TDG: Boot Camp: Gita!

[Fat Guy]

Day Tripping, Italian Style, with Craig Camp . . .

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[slkinsey]

Sigh... I have got to get back there asap. It's been far too long.

[Mayhaw Man]

If the whole point of travel/food writing is to not only make you feel like you are on the trip or enjoying the meals with the writer, but to make you start planning a trip to whetever destination is being written up, than Craig succeeded nicely. What a great travelogue. Thanks.

I look forward to more.

[Bill Klapp]

Yes, but he failed to mention the sqeezed-to-order orange juice at the Autogrill! Sicilian blood oranges in season, by God!

[Mayhaw Man]

I think he was too busy enjoying beverages made from other squeezed fruits, although they had been processed a bit further by fermenting and/or distilling. Sometimes orange juice just doesn't do the trick (although grappa and orange juice might do nicely-GrappaDriver)

[Craig Camp]

Yes, but he failed to mention the sqeezed-to-order orange juice at the Autogrill! Sicilian blood oranges in season, by God!

They are worth a story in themselves!

[Alberts]

In the autogrill store just south of Florence on the A1, we encountered a man, dressed in suit and tie, sampling large chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano. Strange that I've never seen that at a U.S. truck stop. What a great country they have!

[Jim Dixon]

Boot Camp is killng me....

It's been 25 months since we were in Italy, and we're dying to get back. Maybe in the spring.

Jim

[ecr]

Autogrills ... and what abt airports? Last yr when we mistakenly left a half pound of absolutely gorgeous parmesan reggiano in our rental fridge we picked up a vacu-packed chunk at duty free in Torino Airport, not expecting much. It was better than most of the stuff I've purchased at specialty cheese shops in the States!

[albiston]

Craig,

great article, it perfectly captures the spirit of gita.

I have a question. All here seem so impressed from Autogrill shops. Now, maybe as Italian I'm spoilt, but don't you have the feeling that the prices are incredibly high at Autogrills? In most Italian cities you can find a decent Salumeria selling the same or similar products for between 25-40% less. Or am I stingy?

I also wanted to add a couple of comments to the post:

-tipping at autogrills may not be expected in Northern Italy but in the Southern regions, although not mandatory, it sort of "helps". Some small change does it, 10 or 20 cents. If you don't tip it might happend that your order "mysteriously" takes more time than those of people who came after you.

-The rice you ate is probably "risotto alla Pilota", which is, as you mentioned, not a risotto in the classical sense. The ravioli are called tortelli in Mantova or actually turtei at'zucca. Not a big mistake... still my granny (nth generation mantuan) used to get mad at me if I called them ravioli

[Bill Klapp]

Speaking of the Torino Airport, now THERE'S a place for some great panini! I always buy 5 or 10 when I fly out of Torino.

[Craig Camp]

Craig,

great article, it perfectly captures the spirit of gita.

I have a question. All here seem so impressed from Autogrill shops. Now, maybe as Italian I'm spoilt, but don't you have the feeling that the prices are incredibly high at Autogrills? In most Italian cities you can find a decent Salumeria selling the same or similar products for between 25-40% less. Or am I stingy?

I also wanted to add a couple of comments to the post:

-tipping at autogrills may not be expected in Northern Italy but in the Southern regions, although not mandatory, it sort of "helps". Some small change does it, 10 or 20 cents. If you don't tip it might happend that your order "mysteriously" takes more time than those of people who came after you.

-The rice you ate is probably "risotto alla Pilota", which is, as you mentioned, not a risotto in the classical sense. The ravioli  are called tortelli in Mantova or actually turtei at'zucca. Not a big mistake... still my granny (nth generation mantuan) used to get mad at me if I called them ravioli   

albiston,

You are certainly right that the Autogrill stores are expensive to Italians, but for traveling Americans and Canadians they seem like a bargain compared to what they pay in stores at home.

I don't think the rice was risotto al pilota as it is my understanding that is served as a piatto unico. Perhaps you can help me clear that up.

The pasta stuffed with the Zucca were gigantic - 3 filled a plate - and the host called them ravioli, but that could have been for my benefit. I don't dare attempt dialect! However I believe you are correct.

[albiston]

I don't think the rice was risotto al pilota as it is my understanding that is served as a piatto unico. Perhaps you can help me clear that up.

The pasta stuffed with the Zucca were gigantic - 3 filled a plate - and the host called them ravioli, but that could have been for my benefit. I don't dare attempt dialect! However I believe you are correct.

Craig,

about the rice: I thought it is risotto alla pilota because of the cooking method you described (in the oven), and the ingredients. I've seen my father's uncle prepare it a few times. A Rice "pyramid" in a pot with sausage, herbs , etc. and broth till about half the pot is full. The pot would then be sealed and would go in the oven. Considering how rich it is it could be a piatto unico without problems

Still maybe it is some other rice dish I never tasted (which in that case MUST be tried sometimes in the future!)

About ravioli/tortelli definition... I should have left that comment out, it was maybe a bit mean. After all the same dishes in Italy can change name if you walk from one village to the next. It was just that my granny's voice kept ringing in my head... TORTELLI .

[Craig Camp]

albiston - after a few more phone calls they were probably tortellone.

[Craig Camp]

Okay now that we found Apple Mostarda (thanks to mudbug)

You too can make Tortelli di Zucca