A "Made In Italy" Label for Organic Foods
Two out three Italians (68 %) would conquest biological foods if they were guaranteed to be labeled "Made in Italy." It's the connection of the territory to it's local products that is of high priority to those buying biological products - Coldiretti (national confederation for Italian farmers founded in 1944)- this shows environmental sensibility and concerns in the deduction of pollution that transportations of long distances account for.
"Today more than ever, Italy is in need of quality - (declared Mauritius Gubbiotti of the national secretary office of "Legambiente") - to create new development it is necessary to give value in relation to the territory. It's the creativity, the search, the flavor, and the traditions that "Made in Italy" famous all over the world-- It is not only the card hands that are won that help gain a space in this global economy, but it's also the defending of the Italian quality of life.
A survey confirmed that the production of biological products, have increased ten times on the formal number of tables-- having risen from 64 in 1996 to 647 in January 2006.
From Milan, to Florence, from Naples to Barium, to Catania and in other hundreds of squares, the "Bio-Sunday" party is dedicated to agriculture and biological nutrition - affirms COLDIRETTI, AIAB, and LEGAMBIENTE - this makes an acquaintance of quality-- the good biological Italian.
Bio-Sunday is the national day of organic and natural products.
Campo de' Fiori is just one of the squares in Rome to be representing the Bio-Sunday; open 10 A.M. to sunset. Every Sunday is Bio day-- where Italians are dedicated in offering genuine and healthy products; typical organic products, body products.
As for productions of wider consumptions like fruit, vegetables, honey, meats, cheeses, wine and extravergine oils, you'll find many entrepreneurs pawning around to win foreign competition. You'll find cosmetic products like organic sponges (luffa) (used for massages with l' biological oil or in the shower). Rediscover tastes forgotten like lentils of "Onano" and beans of "Purgatory."
Organic products are not only good to eat, but are also good to buy directly from the producer. Farm prices tend to be much lower than the price of biological products sold in shops and supermarkets. And for those who cannot travel or move about easily, there is a delivery service led by biological groups & producers. This is also of great benefit to the elderly, in which the first day of Bio-Sunday was dedicated to on Oct. 1st.
What has come out of the course of the Bio-Sunday organized from COLDIRETTI & AIAB (Italian Association for l' Biological Agriculture)?
One hundred squares all over Italy were filled with more than a million citizens who have come down to enjoy, know, and support the biological products labeled "Made in Italy".
China's production of organic products has increased 11 times in one year, 1057% , this has gained China second place in the world with an area cultivated of organic products 3 times that of Italy. Italy comes down to fourth place, but takes however, European leadership.
A deep change and a true "cultural revolution" is taking place in Chinese countries (as well as in Italy) where they have wanted to increase the quantity of organics by every means: from the Genetically Modified Foods (GMO) (Frankenfoods), the intensive and uncontrolled use of pesticides, and exploitation of the environment.
Italy possesses 1\3 of the biological enterprises in Europe. The Union confirms the actual leadership of this old continent. Increases of 12 % on cultivated lands surpass millions of hectares (1.067.101,66 hectares)
The main productive orientations are: meadows and pastures, cereals, ( together represent 70% of the surface of biological agriculture) followed by the arboreal cultivations (olive tree, lives, citrus)
The result of animal productions reared with biological methods are: 222.516 cattle for milk and meat, 825,274 ovi-goat, 977,537 chickens, 31,338 pork, 1.293 rabbits and 72,241 beehives.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Sampling Unique Italian Culinary Contributions
Various Italian Treats
Many of us have a relatively intimate knowledge of Italian food and wines like lasagna, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Chianti wine. But when one takes a closer look, they'll find an abundance of delightful Italian delicacies with a variety of everyday uses. Take a virtual trip to Italy enjoying the tastes and textures of Italy's finest imports and culinary contributions.
Beans and Nuts
Cannellini beans are commonly referred to as white Italian kidney beans. The light-colored, oval shaped bean achieves a soft, buttery texture when cooked in soups and stews. Cannellini beans are a flavorful addition to minestrone or Pasta e Fagioli.
Pinoli, or pine nut, is produced from the Italian pinecone. The pine nut can be used in any type of cuisine either as an accent to pasta dishes or as the main ingredient in desserts. The pine nut is most commonly known for its inclusion in pesto sauce; a fragrant combination of basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
Breads and Pastries
Focaccia is a yeast-based bread often flavored with fresh herbs, cheeses or sun-dried tomatoes. This hearty bread is a perfect candidate for sampling infused olive oils or as part of an antipasto platter of cured meats and cheese. Ciabatta is very similar to Focaccia in that it's made with olive oil and flavored with herbs, but is more closely related to sourdough bread with its airy interior texture. This hearty bread is excellent for sandwiches and making croutons.
Biscotti, meaning twice baked, is an Italian "biscuit" or cookie traditionally flavored with almonds and exotic spices. Fruits, such as cherries, may be added to create the fruity cookie. Biscotti are an elegant accompaniment to your morning cappuccino or after dinner coffee liqueurs.
Fruits and Vegetables
The birth of sun-dried tomatoes, or pomodori secchi, came when Italians wanted to preserve their summer tomatoes for year-round use. Although the practice of sun-drying tomatoes on rooftops has primarily migrated to the United States, these bathed-in-the-sun morsels are packed with a splash of summer tastes.
Meats
Pancetta, the Italian version of bacon, is typically seasoned with peppercorns and, perhaps, wine or a few other select seasonings. Producing a unique flavor following the aging process, Pancetta is a staple of many Italian cooks and a key ingredient in Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Prosciutto is a luscious Italian ham. This cured treat produces a milder, sweeter flavor with aging. Enjoy a delicious sampling of the classic thinly shaved Italian ham served with a sweet, summer melon. Salami, or salame, is a flavorful combination of extra lean pork, carefully selected spices and garlic. Salami makes an enjoyable addition to an antipasto platter or on Focaccia bread sandwiches.
Olive Oils
Extra virgin is considered the "first pressed" and highest grade olive oil, and known to be the best color, aroma and taste of all olive oils. The olives must be fully ripe before picking and pressing begins. It must contain not more than 1% acidity to be classified as extra virgin, the highest grade given to olive oil. Virgin olive oil also is pressed oil, but contains not more than 2% acidity. Extra virgin olive oil is a delicious choice for dipping breads or used in salad dressings.
Refined olive oil continues beyond pressing to the refining process where steam heat is used to reduce acidity. Pure olive oil is a combination of extra virgin and refined, and is the most functional olive oil in all types of cooking. Extra light olive oil is a very mild, blend of extra virgin and refined olive oil (usually 5% extra virgin and 95% refined). Because of a high smoking point, extra light olive oil is a wise choice when searing and frying.
Risotto ("Rice")
Arborio is the most commonly known risotto in the world today, and was created especially for making risotto. The high starch content in Arborio rice produces a silky, thick, al dente risotto. Carnaroli is known as the king of Italian rice. Plain risotto, or risotto finished with olive or truffle oil, is best made using Carnaroli rice. Violene Nano is also used in risotto, but is considered a stronger grain, able to hold its taste and texture next to exotic meats and fish.
Many of us have a relatively intimate knowledge of Italian food and wines like lasagna, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Chianti wine. But when one takes a closer look, they'll find an abundance of delightful Italian delicacies with a variety of everyday uses. Take a virtual trip to Italy enjoying the tastes and textures of Italy's finest imports and culinary contributions.
Beans and Nuts
Cannellini beans are commonly referred to as white Italian kidney beans. The light-colored, oval shaped bean achieves a soft, buttery texture when cooked in soups and stews. Cannellini beans are a flavorful addition to minestrone or Pasta e Fagioli.
Pinoli, or pine nut, is produced from the Italian pinecone. The pine nut can be used in any type of cuisine either as an accent to pasta dishes or as the main ingredient in desserts. The pine nut is most commonly known for its inclusion in pesto sauce; a fragrant combination of basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
Breads and Pastries
Focaccia is a yeast-based bread often flavored with fresh herbs, cheeses or sun-dried tomatoes. This hearty bread is a perfect candidate for sampling infused olive oils or as part of an antipasto platter of cured meats and cheese. Ciabatta is very similar to Focaccia in that it's made with olive oil and flavored with herbs, but is more closely related to sourdough bread with its airy interior texture. This hearty bread is excellent for sandwiches and making croutons.
Biscotti, meaning twice baked, is an Italian "biscuit" or cookie traditionally flavored with almonds and exotic spices. Fruits, such as cherries, may be added to create the fruity cookie. Biscotti are an elegant accompaniment to your morning cappuccino or after dinner coffee liqueurs.
Fruits and Vegetables
The birth of sun-dried tomatoes, or pomodori secchi, came when Italians wanted to preserve their summer tomatoes for year-round use. Although the practice of sun-drying tomatoes on rooftops has primarily migrated to the United States, these bathed-in-the-sun morsels are packed with a splash of summer tastes.
Meats
Pancetta, the Italian version of bacon, is typically seasoned with peppercorns and, perhaps, wine or a few other select seasonings. Producing a unique flavor following the aging process, Pancetta is a staple of many Italian cooks and a key ingredient in Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Prosciutto is a luscious Italian ham. This cured treat produces a milder, sweeter flavor with aging. Enjoy a delicious sampling of the classic thinly shaved Italian ham served with a sweet, summer melon. Salami, or salame, is a flavorful combination of extra lean pork, carefully selected spices and garlic. Salami makes an enjoyable addition to an antipasto platter or on Focaccia bread sandwiches.
Olive Oils
Extra virgin is considered the "first pressed" and highest grade olive oil, and known to be the best color, aroma and taste of all olive oils. The olives must be fully ripe before picking and pressing begins. It must contain not more than 1% acidity to be classified as extra virgin, the highest grade given to olive oil. Virgin olive oil also is pressed oil, but contains not more than 2% acidity. Extra virgin olive oil is a delicious choice for dipping breads or used in salad dressings.
Refined olive oil continues beyond pressing to the refining process where steam heat is used to reduce acidity. Pure olive oil is a combination of extra virgin and refined, and is the most functional olive oil in all types of cooking. Extra light olive oil is a very mild, blend of extra virgin and refined olive oil (usually 5% extra virgin and 95% refined). Because of a high smoking point, extra light olive oil is a wise choice when searing and frying.
Risotto ("Rice")
Arborio is the most commonly known risotto in the world today, and was created especially for making risotto. The high starch content in Arborio rice produces a silky, thick, al dente risotto. Carnaroli is known as the king of Italian rice. Plain risotto, or risotto finished with olive or truffle oil, is best made using Carnaroli rice. Violene Nano is also used in risotto, but is considered a stronger grain, able to hold its taste and texture next to exotic meats and fish.
The Italian Diet
How to Stay Beautiful like Sophia Loren
You would never interest Sophia Loren in a low carb diet. The ageless Italian beauty is a great believer in the power of pasta. "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti" she told the world, and pointed out in her book Sophia Loren on Beauty, that it's not pasta which makes you fat, but what you put on it.
Her advice, like her beautiful figure, still holds good today. A simple Mediterranean diet is healthy and will help you lose weight. Just watch the portions and don't overload your pasta with thick, rich, creamy sauces.
Start with simple fresh foods and you can't go wrong. Stock your fridge and pantry with good quality pasta, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lean meat, fish and sea food and herbs like oregano, basil and parsley. You can add a little parmesan cheese as well, but stay away from recipes that demand a cup of cream or large amounts of grated mozzarella.
For a simple and satisfying pasta meal, start by boiling up a portion of pasta in a big saucepan of water. The more water around your pasta the better, because them it won't stick. You can choose penne, macaroni, shells or linguine instead of plain old spaghetti. Cook the pasta until it is just soft but still has firmness - the Italians call it al dente or `to the tooth'.
Now chop up a clove of garlic, an onion and a couple of tomatoes. Heat a tablespoon of good olive oil, saute' the garlic and onions until soft, and add the tomatoes. Cook until the ingredients are well blended together. Finally add some herbs of your choice - maybe some oregano and basil, or parsley and marjoram. Experiment until you find a combination you love. That's all you need to do for a basic pasta sauce. Served over you hot pasta, this will be delicious. Don't have any bread - the pasta will provide all the carbs you need. You can sprinkle a little parmesan over the top. Enjoy!
To make a main meal, add some meat or seafood. If using beef or chicken, make sure it is very lean. Cut away all the fat. You can steam or bake chicken so that the fat runs off, but be sure to remove the skin as well. Chop up the chicken or cut the breast meat into slices and add it to your basic pasta dish. Do the same with steak or chops - trim away the fat, cook, and serve it with your pasta, chopped or sliced.
Fish and seafood such as clams, prawns and crab can be steam and served with your pasta in the same way. You don't need to cook it up in heavy sauces. Give your taste buds a treat with simplicity and fresh taste.
Pasta soups are nourishing and satisfying on a cold day, and are simply made with lean meat, stock and vegetables. Add the pasta of your choice, or use rice pasta, small grains of pasta that made a hearty soup.
Pasta salads are refreshing and delicious in hot weather. Cook your pasta, let it cool, and mix with a variety of chopped salad vegetables - greens, tomatoes, grated carrot, chopped capsicum or steamed cooled broccoli or cauliflower. Dress with a simple olive oil and vinegar salad dressing or stir through the flesh of half an avocado. Delicious!
Larger pasta varieties like cannelloni and lasagna can also make delicious, but simple meals. Fill your cannelloni with chopped mushrooms and low fat ricotta cheese, and pour over a sauce made with garlic, onions, tomatoes and a cupful of chicken stock. The stock helps to soften the pasta as it bakes in the oven.
Simplify lasagna by layering the sheets of pasta with a basic tomato, garlic and onion pasta sauce, and mashed pumpkin for vegetarian lasagna that is good enough to serve to dinner guests.
Eat like a gourmet and look good too. Just look at Sophia!
You would never interest Sophia Loren in a low carb diet. The ageless Italian beauty is a great believer in the power of pasta. "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti" she told the world, and pointed out in her book Sophia Loren on Beauty, that it's not pasta which makes you fat, but what you put on it.
Her advice, like her beautiful figure, still holds good today. A simple Mediterranean diet is healthy and will help you lose weight. Just watch the portions and don't overload your pasta with thick, rich, creamy sauces.
Start with simple fresh foods and you can't go wrong. Stock your fridge and pantry with good quality pasta, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lean meat, fish and sea food and herbs like oregano, basil and parsley. You can add a little parmesan cheese as well, but stay away from recipes that demand a cup of cream or large amounts of grated mozzarella.
For a simple and satisfying pasta meal, start by boiling up a portion of pasta in a big saucepan of water. The more water around your pasta the better, because them it won't stick. You can choose penne, macaroni, shells or linguine instead of plain old spaghetti. Cook the pasta until it is just soft but still has firmness - the Italians call it al dente or `to the tooth'.
Now chop up a clove of garlic, an onion and a couple of tomatoes. Heat a tablespoon of good olive oil, saute' the garlic and onions until soft, and add the tomatoes. Cook until the ingredients are well blended together. Finally add some herbs of your choice - maybe some oregano and basil, or parsley and marjoram. Experiment until you find a combination you love. That's all you need to do for a basic pasta sauce. Served over you hot pasta, this will be delicious. Don't have any bread - the pasta will provide all the carbs you need. You can sprinkle a little parmesan over the top. Enjoy!
To make a main meal, add some meat or seafood. If using beef or chicken, make sure it is very lean. Cut away all the fat. You can steam or bake chicken so that the fat runs off, but be sure to remove the skin as well. Chop up the chicken or cut the breast meat into slices and add it to your basic pasta dish. Do the same with steak or chops - trim away the fat, cook, and serve it with your pasta, chopped or sliced.
Fish and seafood such as clams, prawns and crab can be steam and served with your pasta in the same way. You don't need to cook it up in heavy sauces. Give your taste buds a treat with simplicity and fresh taste.
Pasta soups are nourishing and satisfying on a cold day, and are simply made with lean meat, stock and vegetables. Add the pasta of your choice, or use rice pasta, small grains of pasta that made a hearty soup.
Pasta salads are refreshing and delicious in hot weather. Cook your pasta, let it cool, and mix with a variety of chopped salad vegetables - greens, tomatoes, grated carrot, chopped capsicum or steamed cooled broccoli or cauliflower. Dress with a simple olive oil and vinegar salad dressing or stir through the flesh of half an avocado. Delicious!
Larger pasta varieties like cannelloni and lasagna can also make delicious, but simple meals. Fill your cannelloni with chopped mushrooms and low fat ricotta cheese, and pour over a sauce made with garlic, onions, tomatoes and a cupful of chicken stock. The stock helps to soften the pasta as it bakes in the oven.
Simplify lasagna by layering the sheets of pasta with a basic tomato, garlic and onion pasta sauce, and mashed pumpkin for vegetarian lasagna that is good enough to serve to dinner guests.
Eat like a gourmet and look good too. Just look at Sophia!
La Cucina Romana
The Roman Cuisine: "We eat for a living for living... not for dying"
When I think about the Roman Cuisine, what instantly materializes, in front of my eyes is that old movie by Alberto Sordi "Un Americano a Roma" (An American in Rome). The main actor was, of course Alberto Sordi (as Nando Morriconi in the movie) playing an Italian obsessed by the American dream who regrets not being born in Kansas City as opposed to Rome. One night his mother made some spaghetti, he decides instead to have a US "classical" dinner like some sandwiches with mustard and jam. After the first bite his roman character comes to life again and succumbs to the dish of "maccheroni".
Then picks up the "cofana" (roman dialect name for a big serving dish or salad bowl and forks) the carbohydrate pronouncing the following mythical phrase: "Maccheroni you have provoked me and I'll destroy you!" And its within this phrase that we find the full synthesis which relates the Roman people to their food as an expression of their joy for life. From the "lucullian" banquets, organized by Lucullo (a very rich old roman times citizen) during the pompous times of the Roman Empire, to the plebeians tables who, with various animals leftovers, created tasty dishes which later became part of the Roman cuisine, the Romans, know as "popolo mangereccio"(people who are fond of eating), always enjoyed the pleasure of good cuisine. The Roman cuisine, which is mainly popular and "casareccia" (home made), kept its tradition throughout the centuries.
Essentially its based on dried pasta such as "Rigatoni, "Bucatini" (hollow spaghetti) and regular spaghetti are a good start for a meal. Among the more well known dishes are the "Bucatini alla Matriciana" which take their name from the town of Amatrice (in the province of the town of Rieti). Bucatini, a kind of spaghetti which resembles small straws, are dressed with tomato sauces with a lightly fried bacon, oil and hot pepper, served with a good sprinkle of grated roman pecorino cheese. "Spaghetti alla Carbonara" or simply known as "Carbonara", are spaghetti dressed with a mix of raw eggs, bacon jumped in a frying pan, pepper, parmesan and/or pecorino cheese. "Penne all' Arrabbiata" are so called because of its particularly spicy sauce due to the hot pepper.
Speaking about the non pasta first courses, it is typical to have "Gnocchi alla Romana", in which the semolina replaces the potatoes. As a tradition they are eaten on Thursdays and are placed in the oven in a baking pan with either butter and cheese.
More typical are the "Rigatoni with Pajata". Dressed with tomato sauce, oil, garlic, and young calf's intestines. Concerning second meat courses, lamb aside, usually cooked in the oven or fried at the "Scotta Dito Style" (Scorched Finger Style), let us mention the "Coda alla Vaccinara", in which the main ingredient is the ox tail, the "Trippa alla Trasteverina" (tripe "Trasteverina" style, Trastevere is an area in downtown Rome) which is expected to be cooked in a clay pan, and the most popular "Saltimbocca alla Romana". Sauted slices of veal covered by a slice of "prosciutto" ham and a salvia leaf. Fish also holds an important place in the roman cuisine. Typical is the codfish, usually eaten on Fridays. Then mullets, sea crayfish, and prawns. "Carciofi alla Romana" (Artichokes Roman Style) is the king of the vegetables courses and are prepared by mixing the artichoke's stem with garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and oil.
Also famous are the "Puntarelle" a kind of salad served with oil, salt, vinegar and pieces of anchovy. Of course good wine is not missing. Just take a ride in the "Castelli Romani" (Roman Castles) area and you'll surely have an enthusiastic wine/gastronomic tour. Typical of this area are the "Fraschette". Old home style wine shops in which you can also enjoy a couple of glasses of the local wine directly from the barrel along with some home made bread better if toasted with oil, salt and garlic (the so called Bruschetta) or also served with local "Porchetta di Ariccia" (named after the town of origin) which is a small pig cleaned of its intestines and flavored with lard, salt, pepper, garlic and various aromatic herbs rigorously cooked over a slow open coal fire. The sweets and cakes are not missing either. The "Crostata with Ricotta" (Tart with Ricotta), the famous "Maritozzi" (cream puffs) and the "Ciambelle al Vino" (Doughnuts made with wine).
This is obviously just a short trip in world of Roman Cuisine but I'm sure that it was enough to make your mouth water. Therefore if one day you will have the luck to be in the area, don't miss an evening to a typical Roman tavern (Trattoria and/or Osteria) and together with the wine and the local cuisine you will surely find a friendly and cheerful atmosphere which will make your staying in Rome even more unforgettable.
When I think about the Roman Cuisine, what instantly materializes, in front of my eyes is that old movie by Alberto Sordi "Un Americano a Roma" (An American in Rome). The main actor was, of course Alberto Sordi (as Nando Morriconi in the movie) playing an Italian obsessed by the American dream who regrets not being born in Kansas City as opposed to Rome. One night his mother made some spaghetti, he decides instead to have a US "classical" dinner like some sandwiches with mustard and jam. After the first bite his roman character comes to life again and succumbs to the dish of "maccheroni".
Then picks up the "cofana" (roman dialect name for a big serving dish or salad bowl and forks) the carbohydrate pronouncing the following mythical phrase: "Maccheroni you have provoked me and I'll destroy you!" And its within this phrase that we find the full synthesis which relates the Roman people to their food as an expression of their joy for life. From the "lucullian" banquets, organized by Lucullo (a very rich old roman times citizen) during the pompous times of the Roman Empire, to the plebeians tables who, with various animals leftovers, created tasty dishes which later became part of the Roman cuisine, the Romans, know as "popolo mangereccio"(people who are fond of eating), always enjoyed the pleasure of good cuisine. The Roman cuisine, which is mainly popular and "casareccia" (home made), kept its tradition throughout the centuries.
Essentially its based on dried pasta such as "Rigatoni, "Bucatini" (hollow spaghetti) and regular spaghetti are a good start for a meal. Among the more well known dishes are the "Bucatini alla Matriciana" which take their name from the town of Amatrice (in the province of the town of Rieti). Bucatini, a kind of spaghetti which resembles small straws, are dressed with tomato sauces with a lightly fried bacon, oil and hot pepper, served with a good sprinkle of grated roman pecorino cheese. "Spaghetti alla Carbonara" or simply known as "Carbonara", are spaghetti dressed with a mix of raw eggs, bacon jumped in a frying pan, pepper, parmesan and/or pecorino cheese. "Penne all' Arrabbiata" are so called because of its particularly spicy sauce due to the hot pepper.
Speaking about the non pasta first courses, it is typical to have "Gnocchi alla Romana", in which the semolina replaces the potatoes. As a tradition they are eaten on Thursdays and are placed in the oven in a baking pan with either butter and cheese.
More typical are the "Rigatoni with Pajata". Dressed with tomato sauce, oil, garlic, and young calf's intestines. Concerning second meat courses, lamb aside, usually cooked in the oven or fried at the "Scotta Dito Style" (Scorched Finger Style), let us mention the "Coda alla Vaccinara", in which the main ingredient is the ox tail, the "Trippa alla Trasteverina" (tripe "Trasteverina" style, Trastevere is an area in downtown Rome) which is expected to be cooked in a clay pan, and the most popular "Saltimbocca alla Romana". Sauted slices of veal covered by a slice of "prosciutto" ham and a salvia leaf. Fish also holds an important place in the roman cuisine. Typical is the codfish, usually eaten on Fridays. Then mullets, sea crayfish, and prawns. "Carciofi alla Romana" (Artichokes Roman Style) is the king of the vegetables courses and are prepared by mixing the artichoke's stem with garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and oil.
Also famous are the "Puntarelle" a kind of salad served with oil, salt, vinegar and pieces of anchovy. Of course good wine is not missing. Just take a ride in the "Castelli Romani" (Roman Castles) area and you'll surely have an enthusiastic wine/gastronomic tour. Typical of this area are the "Fraschette". Old home style wine shops in which you can also enjoy a couple of glasses of the local wine directly from the barrel along with some home made bread better if toasted with oil, salt and garlic (the so called Bruschetta) or also served with local "Porchetta di Ariccia" (named after the town of origin) which is a small pig cleaned of its intestines and flavored with lard, salt, pepper, garlic and various aromatic herbs rigorously cooked over a slow open coal fire. The sweets and cakes are not missing either. The "Crostata with Ricotta" (Tart with Ricotta), the famous "Maritozzi" (cream puffs) and the "Ciambelle al Vino" (Doughnuts made with wine).
This is obviously just a short trip in world of Roman Cuisine but I'm sure that it was enough to make your mouth water. Therefore if one day you will have the luck to be in the area, don't miss an evening to a typical Roman tavern (Trattoria and/or Osteria) and together with the wine and the local cuisine you will surely find a friendly and cheerful atmosphere which will make your staying in Rome even more unforgettable.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
SCULPTURE
The course is taught by Luigi Paolini our Italian sculptor who specialises in all aspects of carving using wood, marble and stone. Guests will select their own stone from the local environment and follow the techniques and methods used by Italian craftsmen. Sculpting in clay is also available for exploring the figure and relief work.
All levels of ability are welcome, from the beginner to the professional sculptor.
Course Structure
# Drawing from the figure.
# Developing drawing/designs from Italian motifs
# Drawing from all angles - seeing in the round
# Maquettes (small sketches) in clay
# Stone carving techniques and methods
# Sustained study in clay - optional
Preparation studies exploring
# Abstraction
# Sketching
# Develop sculptural ideas, making sketches and clay maquettes
Sources
# Nature with its sculptural forms
# Images of other sculptor's work
# Opportunities to visit:
-> Pietra Santa near the Carrara marble quarries (1 hour's drive)
-> Florence with its wealth of sculpture in churches and museums
-> Barga the local town
End products
# Life drawings
# Designs
# Sketch books exploring sculptural ideas
# Small clay maquettes, including ideas for future sculptures
# A sustained study from the life model
# Photographs of work in progress as well as the end result
# Stone carving
All levels of ability are welcome, from the beginner to the professional sculptor.
Course Structure
# Drawing from the figure.
# Developing drawing/designs from Italian motifs
# Drawing from all angles - seeing in the round
# Maquettes (small sketches) in clay
# Stone carving techniques and methods
# Sustained study in clay - optional
Preparation studies exploring
# Abstraction
# Sketching
# Develop sculptural ideas, making sketches and clay maquettes
Sources
# Nature with its sculptural forms
# Images of other sculptor's work
# Opportunities to visit:
-> Pietra Santa near the Carrara marble quarries (1 hour's drive)
-> Florence with its wealth of sculpture in churches and museums
-> Barga the local town
End products
# Life drawings
# Designs
# Sketch books exploring sculptural ideas
# Small clay maquettes, including ideas for future sculptures
# A sustained study from the life model
# Photographs of work in progress as well as the end result
# Stone carving
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Restaurants in Italy ( Menus, wine, rating and prices )
This guide provide us a lot of information about eating in italian restaurants. You will find tips on Italian cuisine and eating habits and moreover a small part on the specifications of each typical Italian restaurant and their prices.
There are countless restaurants (ristoranti) and other eating places in Italy, including the following:
* tavola calda (literally ‘hot table’) – a cheap, self-service establishment;
* osteria – essentially a wine bar offering a small selection of dishes;
* rosticceria – serving mainly cooked meats and a selection of take-away foods;
* trattoria – traditionally a family-run establishment, simpler in cuisine and less expensive than a ristorante proper, although the two have become interchangeable terms and there’s usually little difference between them, except perhaps in price (a trattoria usually being cheaper).
Small grocery shops (alimentari) also sell sandwiches to take away, while ice-cream (gelato) is sold in a gelateria, although good home-made (produzione propria) ice-cream isn’t as easy to find as it used to be – a tell-tale sign is a gelateria with a queue of Italians outside.
Restaurants rarely open for lunch before 12.30pm and for dinner before 7.30pm (up to an hour later in the south), and they usually close on one day per week, generally a Sunday or Monday.
Many restaurants offer a choice of cheaper set meals. The tourist menu (menù turistico) or meal of the day (menù del giorno), sometimes called simply the ‘fixed price menu’ (menù a presso fisso), often includes two courses (e.g. pasta and a meat dish), but not drinks, for around €12 to €20.
The à la carte menu is divided into starters (antipasto), usually salads or cold meats; first courses (primo platto piatto) of pasta or rice; main courses (secondo), a fish or meat dish accompanied by vegetables (contorno); cheese (formaggio); and desserts (dolci or frutta – as one of the options is usually fruit).
You aren’t obliged to partake of all the courses on offer but you should order at least two, as few restaurants look kindly on diners who limit themselves to a plate of pasta or salad.
If you want water with your meal, tap water (acqua semplice) is safe to drink just about everywhere and free. However, you must be sure to specify this, or the waiter may bring you mineral water (acqua minerale), which Italians usually drink alongside their wine. Mineral water is available fizzy (gassata) or still (non gassata).
Italians usually drink wine with a meal. Most drink house wine (vino della casa) or a local wine (vino locale), which can be ordered by the carafe (caraffa/vinosfuso vino sfuso) or in quarter-litre (quartino) and half-litre (mezzo litro) measures, although even good quality wines are fairly inexpensive in all but the most upmarket restaurants.
You should expect to pay around €10 for an average bottle in a restaurant or around double the supermarket price. Note, however, that many restaurants, including most trattorie, stock only a limited selection of wines and mostly cheaper varieties.
Before a meal, many Italians like to have a Campari with soda and ice or a home-made fruit cocktail, usually non-alcoholic (analcolico). After a meal, as a digestivo, liqueurs are popular and include limoncello, which is pure alcohol infused with lemons; the herb-based amaro, strega and galliano; the widely popular grappa, a strong, clear liqueur made from grape skins (whose bitter taste is certainly an acquired one!); amaretto (almond based); sambuca (a sweet liqueur made from aniseed); and maraschino, made from the cherries after which it’s named.
The bill (conto) usually includes a cover charge (coperto) of between €0.75 and €3 per person, which may include bread (pane e coperto). There may be an added service (servizio) charge of around 10 to 15 per cent. Tipping is often a casual affair, with bills rounded up to the nearest banknote rather than a specific percentage added. It’s unusual for Italians to share restaurant bills, so beware if you suggest going out for a meal with a large group of friends!
Restaurant guides are plentiful in Italy and most book shops have a section on gastronomy, including excellent guides such the Touring Club Italiano’s Guida Touring Alberghi e Ristoranti d’Italia, La Guida d’Italia (l’Espresso) and Gambero Rosso’s Ristoranti d’Italia. For English-speakers, the Michelin Red Guide to Italy is invaluable, while those on a tight budget may be interested in Cheap Eats in Italy by Sandra Gustafson.
Italian Cuisine & Eating Habits
Cooking (and eating) is an art form in Italy – one that stretches back thousands of years. Painted tombs show Etruscans enjoying huge banquets and the Romans were notorious for dining on delicacies such as flamingo tongues, peacock and crane.
The modern Italian is no less interested in food, and eating is one of the nation’s greatest pleasures. Italian cuisine (cucina) is one of the finest in the world: light and healthy, yet full of flavour. The fact that Italy’s status as a unified nation is somewhat recent explains the huge regional differences in cuisine. In the north, many dishes are reminiscent of France – rich and creamy and, surprisingly, often butter-based – while as you move south the dishes become hotter and spicier, and are cooked in olive oil rather than butter.
However, most Italian cuisine is based on a few essential ingredients, notably pasta.
When most people think of Italian food, they think of pasta dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and tortellini, which originated in Emilia-Romagna. Each region and many towns in Italy have their own pasta specialities, using a multitude of different shapes, sizes and colours. Short, tubular pasta, such as penne or macaroni (maccheroni in Italian), is best with rich, thick, meaty sauces, whereas long pasta, such as spaghetti and tagliatelle, is ideal with creamy or light sauces.
In the north of the country, pasta is often replaced by other staples such as polenta – a mixture of maize flour and water, which is slowly boiled and then sometimes fried – or rice, which is widely used in dishes such as risotto. Another Italian dish popular throughout the world is pizza, which originated in Naples. The ‘basic’ pizza, the margherita, which contains tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, is named after a former queen of Italy.
As well as these world-famous dishes, Italy boasts a vast range of regional and local culinary delights, such as cured ham (prosciutto) from Parma, Liguria’s pesto served with sun-dried tomatoes and foccacia focaccia bread, Venetian risotto, a rice dish served with seafood or meat, Sienna’s famous panforte, a rich fruity Christmas cake, Sardinia’s spit-roasted piglet, Sicily’s delicious desserts such as cannoli, zabaglione, granita, marzipan and cassata – a rich sponge-based dessert with ricotta cheese, liqueur and fruit – and, of course, Italian ice-cream (gelato), which is reputed to be the best in the world.
Italians are particularly fond of salad, especially green salads, which may include chicory, celery, cress, artichokes, radicchio, rocket and tomatoes. Italy also produces an amazing variety of cheeses, including mozzarella (used in pizzas), parmesan, gorgonzola, pecorino, ricotta and provolone. Salami and other pork products are another speciality, including the famous hams of Parma, mortadella from Bologna, San Daniele from Friuli and speck from Trentino-Alto Adige.
Italian eating habits are similar to those of other southern European countries. Breakfast (prima colazione) is continental style: a coffee (maybe a cappuccino) and a pastry, often taken standing in a bar or café.
Lunch (pranzo), served between 1 and 3pm, is traditionally the main meal of the day and a social occasion, when the world’s affairs are discussed and put to rights (Italy’s affairs usually take a little longer to fix); as many as four courses may be served.
However, as modern living (and the outside world) encroaches ever deeper into the Italian culture, the long lunch tradition is gradually being eroded as more and more businesses work continuous days. Dinner (cena) is served from 7 or 8pm onwards and is traditionally a simpler meal than lunch, although it’s hardly a snack and usually consists of a cooked meal.
There are countless restaurants (ristoranti) and other eating places in Italy, including the following:
* tavola calda (literally ‘hot table’) – a cheap, self-service establishment;
* osteria – essentially a wine bar offering a small selection of dishes;
* rosticceria – serving mainly cooked meats and a selection of take-away foods;
* trattoria – traditionally a family-run establishment, simpler in cuisine and less expensive than a ristorante proper, although the two have become interchangeable terms and there’s usually little difference between them, except perhaps in price (a trattoria usually being cheaper).
Small grocery shops (alimentari) also sell sandwiches to take away, while ice-cream (gelato) is sold in a gelateria, although good home-made (produzione propria) ice-cream isn’t as easy to find as it used to be – a tell-tale sign is a gelateria with a queue of Italians outside.
Restaurants rarely open for lunch before 12.30pm and for dinner before 7.30pm (up to an hour later in the south), and they usually close on one day per week, generally a Sunday or Monday.
Many restaurants offer a choice of cheaper set meals. The tourist menu (menù turistico) or meal of the day (menù del giorno), sometimes called simply the ‘fixed price menu’ (menù a presso fisso), often includes two courses (e.g. pasta and a meat dish), but not drinks, for around €12 to €20.
The à la carte menu is divided into starters (antipasto), usually salads or cold meats; first courses (primo platto piatto) of pasta or rice; main courses (secondo), a fish or meat dish accompanied by vegetables (contorno); cheese (formaggio); and desserts (dolci or frutta – as one of the options is usually fruit).
You aren’t obliged to partake of all the courses on offer but you should order at least two, as few restaurants look kindly on diners who limit themselves to a plate of pasta or salad.
If you want water with your meal, tap water (acqua semplice) is safe to drink just about everywhere and free. However, you must be sure to specify this, or the waiter may bring you mineral water (acqua minerale), which Italians usually drink alongside their wine. Mineral water is available fizzy (gassata) or still (non gassata).
Italians usually drink wine with a meal. Most drink house wine (vino della casa) or a local wine (vino locale), which can be ordered by the carafe (caraffa/vinosfuso vino sfuso) or in quarter-litre (quartino) and half-litre (mezzo litro) measures, although even good quality wines are fairly inexpensive in all but the most upmarket restaurants.
You should expect to pay around €10 for an average bottle in a restaurant or around double the supermarket price. Note, however, that many restaurants, including most trattorie, stock only a limited selection of wines and mostly cheaper varieties.
Before a meal, many Italians like to have a Campari with soda and ice or a home-made fruit cocktail, usually non-alcoholic (analcolico). After a meal, as a digestivo, liqueurs are popular and include limoncello, which is pure alcohol infused with lemons; the herb-based amaro, strega and galliano; the widely popular grappa, a strong, clear liqueur made from grape skins (whose bitter taste is certainly an acquired one!); amaretto (almond based); sambuca (a sweet liqueur made from aniseed); and maraschino, made from the cherries after which it’s named.
The bill (conto) usually includes a cover charge (coperto) of between €0.75 and €3 per person, which may include bread (pane e coperto). There may be an added service (servizio) charge of around 10 to 15 per cent. Tipping is often a casual affair, with bills rounded up to the nearest banknote rather than a specific percentage added. It’s unusual for Italians to share restaurant bills, so beware if you suggest going out for a meal with a large group of friends!
Restaurant guides are plentiful in Italy and most book shops have a section on gastronomy, including excellent guides such the Touring Club Italiano’s Guida Touring Alberghi e Ristoranti d’Italia, La Guida d’Italia (l’Espresso) and Gambero Rosso’s Ristoranti d’Italia. For English-speakers, the Michelin Red Guide to Italy is invaluable, while those on a tight budget may be interested in Cheap Eats in Italy by Sandra Gustafson.
Italian Cuisine & Eating Habits
Cooking (and eating) is an art form in Italy – one that stretches back thousands of years. Painted tombs show Etruscans enjoying huge banquets and the Romans were notorious for dining on delicacies such as flamingo tongues, peacock and crane.
The modern Italian is no less interested in food, and eating is one of the nation’s greatest pleasures. Italian cuisine (cucina) is one of the finest in the world: light and healthy, yet full of flavour. The fact that Italy’s status as a unified nation is somewhat recent explains the huge regional differences in cuisine. In the north, many dishes are reminiscent of France – rich and creamy and, surprisingly, often butter-based – while as you move south the dishes become hotter and spicier, and are cooked in olive oil rather than butter.
However, most Italian cuisine is based on a few essential ingredients, notably pasta.
When most people think of Italian food, they think of pasta dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne and tortellini, which originated in Emilia-Romagna. Each region and many towns in Italy have their own pasta specialities, using a multitude of different shapes, sizes and colours. Short, tubular pasta, such as penne or macaroni (maccheroni in Italian), is best with rich, thick, meaty sauces, whereas long pasta, such as spaghetti and tagliatelle, is ideal with creamy or light sauces.
In the north of the country, pasta is often replaced by other staples such as polenta – a mixture of maize flour and water, which is slowly boiled and then sometimes fried – or rice, which is widely used in dishes such as risotto. Another Italian dish popular throughout the world is pizza, which originated in Naples. The ‘basic’ pizza, the margherita, which contains tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, is named after a former queen of Italy.
As well as these world-famous dishes, Italy boasts a vast range of regional and local culinary delights, such as cured ham (prosciutto) from Parma, Liguria’s pesto served with sun-dried tomatoes and foccacia focaccia bread, Venetian risotto, a rice dish served with seafood or meat, Sienna’s famous panforte, a rich fruity Christmas cake, Sardinia’s spit-roasted piglet, Sicily’s delicious desserts such as cannoli, zabaglione, granita, marzipan and cassata – a rich sponge-based dessert with ricotta cheese, liqueur and fruit – and, of course, Italian ice-cream (gelato), which is reputed to be the best in the world.
Italians are particularly fond of salad, especially green salads, which may include chicory, celery, cress, artichokes, radicchio, rocket and tomatoes. Italy also produces an amazing variety of cheeses, including mozzarella (used in pizzas), parmesan, gorgonzola, pecorino, ricotta and provolone. Salami and other pork products are another speciality, including the famous hams of Parma, mortadella from Bologna, San Daniele from Friuli and speck from Trentino-Alto Adige.
Italian eating habits are similar to those of other southern European countries. Breakfast (prima colazione) is continental style: a coffee (maybe a cappuccino) and a pastry, often taken standing in a bar or café.
Lunch (pranzo), served between 1 and 3pm, is traditionally the main meal of the day and a social occasion, when the world’s affairs are discussed and put to rights (Italy’s affairs usually take a little longer to fix); as many as four courses may be served.
However, as modern living (and the outside world) encroaches ever deeper into the Italian culture, the long lunch tradition is gradually being eroded as more and more businesses work continuous days. Dinner (cena) is served from 7 or 8pm onwards and is traditionally a simpler meal than lunch, although it’s hardly a snack and usually consists of a cooked meal.
Crime in Italy ( Burglary, theft and organized crime )
The crime rate in Italy varies considerably from region to region but is generally around average for Europe. Violent crime is rare in most areas, although muggings do occur in resort areas and cities.
Foreigners should take care when travelling in the south of Italy, where highway robbery and kidnappings of foreigners occasionally take place. Despite the fearsome reputation of the Mafia, however, there’s less violent street crime such as muggings and robbery with violence in most parts of Italy than in many other European countries, and it’s generally a very safe place for children. Sexual harassment can be a problem for women in some areas, although most men draw the line at cat-calls and whistles.
Burglary is rife, and vacant holiday homes are a popular target. Many residents keep dogs as a protection or warning against burglars and have triple-locked and steel-reinforced doors. However, crime in rural areas remains relatively low and it’s still common for people in villages and small towns not to lock their cars and homes (in some small villages keys are left in front doors).
Car theft in Italy
Theft of and from cars is widespread in cities, where foreign-registered cars are a popular target, particularly expensive models, which are often stolen to order and spirited abroad. Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, mobile phones, cameras, briefcases, sunglasses and even cigarettes from parked cars is especially common.
Thieves in the south often take items from cars at petrol (gas) stations, if necessary by smashing car windows, and from occupied vehicles in traffic jams or at traffic lights. It’s therefore wise to keep windows closed in cities and major towns, doors locked at all times, and all valuables out of sight. When parking a bicycle, moped or scooter, you should also use as many high-security locks as you can carry.
Bag snatcher in Italy
In towns and cities, beware of bag snatchers (scippatori), who operate on foot, on scooters and motorcycles or even in cars. Always carry bags slung across your body with the clasp facing inwards; make sure they have a strong strap that cannot easily be cut – if they don’t, carry them firmly in your hand. Bags that are worn around the waist (‘bum-bags’) are vulnerable and should be avoided, as should back-packs, which can easily be cut.
One of the most effective methods of protecting your passport, money, travellers’ cheques and credit cards is with an old-fashioned money belt (worn under your clothing) or a pouch on a string or strong cord around your neck. It’s also recommended to keep money and credit cards in separate places and a copy of important documents such as your passport in a safe place.
Never tempt fate with an exposed wallet or purse or by flashing your money around, and hang on tight to your shoulder bag. Don’t carry a lot of cash or expose expensive jewellery, watches or sunglasses when out walking.
Confidence tricksters are also rife in Italy, where it’s wise to avoid all strangers trying to attract your attention. Many stage ‘accidents’, such as spilling something on your clothes (or pointing out something which has been done by an accomplice), in order to rob you. Be alert to any incident that could be designed to attract your attention and keep strangers at arms’ length. Don’t accept an offer from someone to take your photograph with your camera (they’re likely to run off with it); if you must ask someone to take a photo, ask a tourist or a waiter.
Pickpockets and bag-snatchers are a plague in the major cities, where the street urchins (often Albanians or Gypsies) are highly organised and trained pickpockets (if you get jostled, check for your wallet). They try to surround you and often use newspapers or large pieces of cardboard to distract you and hide their roaming hands. Keep them at arm’s length, if necessary by force, and keep a firm grip on your valuables.
If you’re targeted, shout va via (go away) in a loud voice – a loud whistle can also be useful to scare off prospective attackers or pickpockets. Always remain vigilant in tourist haunts, queues, on public transport (particularly on night trains) and anywhere that there are crowds. Thieves on crowded public transport slit the bottoms of purses or bags with a razor blade or sharp knife and remove the contents.
Crime in Rome
Italy is infamous for its organised crime and gang warfare, which is rife in some areas, although it has no discernible impact on the lives of most foreigners there (particularly in the north of the country). The term ‘Mafia’ is used to describe five distinct organised crime groups: the original Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra in Naples and Campania, the Ndrangheta in Calabria, and the Sacra Corona Unità Unita and La Rosa in Apulia.
These groups operate both separately and together, and their activities range from drugs and contraband dealing to protection and gambling rackets and prostitution. They monopolise lucrative contracts in most fields throughout the country and it’s estimated that their combined turnover is billions of euros, possibly over 10 per cent of Italy’s GNP.
The Mafia holds a death grip on the south of Italy, where business people are often forced to pay protection money (pizzo) to the mobsters to ensure their businesses are safe – it’s estimated that half the businesses in Naples pay protection money – or are prey to loan sharking (usurai – lending money at extortionate rates of interest).
Despite many high profile arrests in recent years, rumours of the Mafia’s demise or loss of influence are premature and they reportedly have their fingers in every facet of government right up to the Prime Minister’s office in Rome! In recent years, Albanians, Russians and other foreign gangsters have established their own ‘Mafia’ in the north, where they’re heavily involved in illegal drugs.
Don’t let the foregoing catalogue of crime put you off Italy. You can usually safely walk almost anywhere at any time of day or night and there’s no need for anxiety or paranoia about crime. However, you should be ‘street-wise’ and take certain elementary precautions.
These include avoiding high-risk areas (such as parks and car parks) at night and those frequented by drug addicts, prostitutes and pickpockets at all times. You can safely travel on the underground (metrò) at almost any time, although some stations are best avoided late at night. When you’re in an unfamiliar city, ask a policeman, taxi driver or other local person whether there are any unsafe neighbourhoods – and avoid them!
If you’re the victim of a crime, you should report it to the nearest police station (commissariato di pubblica sicurezza) or to the local carabinieri immediatel. You can report it by telephone but must go to the station to complete a report (denuncia), of which you receive a copy for insurance purposes. Don’t, however, expect the police to find your belongings or even take any interest in your loss. Report a theft to your insurance company as soon as possible.
Foreigners should take care when travelling in the south of Italy, where highway robbery and kidnappings of foreigners occasionally take place. Despite the fearsome reputation of the Mafia, however, there’s less violent street crime such as muggings and robbery with violence in most parts of Italy than in many other European countries, and it’s generally a very safe place for children. Sexual harassment can be a problem for women in some areas, although most men draw the line at cat-calls and whistles.
Burglary is rife, and vacant holiday homes are a popular target. Many residents keep dogs as a protection or warning against burglars and have triple-locked and steel-reinforced doors. However, crime in rural areas remains relatively low and it’s still common for people in villages and small towns not to lock their cars and homes (in some small villages keys are left in front doors).
Car theft in Italy
Theft of and from cars is widespread in cities, where foreign-registered cars are a popular target, particularly expensive models, which are often stolen to order and spirited abroad. Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, mobile phones, cameras, briefcases, sunglasses and even cigarettes from parked cars is especially common.
Thieves in the south often take items from cars at petrol (gas) stations, if necessary by smashing car windows, and from occupied vehicles in traffic jams or at traffic lights. It’s therefore wise to keep windows closed in cities and major towns, doors locked at all times, and all valuables out of sight. When parking a bicycle, moped or scooter, you should also use as many high-security locks as you can carry.
Bag snatcher in Italy
In towns and cities, beware of bag snatchers (scippatori), who operate on foot, on scooters and motorcycles or even in cars. Always carry bags slung across your body with the clasp facing inwards; make sure they have a strong strap that cannot easily be cut – if they don’t, carry them firmly in your hand. Bags that are worn around the waist (‘bum-bags’) are vulnerable and should be avoided, as should back-packs, which can easily be cut.
One of the most effective methods of protecting your passport, money, travellers’ cheques and credit cards is with an old-fashioned money belt (worn under your clothing) or a pouch on a string or strong cord around your neck. It’s also recommended to keep money and credit cards in separate places and a copy of important documents such as your passport in a safe place.
Never tempt fate with an exposed wallet or purse or by flashing your money around, and hang on tight to your shoulder bag. Don’t carry a lot of cash or expose expensive jewellery, watches or sunglasses when out walking.
Confidence tricksters are also rife in Italy, where it’s wise to avoid all strangers trying to attract your attention. Many stage ‘accidents’, such as spilling something on your clothes (or pointing out something which has been done by an accomplice), in order to rob you. Be alert to any incident that could be designed to attract your attention and keep strangers at arms’ length. Don’t accept an offer from someone to take your photograph with your camera (they’re likely to run off with it); if you must ask someone to take a photo, ask a tourist or a waiter.
Pickpockets and bag-snatchers are a plague in the major cities, where the street urchins (often Albanians or Gypsies) are highly organised and trained pickpockets (if you get jostled, check for your wallet). They try to surround you and often use newspapers or large pieces of cardboard to distract you and hide their roaming hands. Keep them at arm’s length, if necessary by force, and keep a firm grip on your valuables.
If you’re targeted, shout va via (go away) in a loud voice – a loud whistle can also be useful to scare off prospective attackers or pickpockets. Always remain vigilant in tourist haunts, queues, on public transport (particularly on night trains) and anywhere that there are crowds. Thieves on crowded public transport slit the bottoms of purses or bags with a razor blade or sharp knife and remove the contents.
Crime in Rome
Italy is infamous for its organised crime and gang warfare, which is rife in some areas, although it has no discernible impact on the lives of most foreigners there (particularly in the north of the country). The term ‘Mafia’ is used to describe five distinct organised crime groups: the original Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra in Naples and Campania, the Ndrangheta in Calabria, and the Sacra Corona Unità Unita and La Rosa in Apulia.
These groups operate both separately and together, and their activities range from drugs and contraband dealing to protection and gambling rackets and prostitution. They monopolise lucrative contracts in most fields throughout the country and it’s estimated that their combined turnover is billions of euros, possibly over 10 per cent of Italy’s GNP.
The Mafia holds a death grip on the south of Italy, where business people are often forced to pay protection money (pizzo) to the mobsters to ensure their businesses are safe – it’s estimated that half the businesses in Naples pay protection money – or are prey to loan sharking (usurai – lending money at extortionate rates of interest).
Despite many high profile arrests in recent years, rumours of the Mafia’s demise or loss of influence are premature and they reportedly have their fingers in every facet of government right up to the Prime Minister’s office in Rome! In recent years, Albanians, Russians and other foreign gangsters have established their own ‘Mafia’ in the north, where they’re heavily involved in illegal drugs.
Don’t let the foregoing catalogue of crime put you off Italy. You can usually safely walk almost anywhere at any time of day or night and there’s no need for anxiety or paranoia about crime. However, you should be ‘street-wise’ and take certain elementary precautions.
These include avoiding high-risk areas (such as parks and car parks) at night and those frequented by drug addicts, prostitutes and pickpockets at all times. You can safely travel on the underground (metrò) at almost any time, although some stations are best avoided late at night. When you’re in an unfamiliar city, ask a policeman, taxi driver or other local person whether there are any unsafe neighbourhoods – and avoid them!
If you’re the victim of a crime, you should report it to the nearest police station (commissariato di pubblica sicurezza) or to the local carabinieri immediatel. You can report it by telephone but must go to the station to complete a report (denuncia), of which you receive a copy for insurance purposes. Don’t, however, expect the police to find your belongings or even take any interest in your loss. Report a theft to your insurance company as soon as possible.
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