CALABRIA…..THE FOOT OF THE ITALIAN BOOT

The sky is overcast this morning. Accompanied by a moderate breeze. The breeze is carrying the morning smell of the ocean into my kitchen. Pleasant.

It was back to bed yesterday. My back! Thought I was ok. Apparently not. The spasm takes my breath away. Not much better this morning. Been through this before. At some point, the spasm will cease. I wish it would hurry up!

The Wichita/Kentucky game last night will be remembered as one of the greats. Kentucky squeaked out the win. Coach Louis thought the difference between the teams and the reason for the Kentucky win was conditioning. Towards the end of the game, the Kentucky players were still going up and down the court as if the game had just started. Wichita began making mistakes. Mistakes that seem to have been brought on by the tired factor.

I forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog how much money Patrick raised at the fundraiser. Patrick cut his very long dreds for charity. Raised $12,000! Good for you, Patrick!

A couple of weeks ago, I told you Fuddruckers was opening up next door to Burger Fi. I was wrong. Not Fuddruckers. It is Johnny Rockets.

I have never seen a Johnny Rockets. Most people have, however. They tell me a 1950s place, waitresses on roller skates, etc. A burger joint. I look forward to trying it.

My Italian friend Antonio spent an interesting few days this past week. Antonio lives in Novara. His wife I love dearly. Mariam from Morocco. A chef, she cooked a birthday dinner for me a couple of years ago.

Antonio and two of his buddies went on what was described as a hiking trip. Into the Sila Mountain range. Still snow covered, much of the trip was made wearing whatever one wears on their feet while walking on deep snow. I am experiencing a mental block. Permit me to describe them as  like tennis rackets. Snow shoes?

Sila Mountain is in southern Italy. In Calabria. Calabria is located in the boot of Italy.

The Sila Mountain range consists of three separate mountains. One of the mountains is called New Greece or Greek Sila.

You will recall that during my first Greece trip, I realized I had to have Greek blood in me. I who thought I was pure Italian my whole life.

While in Greece and especially the small islands, I noticed the Greek food I was eating was exactly like the Italian food I had been raised on. My grandmother and mother’s cooking. Everything. Even down to the bread.

I started asking questions. Then went to the books to verify what I had been told. I wrote a blog about this three years ago and did a segment on my television show.

Greece way back when was a great commercial nation. Way back when means hundreds of years even before the birth of Christ. Greek ships conducted commerce throughout whatever the known world was at the time.

Greece was interested in doing business with southern Italy and Sicily. Hundreds of Greek citizens were sent to these two areas to settle and develop trade with Greece. The Greeks and Italians got along extremely well. The Greeks remained. Intermarriages were common.

We are all aware that northern and southern Italian cooking are radically different. The difference is a result of the Greek immigration. For whatever reason, the Greek food predominated. Ergo, the Italian food I grew up on is the same as the Greek food I ate on the tiny Greek isle of Amorgos for a month.

Interesting.

Enjoy your day!