Well, Italy, you’ve been swell, and I really mean it. I give an endless thank you to the wonderful Pedrocco family for hosting me over the past five weeks and teaching me about Italian culture, both in the kitchen and out. I cannot say anything that will do your warmth and kindness justice and I could not have been any more fortunate to have had the opportunity to live with you and get to know you.
For my last supper (I have yet to see the painting because it’s basically impossible to get a reservation; in other words, I’ll be back), we had a feast of seafood. No recipes necessary, but I’ll share some photos of the meal in progress. I must warn you, the preparation was a bit gory and Massi wasn’t sure I’d eat the dinner after seeing it. It involved decapitating sardines, dismembering calamari (yes, again, although last time it was squid), and killing strange shellfish called capelonghe, a speciality of the Venetian Lagoon. If you’re interested in making it, the calamari is stuffed with a blend of breadcrumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, and parsley and baked at about 200 degrees Celsius for around twenty minutes (you should be able to tell when it’s done).
The Before
Capelonghe
Sardines
Calamari
(that’s the mouth)
The In Between
Capelonghe
Sardines
Calamari
The End
The Afterwards
I will be back to Italy many more times. This is a country of huge cultural variety — the different regions could be different countries — and extraordinary geographical beauty. And regardless of where you are, Italians are fascinating people, full of life, and never allowing for a dull moment. In the past month or so I made it to Mestre (home), Venice, Bologna, Bolzano, Verona, Padova, Milan, and Naples (last time — eight years ago — I visited Rome, Venice, Florence, Sienna, and Milan). I look forward to visiting the south, including Sicily, but will not hesitate to return to any of the places I’ve had the opportunity to spend time in so far.
Finally, for the record, I have no doubt, even though I’m still pretty early on in my journey, that the best food of the world is made here. Italians know how to eat and I was lucky enough to be able share with them.
365bitesaroundtheworld 