Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-24
Life ia Italy


The Italians live very simply. The
country people are content with diet
which most American farmers would de
spise. They have four necessaries of life,
the supply of which is always first CON
sldered-bread. maccaroni oil and wine.
The ordinary bread is coarse and rather
dark, but decidedly more nutritious than
that made from our fnelv-bolted American
hour. We imagine that bread is good in
proportion as it is ,ch,te, and thus lose
nuch OF Its best property. The Italians
sonetlmes cook maccaroni in salt and
water, from necessity: but. whenever
Possioie, In meat and broth, with the adj
ui.ion OF cheese and tomatoes The olive
Oil, "nlch each farmer makes for himself,
IS 1sr better and wholesomer than lard:
IN TACT, 1t Is almost equal to fresh buffer.
Whatever is fried in it is sweet, palatable
and easily digested.
A great many Americans. knowing
olive oil only as a medicine. shndder
when they hear it spoken of as an article
of food. Yet have cften seen them in
Italy, heartily relislling their chops, and
omelettes, and fried fish, without the
least suspicion of the fact that much Of
the flavor was due to the OIL Wine, on
ions ana oil, TO a great extent, supply
the place of meat: but eggs and fish are
also plentiful, and usually cheap. The
flesh of pigs and soats--the raising
both animals being little expense to even
the smallest landowners is much more
common than veal or beef. Old or dis
abied horses are fattened and slaughtered
amt many an unconscious visitor to Rome.
Naples or Florence. takes his share of
roasted horse IN the restaurants After a
little experience learned to distinguish
the flesh, and having no prejudice against
the use Of 1t, | frequently ordered it for
dinner. It has a coarser grain than beef
and a slightly paler color: the flavor is
similar, but With a suggestion of sweet
ness. Ii the horse be not too old. he
furnishes really a pa,atable roast.
The people work steadily, but not with
haste or energy; and they take their full
share of the many holidays that their
Church allows them. Their houses are
always solidly built of stone, and last fer
centuries; but only those who are in ex-
ceptionally good circumstances have sep
crate rooms for guests Ordinarily the
neighbors come and 60 almost like mem
bers OF the family, sitting beside the fire
OF taggots IN the winter, or under the vine
trellis IN the summer. There are ALWAYS
few apple and fig trees near the house.
The latter bear fruit twice year lin June
and October and contribute a good deal
to the daily food of the people.
must not forget TO mention three 9th
er important articles of nourishment-in
Northern Italy the pumpkin; In Central
Italy, Indian corn, and in Corsica ard
among the Apprentices, chestnuts Pump
klns cut in slices and baked, are sold at
the street corners, and the inner kernels
OF their flat seeds are as much relished bv
the boys Of Venice and Florence, as pca
nuts are by ours.
AL the cheap open-air theaterS, where
children are admitted for five cents, the
gravel floor is always covered with the
huils OF pumpkinseeds. The Italians
know corn as we'll as we do, and they
would not learn much from Mr.. Hewitts
proposed missionary corn restaurant at
Paris, except some new varieties Of cook
ing. They roast the green ears instead
OF boiling .hcm, and their favoritc dish
(oofenta) ia a sort OF thick mush or .:pone.''
made OF corn meal, salt and water Italy
is the only country in Europe where an
American can get fried mush, and quite
as gooa as at home. The chestnuts are
very laree-such as we call Spanish
chestnuts-and exceedingly nutritious;
they are ..ot only roasted, but ground in
to flour when dry, and baked as cakes.
In Corsica they are more important
crop than even wheat; in fact, chestnuts
are called .sCorsican bread