Some Images of Life in Foligno
Over the last several weeks, the COVID situation has worsened in Italy. Here in Umbria, our rates had been low enough that we were not subject to severe restrictions, but at the beginning of this week, our region became “orange.” We are not allowed to travel outside our city limits without a good reason. We can still wander without carrying a declaration, but masks are mandatory. Bars and restaurants can only offer take-out and there’s a 10:00pm curfew which is being strictly enforced. Fines start at €400. Everyone is wearing their masks these days! One of our dance class partners said the “authorities are on the hunt!”
On the one hand, COVID has been a big game-changer! We have all been forced to stay closer to home, to restrict our movements, and protect our health. We simply can’t do a lot of things we’ve taken for granted. On the other hand, it has also forced us to be more aware of what’s right here in front of us, the ordinary things that are, if you look carefully and thoughtfully, quite extraordinary. So, for this post, I simply wanted to share some images and quick thoughts about our very ordinary life here in Foligno.
Just Hanging Out
I had a routine visit with my doctor this week. His office is in the city center. This is the view from the waiting room overlooking Foligno’s main town square, Piazza della Republica. The illuminated building is our city hall. It’s a beautiful structure; however, anyone who lives in Italy will tell you that a visit there usually involves a lot of time and a little heart-burn.
We live very close to this river, the Toppino. The riverbank is wide, so many residents enjoy a nice walk or run there. Now that we’re staying close to home, we take a walk here a couple of times per week.
Foodie Things
OK, a confession: before we moved to Italy, I thought I knew a lot about food. I worked as a cook through high school and college. I also worked in a number of very good restaurants in Seattle. Coming here was truly a humbling experience. I realized very quickly that my culinary knowledge was mediocre at best.
Let me share a few photos that illustrate what I’m talking about. Below, are pictures of what you will find in poultry section of a typical grocery store in Foligno. Let me assure you that all of these creatures are common in the Italian diet. In fact, there is a wide variety of “regular” chicken breeds available.
Duck and rabbit are very common.
So are pigeon, guinea fowl and quail.
Also, young cock and “regular chickens.”
Yes, we eat many of these creatures!
Of the Tandem Spirits, I’m a more adventurous eater than Virginia. She’s not particularly fond of rabbit and has passed on pigeon, but she has enjoyed Faraona (guinea fowl) and quail and of course duck and the standard chickens. I eat everything. I’m particularly fond of pigeon, quail, Faraona. Stewed rabbit with polenta is a real treat for me!!!
Just to give you a sense of how these creatures show up in our daily life, here are a couple of examples:
I recently ordered pigeon at a local cafe for lunch. I can’t tell you how savory and delicious this was!
This was dinner last night! I roasted quail and served it with a mixed-grain pilaf and roasted vegetables! By the way, a package of 4 quail runs about $8 US.
I prepared the quail by stuffing a mixture of fresh herbs under the skin along with butter. These were really delicious birds.
The Fruttivendolo - Greengrocer
When we were totally locked-down from March until June, I mainly went grocery shopping at the greengrocer and butcher which are only a 5 minute walk from our apartment. The fruttivendolo, Mario, is a really nice guy and has been a good teacher. The markets here offer a huge variety of produce, some of which isn’t common in the States.
And an Extra Bonus
Our landlords and neighbors are really nice people. Always ready to help or explain how things work (or don’t work) here. Let me just say that Italians still maintain a tradition of harvesting seasonal, wild foods. They hunt, they fish, and they also forage for all sorts of wild plants. This has been a particularly fruitful year for mushrooms. The markets are filled with porcinis, chanterelles and other varieties. This year there have been two particular mushrooms that the locals have been finding: the sanguinello and the lardaiolo bianco. Our neighbor, Feleciano, was kind enough to share some of his harvest with us. The sanguinelli are really good. They have a solid texture and meaty flavor. The lardaiolo are far milder and have an almost rubbery texture.
These are some of the sanguinelli that Feliciano harvested!
These are lardaiolo bianco mushrooms.
This was just a short introduction into our daily life in Foligno. It’s hard to explain how humbling it is to live in a town which was established in the 8th Century BC. There are layers upon layers of culture and history that never cease to amaze us. More important is the fact that present-day Foligno maintains a number of traditions that are deeply embedded in the past but have real meaning and resonance today.
In the future, I will write more about “ordinary” things here in Foligno and Italy.
Next time make Pigeon pie…… Virginia will never know!!!
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