Moto and Modena

Paul here...I'll make a little break from the food posts to keep with our original theme....

I've wanted to post more about motorcycles here but the Parma motorcycle community is still a bit hidden to me, probably because of the weather. As it warms up I see more and more bikes on the street.

There's a really good Yamaha dealer close to us, I took a walk there and met with the manager. He speaks good english so we had a long conversation about the market situation here....unfortunately it's the same as in the US, which is terrible! Makes for a good buyer's market though, and I saw quite a few used bikes for sale in the shop...also it had by far the best selection of Dainese gear I've ever seen.

Prices are fairly high due to the dollar/euro exchange rate, and I'm still not sure what the rules are for foreigners buying and registering motorcycles here. So, I don't know what the chances are of picking something up to use while we're here....but I sure would like to try!

Public transportation is very good here, but so are the roads, and I'd love to ride them. We'll see.

Emily and I took a trip to Modena, too, which is the home of Ferrari and Maserati. Didn't make it to the factory in Maranello, but next time we go I will. Modena is beautiful and I love that they have the Ferrari flag in the town center next to the national flag:

OK, the food here is just too good and prevalent....I can't resist commenting on it a little bit more.
Of course we couldn't visit Modena without picking up a bottle of authentic Aceto, which is highly prized and like everything else here, not cheap. We've used a tiny bit already, it's much, much different and better than the "balsamic vinegar di Modena" that you commonly see in the states. Some of the oldest bottles in the shops were 400 euro, which is almost $600!!!

Also I got probably the best cannoli I've ever had (sorry Mom!), the owner of the cafe we went to handmakes them in the back. Yum! Although moustaches and powdered sugar are a difficult combo....

organ meats -- can we be friends already?

I will admit, I don't like them...yet! My mom fed me chicken livers and kidneys when I was a toddler and apparently I was on board then, but since I can remember, I am really not a fan. I am a pretty adventurous eater, especially when I am abroad or at someone else’s house. While living in Ecuador I had guinea pig (which was my first pet as a kid), cow’s udder, cow’s foot, ants, tripe, fish head soup, fried sheep’s blood, etc. While in Mexico I had worms and ant eggs. In Portugal I had barnacles. In LA I recently had some tongue which Paul grilled at the house. When I compare these things, I can honestly say that I would rather eat a bug than an organ. Give me chewy or crunchy to rich and smooth any day. There is something about the richness of organ meats that I find hard to stomach. I don’t like pate, and really don’t like foie gras, which I think is better for ethical reasons anyway.
While in Italy, I hope to change my perspective on these functional delicacies as they are an important part of the cuisine and I appreciate that more parts of the animal are used and prized here. But this may take a little time. A few nights ago at a bar, we found that one of the free snacks offered were fritto misto which included organ meats. I tried to be a good sport but woke up in the middle of the night with a stomach ache. Paul thinks it was from the Aperol spritz, my new favorite aperitif. I think it was from the fritto misto. I’ll keep you posted as I give it another shot.

Farmers' Market

Not sure how we missed it last Saturday, but this morning we walked one street over from our apartment and ran into a great little Farmers’ market. Now we know where we will be doing our weekend shopping! We bought lettuce, pears, a few types of local cheese including Parmigiano, wine (a white called Malvasia dell’Emilia and a red blend from nearby Piacenza), honey, eggs, and a crumbly almond/honey torta from Mantova called sbrisolona. Everything was of excellent quality and sold at a price that seems more reasonable than the local shops, which helps our student budget – and we got to meet the people that produced it. I couldn’t believe that an enormous piece of top quality formaggio Parmigiano, approximately 8x6x1 inches was 4.50 euro. I am looking forward to getting to know the farmers more each week and seeing what comes to the market as the seasons change.

UNISG

On Thursday I had my first meeting at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, which is my primary affiliation for my Fulbright grant. Arriving in Colorno, I was struck with the beauty of the campus – the University is housed in a palace first build in the 13th century. After so much dreaming about being at UNISG, I couldn’t believe I was finally there. I met with my advisor, Simone Cinotto, who is a food historian and the director of the Masters programs. We discussed possibilities for my research project, in which I hope to integrate the worlds of preventive medicine and gastronomy with a focus on nutrition in youth. In addition to doing independent research, I will also have the chance to audit a Food Culture class in May which is part of the Masters program in Food Culture and Communications. I am excited about studying similar themes I have focused on researching over the last 4 years from the perspective of a different discipline.




As I nice coincidence, while at the University I saw that there was a book signing with Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food, the following night. I wasn’t sure that I would have the chance to hear him speak while in Italy, none the less during one of my first weeks here, so needless to say I was thrilled. Set in one of the historic rooms of the University, the talk was very intimate, and Mr. Petrini gave an inspiring talk about his recent book, Terra Madre. One of the main themes revolved around how cheaply produced food is really expensive when you consider the harmful effects to our health and the earth. He mentioned that when we are first born and rely on our mother’s milk, we naturally have a very close relationship with our food source, and that we should strive to continue to be connected to where our food comes from, by either farming ourselves or by building friendships with the farmers who grow our food. Mr. Petrini ended with saying that when albatross walk, they are clumsy, but when they fly, they are beautiful and graceful. He encouraged all of us to “fly high” and create a better way of life now and for the generations that follow.



The talk was followed by a tasting of local artisanal food products including prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, and Lambrusco wine. I had the chance to speak with Mr. Petrini, in my limted Italian (!), and he was very welcoming and gracious to both Paul and I, and was enthusiastic about my research interests.

Getting home from Colorno, which is a small town outside of Parma, is a little challenging, particularly late at night, given the infrequent bus and train schedule. Though we thought we may have been stuck there overnight, we managed to catch the last train home at 10pm. Here is how we entertained ourselves in the deserted train station.