» stuff italians like

Stuff Italians Like – Wild Edibles

Joe — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:15:20 +0000

If you grew up Italian, you probably have a relative that forages for wild plants and mushrooms. I was lucky enough to tag along with my father, uncles and nonno when I was a kid to learn from them and to this day, heading into the woods has remained one of my favorite pastimes. So yesterday I headed out to a favorite spot of mine in search for some wild edible plants.

My targets were 2: asparagus and morel mushrooms. I know where to find the first but the second has managed to eluded me once again (stupid Morels!)

The Asparagus are ready! As you can tell from the photo, these asparagus at one time were farmed. They are much different than the ones we found in Calabria.

read how we came across this wonderful field of asparagus last year.

When we got the asparagus home, we cooked them up and wrapped them in prosciutto! (of course we did… it makes them more Italian.)

The morels are still a mystery… but I will find them someday. Here are a few other wild things I came across.

Wild Onions (I think they are officially wild garlic… but they look and smell a lot more like onions to me)

Wild Onions were everywhere!

Wild Mustard Greens … little late when they’ve flowered.

Wild Carrot

Wild Strawberries will be ready soon!

Orpine – The leaves are great raw or in salads.

It’s true: Italians like foraging for wild things.

Stuff Italians Like

Joe — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:25:29 +0000

Italians (especially Italians living abroad) like to buy old Italian cars. My uncle and my brother-in-law both have Fiat Spiders… my dad has 2 (luckily he’s a mechanic.)

Stuff Italians Like

Joe — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:12:42 +0000

Italians like to make way too much food. Have you ever been to an Italian wedding or baptism or holiday dinner or any Italian occasion where food is served… and left hungry? My mother always worries that there won’t be enough food…

Me: What did you make?

Mom: I made some soup, a few pounds of pasta, meatballs and sausage, a roast with some potatoes, broccoli rabe, a salad, a little fish, and then I fried up some peppers… oh and your father sliced some soppressata, cappacolo and a few olives.

Me: You forgot to mention the basket of fruit, nuts, panetone, castagne and the pastries we’re going to have with coffee. When’s the 2nd battalion coming over?

By the time we’re all completely full, another family could come over completely famished and there would still be left overs! Non-Italian families might think pasta is a main course… we’re just getting started. Buon appetito!

Italians like to make too much food.

Stuff Italians Like

Joe — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:31:03 +0000

Italians like crusty bread and the end piece of a good loaf of bread. There is always a battle for the end piece (la tozza) in my house. I used to laugh when I would hear “PB and J with the crust cut off” … cut the crust off? why would you do that? I actually dig out the doughy center!

Italians like bread crust.