when in rome.

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One third of the way into Eat. Pray. Love. I was hoping the movie would improve (a lot) (and sure I should read the book). Watching Julia Roberts scarf down a bunch of pasta didn’t do much for me in terms of entertainment or spiritual fulfillment. It was sorta gross and hard to watch, even with her mouth. It was the last two thirds that I loved. And truthfully speaking I have always viewed my time in Italy as the last two thirds of Eat. Pray. Love. I thought going to Italy alone would give me time to do things I usually don’t find time for, praying and meditating being two of those things. And of course reexamining love and how to go about doing that. It was going to be a fresh start spiritually and emotionally. In a way, I never saw the food coming. How could moving to Italy end up surprising someone when it comes to food? There are many answers besides Julia Robert’s mouth.

One answer is that I have never enjoyed food the way Italians enjoy food. I have never talked about food the way Italians talk about food. Food has been about a natural satisfaction to meet a need. The need for energy. Past that I would usually look for something that was enjoyed by most 5 year olds: fried foods and heavily sugared desserts. So far I get the feeling that eating in Italy has more of a spiritual element. It’s hard to explain but in the next year I will do my best to get to the bottom of this complex issue.

But if I keep at this pace I will get to the bottom of it at the end of my first month. I have said yes to everything. I have been honest with second helpings and providing an opinion of each food. I want to try everything. Nothing will escape me. I might hate everything but I want to try it to find out for myself. Traveling is about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying to reestablish it. You cannot do that by using the word “no.”

Laura and I did our best to create a list of foods that I had in the first 5 days (with English translation of course). Enjoy.


Risotto al nero di seppia (rice with black fish sauce)
Spiedini pollo all'uva (chicken with raisin)
Bunet (chocolate pudding from Piemonte)

Radicchio and robiola - with cugna' (red cooked salad and cheese robiola with raisin sauce from Piemonte)
Linguine alle cozze (pasta with mussels)
Scaloppine al marsala (veal meat with marsala wine)

Minestrone (fresh vegetable soup)
Carne all'albese (carpaccio-raw meet with parmesan and truffle olive oil).

Polenta and cinghiale (polenta...no idea how to translate and wild board)
Polipo e carciofi (octopus and artichoke)
Lasange and cannelloni (pasta lasagna and filled rolled pasta)
Bollito (piemonte meat with sauces)


I will do my best to add to this list as more food gets the OK. Pumpkin soup was a recent addition that I have yet to put on the official list. It was good too. By the way, all of this was very good. Something I wouldn’t go back for but most I would truly enjoy again and again. Even the octopus… which was dead and cooked this time1.


1 http://vimeo.com/31574780

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Comments

[Mom]

I didn't raise you to eat all of that stuff! But I'm so proud of you for eating it! LYMTLIS!!

[Roger Joslin]

food
You're making me hungry, Jake.

[em]

eat, pray, love?? eat, eat eat!!
your second list needs to be your FAVORITES so i can try them when im there! I LOVE YOU!