Thread: To the people living in Italy now

ravenlynne <[email protected]> wrote:

>First, I'd like to admit I was wrong before...I found food yesterday at
>a restaurant that I'm dying to go back for...We decided to go to Vomero
>(in naples) to visit the Villa Floridiana and let the kids run around
>for a while, and found a rest. for lunch nearby...don't remember the
>name of the place...

Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although some of
these restaurants don't have names, or names you can easily
figure out...)

>My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
>around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates
>of risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed
>by a secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in
>Italy? There was seafood everywhere!

Could be related to Easter being not that long ago, and therefore
fasting season being ended. It is not the feast(s) of San Genarro,
those are later in the year.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> Could be related to Easter being not that long ago, and therefore
> fasting season being ended. It is not the feast(s) of San Genarro,
> those are later in the year.
>
> Steve

Well, I only know of the big one and that's in August, that doesn't
preclude other dates...

--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!

ravenlynne <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

Was yesterday a holiday in
> Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of
> wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so
different
> from what I usually order.
>


All that shellfish sounded great!! Are you taking photo's??


But as for it being a holiday......... could have been Easter!!


http://www.italiantouristboard.co.uk/it/ind/i72.html

Offices and shops are closed in Italy on the following dates:

January 1 New Year's Day
January 6 Epiphany
March/April Easter (different each year)
March/April Easter Monday (different each year)
April 25 Liberation Day
May 1 Labour Day
June 2 Anniversary of the Republic
August 15 Assumption of the Virgin
November 1 All Saints' Day
December 8 Day of the Immaculate Conception
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Boxing day (known in Italy as "Santo Stefano")

Offices and shops are also closed in the following cities on local Feast
days honouring their patron Saints:

April 25 Saint Mark (Venice)
June 24 Saint John the Baptist (Florence, Genoa, Turin)
June 29 Saints Peter and Paul (Rome)
July 15 Santa Rosalia (Palermo)
September 19 San Gennaro (Naples)
October 4 Saint Petronio (Bologna)
October 30 Saint Saturnio (Cagliari)
November 3 Saint Giusto (Trieste)
December 6 Saint Nicola (Bari)
December 7 Saint Ambrose (Milan

--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do
nothing.

Edmund Burke.

ravenlynne <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:


>
> My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
> around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates
> of risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed
> by a secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in
> Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of
> wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so different
> from what I usually order.
>


Nope, it wasn't Easter. That was March 21, 23 & 24th.

http://www.netogram.com/2008/italy.htm



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Edmund Burke.

PeterL wrote:
> ravenlynne <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> Was yesterday a holiday in
>> Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of
>> wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so
> different
>> from what I usually order.
>>
>
>
> All that shellfish sounded great!! Are you taking photo's??

I considered it...but Scott said it would be too "touristy." It was a
nice place...even with the stray cats stampeding over the tops of the
coverings, making a thundering sounds and causing the kids to laugh.


--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!

"ravenlynne" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]..
> First, I'd like to admit I was wrong before...I found food yesterday at a
> restaurant that I'm dying to go back for...We decided to go to Vomero (in
> naples) to visit the Villa Floridiana and let the kids run around for a
> while, and found a rest. for lunch nearby...don't remember the name of the
> place...but it was a pizzeria and tratoria down an alleyway that opened up
> to a big garden filled with tables under canopies. Had a pizza with
> tomatoes, mozzerella di bufala and basil. Also had gnochhi di sorrentina.
>
> My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
> around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates of
> risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed by a
> secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in Italy?
> There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of wished that I
> had ordered that instead, only because it was so different from what I
> usually order.
>
> --
> -Gina in Italy

No holiday that I know of. I didn't pay much attention to your shuffling
off Italian food, because it's so different from region to region that it's
like it's still all different countries. I figured you just hadn't gotten
lucky with Campanian food.

The risotto is obviously one done with tomato sauce and frutti di mare.
Must be a specialty of the trattoria where you were. There must be 100
different ways of fixing mussels here, from just like the Belgians plus some
tomato all the way to with saffron cream.

Everywhere you go the food will be different and can be fabulous, but if you
don't know where to eat and what to order you can run into uninspired food
and especially if you are anywhere near tourist attractions.

Next time in a little place like that filled with locals, ask them to bring
what's best. Or ask what others are eating that looks good. I do it all
the time.

Giusi wrote:
> Next time in a little place like that filled with locals, ask them to bring
> what's best. Or ask what others are eating that looks good. I do it all
> the time.
>
>

I will definitely do that next time! I wish I had a name to pass on (the
sign just said "Pizzeria and Trattoria") It really was great and there
were no other americans there. It's nice to not get a menu full of fries.

--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!

> "ravenlynne" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
> news:[email protected]..
>> Giusi wrote:
>>> Next time in a little place like that filled with locals, ask them to
>>> bring what's best. Or ask what others are eating that looks good. I do
>>> it all the time.
>>
>> I will definitely do that next time! I wish I had a name to pass on (the
>> sign just said "Pizzeria and Trattoria") It really was great and there
>> were no other americans there. It's nice to not get a menu full of fries.
>>
>> --
>> -Gina in Italy
>
> Prices were probably fair, too. I suggest you buy one of those soft bound
> little cookbooks they publish for your region. You
may not (yet) be able to cook from it, but it will give you an idea of what
you should try when you eat out. I have three for Umbria and not one cost
more than ?5.

Did you get some pastiera during Easter? Have you tried pizza rustica?
Lots of the well-known Neapolitan things are feast foods and fattening, but
the day to day cookery is cheap and filling because it is/was a poor place.

--
http://www.judithgreenwood.com

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
> "ravenlynne" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
> news:[email protected]..
> > First, I'd like to admit I was wrong before...I found food yesterday at a
> > restaurant that I'm dying to go back for...We decided to go to Vomero (in
> > naples) to visit the Villa Floridiana and let the kids run around for a
> > while, and found a rest. for lunch nearby...don't remember the name of the
> > place...but it was a pizzeria and tratoria down an alleyway that opened up
> > to a big garden filled with tables under canopies. Had a pizza with
> > tomatoes, mozzerella di bufala and basil. Also had gnochhi di sorrentina.
> >
> > My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
> > around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates of
> > risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed by a
> > secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in Italy?
> > There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of wished that I
> > had ordered that instead, only because it was so different from what I
> > usually order.
> >
> > --
> > -Gina in Italy
>
> No holiday that I know of. I didn't pay much attention to your shuffling
> off Italian food, because it's so different from region to region that it's
> like it's still all different countries. I figured you just hadn't gotten
> lucky with Campanian food.
>
> The risotto is obviously one done with tomato sauce and frutti di mare.
> Must be a specialty of the trattoria where you were. There must be 100
> different ways of fixing mussels here, from just like the Belgians plus some
> tomato all the way to with saffron cream.
>
> Everywhere you go the food will be different and can be fabulous, but if you
> don't know where to eat and what to order you can run into uninspired food
> and especially if you are anywhere near tourist attractions.
>
> Next time in a little place like that filled with locals, ask them to bring
> what's best. Or ask what others are eating that looks good. I do it all
> the time.
>
>
>

All I know is my father is considering moving to Italy. And I was
reading that since I am Italian-American and can trace my lineage back
to Italy I can get dual citizenship.

The other thing is I'm the first and only born so I get everything. I
knew that studying the Italian language might come in handy.

Io sono Americano! Io sono Italiano!

"T" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio

> All I know is my father is considering moving to Italy. And I was
> reading that since I am Italian-American and can trace my lineage back
> to Italy I can get dual citizenship.
>
> The other thing is I'm the first and only born so I get everything. I
> knew that studying the Italian language might come in handy.
>
> Io sono Americano! Io sono Italiano!

Check that out, because you have to trace exactly so or it is no go. Your
mom gets some, too.
Jobs are hard to find here and pay is low. You might want to do some
research before packing!

Giusi wrote:
>> "ravenlynne" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
>> news:[email protected]..
>>> Giusi wrote:
>>>> Next time in a little place like that filled with locals, ask them to
>>>> bring what's best. Or ask what others are eating that looks good. I do
>>>> it all the time.
>>> I will definitely do that next time! I wish I had a name to pass on (the
>>> sign just said "Pizzeria and Trattoria") It really was great and there
>>> were no other americans there. It's nice to not get a menu full of fries.
>>>
>>> --
>>> -Gina in Italy
>> Prices were probably fair, too. I suggest you buy one of those soft bound
>> little cookbooks they publish for your region. You
> may not (yet) be able to cook from it, but it will give you an idea of what
> you should try when you eat out. I have three for Umbria and not one cost
> more than ?5.
>
> Did you get some pastiera during Easter?

I did...our friends brought some for easter dinner.

Have you tried pizza rustica?

Good also. T

> Lots of the well-known Neapolitan things are feast foods and fattening, but
> the day to day cookery is cheap and filling because it is/was a poor place.

I can see how this can be so. Honestly, my favorites here are pasta
puttanesca (and I make this at home a LOT) and the simplest pizzas with
sliced tomatoes, mozzerella and basil. I haven't tried many of the
desserts, simply because by the time dessert comes around, I'm stuffed.
I like gelatto, baba and most of the pastries found in caffes. I'm
looking forward to going north and sampling other regions...you can't
judge italy by only campania any more than you can judge the US by texas
only so I'm keeping an open mind.

>


--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!

ravenlynne wrote:

> My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
> around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates
> of risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed
> by a secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in
> Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of
> wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so different
> from what I usually order.
>
Do you read the Stars and Stripes? They used to publish good travel and
event information years back.

ravenlynne wrote:
> First, I'd like to admit I was wrong before...I found food yesterday at
> a restaurant that I'm dying to go back for...We decided to go to Vomero
> (in naples) to visit the Villa Floridiana and let the kids run around
> for a while, and found a rest. for lunch nearby...don't remember the
> name of the place...but it was a pizzeria and tratoria down an alleyway
> that opened up to a big garden filled with tables under canopies. Had a
> pizza with tomatoes, mozzerella di bufala and basil. Also had gnochhi
> di sorrentina.
>
> My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
> around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates
> of risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish followed
> by a secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a holiday in
> Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I sort of
> wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so different
> from what I usually order.


I'm not in Italy so forgive my conjectures in case I'm wrong.
Your post appeared here at Eastern Standard Time on Sunday in the early
morning. You say that you found the restaurant "yesterday." Might the
holiday in question have been Friday? As in fish on Friday?
The official Catholic ban on meat on Fridays was lifted long ago, but
many places with large Catholic populations continue to eat seafood on
Fridays because it's a nice tradition.
Either that or the restaurant is known for its great seafood, and the
locals all know to order it.


--Lia

On Apr 5, 10:21 pm, spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) asked
ravenlynn:
[snip]
> > don't remember the name of the place...
> >
> Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although some
> of these restaurants don't have names, or names you can
> easily figure out...)
[snip]

Why _is_ this?! Is it a "State" secret? Why not advertise your
business through posting a sign above the door?

The Ranger <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Apr 5, 10:21 pm, spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) asked

>ravenlynn:

>> > don't remember the name of the place...

>> Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although some
>> of these restaurants don't have names, or names you can
>> easily figure out...)
>[snip]

>Why _is_ this?! Is it a "State" secret? Why not advertise your
>business through posting a sign above the door?

Yeah, it's vexing to Americans who are used to storefront
businesses having names. But it's not the practice worldide.

Went to a Turkish Place in North London that had no name, and
had the best lamb kebabs in recent memory. The health certificates
listed the name as "Charcoal Grill", but the menus did
have a Turkish name up top. Just no name visible from the street.

Steve

"The Ranger" schrieb :
> On Apr 5, 10:21 pm, spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) asked
> ravenlynn:
> [snip]
>> > don't remember the name of the place...
>> >
>> Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although some
>> of these restaurants don't have names, or names you can
>> easily figure out...)
> [snip]
>
> Why _is_ this?! Is it a "State" secret? Why not advertise your
> business through posting a sign above the door?

There's a sign over the door. Unfortunately, it's often only
"trattoria" or "cafeteria" without a name.
That's mostly the case in smaller villages; in bigger cities
most restaurants have names.
(I'm talking about Veneto here).

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Michael Kuettner <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ftat5f$8cg$[email protected]..
> "The Ranger" schrieb :
>> On Apr 5, 10:21 pm, spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope)
>> asked
>> ravenlynn:
>> [snip]
>>> > don't remember the name of the place...
>>> >
>>> Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although
>>> some of these restaurants don't have names, or
>>> names you can easily figure out...)
>> [snip]
>>
>> Why _is_ this?! Is it a "State" secret? Why not
>> advertise your business through posting a sign
>> above the door?
>>
> There's a sign over the door. Unfortunately, it's often
> only "trattoria" or "cafeteria" without a name.
[snip]

How about Germany? The only places that _seemed_ to have
signage were in malls or corner apothecaries. I don't remember
noticing anything designating the two bar/restaurants we dined
at in Hamburg or Frankfurt-au-Main. If it hadn't been for two
locals (thank the gahds I'm not shy), we'd've been missing some
beautiful meals -- and beer!

The Ranger

"The Ranger" schrieb :
> Michael Kuettner wrote :
>> "The Ranger" schrieb :
>>> On Apr 5, 10:21 pm, spop...@speedymail.org (Steve Pope) asked
>>> ravenlynn:
>>> [snip]
>>>> > don't remember the name of the place...
>>>> >
>>>> Well if you find out the name let us know. (Although
>>>> some of these restaurants don't have names, or
>>>> names you can easily figure out...)
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>> Why _is_ this?! Is it a "State" secret? Why not
>>> advertise your business through posting a sign
>>> above the door?
>>>
>> There's a sign over the door. Unfortunately, it's often
>> only "trattoria" or "cafeteria" without a name.
> [snip]
>
> How about Germany? The only places that _seemed_ to have signage were in malls
> or corner apothecaries. I don't remember noticing anything designating the two
> bar/restaurants we dined at in Hamburg or Frankfurt-au-Main. If it hadn't been
> for two locals (thank the gahds I'm not shy), we'd've been missing some
> beautiful meals -- and beer!
>
For Germany, esp. Northern Germany you'll have to ask Victor.
In Bavaria and Austria, there's always a name over the door.
In Switzerland, too, AFAIK.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> ravenlynne wrote:
>> First, I'd like to admit I was wrong before...I found food yesterday
>> at a restaurant that I'm dying to go back for...We decided to go to
>> Vomero (in naples) to visit the Villa Floridiana and let the kids run
>> around for a while, and found a rest. for lunch nearby...don't
>> remember the name of the place...but it was a pizzeria and tratoria
>> down an alleyway that opened up to a big garden filled with tables
>> under canopies. Had a pizza with tomatoes, mozzerella di bufala and
>> basil. Also had gnochhi di sorrentina.
>>
>> My question is: Shortly after we were sat, tables started filling up
>> around us...and EVERYONE was eating the same thing...for primi, plates
>> of risotto (it was reddish..) with different sorts of shellfish
>> followed by a secondi of HUGE bowls of mussels. Was yesterday a
>> holiday in Italy? There was seafood everywhere! It looked good and I
>> sort of wished that I had ordered that instead, only because it was so
>> different from what I usually order.
>
>
> I'm not in Italy so forgive my conjectures in case I'm wrong.
> Your post appeared here at Eastern Standard Time on Sunday in the early
> morning. You say that you found the restaurant "yesterday." Might the
> holiday in question have been Friday? As in fish on Friday?
> The official Catholic ban on meat on Fridays was lifted long ago, but
> many places with large Catholic populations continue to eat seafood on
> Fridays because it's a nice tradition.
> Either that or the restaurant is known for its great seafood, and the
> locals all know to order it.
>
>
> --Lia
>

Valid point, but it was Saturday afternoon...I'm thinking that it
probably was a specialty of the house.

Something funny? House wine was cheaper than water.

--
-Gina in Italy

All hail the pizza lord!