Thank you, I've been cooking a lot of pasta this week and thinking of this article every time I do so. Managed it last to secure that remarkably thick (in diameter) spaghetti which we enjoyed in Rome. Anyway your article What's cooking takes the lid off Italian cuisine in great start. Look forward to part 2.
My darling, I've never had durian, although I'm curious, of course. I don't think it belongs on a pizza but whatever floats your boat. I'm conservative about pizza, but I love all the wildly different, delicious, flavorful and fragrant food cultures of Asia. I've even started to appreciate tofu now!
Ha, we really have durian pizza in Asia, along with all sorts of untamed flavours. But let’s come back to your interesting article, Portia. I don’t give a rat’s arse about ‘authenticity’, either. Most of the time anyway. I agree with you: people can do whatever they want with their food. If you want to use three tablespoons of sugar plus some ketchup to cook General Tso's chicken, I see no problem. BUT, if you think all the Chinese people, all 1.4 billion of us, enjoy eating such cloying food then I’m afraid you’re sorely mistaken. In my eyes, it is only when a cuisine serves as a window into a culture or history that ‘authenticity’ is relevant.
谢谢 for your great comment, Zibow, I was eager to know your opinion about food culture, considered that you're an accomplished cook. Fuchsia Dunlop's article is illuminating, I know how passionate she is about Chinese cuisine, but tofu is somehow easier to pronounce than dou fu for us. I'm going to remember it though, and pay my due respects to Chinese great products.
So, my hunch about pizza and durian was right. Durian and ice-cream, on the other hand, sounds exciting to me, what do you think?
Of course your hunch was right, Portia, both about the pizza and the ice cream: you’re a sophisticated lady. And call it tofu if you like: bean curd by any other name would taste as great 😉.
Very familiar... Though not Italian, the Mediterranean mindset is ingrained in me, feminist protestations aside! It is quite surprising how these notions persist, proof that plus que ca change ..You know the rest!
Every time I go back to Italy, I have to listen to my sister, brother-in-law and assorted relatives going on endlessly about Italian cuisine being the best in the world. "Everybody loves Italian food," they say, though I've never understood who "everybody" is. Certainly not a few billion Chinese and Indians.
The whole of Asia, and France, and Mexico, and... I know, it's exhausting. Sushi was one of the food epiphanies I had in my life, and another was ramen. There's only so much pasta a human being can eat. Grazie, Gianni! Ride bene chi ride ultimo...
Great read, as always. I always look forward to your words... plus I learned a new one today: Oik. I did not know this one, but will start to put it to good use!
Thanks Martin! We love a small glass of wine, but we noticed that drinking made us eat more, and we should be careful. But occasionally, yes, it's fine and good to enjoy it.
Bravissimo! We live in such a global culture swirling around the planet at light speed, that how can any "pure" cuisine even hope to exist. What takes its place, though, is wonderful. Food and music has the capacity to bring us together. Why do we allow our prejudices to take that away from us? I look forward to your Part 2.
What a wonderful post, Portia!! I usually don't read about food, as I can't have 80% of it, not that it makes me very sad and обделенный, and yet.
I read and enjoyed it so much!
by the way -I have a (virtual) friend, she's from Kiev like yours truly and at some point married an Italian guy. She's was a passionate chef, not by specialty but because she loves cooking. Took her years upon years of jumping through hoops and barriers, sheer passion and endless dedication- but she's now highly regarded in Italy as a brilliant chef, has a couple books printed, and established a business with bringing groups from abroad, teaching them about Italian cuisine.
When we communicated more, in the golden age of forums, it was very funny to observe how she becomes supermad when one even as much as mentions mayonnaise:) Will never forget it.
Well, if you smother everything in mayonnaise, it kills subtler flavors, it should be used sparsely. I get those strong opinions though, I loathe tiramisù, for instance.
Salve, although you don’t mention them your piece brought to mind my mother’s gnocchi alla Romana prepared with love and pride, along with a constant presence of da Roma giù from a Roman neighbour who although born in Firenze had firmly tied her allegiance to all things southern.
Have you read Rachel Roddy? She is, as per your piece, not Italian but English married to a Sicilian. Wonderful writing and a beautiful take on the whole Italian food thing which, cliché aside, is a very real presence.
The story of Jewish cookery in Italy is wonderfully evocative.
Gnocchi alla romana, love them to bits! I read Rachel Roddy's column in the Guardian, she is a great writer, very knowledgeable, and goes beyond the usual combo pasta & pizza. Jewish cookery has lot of gems. My father used to go to Rome often for his work, and he and his colleagues dined always in a "trattoria" in the former Ghetto, where they indulged in "abbacchio" (lamb) e "carciofi alla giudia" (artichokes the Jewish way).
Carciofi alla Giudia is extraordinary. You might think with all the oil needed, it would be greasy but far from it. The large amount of oil actually makes for a less greasy outcome because of the sheer volume of hot fat creating a kind of eco system.
Hot fat is the kind of eco system I'd love to revel in. You're right, they're light and oh so tasty, the bitter flavour complements the fried crunchy in the most delightful way.
This was great, It took me back to Italy! First, I'm happy to be among the "good" husbands, since I'm the one in the kitchen when I'm at home. And I love it! My wife's desserts are amazing, though. She loves to make Italian desserts, cakes, Sicilian cannoli, cookies, fruit tarts, zeppole, and babà. But my italian grandmother's cooking was absolutely heavenly! I'm with you on pizza: I'm a big fan of Margherita, but I wouldn't turn down a good Diavola :D
What a golden couple you both are, Michael! Diavola and Marinara are also tasty, but it's hard to beat a Margherita. I could murder a whole tray of cannoli right now, and give me a babà, while we're at it!
Very interesting. Slow food is great, but it's wise to ask on whom the burden falls. Coincidentally, I'm currently in Mérida, the metropolis of the Yucatán, and people seem to love Italian food here. In the residential area where I'm staying, well out of the historic centre, there are 2 Italian restaurants within walking distance. I've been warned away from one of them. The other one is owned and managed by an actual Italian, which is probably why my contacts prefer it.
Oooh that sounds good. I am going to give that a try. Thank you for the suggestion( my waistline thinks you are a terrible woman but I stopped listening to it years ago)
Thanks, as always, Portia!
Thank you, I've been cooking a lot of pasta this week and thinking of this article every time I do so. Managed it last to secure that remarkably thick (in diameter) spaghetti which we enjoyed in Rome. Anyway your article What's cooking takes the lid off Italian cuisine in great start. Look forward to part 2.
Vexata quaestio....my new favorite phrase! Grazie, Portia!
Grazie a te, Amanda! <3
So, thou shalt not pineapple, but canst thou still durian?
My darling, I've never had durian, although I'm curious, of course. I don't think it belongs on a pizza but whatever floats your boat. I'm conservative about pizza, but I love all the wildly different, delicious, flavorful and fragrant food cultures of Asia. I've even started to appreciate tofu now!
Ha, we really have durian pizza in Asia, along with all sorts of untamed flavours. But let’s come back to your interesting article, Portia. I don’t give a rat’s arse about ‘authenticity’, either. Most of the time anyway. I agree with you: people can do whatever they want with their food. If you want to use three tablespoons of sugar plus some ketchup to cook General Tso's chicken, I see no problem. BUT, if you think all the Chinese people, all 1.4 billion of us, enjoy eating such cloying food then I’m afraid you’re sorely mistaken. In my eyes, it is only when a cuisine serves as a window into a culture or history that ‘authenticity’ is relevant.
P.S. As it happens, Fuchsia Dunlop, a food historian that I like, once wrote an article on how to translate ‘豆腐’, commonly known as ‘tofu’, into English (http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com/you-say-tomayto-i-say-tomahta/).
P.S.S. I love durian and take it from me, this fruit and pizza are much better enjoyed SEPARATELY.
谢谢 for your great comment, Zibow, I was eager to know your opinion about food culture, considered that you're an accomplished cook. Fuchsia Dunlop's article is illuminating, I know how passionate she is about Chinese cuisine, but tofu is somehow easier to pronounce than dou fu for us. I'm going to remember it though, and pay my due respects to Chinese great products.
So, my hunch about pizza and durian was right. Durian and ice-cream, on the other hand, sounds exciting to me, what do you think?
Of course your hunch was right, Portia, both about the pizza and the ice cream: you’re a sophisticated lady. And call it tofu if you like: bean curd by any other name would taste as great 😉.
Very familiar... Though not Italian, the Mediterranean mindset is ingrained in me, feminist protestations aside! It is quite surprising how these notions persist, proof that plus que ca change ..You know the rest!
Don't I know it, Maria! Thank you also for sharing. <3
Every time I go back to Italy, I have to listen to my sister, brother-in-law and assorted relatives going on endlessly about Italian cuisine being the best in the world. "Everybody loves Italian food," they say, though I've never understood who "everybody" is. Certainly not a few billion Chinese and Indians.
They even laugh at me for eating raw fish...
The whole of Asia, and France, and Mexico, and... I know, it's exhausting. Sushi was one of the food epiphanies I had in my life, and another was ramen. There's only so much pasta a human being can eat. Grazie, Gianni! Ride bene chi ride ultimo...
Great read, as always. I always look forward to your words... plus I learned a new one today: Oik. I did not know this one, but will start to put it to good use!
Thanks, Tim! I hope you're all fine and excited with the move.
Excited, stressed, all the above. :-)
A beautiful and impassioned plea for sanity in how we look at our own culture, or those of others. Thank you for this, Portia!
Thank you, Jeffrey! Variety is the most fragrant spice, don't you think? Vive la différence!
I totally agree.
Should I try and make this zuccotto y/n
Yes, yes, yes!!! Thanks so much, Susan. <3
You have a good sense of humour. Do you drink wine with all the food?
Thanks Martin! We love a small glass of wine, but we noticed that drinking made us eat more, and we should be careful. But occasionally, yes, it's fine and good to enjoy it.
Bravissimo! We live in such a global culture swirling around the planet at light speed, that how can any "pure" cuisine even hope to exist. What takes its place, though, is wonderful. Food and music has the capacity to bring us together. Why do we allow our prejudices to take that away from us? I look forward to your Part 2.
Thank you, my dear Sue! You're so right: food, music, art, they can really make us see how much in common we have.
What a wonderful post, Portia!! I usually don't read about food, as I can't have 80% of it, not that it makes me very sad and обделенный, and yet.
I read and enjoyed it so much!
by the way -I have a (virtual) friend, she's from Kiev like yours truly and at some point married an Italian guy. She's was a passionate chef, not by specialty but because she loves cooking. Took her years upon years of jumping through hoops and barriers, sheer passion and endless dedication- but she's now highly regarded in Italy as a brilliant chef, has a couple books printed, and established a business with bringing groups from abroad, teaching them about Italian cuisine.
When we communicated more, in the golden age of forums, it was very funny to observe how she becomes supermad when one even as much as mentions mayonnaise:) Will never forget it.
What a remarkable lady, but what's wrong with mayonnaise? Спасибо, милая Чен!
She hated it, considered it an offence to ..don;t remember what. Authentic cooking? Good ingridients? Healthy something?
People sometimes have strong opinions about the strangest things, I remember the whole thread about tea and coffee:) Good times, looking back
Thank you!
Well, if you smother everything in mayonnaise, it kills subtler flavors, it should be used sparsely. I get those strong opinions though, I loathe tiramisù, for instance.
You mentioned it, yes :)
Salve, although you don’t mention them your piece brought to mind my mother’s gnocchi alla Romana prepared with love and pride, along with a constant presence of da Roma giù from a Roman neighbour who although born in Firenze had firmly tied her allegiance to all things southern.
Have you read Rachel Roddy? She is, as per your piece, not Italian but English married to a Sicilian. Wonderful writing and a beautiful take on the whole Italian food thing which, cliché aside, is a very real presence.
The story of Jewish cookery in Italy is wonderfully evocative.
Gnocchi alla romana, love them to bits! I read Rachel Roddy's column in the Guardian, she is a great writer, very knowledgeable, and goes beyond the usual combo pasta & pizza. Jewish cookery has lot of gems. My father used to go to Rome often for his work, and he and his colleagues dined always in a "trattoria" in the former Ghetto, where they indulged in "abbacchio" (lamb) e "carciofi alla giudia" (artichokes the Jewish way).
Carciofi alla Giudia is extraordinary. You might think with all the oil needed, it would be greasy but far from it. The large amount of oil actually makes for a less greasy outcome because of the sheer volume of hot fat creating a kind of eco system.
Hot fat is the kind of eco system I'd love to revel in. You're right, they're light and oh so tasty, the bitter flavour complements the fried crunchy in the most delightful way.
This was great, It took me back to Italy! First, I'm happy to be among the "good" husbands, since I'm the one in the kitchen when I'm at home. And I love it! My wife's desserts are amazing, though. She loves to make Italian desserts, cakes, Sicilian cannoli, cookies, fruit tarts, zeppole, and babà. But my italian grandmother's cooking was absolutely heavenly! I'm with you on pizza: I'm a big fan of Margherita, but I wouldn't turn down a good Diavola :D
What a golden couple you both are, Michael! Diavola and Marinara are also tasty, but it's hard to beat a Margherita. I could murder a whole tray of cannoli right now, and give me a babà, while we're at it!
Hahaha... Yeah, cannoli are stunnig!
Very interesting. Slow food is great, but it's wise to ask on whom the burden falls. Coincidentally, I'm currently in Mérida, the metropolis of the Yucatán, and people seem to love Italian food here. In the residential area where I'm staying, well out of the historic centre, there are 2 Italian restaurants within walking distance. I've been warned away from one of them. The other one is owned and managed by an actual Italian, which is probably why my contacts prefer it.
It makes sense. But, when in Mexico, eat Mexican food! Thanks, David, and enjoy your stay!
That was a wonderful read Portia. I love Italian food and never go long without a Pizza or some Spaghetti.
Thanks for the lovely compliment, Steve! I also love risotto, in springtime you can have it with asparagus, and even strawberries, proper lush!
Oooh that sounds good. I am going to give that a try. Thank you for the suggestion( my waistline thinks you are a terrible woman but I stopped listening to it years ago)
My waistline agrees with you. But we will be dead a long time, let's enjoy good food, while we can.
You sound so Italian! : )
Mamma mia!