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Archive for November, 2012

Do Italians Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Posted in Americans Abroad, Food in Italy, Italy, Living in Italy, Orvieto, Travel, Umbria, tagged , , , , , , on November 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In Orvieto they do. 

They say LOVE is the universal language, but really it’s FOOD.  Bridging the gap between languages, cultures, and traditions – food is humanity’s common denominator.  “Yum” translates in every language.

Last evening, a large contingency of rowdy Americans, along with a strong delegation from the Eurozone: Italy (of course), Germany, England, Scotland and Finland, gathered to share a meal, wine and friendship.

It’s my understanding that in preparation for this turkey dinner, Carlo, the owner of Ristorante Dell’Ancora, was bombarded with weeks of strict and precise instructions on how to properly prepare a traditional “Norman Rockwell-style” Thanksgiving meal. The anxious, but well-meaning party organizer’s fears were finally quelled by Carlo’s confident annunciation, “Don’t worry, I will make a Thanksgiving dinner better than they do in the United States!”

To use a typically American expression…Carlo hit this one out of the ballpark!

by Toni DeBella

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A Book Review: “The Etruscan Chef”

Posted in Americans Abroad, Expat in Italy, Food in Italy, Italy, Living in Italy, Orvieto, Travel, Umbria, tagged , , , , , , on November 17, 2012| 4 Comments »

The Etruscan Chef by Lorenzo Polegri & Kim Brookmire is not just another book about food or cooking, although it tells of both. 

It’s a window into the past and present lives of Umbrians and their cuisine – a memoir of food and its genesis from their ancestors, the Etruscans.  Lorenzo writes, “We used to be Etruscans.  I don’t know if we still are, but we love to think so.” 

Chef Polegri presents us with a book that is written by a boy who is now a man.  After reading it from cover to cover, I feel as though I know him, and the people he introduced me to, just a little bit better.  The smiling faces of the vendors I see at the outdoor market every week now have names. Absorbing Lorenzo’s words, I will try to remember that a farmer toiled in a nearby field to bring these delicious and real foods to my table.  Grandparents, parents, children and friends: Through Lorenzo’s stories from his childhood, his teenage years, and now his adulthood, I see more clearly the strong and beautiful people of my adopted home, and for this I am grateful. 

The Etruscan Chef is a pleasurable and emotional glimpse into the soul of a life in Umbria, Italy.

Lorenzo & Kim

To learn more about Chef Polegri and his work go to www.ristorantezeppelin.it or find him on Facebook

by Toni DeBella

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If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Frankfurt

Posted in Expat in Italy, Italy, Living in Italy, Orvieto, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on November 9, 2012| 14 Comments »

All packed and nowhere to go.

Hurricane Sandy, like the Icelandic Volcano several years before it, had rearranged my date of departure leaving me cooling my jets in California for another week.  You know how it is when you’re ready to go somewhere – a delay can be a huge letdown.  My friend calls it “premature elation”.  On the bright side, it was great to hang out with my Mom and Andrew a little bit longer, but after seven days on hold I decided to reroute my trip and fly to Frankfurt instead.

Am I becoming one of those people who always has a story?

On Tuesday I arrived in Frankfurt without incident, carrying everything I own crammed into two seventy-pound suitcases. I literally lumbered over to the DB Bahn desk for a train ticket to Italy. I explained to the young reservationist that I must be on the next train to Orvieto, Italy.  She said the train to Munich was leaving in exactly twelve minutes, so I slapped down my credit card and took off like a bat out of hell – I hopped onto the train with just minutes to spare!  I enjoyed the German countryside, but my train arrived in Munich late, so I had to make a run for it (with two heavy bags, “run” would be an overstatement).  The conductor announced they would be pulling away from the station in 30 seconds so I flung my bags onto the last carriage – I think I have a hernia now.  But really, the important thing is I was on my way to Orvieto at last!

I took a seat by the window and looked out at the passing cities of Nuremberg, Innsbruck, Trento…oh sh*t! I took the wrong train!  Apparently “Rovereto” is not the German word for “Orvieto”, but actually a town near Verona. Oh well, at least I was traveling in the right direction.

In Verona, my friendly Austrian conductor, Arnold, offered to let me tag along with the train employees to their hotel and even convinced the front desk to give me a good rate.  A pizza, a shower and a good night’s sleep was just what the doctor ordered.

In the morning I was on the train to Orvieto via Bologna.  I met a lovely veterinarian from Rome, Marco, who helped me get my bags (or as he referred to them, my armadi (wardrobes)) off of the train at Bologna Centrale and three hours later I arrived at my new home.  My friend heard my bags rolling down the marble stairs all the way from the station lobby.  She remarked how lucky I was to have avoided the excess baggage charges by the airline.  Yeah, I am lucky.

by Toni DeBella

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