Mediterranean Simplicity

By Tina Ferrari
April 21st, 2010

4 Comments »
Posted in ( SEO Tools )

by Tina Ferrari

I know it seems like all I talk about is food when I discuss my life in Italy these days. But let’s face it: what’s the first thing people think of when they think about Italy? I think food is such an important part of a country’s identity and that your openness to your new country’s way of embracing food can determine your experience as an expat.

One of my favorite things about eating in the Mediterranean is the sheer simplicity. So many things here are not simple: the bureaucracy, traveling around southern Italy (I’m finding it’s easier for me to get to Buenos Aires than it is to get to Sicily), and the streets of my neighborhood in Lecce. But the food – the food is so incredibly simple and refreshing. Everything depends on the ingredients. The recipes are not complex – the less you do, the better. But the ingredients have to be right. And here they are so, so right.

Take beets for example. Here, they call them carote rosse, or red carrots. My friend suggested yesterday that we make a beet salad. He had been cooking some beets all morning long and was excited to bite into their softness. To anyone who isn’t aware of how different and bursting with flavor the ingredients are here, this sounds boring. But wait.

We carefully sliced each beet, and placed the slices in layers in a bowl. I was on salt and olive oil duty. With each layer of sliced beet, I added salt and olive oil (and some vinegar), while my friend added mint leaves that he had picked on his terrace. We continued until the beets were completely sliced. We mixed our beet salad and ate it with some beautiful locally made bread and a glass or two of wine. The strong fragrance of the mint, combined with the sweetness of the beets and the peppery flavor of the olive oil, made for a satisfying lunch.

When some of my American friends back home think of cooking, they are intimidated and discouraged, thinking you have to have a thousand cookbooks and all the time in the world. But here, I’ve learned that all you need is a few nice ingredients and some olive oil.

What have you learned about food in your adopted home?

Tina Ferrari is a tango dancer, translator and writer currently based in Lecce, Italy. She writes at AffordableCallingCards.net as well as on her own blog, Tina Tangos. Comments are always welcome!

Rate Post

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)