Professors at the Santa Croce University in Rome and noted media personalities, John and Ashley Noronha, spoke at the 8th Pilgrim Stays Facebook Live event. The webinar, which streamed live on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, was held on the 25th of April, 2021. Our early supporters will recollect that Ashley and John were our first panellists, who spoke at our very first webinar a little less than a year ago.
A Cuisine Loved the World Over
Italian cuisine is universally loved, transcending boundaries of age and geography. Its most famous export, pizza, is a household name in almost every corner of the globe. Besides pizza, a never-ending list of Italian favourites has captured the hearts and palates of the world. Pasta, spaghetti, bruschetta, parmigiano and pesto are familiar names that effortlessly roll off the lips of anyone who has sampled the fare.
The Multi-Course Meal
Ashley and John introduced our viewers to the multi-course affair that a typical Italian meal is. The meal comprises aperitivo, antipasti, pasta, meat and vegetables, tiramisù, coffee and an after-dinner liqueur. Having lived in Rome for the past 13 years, they are familiar with the conventions governing food that are religiously followed by Italians.
The Conventions of the Table
The much-loved cappuccino is a beverage consumed essentially in the morning. Seldom is it drunk any later than 11 in the day. It is a convention that is unknown to coffee drinkers outside Italy. Similarly, Americans have become accustomed to dipping bread into little bowls of olive oil laced with balsamic vinegar, and when they land on Italian shores, they expect it served in a like manner. Unfortunately, this does not go down too well with Italian waiters, who tend to frown upon the practice.
It does result in a bit of friction now and then, smoothed out skilfully by an astonishing array of wines from Italy’s world-famous vineyards. Ashley and John topped off the talk by toasting viewers with limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur native to Naples and Capri — two of Italy’s sunniest cities, which lie in its south.
Judging by the number of queries that followed, we are glad to report that Ashley and John had the audience enthralled! Ashley and John are happy to share their free e-cookbook of easy Italian recipes with our viewers. Please download it by visiting https://www.johnandashley.org/resources. And do follow Pilgrim Stays on Instagram — it’s a great way to receive updates from us.