I is for Italia!

This is the town of Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre

After a few fast paced weeks here I I have discovered that this may be the land I belong the most.

Every turn I take, every product I taste, every single word I hear about quality of life and food, and actually adhering to that standard, causes a new well of happiness within my heart, and multiple times a day in fact. I am blessed to have gone to the first half of this culinary school adventure in New York City, and I do truly love the States. California will always be my home and my heart. My many trips to National Parks across the county; darting from North and South and East to West; I do miss my family and friends. Being here though, well (deep deep sigh...) it's another dream that I never thought possible and another stepping stone that gets me closer to my goals. Sometimes throughout the day I need to pinch myself. 

I never want it to be over. Can we make that happen please?

Every day for school, a la castle di ALMA here in Colorno, outside the beautiful city of Parma, we learn the history of the country, taught that food makes up the threads of our being (something I have been preaching for years), and are stressed to comprehend how to live a life in accordance to seasonality and freshness is of the utmost importance. We see and taste products that, for all intensive purposes, only exist here (trust me though, I have a list of items I want to try to smuggle back). There is basil that is only grown in Liguria, there is citrus that can't leave the island of Sardegna, there is cheese that everyone across the country agrees is the best Pecorino and you had better not mess with it, in fact even the Radiccio is preciously preserved by the Slow Food movement. I mean, come on, if you know me at all, you must know how much that makes my heart swell with happiness. 

Sunset in Levanto.

I have never eaten so well on a regular basis. Not even just rich and luxurious items like fois gras or lardo, although I have had some seriously rich food, more on that later, but even the peppers taste better here. The zucchini has a quality to it which I cannot quite describe. The sapore of each piece of produce is incomparable to anything I have tried thus far. I think I have probably eaten my weight in Cherries from the Veneto region, which are my favorite. 

Because I have had so many experiences within the past 4 or 5 weeks ( I cannot even keep track of time right now) I don't think I can list them.  Actually, it wouldn't be fair to you, it would sound more like bragging than explaining, because seriously it has been that good. 

Romagna, and in the distance the Adriatic Sea.

What I can say is that Italian's, on a whole, are so healthful and beautiful. They care about each product, how its grown, how it is treated, where is comes from, who grew it, why it is the right thing to use in one recipe versus another preparation. A small snippet of examples: They will not buy something if it isn't up to standard, they will not settle for less than what they are used to. One of the most amazing and heartwarming moments was when our lovely and amazing Chef Bruno Ruffini brought in herbs which he had picked from his mothers garden to fill with our Tortelli recipe for that day.  Not because we didn't have stuff to put in them, the school could have provided it, but those were the herbs we needed.  Herbs from a real garden. Herbs from a mom's garden. They probably tasted better for it. Honestly, I cannot think of a better place to get that kind of variety of greens than from the region they grow wild in. Additionally, as we all know, Italian mothers, more over grandmothers for that matter, are the best source for anything good in this world. We have guest chefs that come in and have us try produce, cheese and special oils just from their region, because they deem it the best. Gotta say though, the very best onions though are from Calabria. Hands down. 

Artisan Cheese making treasure to the world.

I could go on and on. I could wax poetically about cheese that I have eaten, or how my classmates and I so leisurely sample Michelin star food from chefs across this beautiful country; how each and every day I discover a much richer life and just by eating food. We have a professor that reminds me of my favorite teacher in 7th and 8th grade. He teaches us about the beauty of Italia. The beauty of each region, why they are all important to the patchwork map that makes up Italy. It amazes me how many pages I have filled in my notebook after his lectures come to a close. Just listening to this man with an amazing tan, dark red hair, glasses and whom is definitely Italian, but when he speaks english has a Scottish accent. Mr. Stefano Bently is an absolute treasure. I want him near by all the time to tell we why and how things came to pass.

I have so much to say, an I am sorry that I have been so absent, but when in a haze of total amazement and pleasure, one is not apt to keep up with things of this nature. I will do my best to keep you informed more in future, in fact probably regale you with tid-bits that have already passed. Best I can do is keep taking notes, keep my mind open and keep tasting. By doing this anyone can expand their mind in ways you may have never thought possible.
When you see me in the future, when you speak with me in person, I will have changed, and only for the better. My face may have aged, my dark circles may be deeper from long nights of Lombrusco and 12 hours day in the kitchen. But, this place has changed me.
And if you thought my food was good before, well
This life that I have lead, its been child's play up until now. The bar has been raised forever. This journey has just begun, and this land that I wish one day to call home has enchanted me. 

Heaven?

I will write more soon, cross my heart.
    Si si si si, sure sure sure sure.