It’s lunchtime. Do you want a panino or a McItaly?
That’s right…the land that invented chicken cacciatore is now home to the McItaly, a new McDonald’s burger. A government official, who went to the grand unveiling in Rome, said the “sandwich has great ambitions.”
The burger is made with beef from Italy, and topped with artichoke spread and asiago cheese.
At first, I agreed with many critics, one of whom (Matthew Fort at the Guardian) called the burgers “a monstrous act of national betrayal.”
But isn’t that just a touch dramatic? I know that other than eating food, being dramatic is many an Italian’s other favorite pastime, but still…Can’t an Italian have some fast food now and again?
Last week, the New York Post wrote an article about Italian American of the moment, Lady Gaga. Before this article, Gaga had been accused of everything from really being a man to being a big ol’ bitch.
But perhaps the worst thing that’s ever been said about her came from the mouth of her music producer, Rob Fusari. Remembering their first meeting, he said,
“She was a little overweight. She looked like something out of ‘GoodFellas,’ like she was ready to make pasta any minute.”
You know…because only Italian Americans cook pasta. And they cook it All. The. Time.
At any minute, they might just start boiling water. They can’t resist that pasta! (Granted…I am eating pasta as I write this).
Oh, and is if that wasn’t insulting enough, he’s implying the pasta made her fat.
By the way, isn’t Fusari an Italian last name? Sounds like someone needs a real life Dr. Melfi.
I kinda hate her music, but Lady Gaga is a good old Italian girl underneath all the glitter and eyeshadow. Check out this video of her playing at an Italian American benefit back in 2006. No makeup! No blonde hair! Normal clothes!
Some Italian families cook together. This hilarious Italian family from Long Island acted out the whole fifth season of ABC’s Lost. Must see! Pay attention to the one family member who doesn’t want to participate during the crash scene.
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs and breasts
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Directions
1. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.
2. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
4. Return chicken to the pan.
5. Add the tomato sauce and broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 45 minutes.
Serve with polenta. If you are freaked out by polenta, try mashed potatoes.
I’m off to Mexico, which isn’t very Italian of me, but it’s a lot warmer there than it is in Italy. And a ton less expensive. Plus, I’m traveling to Puerto Escondido, a small beach town that has a huge Italian population.
But I doubt they have anything like my very own spinach vegetarian lasagna recipe. As far as lasagnas go, it’s easy to prepare and not terribly time consuming. Here’s a video on how to make it.
A new study found that nearly half of all Italians under the age of 40 still live at home with their parents. Government officials claim that adults who live at home with mom are to blame for the country’s low birth rate and economic troubles.
But why would you leave home if you had three top notch meals a day made for you? I wouldn’t.
On December 4th, when American student Amanda Knox was found guilty of murdering her roommate in Italy, the first thing I wondered was what kind of food she gets in prison.
American prisons aren’t exactly known for their cuisine. The food does not legally have to even meet FDA requirements.
In America, prisoners are often served something called “Nutraloaf,” a food so disgusting many inmates have sued states stating that it violates their Eighth Amendment rights. According to people who have to eat this slop, the food constitutes “cruel and unconstitutional” punishment.
Even worse? According to USA Today, the recession has forced some American prisons stop providing prisoners with lunch. And no more fruit and milk. They can still eat all the Ramen they want, but they have to purchase it themselves.
Because I believe Amanda Knox is innocent, I worried she’d be eating the Italian equivalent of Nutraloaf. So I emailed the Polizia Penitenziaria, the Italian arm of the government that operates the prison where Knox will be spending the next 26 years.
To my surprise, they emailed me back.
An official who didn’t sign his name said Knox gets, “Everything she wants. Pasta, meat, vegetables, fruit, etc.”
I fear I look like Nicole from Jersey Shore. Say it ain't so.
Italian-American groups want to whack MTV’s Jersey Shore’s cast and creators (and now they probably want to whack me for that whack reference). What’s got their meatballs in a knot? According to three Italian-American groups:
the cast makes all Italian-Americans look stupid when they refer to themselves as “guidos” and “guidettes.”
the series uses “violence and poor behavior to marginalize and stereotype Italian-Americans.”
and, in a zinger to end all zingers, “They are an embarrassment to themselves and to their families.” (In my book, the Italian-American groups should be scolded for bringing their moms and dads into this brohaha).
But I do find the show offensive on another level – there is an appalling lack of Italian food and drinks on the show. This was our chance to show Americans how to eat and drink well. Instead, this is what they ate during the season premiere (And I paused a lot to catch the exact foods):
Protein bar
Cheap ass ham that didn’t even come from the deli – it was in a box
Some awful pre-partying cocktail called Ron Ron that contained vodka, watermelon, cherry, ice and cranberry juice. No one taught them the benefits of a nice glass of wine before going out?
White bread. Dear God, they don’t sell Italian loafs of bread on the Jersey Shore?
Peanut butter and Jelly. It’s as if they’ve never heard of Nutella.
Potato chips and cookies. The perfect diet for muscleheads.
In their defense, Mike D and Sammy did make sausage and peppers for the crew one night. The moment was ruined, however, when Pauly slammed Mike’s kitchen kred by saying, “Girls are supposed to cook and men are supposed to eat.”
Mike, here’s a word of advice from your friend, the Italian American Cook: It is 2009, you guido you. Kitchens are open to both sexes.
By the way, I don’t find the terms guido or guidette offensive, mainly because the cast is Italian-American, and they’re using the terms to describe themselves. To me, that’s freedom of speech. Maybe the cast learned about Mussolini – he was no fan of free speech. They’re just exercising their rights as Americans. Tell me what you think.
My neighbors make a lot of noise. Tonight, I thought about throwing this at them. Glad I didn't.
This afternoon, I found a sausage and pasta recipe on epicurious.com that I basically had all the ingredients for.
By basically, I mean that the ingredients in my kitchen were a little different than what they suggested. I think it made the meal better. And my husband agrees. He says, “It was really, really good.” Check it out below.
Chicken Sausage and Pepper Pasta Supper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Spicy Italian Vino and Formaggio chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s
1 large green or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can tomatoes, diced, juices reserved
All kinds of Italian American groups are having a hissy fit over MTV’s new reality tv show “Jersey Shore.” The show, which airs this Thursday night, documents the exploits of Italian Americans on the Jersey Shore. The critics are freaking out over the way MTV has described the cast as “guidos” in promos for the show.
An Italian American star on the show said today, “I just happen to be 100 percent Italian, I happen to be in very good shape and my hair happens to be spiky… It’s not necessarily a stereotype; it’s just how it is… I know I didn’t hold back and I’m not too worried about what people think. When I look in the mirror I feel good.”
I go back and forth on the way Italian Americans are stereotyped on tv and movies. I loved the Sopranos, especially the way they documented the role food plays in Italian families. Italians can’t say out loud that we love each other. It’s too mushy mushy. We show our love for one another by making — and eating — food.
My one big beef (or rather veal scallopini) with the show was the way almost every character started sentences by saying, “No disrespect but…” It just made them sound stupid. And while many Italians I’ve known do not have B.A.s, they are very well-spoken and intelligent. And they don’t swear as much as the characters on the Sopranos did. In fact, the profanity is the reason my parents, who love all things Italian, never really got into the show.
I’m far more annoyed by the commercials for Barilla pasta. They basically imply blonde, thin, American women can easily sway sexy Italian men as long as they use this pasta. Duh…you gotta make your own pasta. Store bought pasta stinks. Check out a recent Barilla commercial below, along with a preview for Jersey Shore and a Sopranos moment that really made me go, “Meh…”
Barilla commercial:
Jersey Shore:
A profanity laced Sopranos moment (don’t play loud at work):
Ingredients
