I came into my study abroad experience with high expectations. I had a theory I wanted to test, a new perspective I wanted to gain. I was under the impression that Italians were much healthier than Americans, and I wanted to see if this was really true. However, I have learned that the answer to … More Changing Perceptions
I was once told the way to tell if a person has truly assimilated into a new culture is to look in his or her refrigerator. From my experiences abroad, I can certainly attest to this statement. Food is part of daily life and can be a source of comfort or a sign or normalcy. … More A New Food Culture
The best part about studying the Mediterranean Diet in Italy is having the chance to test it out. Over the past few weeks, I have tried to incorporate various aspects of the Mediterranean Diet into my daily routine. For instance, I have switched to using olive oil as the primary fat for cooking and eating. … More Living Mediterranean
Making pizza at Localita Il Piano has certainly been the highlight of my food experiences here in Italy thus far. Sure, I have made pizza before. I have even cooked in a brick oven many times at my work study job, but there was something special about making pizza in Italy. For starters, we prepared the … More Pizza at the Farm
Today was the field trip I was waiting for—visiting a farm in Italy! We went to Località Il Piano, a sustainable and organic farm in the Umbria region. The farm is run by a family: husband Adolfo, wife Darcy, and children Ben and Fafa. From the minute of our arrival, Adolfo was full of energy. His passion … More Italian Farm, Italian Food
Diet is perhaps not the right word to describe eating the Mediterranean way. The word “diet” has a connotation of restriction or weight loss. Restriction is certainly not a principle of the Mediterranean diet. Rather, the focus is on enjoying food more fully. As Marissa Cloutier and Eve Adamson state in The Mediterranean Diet, “Life is for … More So What is the Mediterranean Diet?
Nowhere in the United States can I imagine having a dining experience quite like in Offida. After an afternoon spent at a nearby winery, we gathered for a group dinner at the Osteria Cantina Offida in the Piazza del Popolo, the People’s square. We dined outside amidst the locals out for an evening stroll. A … More A Taste of Peasant Cooking
One of the activities I was really looking forward to in Ascoli was visiting the markets to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Every Wednesday and Saturday morning, vendors set up shop in the main piazzas. After visiting the big Rialto Markets in Venice, the produce markets seemed small in comparison. However, I felt more at … More Visiting the Markets in Ascoli
We breathed a collective sigh of relief upon dropping our luggage in our apartment. After having dragged our suitcases down the street, up a cobblestone hill, and up two flights of stairs, it felt good to take a little rest. After a week of field trips, we were finally in Ascoli Piceno. Ascoli is a … More Welcome to Ascoli Piceno
My jaw dropped when I saw the plate of pasta. My first thought was, aren’t the portions supposed to be smaller here? Of course, the food looked delicious, but I wondered how I would eat my way through two other courses when this one looked so huge. Upon further reflection, I realized that perhaps the … More Portion Confusion
Finding a Culture for Health 