Antonio and Italian Apertivo

Ok, so I’m catching up – slowly but surely. Although, as each day passes wifi-less, I'm getting farther and farther behind. Now I will talk a little bit about Thursday from two weeks ago, then the next post should be about the last two weekends. Luckily, the beginning of last week (Mon.-Wed.) was slower than the last week, with more time to sit and actually talk about some of the things I’ve done. My poor parents have been wondering what I have been up to all week because I can hardly talk to them. What’s worse is that the internet at my home here has been having problems for the last week, which makes it so much harder to figure out a way to type this all out. (The last post about the cooking class was first typed on my computer, photographed on my phone, re-typed into my Kindle without Wi-Fi, then formatted on blogspot on my phone with Wi-Fi so I could include some pictures…talk about a nightmare.)

Remember Antonio, the owner of the famous deli? Well Thursday, two days after the tasting with Giuliana, a few of us stopped in front of his shop. One of the girls from our group was already there, where Antonio had brought her out a huge platter of cheeses, meats, bread, wine and glasses. We stopped to chat and join in for some snacks and Antonio kept bringing out more and more for us. Once again, it was beyond what we deserved so we all decided that we would each pitch in at least €10 to show our appreciation (which is EXTREMELY cheap for the kinds of food he was bringing out). A couple of the girls had been in the day before and told us that he wouldn’t take any of the money they offered, so they basically had to throw it across the counter and run away before he could give it back to them. So, when it was our turn to pay we made a plan to run in to thank and pay him. Well, as soon as we came in he came around the counter and started to chat with us. He ended up talking with us for at least an hour probably (during business hours, no less) about the ingredients he uses when he cooks, the importance of using everything when you cook to avoid waste, the seasonality of fruit and other necessities for his food, different wines in France vs. Italy, and all kinds of other things. He talked about buying kilos and kilos of chilies and Sicilian oranges, when they are in season so they can use them throughout the year. This conversation led to him grabbing a brand new jar of a special chili sauce and opening it for us so we could each have a tiny little toothpick-size taste of the sauce. It led to him giving each of us pieces of shortbread-type cookies that use the orange and lemon rinds. One of the sauces he gave us to try when we were outside eating was even made from plums that came out of his own garden at home! A lot of the conversation came about because I told him we had just done the cooking class with the school the night before. From there he talked about the importance of understanding why Italians use what they use or do what they do when they cook. Everything he told us about his ingredients and his processes have a purpose, and he knows exactly what purpose they serve (for my Christian friends: does this sound familiar?)

One of the most profound things Antonio told us was that he doesn’t run this shop or make this food just to make money - although I’m sure he is well off. He does it because he is passionate about his food and the work that goes into producing it, and after speaking with him I believe it 100%. Many times in America, and yes, I am about to make a huge general statement here, people only start companies, businesses, or restaurants to break into the market, make money, and/or make it onto FoodNetwork or whatever foodie-magazine. The culture here is completely different, and I am starting to have the greatest respect for it. Of course, there are those in the U.S. that sincerely care for their food or their business and I realize that, but here in Italy it is not about growth and expansion to gain the greatest market share or make the CEO a billionaire. Here (at least in Siena so far) it is about producing great food and sharing the culture and history of Italy through the culinary world. Antonio also told us he doesn’t mind giving us free food or tastes of expensive goods to our group because it is his way of sharing his culture and knowledge with us. He pointed out too, that our group is attentive and respectful enough to listen and receive the information he is sharing with us, which is an awesome, awesome compliment. He told us he had a group of American students (I think with the same program but for a different year maybe?) in his shop once with their Cokes and attitudes, with no interest in the expensive wines or cheeses he was giving them free-of-charge, which I think is beyond disrespectful and insulting. Overall, I have such a deep respect for him, who works so hard because he loves what he does and is so ready to share that passion with others. In the end, we did throw the money on the register and run, but to me at least, he gave us much more than food that afternoon.

Thursday night was a great time too. Italy is known for its apertivi, appetizers. Basically, from what I understand, you buy something (usually a drink) at a restaurant and then you are free to eat as much of the appetizer-type food that you want. This happens all over Italy, at random restaurants, and daily. One of the teachers from my school, Andrea, took whoever signed up for the event to a little restaurant nearby to try out an aperitivo. I bought a glass of Prosecco (which was THE best I have tried thus far on my trip) for €4 and then enjoyed some classic Italian foods, like salads, breads, and a dish, which I believe is called Papa Pomodoro? It is like a thick tomato sauce, technically a soup that is made with day-old bread. Sounds gross, but tastes really good. After that aperitivo, some of my friends and I went to a try another aperitivo at another restaurant. Once again, we bought drinks and were able to eat what was set out for appetizers. I’ve been to a few different places for aperitivi since then and some are better than others, and they all have different kinds of snacks they offer. This night was fun because some other people from the language school came to hang out with our U of U group. We met a young doctor from Australia, an 18 year-old New Zealander, a couple girls from Spain and I think probably some Swiss people. 

From the aperitivi, our large group went over to Luna Park, a mini-theme park/carnival a short walk away from the city center. A bunch of us went on the swing ride, and this is where one of my other Moments of Contentment happened. If you know me well, you will probably know that I love swings and I love theme parks and carnivals. Put two and two together and I am the happiest little thing. While flying around on the swings, I felt amazing. Another moment where I took a second to remember that I was in Italy, on my own adventure, flying through the air looking stupid on some swings. Perfect. A lot of the boys went on the bumper cars and that was really entertaining to watch. Luna Park also has such a fun ride called “Black Out.” If you have ever been to Lagoon in Utah, there are these two rides: “Samurai” and “Cliffhanger.” The ride at Luna Park was a mix of those two, without the water. Imagine the motion of the Cliffhanger spinning around attached to the motion of the Samurai. Oh, I love it so much. I’ve been on it once after that, and probably will go at least a few more times before I leave. We hung out at Luna Park with the big group for a while, although Alaina and I went home while everyone else went to another pub. This was my whole Thursday, once again, longer than I intended but I’m happy to share.

First Cooking Class

Ciao friends and family! I apologize it has taken me so long to post on my blog, I didn't realize how many people were actually reading this silly thing. Two people is way more than I could ask for. ;) Anyways, I have done a LOT of fun things every single day since I last posted, so it may take me a few posts to catch up and the details may be condensed. With the jam-packed days we've had, I come home exhausted and not wanting to blog. Shame on me for writing so much, I have so much less motivation at midnight to blog about my day.

Where I left off last, we had visited Antonio's deli last Tuesday. Wednesday was one of my absolute favorite days so far. That was the day we had our first of three cooking classes at the school. In the afternoon, a bunch of people from our group (the entire U of U study

abroad group is around 20 people) just bought a simple lunch and sat in the Piazza to get to know each other. This was the first of what I like to call my "Moments of Contentment." Sitting in the Piazza with my new friends and without worrying about seeing everything or the stress of tourism in the beautiful weather just made me feel beyond relaxed - I could have stayed there all day long and then some. I have had a few of those moments since then , which brings me to the next one: Wednesday night's cooking class.

For an extra $200, we students have the opportunity to participate in a cooking class with the school. There are three separate classes over the course of the 5 weeks we are here and in those classes we learn to make a full four-course meal. The courses consist of  l'antipasto (appetizer), il primo piatto (first course, usually a pasta of some kind), il secondo piatto (second course, usually a type of meat or fish dish), then il dolce (dessert...so good). Most of us in the group chose to do the cooking class, so there were a lot of hands - probably too many. For the appetizer, we made two types of crostini one with mushrooms and another with honey, gorgonzola, and pears. The first course was fresh made egg-pasta with tomato sauce and an arugola pesto sauce on the side. The main course was a veal scallopine with sautéed artichokes. Then finally, the dessert was one of my all-time favorites, panna cotta with strawberries.

The kitchen was set up in mini-stations for different types of tasks, so we didn't make our own meal from start to finish. Rather, we all just helped out with a little bit of everything. I started in the pasta station, so I mixed and kneaded second of the fresh dough and I ended up working with the pasta from start to finish. While the pasta was cooling in the fridge, I went to the artichokes. I removed all of the hard leaves from the artichokes to get near the hearts, peeled the stems (thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to peel with a knife, I'm practically a pro from all of those potatoes over the years), and put them in the lemon water. I watched Luisa, the chef, prepare and cook the veal, sauté the artichokes, and make the arugula pesto. My favorite part of the class was rolling and cutting the pasta dough. I had never used a pasta machine before and it was so fun to do it and watch everyone try. After the dough had been rolled into sheets, Luisa showed us how to roll the ends of the pasta sheet up like a scroll and cut them into long noodles. They were not nearly as nicely cut as from the pasta cutter, but honestly, they tasted amazing and the looks didn't matter once they were dressed and ready to eat.

Throughout the class, I kind of followed Luisa around and just had her give me things to do. I was thinking through the class, I didn't want to seem like the over-eager kid that has to be involved with everything, but at the same time I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity

to actually cook and learn from the chefs in these classes. I love to bake at home (though I can really only make a few things), but my cooking skills aren't quite there yet. I was so excited by the idea of making fresh pasta or other dishes for my family when I go home, so I did, and plan to, take full advantage of these classes. Basically, I abandoned what other people thought of me and jumped in where I could; however, I did really try to be conscious of others and step away to let other people have their turn if they wanted it. By the time we had rolled and cut the pasta (which was the last task before we had our dinner), I was just the happiest little thing in the whole world. I had so much fun chatting with my friends, talking with the chef and another teacher, Claudio,  and keeping myself busy preparing and cooking. This was another one of my Moments of Contentment - it just felt so perfect being in there and working hard to produce a meal in Italy. I also had the thought that this class and other activities that happen while we are here in this beautiful place, are going to be what we make them to be. In direct relation to the cooking class, I thought that some kids might think that the class wasn't fun, or that it was boring, or they didn't have enough to do, etc., but I would argue that it is more likely that they didn't put enough effort into it. I mean, one of the biggest aspects of Italy's culture is the food, so why wouldn't you

want to do everything you could to get as much out of these classes as you can? Either way, whether others had a good time or not, I enjoyed myself immensely and I cannot wait for the next class. Up next: focaccia bread appetizers, pizzas, grilled veggies, and tiramisu!

After the cooking was done, the kitchen staff served us the meal we had made all evening. I was so impressed with how everything came together with all of our work and hands (which were probably more in the way than not). Sitting down to eat the meal we had produced after a few hours in the kitchen gave me a feeling of total satisfaction. Of course, I only had a small role in the bigger picture, but the idea that we had all contributed in some way, however small, made it that much more special. The dinner had great conversations, hilarious jokes, new relationships, and some delicious food. All of those things, together with the still-unbelievable fact that I am in Italy of all places, made for one of the most memorable nights for me on the trip so far.

Well, hopefully you made it this far without falling asleep. I had no intention of that being so long...but I'm glad I am able to share some of what I am experiencing here with you. I still have about 6 days to catch up on, but I'm thinking those will be a little bit quicker to explain and summarize. This day was just a special one that I want to be able to look back on and enjoy. Coming up: more Antonio, Italian aperitivi, Luna Park carnival, the Torture Museum (yikes), wine tour around Tuscany and the beach! Stay tuned.

That One Time...One-of-a-Kind Experiences, Like Rick Steves

Antonio, Alaina, Io, e Maria al Pizzicheria de Miccoli

I didn't blog yesterday, which is probably better as yesterday was just the worst day to begin a trip. To keep an extremely long story short, the two issues I experienced had to do with my school classes and surprise, surprise, setting up my phone. Both were extremely frustrating and exhausting by the end of the day. TIP #3 If you are ever dealing with contracts, technology, or anything else in a foreign country where you are not proficient in the language, bring a native speaker who can help you. What, common sense you say? Sure it is; my problem was I couldn't find someone like that to help me until my problem was too deep to get out of myself (host-mom Stefania to the rescue). Despite all of the issues, there were two major God-moments that happened yesterday. (For those of you who don't know, I am a Christian and some of my blogs may or may not reflect that expressly.) The first moment was during the chaos of trying to get my phone to work. The whole process took about 2-3 hours and the time in between the two trips to Vodafone were spent walking back and forth in the streets of Siena. As we were getting a group to go with me back to Vodafone to figure some stuff out, I realized I had dropped my actual SIM card, from Verizon, somewhere. Yeah, you better believe I was panicking. After about 10 minutes of wondering how the day could get any worse, one of my friends found it on the ground right outside of our teacher's apartment where we had just left. Phew. The second God-moment was later last night after dinner. After going through the events of our really annoying day to our host-mom, I got an email from someone at the U (University of Utah, my school). It was a message about the results of a departmental scholarship that the Languages and Literature department had offered this last semester for language study abroad programs. I had been waiting, hoping, and praying for over 2 months to hear about results and was often nagging my counselor about the status of my application. Well, as you've probably guessed, I was awarded the/a scholarship!! Both of these events I considered God-moments because in both times I was reminded who is in control despite all of my planning and worrying. Both times forced me to take a step back afterwards and realize wow, He was definitely by my side, especially while I was only concerned about myself and my problems. Both times He was watching out for me far better than I could watch out for myself. So, despite the problems I have encountered here already, the day ended well once I tried to step back from my own situation and realize who, rather than what, I should depend on. And that "who" is definitely not me. 

Maria ed io

Now onto today's Main Event! Halfway through class today, Giuliana (our professoressa and program director from the U) pulled the whole group out of their classes and had an amazing surprise for us. She took us to Pizzicheria de Miccoli, a world famous, not to mention renowned, deli that has been family-owned for generations. She has been longtime friends with the owner, Antonio, so they had set up a special tasting for us inside this tiny butcher shop. It was DELICIOUS. There were all types of fresh sliced cheeses, meats, breads and spreads and a few bottles of white wine to share. As we ate and marveled over all of the different foods, Antonio just kept preparing more and more dishes (some extremely expensive), talking about the traditional Sienese foods and methods. I can honestly say I am extremely proud of myself, I actually tried a little dish he made that was RAW sausage drizzled with a bunch of seasonings and oil. It took me a second to choke it down, but I did and I'm so glad because it was pretty good. He also cracked open a couple different bottles of wine for us to try. We passed two glasses of Vin Santo - native to Tuscany - around the group to taste that were both aged for different amounts of time. I could do without that wine. There was also a glass of red wine passed that was to die for, but I can't remember it's name... Luckily, I got a lot of it because I was standing next to Maria, one of the older women in the group, and he kept pouring her glass after glass so we just shared. I am no wine connoisseur by any means, but that was the smoothest wine I have ever tasted - it was fabulous. It better be at €120+ per bottle and aged for 40+ years, right? Then, finally, Antonio finished with some traditional dolci, desserts. One was a powdered sugar-covered type of shortbread cookie with a special pumpkin jam that was just amazing, then a traditional type of cake that tasted like gingerbread with orange.

Antonio, Giuliana, e Rick Steves

The whole experience was just unreal - Antonio and the staff rolled out the red carpets and gave us the royal treatment which, let's be honest, is so much more than a group of college students deserve. It is a popular and famous shop that they shut down for over an hour so we could enjoy the Italian culture through taste. One of Antonio's staff was even stationed at the entrance turning people away. There is also a general rule about photography and videos being prohibited inside (most likely to avoid tourists and excessive people visiting the shop and protect their recipes) but we were able to take pictures and hang out inside. One last thing that was SO COOL was seeing Rick Steves! Somehow, and I'm still amazed by it, Giuliana spotted him walking past the door or maybe peeking in (of course he's been there before) and started yelling at him to come in and chat with us. He did and shared in our tasting experience for a few minutes and it was just so random but fantastic. If you don't know who Rick Steves is, you probably should. He is famous for popular travel guides, books, tips and PBS. That's all for yesterday and today's adventures, hopefully they will continue tomorrow! Buonanotte dall'Italia :)

Michelle, Alaina, un'assistente, io, Nicola, e Drew