LA BELLA MA SBAGLIATA ITALIA

Dear Readers,

After some delightful and relaxing holidays, I am back! How are you all? I can say that I am doing well, back to study and work… I could use a holiday after the holidays, hehe!

Now, let’s focus on the topic I would like to discuss today: the frequent errors we encounter on Italian menus in Italian restaurants around the world. There are so many! I believe that the presentation of a menu and culinary culture are crucial when you sit at the table of a restaurant representing your country.

The first thought that comes to mind when I read these mistakes is: the author is not Italian. However, this is not always the case, unfortunately. Even Italians themselves sometimes make errors when writing in their language.

But what are the mistakes commonly made by those who own Italian restaurants?

Orthographic and grammatical mistakes.

How often do we read: “Spagheti, Spagetti, Veggetariana, Capriciosa, Coze,” etc., when it should be: “Spaghetti, Vegetariana, Capricciosa, Cozze,” etc.?

Or how frequently do we come across: “Buoni sapori ce puoi assagiare sul nostro tavola,” which should be: “Buoni sapori che puoi assaggiare sulla nostra tavola!” or “I nostri clienti sono benvenuto,” when it should be “benvenuti,” the plural form?

I don’t know about you, but I go crazy every time I encounter such experiences, which unfortunately happens quite often!

However, let’s hope that now, with Google at our fingertips, these errors can be checked before being written… hehe!

For those who have been following my blog from the beginning, you already know how curious and particular I become when it comes to “language”! Mistakes should not be made, especially when they appear on a menu that hundreds of people can see!

Anyway, let’s try to stay positive and hope for fewer experiences like these in the future!

Have a wonderful day and a pleasant end of summer!

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Did you know that?

Hello Everyone and Welcome to Sunny Days!

Finally, we have some summer days here in Norway, and having them here is big news!

Today, I would like to share my thoughts on two articles that I have found particularly interesting lately:

Why Do People Throw Rice at Newlyweds?

According to an article I read online, in ancient times, cereals were considered a symbol of prosperity. Bread has always been a staple in our daily lives, and traditionally, brides would incorporate spikes of wheat into their hairstyles, while grooms would place a wheat pie on their heads to serve to guests after the ceremony. Guests would throw almonds and nuts at the newlyweds as a wish for children. Over time, dried fruit was replaced by rice, which continues to symbolize prosperity and abundance. Recently, petals of roses, soap bubbles, or feathers are also thrown to the bride and groom, as rice can sometimes get in their eyes or soil their dresses. Curious, isn’t it?

Why Are Pizza Boxes Square?

Another intriguing fact is the reason behind the square shape of pizza boxes. As children, we learned to recognize geometric shapes and fit them into the correct slots in educational toys. This might explain why the question “Why are pizza boxes square?” arises. Pizza makers often create round pizzas that are not perfectly circular. Placing these in square boxes allows for variances in size. Additionally, producing a square box is cheaper than a round one because it requires only one sheet of cardboard, whereas a round box would need two sheets plus extra time to cut the angles precisely. The side holes in square boxes are necessary to let steam escape, preventing the pizza from continuing to cook and becoming burnt. Interesting, isn’t it?

Learning new things, especially about everyday items we take for granted, is always fascinating.

I hope you enjoyed my post and have a wonderful summer, even in these unusual times.

Follow my posts and please share your opinions.

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I miss being a tourist…

Greetings Everyone,

What a time we are living in! First and foremost, I hope that all of you are safe and well.

The topic of this article revolves around one of my greatest passions: traveling.

I truly and deeply love to travel! Believe me, I have had the opportunity to visit many different countries, and I would love to explore even more. The world is vast and filled with incredible sights… but who can possibly see it all?

But what type of tourism do I engage in? And what about others? What purpose does tourism serve?

I recently read an article about tourism that classified three different types of tourism: artistic tourism (museums, buildings, art galleries, religious temples, skyscrapers, monuments, etc.); event tourism (conferences, meetings, festivals, concerts, etc.); and nightlife tourism (parties, parties, parties…hehehe). To these, I would like to add “self-discovery tourism” or journeys that help one find themselves. Although, I believe that we do not need to seek external experiences to fulfill our souls, as fulfillment is already within us (a bit of philosophy here!). You can feel the same wherever you go unless you work on your inner self. Thus, travel is not always necessary.

Personally, I engage in a mix of the first three types of tourism. I think being a tourist is akin to being a student in a classroom: you learn and observe the daily life of a place; you taste wonderful foods; you experience things that may be unfamiliar in your own country, like different music or shows; and you learn about new cultures and their traditions. Traveling enriches your soul and makes you feel free to feel, think, see, do, and even buy. What a discovery, right? Haha. I know many of you share my thoughts on traveling, but I write this because I miss buying a flight ticket and dreaming about my next adventure. When I finally have the chance to travel again, believe me, I will savor every moment. After this stressful period and the constant fear for ourselves and our families, we all deserve to go back to where we belong or simply hug each other tightly until we find it hard to breathe! How amazing would that feel?

It is true that we appreciate or miss something much more once it is no longer available, rather than taking it for granted. This situation, caused by Covid-19, has forced us to change our habits and lifestyles: something as simple as a hug or a handshake may have held little importance before because it was taken for granted… but now? Now that we can no longer do these things, how does it feel? Bad, right?

For those who love tourism, I affirm that tourism is beneficial for everyone, not just for consumerism, which benefits society, but for enriching our knowledge, minds, and souls. You can meet people, compare your story to theirs, learn tips to improve your lifestyle or diet, visit new places, and so on. There is an infinite number of benefits we can gain from traveling. The most important thing is to appreciate our own country or home after visiting a place we may not have liked.

So, my friends, I truly hope that this lockdown will end soon and we can return to our routines, traveling once again to discover more of this wonderful world! I know it will take some time, but never lose hope!

What are your thoughts on this?

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Let’s have a coffee?

The Unique Ritual of Coffee in Italy and Around the World

Whoever visits or has visited Italy often finds the simple task of having a coffee to be a unique and amusing experience. Have you ever wondered why? In Italy, people typically go to a bar, order a coffee, drink it while having a brief conversation with the barista about their day or other topics, and leave! The entire process lasts two minutes or less.

In contrast, in many other countries around the world, having a coffee often serves as an excuse to relax and spend about an hour catching up with friends, updating each other on life events, laughing, chatting, or simply enjoying time together.

In Norway, I have noticed that most people opt for take-away coffee. This is primarily because they are often in a hurry and, during the winter, need to warm their hands due to the cold temperatures.

Another interesting observation is the size of coffee cups: in Italy, they are quite small, whereas in Norway, they are much larger. Waiters even ask if you want a single or double coffee! This difference might be because the coffee in Norway is not as strong as it is in Italy.

Did you know that in the 18th century, coffee bars became popular meeting points for writers in Italy? They would gather there to discuss poems, exchange ideas, and more. Drinking coffee helped them stay awake and provided the energy needed for writing. These morning rituals that Italian people partake in today have their roots in this historical period.

Why is it that in Italy, such activities go by so quickly while in other parts of the world, the pace seems much slower? It’s a curious difference in cultural practices, isn’t it?

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Espresso coffee

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Social coffee

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Take-away coffee

Do you drink coffee and for what?

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Who is right?

The Origin of Pizza: An Intriguing Exploration

I am so shocked! I am reading a very interesting book titled “L’italiano è bello” (Italian is Nice) by Mariangela Galatea Vaglio. Throughout the book, which explains a lot about Italian history, culture, and of course language, I came across this passage:

“La pizza, per esempio, molto probabilmente è un lascito dei Longobardi. L’etimologia è incerta e anche i linguisti non si sentono sicuri, ma potrebbe aver avuto origine da bizzo/a, pezzo di pane, morso (tedesco bissen). La parola, che indicava allora una focaccia bianca, si diffonde a partire dai domini longobardi del Sud, anche se è solo nell’Ottocento, con l’invenzione della pizza margherita, così chiamata per omaggiare la regina Margherita di Savoia consorte di Umberto I, che la pizza diverrà famosa e mangiata in tutto il mondo. Non si può escludere insomma che nel gran caos del Medioevo dei barbari tedeschi abbiano inventato il più mediterraneo dei nostri piatti.”

Translation (as I didn’t find the original English one, I propose mine):

“For example, it is very probable that pizza is a bequest from the Lombards. The etymology is uncertain, and even linguists are unsure about it, but it could have originated from bizzo/a, meaning a piece of bread or bite (German: bissen). The word, which initially referred to a white focaccia, spread from the Lombardic domains in the South. However, it was only in the 19th century, with the invention of the pizza margherita, named in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, the wife of Umberto I, that pizza became famous and eaten worldwide. In short, we cannot exclude the possibility that in the chaos of the Middle Ages, the Germanic barbarians invented the most Mediterranean of our dishes.”

I would like to highlight the phrases “it is very probable” and “the linguists are unsure about it” to emphasize that there is uncertainty regarding this claim. I mean, I hope it is not true! But I tried to search for the real origin of pizza, and here’s what I found:

On the Wonderopolis page, they discuss the ancient Greeks and Romans and mention an Italian man from Naples who baked the first pizza. Please check: Wonderopolis – Who Invented Pizza

On the Pizzafacts page, they talk about several early users of pizza around the 1st century BC. They also mention 3000-year-old flattened breads in Sicily and the Roman Empire, especially in the areas of Naples and Pompeii, where they baked white focaccia. However, no specific inventors are named. Please check: Pizzafacts – History of Pizza

The page on independent.co.uk discusses the origins of pizza from Lazio in 997 AD, where 12 pizzas were baked for Christmas Eve. Please check: Independent – Pizza Origins

And there are many more links that more or less say the same.

So, who is right? Which source is true? What I think is that Italians appropriated the origins of pizza at the right moment, and this amazing dish spread worldwide. Was that simply luck? What do you think? Or, from the very early years of the Roman Empire, could we have invented such flatbread, even though we know that in Spain (Valencia, Balearic Isles) they have Coca or in Greece, Pita, and so on? And if Mariangela is right, is pizza Lombardic?

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