Almost by accident I watched
Tucci's Searching for Italy and
Tucci in Italy, which I always thought as being commercial traps of some sort. Both series actually make a point of offering viewS of local Italian culinary cultureS that
are not mainstream and or widely known.
Even when discussing pizza (Episode one of
....Searching), Tucci and his research/writing team go to great lengths to explain all the culture and work that goes behind creating an apparently simple dish. The episodes also hammer an important point that few know about Italian food: it is generally simple, popular, and based on smart use of "poor people's ingredients" (e.g. offal in all shapes and sizes, and from all kinds of animals). Several segments also focus on people (chefs, food producers) who make a point of recovering lost traditions and arts in a sustainable way. Production values are deeply impressive: expect constant food and scenery porn, with Tucci often genuinely looking stunned about the food
and the scenery, while eating with local families, chefs, journalists and other local guides from the places he explores.
Personally, I was stunned about the episode dedicated to my own region,
Abruzzo. I did some research and it turns out that the folks from
Life in Abruzzo helped Tucci and the writers with the episode, with an absolutely brilliant finale focusing on
Pecora alla Cottora cooked in the mountains near the village of
Castrovalva. You might have heard of this village before for a very simple reason: M.C. Escher had a life-long fascination with Abruzzo, to the point that some of his works even featured Abruzzo's landscapes (read
here). Long time fans of
Dr. Who may also this village from
an old story from the early "fifth Doctor" period.
I am actually allergic to the modern "foodie frenzy" that permeates media. However, I was honestly moved by the smart writing behind the show. Besides, Tucci's often stunned faces when he tries out food are just priceless, and he does like some of the "weirder" Italian traditions. He seems to be really fond of offal, which may sound as really gross to most people (e.g. the ones used to eat human rotten corpses thanks to McDonald's...).
Start it for the food and the scenery (but not much wine tasting, weird!), and appreciate it slowly for the deep cuts of often centuries-old roots behind recipes and their relations to the country's history and culture.
"The only desire the Culture could not satisfy from within itself was one common to both the descendants of its original human stock and the machines [...]: the urge not to feel useless."
I.M. Banks, "Consider Phlebas" (1988: 43).
Parker Posey also makes me chuckle as affluent opioid abuser (shades of Tanya McQuoid). Apparently she was in Dazed and Confused, which I've seen multiple times, but which I can't quite place her in.
Wish amazon would fix the damn subtitle glitch.
Wish amazon would fix the damn subtitle glitch.
Me and the lady seem to be pretty good at getting into the shows that get cut short. I have found nothing to complain about with this series so far! Also, I'd better catch up -- didn't see yesterday's episode yet!
'tude
It's too much in too short a duration, the next stuff wipes out the one before. All for moderation. I am the anti-streamer.
| My games - 
Would normally find saying that churlish, but holy fuck, they were shameless. Gotta get to Star Wars, that's the real Cultural Phenomenon™! Ohhh.
