Tomato, Tamahto

What a tomato actually tastes like

When my daughter’s wedding planner asked what the number one priority for their Italian wedding was, she and Ercole said in unison, “Food.”

I realized then how American I was. Food? Not the DJ? Table settings? Don’t we need to provide the guests with bug spray for this outdoor event? We were on a zoom call, I wanted to pipe in and say, “The wedding is going to be in Italy. Isn’t good food a given?”

My son in law, Ercole, is Italian which meant his family and friends he grew up with would all be there, tapping their feet with expectations upon that first taste from the Apertivo spread. Okay, right there is a big difference. Apertivo vs. Cocktail Hour. In Italy, after the ceremony one must pile on a plate full of every type of olive, salamis I’ve never seen in any grocery store, breads that could rival a Parisian baguette and cheeses that were probably fermented from a farm down the road in Chianti. Yes, Apertivo does include alcoholic beverages, but the tradition of a pre-meal comes from the belief that one must eat a small feast to stimulate the appetite and palate before the next 5 courses (aka “dinner”). In America, one must drink alcohol before nibbling on a mushroom that is stuffed with something indecipherable. I’m not dissing American weddings. I love stuffed mushrooms and a kick ass DJ. Just pointing out the cultural distinctions. But don’t get me started on the price difference. An Italian wedding is a third of the cost of the equivalent in the U.S.

Apertivo from the Welcome Dinner. I couldn’t find a pic from the Wedding.

Here's where I do have a problem

American Food. Because of our over processed, over-insecticide-sprayed foods, Monsanto… in other words, growing up in the 70s, I’ve developed many intolerances. Wonder Bread with Skippy Peanut Butter was an every day lunch and oh how I loved those TV dinners, especially Salisbury steak which probably had more oatmeal ingredient than cow beef. By the time I hit 50 years old I discovered I was intolerant to gluten, dairy, soy, corn and processed sugar. If I don’t eat these foods, I won’t develop stomach aches, rashes, joint paint, etc.

Out of 110 wedding guests, 20 of them had some sort of food intolerance or Celiac disease. Guess what? All 20 grew up in the U.S.

When I told people that I was going to Italy and that I’m gluten and dairy free I got many scoffs and wishes of “Good luck with that.”

Remember watermelon WITH seeds? No GMO’s in Italy.

But here’s a little-known secret--

Italy has an Association for Celiac Disease (Associazione Italiana Celiachia). If a restaurant craves a certification, they must undergo a stringent check list such as having 2 kitchens; no cross-contamination. At the wedding hubby-Jeffrey asked a group of Ercole’s family how and why this association developed.

Apparently, about 15 years ago Celiac was identified as an epidemic in Italy. Because food is so important to Italians, the government conducted a study. They investigated why their Nonas (grandmothers) never had Celiac. They discovered that back in Nona’s day there weren’t disinfectants and other chemicals for cleaning their kitchens, utensils, floors, etc. The dirt, grime and bacteria helped strengthen the immune system. Everything became too clean which weakened their grandchildren’s immunities, hence Celiac blossomed. Good news-- that “five second rule” is good for your kid. In fact, make it 10 seconds. Rub that apple in the dirt.

Jeffrey and I imagined the Italian government’s response when Celiac diagnoses were increasing.

Read in Italian accent-- “What? An Italian that cannot eat pasta?! This cannot be!”

Today, it’s common to find GF pasta and pizza in any restaurant in Italy. Not only that, but as a tourist with many intolerances the responses I got EVERYWHERE were unbelievably accommodating. Gone were the grumbles I would hear from servers in the US. The Italians went overboard. One hotel owner almost reprimanded me for not letting her know ahead of time of my diet restrictions. “We would have found pasta without gluten AND CORN for you.” (Most GF pastas are made with corn. Sigh.)

GF, DF cookies. They were delish! They probably contained processed sugar but I had to draw the line. Notice that I needed to take bites before snapping a photo?

The Italian government was so worried about any citizen unable to eat pasta they even implemented a stipend. They send an extra 80-100 euros per month to anyone with Celiac to offset the higher costs of GF foods.

Food is life for them. It’s a huge part of their culture. A good meal is what you share with friends and family... for four hours.

Handmade GF pasta.

When our Italian wedding planner informed me that dinner would be from 7:30-11:30pm I said, “But what will everyone talk about for four hours?” She looked at me like I was from another country. Like, America, where you squeeze in the first dance before the salad. I think I said that too.

“In Italy, we like to talk, relax...” she said.

“And smoke,” Samantha later warned.

As I chatted with one of Ercole’s friends, he would suck in a deep, vaping puff after every sentence. At least he blew the smoke away from me.

Steak Fiorentina before it’s seared. (Bistecca alla Fiorentina.)

Ercole’s cousin. His face is blurred because he lives in the UK and with the time difference I couldn’t get his approval before posting. P.S. I preferred using a fork and knife.

Celiac

Two of Samantha’s friends from the US have Celiac Disease. One friend told us she’s seriously considering moving to Rome because of the AIC. While I don’t know the pain that cross contamination can cause I knew exactly what she was talking about regarding restaurants and the annoyed expressions from servers and even from friends and family. There is none of that in Italy.

Jeffrey and I already cook 98% of our meals at home because it’s just easier to have good food that accommodates my intolerances.  But now hubby is on a mission to replicate the GF pasta/pizza we encountered in Italy.  Seems cheaper than moving to Tuscany.

An Italian deli. Zabars eat your heart out.

My first discovery of GF foods in Italy here.

These dishes aren’t a thing in Italy: Pasta Primavera, Fettuccini Alfredo and Anything Bolognese.

Party time in the comments:

1. Are you disgusted or hungry? (That was a lot of raw beef.)

2. Do you have food intolerances or can you eat everything?

3. Did you know about the AIC?

4. Pasta or Pizza?