ahhhh...the burning question these days.....
I am planning to have a 4th of July party at Basilikó this year just for fun, and because lots of our customers are curious to try "real American food." However, 90% of Italians that I have spoken with seem to think that no American holiday is complete without that mythical "Thanksgiving Day Turkey" - its the stuff dreams are made of - and they all want to try it.
Now that I have a pretty good grasp on the language here, once people discover that I am American, they love to shower me with every possible stereotype that they know of, to show just how much they know about American culture and history. Just to be clear, these are people who have never set foot in the United States, let alone have left Umbria. Some of the most popluar, and my favorites:
the streets really are paved with gold! they think all Americans are rich - I constantly have to explain that most American tourists who visit Italy represent a very small part of the population, and are, in fact, a little better off than everybody else.
stickin' with that gold theme - the golden arches of McDonalds - my customers can't even imagine how I learned how to cook so well having only been in Italy for 1 1/2 years, and having grown up only eating "fast food" my whole life. When I say that I have been cooking in restaurants for 10 years, and that the food in America can be really good, I get a confused look...
we have a great healthcare system in America just like in Italy. I don't have time here to comment...
America is roughly the same size as Italy - they can't fathom that their country is about the same size as California, one of 50 other states - look at a map!!!
this one is great - over heard by my partner Cristiana in a pizzeria: instead of water faucets, Americans now have Strawberry Coca-Cola faucets in their homes...cherry coke, maybe...but strawberry - does it even exist??? ;-)
America is a place of constant change for the good of everyone - a true democracy. I'm not going to argue that things happen in America a lot faster than they happen in Italy, but we have had a monkey accompanied by the devil reincarnate in office for the past 8 years, and have managed to create another war without end or sense...seems like we are moving backwards. Here in italy, the government wasn't working, so they just ended it and changed - no endless waiting like us (whether its good or not is subjective, of course, but its at least change).and the giant turkey its on everybody's table, every holiday. If I have Thanksgiving dinner at the restaurant, there is sure to be a line out the door. And there are going to be a lot of disappointed faces this turkey-less 4th of July...
Originally posted July 2008