Roasted Chestnuts and New Wine

Last night Umbra students, staff, and faculty celebrated San Martino (see previous post for a description of this central Umbrian holiday). Umbra alum Dan Bauer took care of the chestnut roasting while the guests introduced each other at a little vineyard in the center of Perugia.

This party was special not only because it was an opportunity for students to get right into Italian culture but also because they could become part of the Perugia family. Especially noteworthy was the recitation of the poem "San Martino" by locals from the nearby town of San Martino in Campo. See both the original and the translation here -- but remember that it has a better effect under fourteenth-century arches, with chestnuts in a pan and Italian Novello!

Umbra Alum Continues Passion for Food Upon Return to US

It is always our hope that Umbra students integrate the experiences of a semester abroad with their culminating senior year upon return at their American home institution.

A recent feature by Wabash College showcases one

Umbra alum's decision to continue a passion for food he nurtured in Perugia. Brad Jones, a current senior at Wabash, took advantage of the student activities made available to him, including the cooking classes held in a Spoleto restaurant. Now back in Indiana, Jones plans to continue his passion for food by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Jones reports, however, that he will return to Italy this December for more inspiration.

Read the full article here: http://www.wabash.edu/profiles/home.cfm?profile_id=177

Festa di San Martino!

Today Italians and Catholics celebrate San Martino - Saint Martin - for his conscientious objection to war, efforts to fight paganism, and the mercy he showed to pagans themselves. This holiday also conveniently falls just during the time of year following vineyard harvests when cantinas are just starting to produce their new wine, or vino novello. And what goes better with red wine than freshly roasted chestnuts? As the weather gets cold, vendors appear on Corso Vannucci to sell their white paper bags of hot castagne to Italians making their evening passeggiata.

Interesting fact: even in American any freshly roasted chestnuts you come across are almost certain to have originated in Europe and crossed the Atlantic before they got into your hands, since the American chestnuts trees were wiped out in a national blight a century ago.

The Renaissance Reborn...On A Platter

Anyone can read Machiavelli's words on how to rule a state, but re-evoking Renaissance tastes at the table is quite another thing. This weekend Professor Simon Young's "History of Food and Culture In Italy" class was able to do just. Professor Young, a longtime resident of Florence, took the students to the resturant "La Pentola d'Oro" (the Golden Pot), famous for its dishes based on orginal Renaissance recipes. On the menu were pork in a sweet and sour sauce and beef in chocolate -- tastes that are odd mixes for us but were typical in the late 1400s. A good time was had by all, mixing learning with eating!

The Food Cultures class with Professor Simon Young on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Thanks to Kendall Cassidy from Northeastern for the photo!