Endeavors into Italian Culture

I started my stage (internship) at a local restaurant today! Oh billy. It’s intimidating enough to go work at a new place in the United States, and when you’re going into a place where only one person speaks the same language that you do…mama mia. It was nice to be around a few people my own age though.

The other issue is that I have no transportation here, so I’m making the two hour walk every morning to go to this restaurant. It’s a beautiful walk, I don’t mind that part. I didn’t fully comprehend how widespread the break I mentioned in yesterday’s blog is. Everyone left the restaurant at 3:30pm. Luckily, one of the guys asked if I needed a ride, or else I would have been the only one left inside in a uniform. (And it came so close to happening! Picture me, standing in an empty Italian kitchen wondering where the heck everyone went! Aiee. Porca miseria. This language thing is killing me.)

So, they gave me two numbers to call at 6pm to ask for a ride home. I called each one ten times and nobody answered…the numbers weren’t working. Are you kidding me right now? So, I called the restaurant and just told them that I guess I couldn’t come back until tomorrow. I’m not sure they completely understood… The thing is, I left my sneakers at the restaurant, cause I figured we were only going out for a few minutes. So I’ll have to make the walk tomorrow in kitchen clogs. What an adventure!

I learned a lot this morning, though, so I guess it’s all worth it! The most important lesson is to make sure that you understand the recipe right. I was making tuille batter and I could swear the guy, Davide, said to substitute cocoa powder for the flour. Turns out he actually said put all the flour in and add a tiny bit of cocoa at the end. So I did it over; a lesson well-learned though. I made ragu with salcicca di Bra, and talgliarine (homemade spagetti), a million stupid tuilles (god, I’ve always detested tuilles and think I always will), and bonet–a molto tipico Piemontese dessert (a chocolate custard with amaretti cookie crumbs baked in. All the versions I’ve tried so far have been nastiness though. I think it needs some help). If you haven’t noticed, my English skills are going right down the tubes; please forgive me.

It hailed today! A lot! I was half way to work when it started and luckily for me, my friends who own the chicken farm (I found out today that their names are Luciano and Cristiana) were going to Gallo this morning, so they picked me up half way. Ding!

I had dinner at the circolo with Carmela, Giuseppe and Beatrice. Afterwards they took me to their house and gave me the grand tour. They have 3 dogs, 2 rabbits and 80 chickens! The drinking habits here should be upping my tolerance pretty quickly (I hope!) Wine with every meal and always apperitifs! No matter how much I protest, somehow I ALWAYS end up with a big glass of some foreign liquor in front of me. The key is to make your first sip really big, and then there’ll only be a couple more painful sips to go…

It was an exciting day though, to say the least! A domani… (Untill tomorrow…)