L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano W hy is Ital- ian food s o a w e - s o m e ? We're not talking red-checkered table- cloth chain restaurants but authentic, satisfying, unfor- gettable Italian food – the kind you'll likely find only in Italy. It assails your senses strolling down the tiniest vil- l a g e v i c o l o , m e a n d e r i n g t h r o u g h R o m e ' s b u s t l i n g Piazza Navona – just about anywhere, really, where a k i t c h e n e x i s t s . T h e m e r e t h o u g h t f i r e s u p s e n s o r y memories and the mouth waters. If food equals sensu- ality, Italy's is Aphrodite incarnate. It's no accident that vaca- t i o n e r s r e t u r n f r o m I t a l y with one of the first exclama- tions being "The food was amazing!" What, then, are Italy's secrets for superiority as the premier place to man- giare bene? The answer is delightfully simple yet elegantly complex – much like authentic Italian cuisine. It all begins – and ends – with what's on your plate. Essentially, what's on your plate is equivalent to what's on the calendar. Like an Italian Mother Nature, s e a s o n s d i c t a t e w h e n i t comes to food. If you subsist on flavorless plastic wrapped tomatoes but have ever had t h e j o y f u l e x p e r i e n c e o f chomping into one fresh off the vine, this concept makes b e a u t i f u l s e n s e . F o o d i s sacred in Italy, as sacred as the ancient rituals that hon- o r e d t h e r i s e o f s p r i n g seedlings, the plentiful sum- mer harvests, the gathering of olives and grapes in the f a l l . A n d t h u s i t r e m a i n s today – eating seasonally defines eating the Italian way. "But I prefer to eat what- e v e r I w a n t w h e n e v e r I want", one might protest. Instant gratification aside, limited availability is one of the great side effects of eat- ing seasonally. A rich bowl of ribollita stew in the dark of winter is as much a part of the Italian experience as a refreshing panzanella salad in sunny June – and neither would taste the same if pre- p a r e d o u t o f s e a s o n , n o r bring such deep satisfaction. Some things are culturally expected year-round such as cacio e pepe in Rome, but they aren't dependent on what's pickable out in the garden. Why hasn't Italy given out to a culture of processed, less expensive food like, well, here? It's a layered answer but the short version is loca- tion and economics, with a mega-dose of tradition. The Italian peninsula is a con- glomeration of micro-cli- m a t e s t h a t s t r e t c h f r o m north to south; a distance of about 800 miles surrounded by maritime influence and a lot of sunshine. Italy's deep south is a virtual year-round garden while the northern regions are better suited to higher altitude cool weather crops. There was a time when every civilization cultivated and depended upon their own seasonal crops. With the advent of the Industrial Rev- olution and its innovations, wealthier countries integrat- ed agricultural automation which included increased chemical use. Mass-produc- ing food became much easi- e r , y e t q u a l i t y a n d t a s t e plummeted. How to make it more palatable for the con- sumer and keep them com- i n g b a c k f o r m o r e ? A d d sugar and fat and throw in a wallop of salt, too. The avail- ability of long-haul trans- portation, along with addi- t i v e s a n d p r e s e r v a t i v e s , made acquiring seasonal and pre-prepared products all year long possible, as well. The food landscape in much o f t h e m o d e r n i z e d w o r l d shifted dramatically. Italy remained a strug- gling country during much of t h i s i n d u s t r i a l b o o m a n d avoided the cultural changes it brought about; citizens had to remain self-sufficient a s t h e y a l w a y s h a d . A n d thankfully, the pride and passion inherently tied to food remained intact even after modernization became possible. Not every Italian family has green space for a garden, but those that do… do. That sense of pride in nurturing a garden carries over into what arrives in the kitchen and finally on the plate – a lovingly prepared, nourishing and tasty meal. How can a diet that con- sists of a breakfast brioche slogged down with espresso, hefty amounts of pasta, copi- ous wine and liquors, multi- ple course meals – and let's not forget gelato – support a happy healthy gut and rea- sonable body fat, one might suspiciously ask? When it's all broken down, Italian cul- ture might be just as influen- tial in eating well as the qual- i t y o f w h a t g o e s i n t o t h e stomach. Let's do a short list comparison. Coffee – It's almost sacred in Italy, yet not the 500-calo- rie syrup and whipped cream laden versions many Ameri- cans feel must be consumed daily. A to-the-point espres- so thrown back on a break or a morning cappuccino will do nicely. Real food – Parmigiano is P a r m i g i a n o , e x t r a - v i r g i n olive oil is truly EVO, etc. Substitutions or "wanna-be" products are not acceptable and, fortunately, are regulat- e d t h r o u g h c o n t r o l l e d denominations such as DOC and DOCG. Sweets – They certainly exist in the Italian dolce vita, but sugar content is dramati- cally lower. Soda is not a daily ritual, nor does its price make it attractive for con- suming on a regular basis. Sweet tea...what's that? And often dessert is fresh fruit – how peachy! P o r t i o n s – T h e r e i s n o such thing as "super-size it" in Italy. Portions are gener- ous but reasonable. More than one Italian friend has queried me on why Ameri- can restaurants serve such huge portions! Chemicals – Italian agri- culture is much less depen- dent on agricultural chemi- cals and food preservatives, along with forbidden use of G M O p r o d u c t s . B i g b o x s h o p p i n g i s p r a c t i c a l l y unknown making highly pre- served food unnecessary on a large scale. Daily jaunts to the local fruit market, butch- er, bakery are still often the norm – the need for food items to be shelf-stable for six months doesn't exist. Ancient grains – Much of Italy's wheat crops are vari- etals that go back hundreds, even thousands, of years. T h e y n a t u r a l l y h a v e l e s s gluten which equates to less inflammation and a happy gut. Movement – Walking is an essential part of daily Ital- ian life. While a larger part of e a c h d a y c o m p a r e d t o a n American lifestyle, it's also intentional – the evening passeggiata is savored and integral to the culture. Food is savored – True, fast food exists in larger Ital- ian cities, but eating is pur- posefully a mindful experi- ence in Italy. Italian food culture practically invented " l i v i n g i n t h e m o m e n t " regarding consuming meals. Mindless eating – when dri- ving or hunched over a desk – is questionable behavior! While this list isn't com- plete, it does help succinctly explain why Italians eat so well and revere their food culture. It's also interesting to note that markets in Italy don't have the vast rows of s u p p l e m e n t s , p r o b i o t i c s , protein drinks, etc. that we find here. Things that might make you go hmmmm. Si mangia bene in Italia – one eats well in Italy…but perhaps more importantly, one can BE well eating the d e l i c i o u s l y s e a s o n a l a n d p r o u d I t a l i a n w a y . B u o n appetito! Eating Well Season-ed: the Italian way of doing food right PAULA REYNOLDS A young woman prepares pizza: here, too adding seasonal ingredients is the way to go (Photo: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock) LIFESTYLE FASHION FOOD ARTS ADVICE

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