Until We Eat Again

After ten long weeks in Italy, at last day 70 of 70 has arrived. In our last week we've enjoyed some time by the local pool along with a few trips to nearby farms to learn about the production of olive oil and other local products. On Saturday we went back to Viterbo to meet up with our intelligent, spontaneous and so very Italian director (here's your shout out, Matteo!) and his friend for dinner and a trip to the local "thermal baths". These natural springs are found across the Viterbo region and date back to the time of the Popes who used the mineral qualities of the water as a therapeutic treatment. The baths are in the middle of a field, encased in natural rock formation with about three levels worth of water pooling into a natural hot tub. There were plenty of locals enjoying the evening there; we could only stand to dip our feet in as the water was very hot! The smell of the minerals in the water and the rocks filled the air as we sat looking up at the stars on this clear and calm night. I was glad to check out those before we left!

Week 10 of 10: A Sinking Ship

On another 90+ degree Sunday we took our last informal excursion to Isola del Giglio located on the western coast of Italy near Tuscany in the Tyrrhenian Sea. We arrived at the stunning seaside town of Porto Santo Stefano and boarded a 45-minute ferry to the picturesque Isola del Giglio. These towns reminded me of Sorrento and Capri from last weekend but I would argue are even better! There were hardly any crowds and the water was even bluer and clearer than before. We weren't the first to discover the beauty of this island though, as the nearby port of Civitavecchia is a popular cruise ship destination. In fact, you may have heard of Giglio Island on the news, as it is the home of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that ran aground on January 13, 2012. The ferry ride from Porto Santo Stefano took us directly past the wreckage, distracting all the tourists from the gorgeous seaside town to this rusty, half-exposed ship. It is really not too far from shore which makes the whole disaster even more tragic. The bottom of the ship is completely rusted and anchored construction machinery circumnavigates the vessel. 

We spent nearly all our time on the island on the beach giving my roommate, who has also been here for 10 weeks, and me a nice break from the overload of museums and architecture. We certainly appreciate all the amazing places we've seen but with water this blue and the sun shining we couldn't pass up a relaxing day in the sand!

The Food of Italy: A Complete Summer Cookbook

When it came time to decide where to study abroad I'll admit that a big factor in my decision was the food. As my friends will attest to my love of the North End, I didn't have to turn far to find a place where culture and food were united as one. For those of you who have inquired about the quality of the food in Italy, rather than throw more synonyms for "incredible" at you, I instead offer the following collection of photos of the products made in my class, The Food of Italy.

Penne pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes and eggplant

Couscous con brunoise di verdure e cipolla di tropea croccante
Couscous with cubed vegetables and crispy onion

Quiche con scamorza, uova e pepperoni arrosto

Quiche with scamorza cheese, eggs and roasted peppers

Ravioli con pesto e ricotta 

Ravioli with pesto and ricotta

Spaghetti alla chitarra con pomodorini, melanzane e ricotta

Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, eggplant and ricotta cheese 

Fried calamari & shrimp tempora 

Pesce spada alla mediterranea

Grilled Mediterranean swordfish 

Fried chicken strips breaded in corn flakes with roasted peppers

Spaghetti con ragú 

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Ravioli ricotta spinaci con salsa di pomodoro

Ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese with tomato sauce 

Fettuccine con ragú di vegetaria

Fettuccine with vegetable ragú sauce

Pizza - Margherita, Potatoes, Oil, Mushrooms

Crostata con Nutella

Crostata con marmellata di more

Crostata with blackberry jam

Coconut Cookies

Fried eggplant, bread, meatballs & pecorino cheese

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi (small potato pasta) with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil

Gnocchi all'Amatriciana

Gnocchi with sauce made of pork, pecorino cheese and tomato

Gazpacho Andaluso

Cold vegetable soup originating from Spain

Bruschetta con uovo a occhio di bue

Toasted bread with fried egg and ham

 Frittata con salsiccia, mozzarella e cipolla

Scrambled eggs with sausage, mozzarella and onions

Insalata di uova sode

Tuna salad with green beans and boiled eggs

Insalata di pollo con melanzane grillante

Chicken salad with grilled eggplant

Insalata Caprese

Insalata di linguine con pesto, patate e pinoli

Linguine salad with pesto sauce, potatoes and pine nuts

Canata

Bread, artichokes, black olives, cherry tomatoes and olive oil

Supplí

Fried rice and tomato sauce balls

Ravioli with rabbit and wild herb sauce 

 Ravioli with rabbit and rabbit stock sauce

"Gio," the best chef in all of Italy! Thanks for everything!

Grazie e Arrivederci

With our remaining time struggling to stay afloat, I've reflected on my past 10 weeks in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. In such a short amount of time I've exhausted nearly every chapter of my guidebook, assembled a stack of postcards thicker than my Dad's Thanksgiving slices of butter, and most importantly assimilated into a culture that once seemed foreign. Though you wouldn't expect it from my last string of posts, for once I am at a loss for words on how I could possibly summarize all I have seen and done in the past two months or recognize all of the people who made this experience possible. With this writer's block in mind, instead I offer the following list of the top 10 things I have learned while in Italy:

1. There is no such thing as bad (or too much) gelato.
2. Acceptable reasons for a store to be closed in Italy: it's Monday; it's Tuesday; it's raining; it's hot; I need coffee; it's July; it's Wednesday; I'm taking a nap; it's 2pm; I forgot.
3. Towels can easily be converted to stiff tablecloths simply by washing them.
4. Lizards are harmless, even if they inhabit in your kitchen.
5. Fourth of July Snapchats 6 hours in delay can still ignite extreme patriotism.
6. Getting lost is actually just "taking the scenic route."
7. While a single language is not universal, a smile is.
8. The dinner table is a place where strangers become friends, families grow closer, and life pauses for the sake of living.
9. Whether a simple path or an endless set of stairs, it's worth the climb.
10. Albeit a little scary, trying new things isn't so bad (except if that new thing is freshly gutted squid).

While I've inundated social media with stories of my travels, pictures, and the elusive wifi restaurant check-ins, I have to stop to thank all of those who made this trip possible and who have made this one of the best times of my life. Foremost, to my parents Peter & Jeanne, I thank you for the unconditional support and love you have given me and my siblings. They also deserve recognition for being the unwilling subjects of various links over the course of my blog, summing to a perception by readers as intrigued, bakery-enthused tourists. While I cannot deny any of those things, I can attest they are so much more, and for that I offer an overwhelming thank you. I can't wait to get back here some day and let you see this all for yourself; from the Sistine Chapel to Salvatore's unbeatable lasagna down the block, we'll be sure to hit all the spots. 

To my aunts Trish and Mary, I thank you once again for all your love and support, both in reality and via Facebook likes. I know I can speak on behalf of my siblings and I when I say we can't imagine a growing up without your involvement in our lives! For one, I know I would not have been in Italy or Florence without your knowledgable input! I hope you enjoy the souvenirs I bought for you, but rest assured I'm already anticipating sharing my wealth of cooking knowledge with you over next Christmas' round of Cranium. Start practicing that "Leaning Tower of Pisa" charade routine!

To all my friends who have curbed my homesickness through "Live Free or Die" snapchats or international Skype sessions, thank you and I've missed you! My fellow Harvard Italian travelers, Andrea and Steph, thanks for going out of your way for some of my most memorable days here! I sincerely hope we take our same side-street restaurant and adventurous approach to Boston these next two years and get out of that Harvard bubble. You guys are the best! I also thank my hilarious and fun Florence & Tuscania roommates who have truly made this experience for me. Your adventurous spirit and drastically improved picture taking skills have greatly contributed to my blog and so-called Italian adventure! And finally, to the 18 people in Russia who have consistently read my blog each week, спасибо! I am truly flattered. 

In Italian, "arrivederci" means "until we see each other again." So to you, Italy, I offer one final, bittersweet arrivederci until I return to your wonderful cities. From the beauty of the Florence renaissance to the friendly faces I've come to know around Tuscania I will always consider myself a part of this place despite my pale Irish skin. Your food is amazing, yes, but your appreciation for the little things in life extend far beyond any plate of spaghetti or gelato cone. To anyone who may have stumbled upon this blog or has read this far and is considering traveling for the first time themselves, I offer this simple piece of advice: do it. Learning to adapt and appreciate another culture is something that cannot be taught elsewhere. Especially if your perception of adventure is like mine (trying squid for the first time), find the motivation within yourself to try something new and push beyond your comfort zone. 

At this point I can't say what's in store for my next big adventure, but I am confident it will present even more challenges and excitement. From the historic streets of Florence, the trees of the Tuscan vineyards, the narrow canals of Venice, the cobblestone streets of Rome, the world's oldest university of Bologna, the jagged cliffs of Cinque Terre, the blue oasis of Capri and Sorrento, the summit of Mount Vesuvius to, finally, the wholesome Italian village of Tuscania, with great appreciation I say "Grazie e ciao Italia!" See you soon, America!

Megan