During the Erasmus+ project in Nature we trust organized by Vulcanicamente, I met with the assistant chef Laura. Since childhood, I realized that if you want to be full and not hungry, make friends in the kitchen. In general, we became friends with Laura, we had the same musical preferences, and I also like to cook and to eat deliciously. The duties of the volunteers included assistance in the kitchen. Jesus and I prepared breakfasts and coffee breaks for the participants every day. So our cooks had more time to concentrate on the main work - the preparation of lunch and dinner. Just next week after the end of the project Easter began. Therefore, one of the topics at the dinner was how they celebrate Easter in different countries. Laura told me that in Italy at Easter they cook a lot and eat deliciously. I said that I want to see it with my own eyes and taste it. Laura said that there are no problems, and I can celebrate Easter with her family. Thus, the second time I was invited to celebrate the holiday in the Italian family. The project ended a week ago and now it is Easter. I prepared for a visit and arrived a day earlier in Manduria. Historic place in the province of Taranto. Small cities in Italy are good because young people gather there during holidays and there is a revival. Towns seem alive from the conversations of people on the streets and tapping glasses in bars. I arrived a day before the Easter and first of all I’ve met Laura's family. On the instructions of her mother, we were told to go to the pizzeria and bring her home. There was our dinner. Then in the evening we walked around the bars and surprisingly I met even two acquaintances from the city of Lecce. Easter day. In the morning, part of the family went to the church for a solemn service. Laura and I set the table. It was expected that 8 relatives would come. Each guest brought their own dish or wine. Then on the veranda of the house we prepared a barbeque where we prepared a traditional lamb. The table was full of dishes. Classic and vegetarian lasagna (lasagna is a sacred dish), couscous, lamb and other types of meat, stewed and baked meat and sausages, Laura’s special stewed vegetables from the Sicilian recipe - kapanata, delicious wine from Sardinia and local wine “Primitivo” as well as fennel, sweets and nuts. I confess, honestly, I tried each dish a little bit and was already full. But the kapanata and baked meat turned out to be incredibly tasty that I have ever eaten. According to the Italian tradition, the youngest member of the family, having overcome his embarrassment, read a poem standing on a chair, for which he received a monetary reward from each guest. The time was already close to 4 pm, and everyone wanted a “digestivo”. I was not used to such rituals, and almost slept over the plate. So I was full. And after the digestivo, it's time to drink coffee and eat sweets. And how do they manage to have any space in the stomach after this lunch? I drank lemon water instead. The dinner was out of the question. Late in the evening we went to continue to celebrate Easter in an informal company with friends of Laura. There I also met a friend from Lecce. The day after Easter in Italy is called Pasquetta. On this day, friends only without parents go outside of the city for a picnic. Usually Italians joking that it always raining on the Pasquetta. So it was this time! Well, we’ve celebrated Pesquetta at the disco with friends, and the rain was not an obstacle.
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November 2021
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