Good Wine and Drug Rehab??????

by Marty Piazza of Piazza Discepoli

The region of Emilia-Romagna is not particularly well known in America for its wines.  If it is known at all it is due to the inglorious reputation as the home of Lambrusco – that bubbly sweet red that my father used to call Bologna Cola.  The situation is changing, however, as wine specialists are finding some parcels of their geography very suitable to cultivation.

Emilia-Romagna may be Italy’s most flat region, and fine wines often require some hillsides. As you follow the Adriatic coast north through Le Marche, you enter Emilia-Romagna just south of the city of Rimini (home of Federico Fellini). If you turn inland (west) and drive just a few miles, the terrain becomes hilly.   This area is home to San Patrignano, an Azienda Agricola that is becoming famous for some special wines.

This month’s wine is their 2008 Aulente Rosso Rubicone, a hearty red made from 100% Sangiovese which sells for $18.99/bottle. It is full of red cherries, tobacco, licorice and spices, and its muscle does demand food (as most Italian reds do). Compared to a Chianti from Tuscany (which is made from Sangiovese), this wine is a little lower in acidity and warmer in its fruit.

While their wine is an excellent value, what drew me to San Patrignano is its reputation for a mission much bigger than wine production.  The largest drug rehabilitation community for youth in Western Europe, they provide their services completely free of charge, accepting no payment or funding from their families or the government. Since 1978, San Patrignano has taken in over 18,000 people, offering them a home, health care, legal assistance, and the opportunity to study, learn a job, change their lives, and regain their status as full members of society.

One of the jobs the participants can learn there is wine-making. This may be shocking to an American, but it is a clear reminder of how differently the Italian culture views wine – more as a food group than a substance to be abused. In fact, each participant in their program has the option of 2 glasses of wine with both lunch and dinner daily.

Watch the video on their website for a fascinating story.  The custom of using agricultural programs to help troubled youth can be found all around Italy – yet another example of what we Americans can learn from our friends across the sea.

It's Fun to Dream in Italian

If you've talked to me recently you know that Michele and I are exploring the possibility of a second home in Italy.  (At least I am and Michele has quit trying to talk me out of it.) Shopping for real estate in a foreign country is not easy.  Every day I spend at least 30 minutes with the internet listings trying to figure out how much we're going to have to pay and where we want to look.

While there isn't any single site like the Multiple Listing Service in Italy, the biggest on-line real estate advertiser is Annunci Immobiliare.   For the first week or so I was using the butchered English translation until I realized I was wasting the perfect opportunity to improve my vocabulary in a painless and practical way. 

pavimento genovese

Here is a smattering of words I've learned within the context of looking for property: 

Ascensore. (elevator)  This is a very important word as we want to be able to have Michele's parents come stay with us and they cannot climb steps.  There are lots of incredible bargains all over Italy if you are willing to walk up to the third or fourth floor or buy a cielo-terra (on multiple levels).

Arredato (furnished)  If an Italian owns the property, this probably means they are leaving the kitchen cabinets.  If a foreigner has renovated a house in a small hill town, most likely it includes every stick of furniture in the place.  There are lots of these available at great prices if you are interested in getting away from it all, like to drive, and are not afraid of steps.

 500,000 Euro

Vista Mare (view of the sea)  This is a very, very expensive word.  It comes in two forms:  spettacolare, which means "go to the next ad" and scorcio vista mare, which means you have to lean out the bathroom window and hold on to the downspout to get a glimpse of water.

Here's what we're looking for:

Elegante palazzo d'epoca
Con ascensore
Composto da ingresso, sala, 2 camere matrimoniali, cucina abitabile
Ampio bagno con vasca e doccia
Riscaldamento autonomo
Balcone o terrazza al piano
Molto luminoso
Completamente ristrutturato
Adiacente stazione

Of course, for those of you who know Michele, I probably don't have to state the obvious:  We'd like all this and we dream it's cheap.

Siena is Best at Night

by Melinda Cebula Harris

Siena is its best at night. The night air is cool compared to the often humid and hot temperatures of the day; the tourists have gathered up their shopping bags and are in route to a larger city to sleep the night away; and the locals are heading out for dinner or for an evening “passeggiata” (stroll). 

The ambiance of the city in one word is happy. The narrow streets are aglow with the light of delicate street lamps and the night air is filled with the distinct “clink” of forks and knives, laughter, and even babies crying. As you look around you see people of all ages, grandmas and grandpas (nonne e nonni), families with small children, groups of boys, groups of girls, and young couples clearly in love. There is a certain allure to Siena at night; there is something about it that draws even the most exhausted person out of their home.

We have spent many of our evenings amongst the Sienese people and have enjoyed our exchanges of conversations with the locals. I am often excited to try speaking my broken Italian to the Sienese and I have found they are just as excited to practice their broken English. These conversations often lead to much laughter as we search for the correct words or for the correct understanding. 

Upon our arrival in Siena we were fortunate to be invited to attend the banquet dinner of the Elefante’s contrada. Excitedly, I accepted, putting aside our complete exhaustion from our overseas travels. Each of the 17 contrade hold banquet dinners in preparation and celebration of the upcoming Palio as a way to raise money and support. As we strolled down the narrow twists and turns of Elefante’s streets we could smell the banquet before we could actually see it. The smells of garlic, pizza, grilled meats, pasta and the sweetness of sugary treats filled the air; rounding the bend we found the party already in full swing. Women with aprons tied around their waists taking food to and from tables; families and friends toasting, tasting and talking; a small band on a platform entertaining the contrada; and small children pulling at their mothers shirts whining “Voglio ballare, Mamma” (I want to dance, Mom). 

Melinda's Mom

We started our dinner with white wine and crostini, pretty safe treats for American girls, but our dinner had many surprises in store for us! As the first dish was presented to mom and me our eyes met and locked for a moment. I knew what she was thinking and she knew what I was thinking. What is this?!?! I had to fight my little kid urge to smell and poke at the blob of pink “stuff” that lay before me. Around this pinkness, slices of lemon were placed in an artistic fashion, in my mind a thought passed as to what this unknown antipasti was, but I told myself, “No, it couldn’t be…”. So, I politely picked up my fork, sank it into the glob, and brought the reward to my lips… Panicked thoughts raced through my mind, “Oh my goodness, it is raw ground beef”. Knowing how Italians take pride in their food, I forced a smile and a polite comment of, “This is nice.” With great effort we both managed a few (tiny) bites before having to push the plate aside. 

Luckily, we found sweet relief in our next course, Burrata e Asparagi. My dear friends, I don’t believe I have ever, until this moment, eaten something in which I didn’t want to swallow because the taste was simply heaven. I can’t adequately describe Burrata e Asparagi and the complete satisfaction it created, but I promise you this, if I find a recipe and I can recreate this masterpiece in my kitchen, all of you are invited for dinner! The meal continued with three additional courses and soon we found “Tartara agli Aromi” (AKA raw beef) a distant memory.

After 2 hours of eating, people watching, laughing, and talking, we pushed ourselves away from the table to make our way home. It was a wonderful way to begin our summer in Siena; it was a night in which we felt, if even for only a moment, what it would feel like to be Italian. 

To read more about Melinda's adventures in Siena last summer:

http://labellavitainitalia.blogspot.com/2010/07/learning-italian.html

Italian Fashion Reaches New Heights of Sophistication

Tired of wearing that same-old, same-old? 

Does your wardrobe need a little ooommph?

Arianna and Fabio Alonzo

This year School Amici comes to the rescue with the latest in Italian-American design.  It is with great pride that we introduce the long-awaited "Parli Italiano?" t-shirt.

Click to enlarge.

No matter where you travel this summer, the front of this t-shirt is guaranteed to start a lot of conversations in any language.  Show a little "home pride" as you walk away with a back side that proclaims you're from School Amici, "a little bit of Italy on the Ohio Riviera."

Since our students are always on the cutting edge of style, we know you'll want to look just like our hip, young models (Michele's son and daughter).  Order yours today here

Available in both Men's and Women's styles.  Sizes S, M, L, XL are available immediately.  Other sizes take about two weeks.  $20, plus $5 shipping and handling  (or you can pick one up at school with advance notice).

Hot Cannolis

by Lois Santangelo, proprietor of  Oakley Wines

For all lovers of authentic Italian cannolis, here is a tip!  Skirtz and Johnston Bakery on West Elder at Findlay Market makes real authentic cannolis. You can purchase the handmade shells and get the delicious ricotta based filling dotted with tiny chocolate chips seperately. The filling is packaged in a triangular plastic bag in very generous portions, so that you snip off the corner and fill the cannolis when you are ready to serve them. 

For those of you who may not have tried making these from scratch, this is a great time saver.  The dough for the shells is very hard to handle and roll out and then you need to put them on forms and deep fry them.  It is a real production!.

The Skirtz and Johnston version is delicious and much less trouble.  By filling them right before serving, you eliminate that mushy cannoli that is just not appealling.  So call them at 513-381-1286 and order your fabulous dessert! And in the process you are supporting a great new business at historic Findlay Market! 

La Via per Cincinnati: Cristian Pietoso

Cristian Pietoso, born and raised in Florence, Italy came to Cincinnati for the same reason countless other immigrants have come before him.  He came because of family.

His father's people are "meridionale," from the south in Naples where a steady paycheck is not easy to find.  First one uncle relocated to St. Louis.  Then another.  Finally his father, Nicola, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of Florence, came to join them.  But the Italian community was so big in St. Louis that it was hard to stand out in the restaurant business.  When the owners of Verdin Bell called and offered an opportunity to start a new establishment in one of their empty buildings on Sycamore St. in Cincinnati, Nicola decided to take a chance.


After Cristian graduated from the same school where his father studied, it was only logical that he should join the family business in Ohio.  Soon after he took over the kitchen at Nicola's, word got around about the imaginative young chef.  Three years ago the Pietosos decided to expand their operation to include a more casual dining experience on Fountain Square named Via Vite (Vine Street) which features wood fired pizzas and the pasta bolognese that is so popular in Over the Rhine. The atmosphere may be hip, more American contemporary, but oceans cannot separate Italians from who they really are. "My grandma's peperonata," is one of  the side dishes on Cristian's menu:  sweet peppers, onions, and tomatoes, a taste of what his family left behind.

For those of us in the Queen City who appreciate great food prepared from the finest, freshest ingredients, where the pasta is never "mushy", we are lucky.  Italians don't like to move and they hate to change jobs so it looks like the Pietosos are here to stay.   Last year Cristian married Amanda, a local girl, and their daughter, Ilaria, was born in November. 

* * *

On Sunday, March 6th at 10am, Cristian has agreed to open Via Vite just for School Amici.  For two hours he will personally demonstrate how to prepare a traditional pasta cavolfiore (cauliflower), a special appetizer and tiramisu.  Then we get to eat!  Space is limited to 25 and we only have a few remaining seats, so if you'd like to join us, please register as soon as possible at School Amici

La Via per Cincinnati: Pietro Cassinadri

Lazio Region between Rome and Naples

La Via per Cincinnati

di Pietro Cassinadri

(English version follows Italian)

Erano anni magnifici. Incontrai Sharon sul lungomare a San Felice Circeo, il 7-7-67, dopo aver fatto una regata lo stesso giorno. Lei era di Dearborn, Michigan. Ritorno' a Natale, a poi l'anno dopo venne in Europa. Io andai alla scuola Sottufficiali della Guardia di Finanza, e poi fui mandato a Menaggio, Domaso, Valsolda, Ponte Tresa, Maccagno. Sharon continuava a trasferirsi seguendo i miei itinerari.

Ci sposammo nel 1972. In ottobre nostro figlio Silvio nacque a mori' nell'ospedale di Varese. Sharon era in fin di vita, a causa di un'emorragia. Dopo quattro o cinque ore di interventi, i dottori mi chiamarono nella sala operatoria, mi dissero che non c'era piu' niente da fare, mi offrirono un caffe', e se ne andarono. Un prete venne a darle l' Estrema Unzione. Poi anche lui se ne ando'. Lei era inconscia,  ed io li', a guardare la macchina respiratoria, aspettandomi che si fermasse da un momento all'altro.

Non so quanto tempo passo', ma continuavo ad accarrezzarle la testa, ed ad un certo punto le chiesi se volesse vivere ancora, e lei mosse la testa su e giu', vigorosamente. Allora mi misi a gridare: "E' ancora viva, e' ancora viva!" Le infermiere accorsero, e videro che il polso era ritornato!

San Felice Circeo (Latina)

Stette una settimana in cura intensiva, sempre incosciente, e quando rinvenne le dovetti dire che nostro figlio era morto, e che lei aveva subito l'isterectomia, necessaria per fermare l'emorragia dovuta ad un'infezione che non lasciava il sangue coagularsi. Lei mi guardo', disse che era tutto un brutto sogno, e ricadde in una specie di coma.

Eventualmente si riprese, e l'anno dopo decidemmo di andare in America. Per lei era un ritorno a casa, per me un passo verso l'ignoto. Arrivai in Detroit due giorni prima del Natale 1973. A quel punto ero brigadiere, ma negli USA non contava niente. Feci ogni tipo di lavoro, dal lavaggio notturno dei macchinari che fanno le patatine,  dall' imbianchino, al pavimentista. Nel frattempo continuavo gli studi; nel 1979 presi la laurea di Architettura all'Universita' del Michigan, e nel 1981 ottenni il Master. Dal 1981 in poi lavorai come architetto in Indiana, Kentucky ed Ohio. Nel 1990 incominciai a lavorare per l'Universita' di Cincinnati, che stava costruendo un campus spettacolare.

Sharon  mori' nel 1991 a Cincinnati.  Come lei voleva, sparsi le sue ceneri sul mare a San Felice Circeo, vicino  al posto dove ci incontrammo.

Io sono ancora qui.

The Road to Cincinnati

by Pietro Cassinadri

San Felice Circeo (Latina)

They were wonderful years. I met Sharon on the promenade in San Felice Circeo, on July 7, 1967, after a rowing race on that same day. She was from Dearborn, Michigan. She left and returned for Christmas, and a year later she came to Europe. I was an officer attending school in the army (Guardia di Finanza); then I was transferred from town to town (Menaggio, Domaso Valsolda, Ponte Tresa, Maccagno). Sharon kept on following me according to my itineraries.

We got married in 1972. In October, our son Silvio was born and died in the hospital in Varese. Sharon was in very critical conditions due to bleeding. After four or five hours of life saving attempts, the doctors called me into the operating room; they said there was nothing else to do, offered me a coffee and left. A priest came to give her the last rites and left too. She was there, unconscious, and I was watching the breathing machine, expecting to stop at any moment.

I do not know how much time elapsed, but I kept caressing her head, and at one point I asked if she wanted to live; she moved her head up and down, vigorously. Then I began to shout: "She is still alive, still alive!" The nurses came running and realized that her pulse was back!

She remained a week in intensive care, still unconscious, and when she recovered consciousness I had to tell her that our son was dead, and that she had undergone hysterectomy, which was necessary to stop the bleeding due to an infection that did not allow the blood to clot. She looked at me and said that it was just a bad dream, and fell into a sort of coma.

Pietro and Sharon, Rome, 1970

Eventually she recovered, and the year after we decided to go to America. For her it was a homecoming; for me a step into the unknown. I arrived in Detroit two days before Christmas of 1973.

At that point I was a sergeant, but in the U.S. I was nothing. I worked any kind of job, from washing machines used to make chips at night to wall painter to floor maker. In the meanwhile I kept on studying; in 1979 I graduated as an architect from University of Michigan, and in 1981 I obtained the Master Degree.

From 1981 onwards I worked as an architect in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. In 1990 I started working for the University of Cincinnati, which was building a spectacular campus.

Sharon died in 1991 in Cincinnati. As she wished, I scattered her ashes on the sea in San Felice Circeo, near the place where we met.

I am still here.

An internet tip from Melinda Cebula Harris, School Amici student

Melinda

Intermediate Student

Check this out. This website has dual language articles to check your comprehension. It also has the article in audio version so you can listen while you read, or read while you listen ;)
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/topic/dual-language

Dual Language | ITALY Magazine

http://www.italymag.co.uk/

The Dual Language Section is an ideal approach for anyone that aims to cross-cultural competence and biliteracy. The articles are often set in real locations, describing trips or cultural goings-on, ideal to discover something more about Italian culture besides the language.

Wine of the Month: Cantina Pedres

 by Marty Piazza

     In America we have wine publications like the Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate which, among other activities, rate various wines from around the world.  Great ratings from these publications can significantly increase American demand for the wines winning the highest praise.  In Italy they have Gambero Rosso, which is similar to our Wine Spectator.  Every year this organization ranks hundreds of Italian wines, with the best (according to these judges, at least) receiving one, two, or three “glasses.”  The most prestigious rating is the coveted “Tre Bicchieri” (Three Glasses).  The majority of the wines winning Tre Bicchieri can be quite expensive.  But every now and then an inexpensive wines show up on the list, and these are the ones that really capture my attention.  The wine we will look at today is one of these: Vermentino di Gallura 2009 Thilibas from Cantina Pedres in Sardegna.

     The grape Vermentino is grown predominantly in Sardegna and Liguria, with a little spilling over into Tuscany.  The appellation Vermentino di Gallura is the only DOCG appellation in all of Sardegna, and the whites from this zone are some of the most enjoyable of Italy.  Our wine from Cantina Pedres is 100% Vermentino, made in stainless steel (sees no oak), has a golden yellow color, medium body, and dry but fruity flavors of tangy apple, nectarine, herb, and mineral.  The acidity and tartness make it a great food wine, particularly with scallops and other sea food.   

     We are lucky to be able to get this wine in Ohio, because the importer, who lives in Sandusky Ohio, is married to one of the owners in Sardegna.  They are a wonderful couple, and they do welcome visitors to their winery, if you should one day find youself in Sardegna.  At $16.99/bottle, I think it is one of the most enjoyable wines you will ever discover at anywhere near the price.  And yes, I do think it merits a “Tre Bicchieri” rating.  

Enjoy.  Marty.

Wine of the Month is written by Marty Piazza, the regional expert on Italian wines at Piazza Discepoli.  Marty leads the discussion for School Amici's popular Salute! class and tasting, which will be offered again in May.

52 Seconds or 5 Minutes? Time to Celebrate!

Here we are in Catania for New Year's Eve last year. 2 versions, one for busy, important people, and the longer one for everybody who got tired and went to bed before midnight last night.

If you watch the uncut piece on top, note the high-pitched, nervous squeals in the background after the countdown. I'm pretty sure it's me. Since I'd always spent the new year at Michele's mom's I didn't know about the tradition of breaking the empty champagne bottles in the middle of the piazza. I thought we were being bombed.

Buon Anno a Tutti.