Italy Journal
Tuesday, December 18,
2012
Carlo Petrini’s
Christmas Dinner at the Gastronomic Society
I’ll have to say, this memorable evening is the most
marvelous one I have had this year. During the 4-hour meal at the Gastronomic
Society building, we were given food and wine that were unmatchable. Lapo,
Jacqueline (remember? Those were 2 of the 3 students who are cooking for the
students at the university starting in January.) and a Martina from another
cohort cooked a meal of pate on red cabbage, gorgeous risotto, homemade pasta
in warm vegetable/beef broth, homemade breads, ox tail that tasted like one of my
mother’s sumptuous and tender Sunday roast beefs, and 4 little tastes of sweets
for dessert, joined by a dessert wine.
You are probably thinking, “OK, you’ve described many
wonderful meals. What makes this one so special?” Well, this was Carlo
Petrini’s (President and Founder of Slow Food) Christmas Dinner, and we were 2
of only about 12 students (and spouse) who attended. Plus, after our 2nd
course, one of the men left the room and returned with an accordion! As he
returned to his place, his wife stood up with him, and they started singing and
playing on the accordion a medley of Italian songs. The first one, I had heard
before and could somehow jump in when the rest of the guests joined in the
singing. Most of them were new to me, but it was quite a show to see those 20
close friends with Carlo Petrini, plus many of the students in attendance, singing
together so strong and joyfully that I thought the roof was going to come right
off. There were no modest singers in
that group! As the singing continued, all of the people in the room stood up
and either joined the singing or clapped, swayed or practiced their table
drumming to the music. It was magical, and I became aware that I really wanted
to remember every detail of this “indescribably delicious” evening.
After this 45-minute break in the meal, everyone sat back
down to finish the amazing dinner. Then, once again, the accordion player
started playing. His wife sang with him. Others in the room took their turn
starting new songs that the accordion player followed immediately. One man
translated one of the songs into English by calling out the translation at the
end of each line sung. It was great, and the self-professed
non-English-speaking Carlo Petrini even corrected the translator’s English when
he was a bit off. His secret will be safe with us!
Different ones of the close friends of “Carlini” (the name
his close friends call him) decided to try to take leadership of the “choir.”
Others started a silly skit of trying to capture the ones who were trying to
take control. All the while, the singing continued vibrantly, with everyone
enjoying the show as well as the singing and watching the whole event. Ana‘s
(from Peter’s cohort) sister Claudia started the group singing a favorite
Latina song, which was so well enjoyed that when it ended, Carlini smiled a big
smile and announced that all the students there will be considered graduated
from that time forward and that Claudia should not leave Italy until she has
taught everyone that song. It was incredible…an evening I couldn’t start to
replicate, and one that I will treasure always. As Claudia put it, “The only
drawback of the whole evening was that I didn’t think to get someone to take a
picture of me singing with Carlo Petrini!” That would have been fun, Claudia,
but your memory will have that picture in it forever!
Thank you, Carlini, and all of your other guests, servers
and chefs, for a magnificent and delightful affair!
Felice Natale!
Colleen
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