until after 2:00 in order to allow shopkeepers and workers time to make it home and eat. Many households will regularly serve pasta as a prima (first course), sometimes followed by a secondo (second course of fish or meat) and usually rounded out by a salad at the end. Of course, wonderful bread and cheese are present and many households will happily open a nice bottle of vino (wine) and finish with caffè (coffee). With a younger generation and big box stores ushering in new norms, pranzo may not have as much emphasis as it did in the past – but the act of eating an enjoyable lunch will always have a place in Italian culture.
*We have the benefit of wonderful cooks both upstairs and in our own home – we have enjoyed many wonderful two-hour lunches ourselves; even though my waist line isn’t too appreciative. Future posts on Claudia and Jen’s delicious cooking to come.
Answer – FACT
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FACT OR FICTION – “SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS” IS ALWAYS ON THE MENU?
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| No meatballs here |
While pasta is very common (and spaghetti, a type of noodle is one of the most popular varities) – polpette (meatballs) are never served on top of spaghetti and oozing with marinara. In fact, the only time we’ve ever had polpette was a second meat course and they tasted very different than what we’re accustomed to.
Answer – FICTION
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FACT OR FICTION – ITALIANS DRINK TONS OF SAN PELLEGRINO SPARKLING WATER?
This was something Jen and I assumed, not necessarily something that is commonly thought of. Every time we have gone out to eat in the states with Italians, we order aqua frizzante (sparkling water) and 9 times out of 10 they would deliver San Pellegrino to the table. Given Jen’s Italian upbringing, we actually became quite accustomed to stocking the delicious “bubbly stuff” in our own home (thank you Costco for selling cases). So, naturally we assumed that the big player in the US market would dominate on their own turf. But the truth is – we haven’t seen a single bottle! Not at a restaurant, not at a friends home, not at the supermarket. It’s like they bottle almost exclusively for export! Don’t get me wrong… there is a bottle of frizzante at every table we’ve graced – just not San Pellegrino.
Interestingly enough, Illy and Lavazza (the two espresso brands most dominant in the US) are not only very prevalent in Italy – they are regarded as the best quality.
Answer – Fiction
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FACT OR FICTION – ITALIAN SUBS ARE BETTER IN ITALY?!
Well, this just seems like common sense. We’re in the mecca for the cured meats, wonderful cheeses and incredible bread that could make the world’s greatest submarine sandwich. We have access to carefully aged vinegar and the most delicious olive oil. The lettuce and tomatoes… well, OK – they’re pretty much the same. So, of course they should put them all together and give it the namesake of their own country, right?
I dare you to go into any restaurant and order an “Italian Sub”. You’ll get a look like you have three heads, because for some strange reason twelve inches of layer after layer of mixed meats, cheese, vegetables and oil smashed into a piece of bread doesn’t sound appealing to them at all. Weird – I’m getting hungry just typing!
Italians prefer to keep most things separate, so that they can taste each item. Sure, they have sandwiches (post on our sandwich adventure), but not of the “sub-sandwich” kind. In fact the place we went in Milano is quite rare. Most places simply put one type of meat on bread (salami or prosciutto or prosciutto cotto) sometimes accompanied by cheese and maybe some arugula.
Sorry Jared – we have no use for you here.
Answer – FICTION
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FACT OR FICTION – ITALIANS ARE VERY LOUD…YOU CAN HEAR THEM A GREAT WAYS AWAY?!
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| “I already TOOOOOLD you!!!!” |
I feel as though I am credible to be able to write about this, as I have known a great many Italians over the years and been privy to many, many conversations. As it’s been explained to me… they’re not loud – they’re passionate! And they’re not always passionate – only when topics of conversation requires it. Like politics or religion…. or what to cook for lunch, or who’s right or wrong, or what the temperature is, or if the sky is actually blue, or if breathing is important, or whether the neighbors can hear them. That sort of thing.
Answer – FACT 
Well, we hope you had as much fun learning about what’s Fact and what’s Fiction in this great country as we did creating the list. We’re hoping to learn a lot more so we can continue to add to the list.
Easy and Delicious Marinara Pasta Sauce
Well, we have heard a lot from Greg so I thought it was time for me (Jen) to give this blogging a go. I have had a lot of people ask me how to make sauce. Growing up in an Italian family this was a staple in our house. I didn’t even know until college that most people buy pasta sauce from a jar! Sorry, but… yuck.
I am by no means an expert cook but I have had many very talented woman in my life that have taught me a lot. Until recently everything I know has been taught to me by my nonna (grandma), my mother and my mother-in-law, who are all incredibly talented in the kitchen.
Even though my Mom isn’t Italian she learned from the best Italian cook (my nonna) how to prepare all of my Dad’s favorite Italian meals. In the beginning of their marriage she made all the foods she grew up eating – good Ohio cuisine. This consisted of meat and potato cooking such as meat loaf and casseroles. Don’t get me wrong, all these foods are delicious… just not to my Dad. It wasn’t until maybe a year or so of eating this food that my Dad admitted he missed his mother’s cooking and my Mom’s path to creating mouth watering Italian dishes began. One of the best things she learned from my Nonna was how to prepare Sugo (sauce). My Nonna’s recipe requires a lot of chopping and it is time consuming to make. Since I have been living in Como I have had the opportunity to learn from another very talented woman, my Zia (Aunt) Claudia. She recently taught me a quick and easy way to make delicious sugo with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator. I hope you enjoy the sauce as much as everyone here enjoys eating it.
Marinara Sauce
This should be enough sauce for one pound of pasta (4 to 5 servings). I would suggest doubling the recipe and putting half in the freezer. It will save beautifully for about six months.
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| Simple ingredients you can find anywhere |
INGREDIENTS
>Canned tomatoes – can be whole or chopped (must be San Marzano from Italy)
>Four (4) raw cherry tomatoes
>Two (2) Garlic cloves
>Half (1/2) bouillon cube (a quick shortcut to avoid lots of vegetable chopping)
>Extra virgin olive oil
>One (1) pound of pasta (I recommend Delverde or DeCecco)
>Sea Salt
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| “Put me to work, Mom!” |
DIRECTIONS
>Peel two cloves of garlic
>Cover the base of your pot with extra virgin olive oil. Heat on a low setting and do not adjust temperature.
>Leave the garlic cloves whole to put in sauce (Italians prefer just a hint of garlic flavor). If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor you can chop or mince the garlic.
>Put the garlic in the pot with the heated olive oil and cook long enough to extract flavors. Be mindful not to burn.
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| Garlic should be lightly browned |
>Add can of tomatoes (must be San Marzano, which is the region in Italy – there are various brands)
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| Canned tomatoes |
>Dice raw tomatoes and add to sauce
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| Diced, raw tomatoes |
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| Tomatoes added to pot |
>Add half of a vegetable bouillon cube and stir
>Add sea salt (approximately a teaspoon… or Italian style, this much)
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| About this much salt… adjust based on hand size |
>Remove the garlic and set aside (it gets added again)
>Blend the sauce with a hand mixer
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| Blend with hand mixture to get the correct consistency |
>Place garlic back in pot
>Let sauce simmer over medium-low heat for approximately 30 minutes
>Finish with a dab of butter
>Remove from heat and serve
Pasta
>Add cold water to the pasta pot with coarse sea salt (my mother always taught me to pour the salt until you finish saying “Father, Son and the Holy Spirit”)
>Boil water as your sauce nears an end
>Place pasta in water
>Cook to a nice al dente – the appropriate time will be listed on the spaghetti package
>Drain pasta water and cover pasta with sauce until it is covered but not drenched
To Serve
>Cover individual pasta serving with sauce
>Drizzle with olive oil
>Add freshly grated parmesan cheese
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| Buon Appetito |
A Sunday Stroll
What’s a good thing to do on a Sunday? We thought a stroll by the lake might be the perfect activity. Jen’s uncle Franco had been telling us about a lake nearby that is an exact 5k and perfect for walking and stroller pushing because it has a paved walkway.
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| Lago di Segrino |
Jen and I had ventured off on our own half a dozen times this past week trying to find this nearby lake. First, we went to Lago di Alserio, because that was the closest. We discovered a charming new town and another “happy hour” place to try – but alas, the lake was not suited for walking. Next, we tried Lago di Montorfano and found a place to rent boats and a fun-looking beach bar for the summer time. But no walking trail. After a few more failed attempts, we realized that we were never going to find this place on our own, given that this area of Italy is often referred to as the Lake District of Italy. So Sunday morning we asked Franco if he would show us on google maps the location of the map. Instead, he volunteered to join us and personally direct us in the car. And fortunately, Claudia offered to stay home and cook us lunch for our return!
So, off we went… to the correct lake – Lago di Sagrino.
It was a bit colder and even winder than we anticipated originally, so we bundled up tight. Jen snapped a few photos on her iPhone.
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| Julia bundled up nice and snug |
We had a nice walk and enjoyed some nice scenery.
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| Willows in the wind |
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| Can you see me hidden by that tree? |
Julia insisted she get out and join in the fun for a little while too. No free rides for that little girl!
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| Greg, Julia and Franco |
And of course, at the end of your walk or run, you’ll need to stop and have your espresso!
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| Bar on the lake for snacks and coffee |
We found a wonderful new activity – so if you enjoy a nice walk or jog, be sure to bring your sneakers when you come visit!
Our Kitchen
The requests have been flooding in by the virtual truckload…
“Now that you live in Italy… what are you cooking?”
Well, we’re here to tell you two things:
1) Not a single person actually asked the aforementioned question (I just thought the subject might make a fun post).
2) Some things are not that different – some things are very different.
And since I’ve thrown myself headfirst into this “blogosphere” and haven’t posted in a couple days… I’m starting to feel like an addict without an outlet. So here we go – we’re going to let you into our kitchen and show you our pantry and refrigerator. You’ll be able to get a first-hand glimpse at what we’ve been eating (when we eat at home that is)!
OUR PANTRY (my favorite)
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| Pantry Overview |
It’s my favorite because I can so easily organize and stack everything neatly, as you see above. This image was not “doctored”. I did not straighten up before taking this shot, but I must confess – I did just unload some groceries and so it was freshly organized. For those that now me best, they won’t be surprised to see all labels out. OK… let’s break it down.
Top shelf – cookies, biscotti, baby biscotti (yes, it exists), dry cereal, etc. Jen’s convinced the fiber in those biscuits make them good for breakfast. I’m still too Americanized and prefer a bowl of cereal.
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| Top Shelf |
Next is “Jen’s shelf”. I call it “Jen’s shelf” because I have no interest in it other than making sure it’s straight and tidy. Here you’ll find the dried beans and canned goods she uses to make her various soups, her tomatoes which are sometimes used as a base in her delicious sugo (sauce) and some other stuff I know nothing about. Oh, I picked up those artichoke hearts – they were on sale. Can’t figure out when/how we should eat them.
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| Jen’s Shelf |
Next is my favorite shelf, because it’s easy to put stuff away and very easy to keep clean. So, I guess I’ll call it my shelf. Let’s see… we’ve got (from left to right) acqua naturale (flat water), acqua frizzante (sparkling water), milk… ok let’s pause a moment. Yes, I said milk. You see, milk is sold here in an aisle as well as the refrigerated section. Initially, we were only getting the refrigerated milk – but it goes bad after a couple days, so after my insescent “encouraging” – we tried this stuff and it’s actually pretty good. Plus, you don’t have to drive frantically to the store if you’re low on milk – you just go the pantry. OK… where were we? Ah, yes. Wine. You’ll see one of our new favorites in the front there. Just picked up four of these puppies for the low-low price of 3€ a piece! And it’s goooood! Moving on we have a row of various vinegar’s and then several types of olive oil – including a special one in front from Civitella, the town of Jen’s nonna (grandmother).
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| Greg’s Shelf |
Our Fridge…
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| “Shut the damn door!” |
We don’t have anything too fancy, several common things based on Italian dietary habits. Yogurt, for your afternoon “snack”. Beer (for Greg) – sold in three packs (weird), bitters (for Jen… I hate the stuff), minestrone soup fresh from last night’s dinner, herbs, frutti di mare (seafood mixtures) that we’ll have for lunch tomorrow over spaghettini (thin spaghetti), Illy coffee, salad and water.
Oh, the good stuff you can’t really see. At the top is a slide out drawer where we keep the ever-present salami, prosciutto, parmigiano cheese, and today we got a real treat… a hunk of speck from Jen’s Aunt upstairs.
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| A peak inside our fridge |
Well, it may not have been the most exciting adventure into our lives – but now you know what we eat on a normal day. I have to say, with Jen’s culinary skills improving at a rate much faster than our lingual skills – I’d rather stay home and eat any day!!
Buon appetito!