PEOPLE, HAPPY FOOD③
Marghita of four seasons. Autumn and Winter.
When you are in a new environment with new people, if you spend at least four seasons together, you will slowly have a general idea of their culture. From what do they have for three meals a day, where do they usually spend the Summer holiday, to how they celebrate Christmas and so on. The whole process of getting to know and embracing new tastes and habits goes through also like the changing seasons. Sometimes it melts like Spring and freezes like Winter. It was proper Autumn when I met Marghita, my first flatmate in Milan.
Autumn. Fennel and Frisella happening
In October 2019, I moved to Marghita’s place full of plants and nice pendant lamps. Every single piece in the house was showing her taste as a visual merchandiser. I often discovered something new in the kitchen, not only an object but also food. One day, she was cutting raw onions and eating them straight away! Apparently, it was her favorite vegetable that I’ve never seen in my life called fennel. It has a refreshing taste that feels like brushing your teeth or eating celery and kohlrabi at the same time. I got used to it now and enjoy making salads with it. Anyway, if fennel runs out she will go grocery shopping soon.
There is a typical Pugliese appetizer which surprised me once again. Marghi found me feeling lazy to cook one day and she took something like rusk from the cupboard and suddenly soaked it in the water for a bit. (This was the most surprising moment but after that, I recovered my balance) Then she put some fresh tomato and oregano on top of it, drizzled olive oil, and served them on a plate. I genuinely enjoyed the simple but full flavor. Though it’s a typical summer dish I would enjoy it all year round, to be honest. She is responsible for how I became a fan of Friselle al pomodoro for sure.
Winter. Christmas in Puglia
That Winter, Marghi invited me to Gravina in Puglia for Christmas. I love to visit my friends’ hometown, feel the different temperatures, look around the neighborhood, try their nostalgic childhood food, and meet the family. Because I can see another aspect of them. Of course, discovering new food is what I look forward to the most as always and probably I tried more than 20 different kinds during that holiday. The following lists are some of them that I spent a long time choosing.
- Focaccia Barese (I like it soft inside and slightly crisp on the edge)
- Orecchiette al cime di rapa (Orecchiette: a typical pasta of Puglia. The name comes from their shape, which resembles a small ear)
- Pettole with Ricotta forte (Pettole are soft fried leavened dough balls. Ricotta forte is spreadable and it has a spicy and slightly bitter taste. The best combination ever)
- Cartellate (A typical Christmas sweet of traditional cuisine of Puglia)
- Tette delle Monache (Nun’s Tits in English. A sweet fluffy sponge cake filled with chantilly cream. I suggest you to take a look for the interesting history of it via link.)
The most rememberable thing I learned at that time is ‘La Scarpetta’, an Italian ritual of sopping up the sauce left on your plate with a piece of bread. It is impossible not to do that after finishing delicious pasta. How many slices of bread have I eaten more since then thanks to knowing that?
