The Italian Way
Everything in Italy is pure — the cuisine, the people, the culture, the nature. It’s one of the most beautiful features about this country. Products and people here are raw, unfiltered, honest, free of unnecessary layers, and preserved in a natural state.
The food here tastes unlike Italian food you’ve had anywhere else. The source of this unbeatable goodness is in the fresh ingredients which are elevated by only light seasonings and oils, allowed to shine in a dish on its own. Whether it’s vegetables, fish, meat, bread, or pasta, there is an authenticity to their style of cooking here that contrasts harshly against American food. It’s hard not to love a preservative-free meal. Food here is not prepared with the intention of being kept forever; it is intended to be enjoyed in the now. Takeout (or carry out as they say) is not a consistent offering from restaurant to restaurant, and in the smaller cities, it is nearly nonexistent. These little things I’ve noticed about how they eat and treat food are intentional and now that I think about it, almost artful in the way that it illustrates their broader prospective on life. Everything is fleeting and nothing matters except for the present moment.
Every pasta dish I’ve had here is for the most part only lightly sauced. The ingredients are allowed to sing and you can taste the individual notes with each bite. For the first time, I found that I could appreciate and honor every ingredient’s purposeful placement and unique taste, both singularly and as a whole. The noodles are always perfectly al dente and sometimes, it’s only olive oil that pulls the entire entree together. When Americans think of pasta, we imagine something totally drenched in sauce but this trip has me craving nothing but simplicity from now on.
As for even the beverages, you won’t find crazy coffee offerings here. The coffee menu is always back-to-basics featuring espressos, caffe lattes, Americanos, and perhaps some desserts that use of coffee. It’s also hard to find anything that resemble Starbucks here. If you’re craving a coffee, you often have to sit down or find a cafe that will take to go orders. Again, I think it all ties back to the culture of enjoying things as they come without rush. Alcohol and wine here is made without preservatives so even when you indulge a little too much, the morning after is much easier to bear.
The views in Italy are breathtaking because of the sheer clarity. The brightest blues and puffiest clouds dominate the sky, and sometimes if you’re lucky, the sky turns pinkish orange purple at sunset. There is so much greenery everywhere that I’m not used to seeing. A train ride from city to city reveals miles and miles of trees, grass, rolling hills. My eyes can never get enough of the Italian countryside.
And the people? You can count on them to speak their mind for better or for worse. Their honesty and frankness is rather refreshing but if you’re someone who requires sugar coating or niceties, it could be jarring to have people respond so genuinely at all times. I found that if an Italian person likes you, they truly and passionately enjoy your company. But if they’re annoyed, it is made known. The men are very straight forward about what they want here and it can often lead to unwanted attention but I can appreciate that they do pursue what they desire and vocalize it even if it’s a nuisance at times!
Purity, doing all things with passion, and living in the moment every step of the way, as life and relationships should be. Thank you for the reminder, Italy.
