Pulling Mozz

Andrea, il casaro. Photo by: J. Agyemang

This is Andrea. He is probably one of the happiest men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He’s a very generous man, and always gives his customers generous samples of cheese, even though he knows they have already had a taste. His cheese is the best cheese I have ever tasted in my life, and it’s probably because he himself put in the blood, sweat, and tears to make it (not literally). Along with fresh ingredients and a happy spirit, I think any food can be just as tasty as his cheese.

His philosophy: Ask questions, listen to the answers, and enjoy life with the people you love most.

When I was in Italy this past summer with the UT Nutrition program, I had the opportunity to help the local cheese maker make mozzarella cheese. It was by far one of the coolest and most fun experiences I’ve had in life.

Cheese making in Syracuse, Italy starts at 4am, when Andrea, the cheese maker or casaro, drives up to his little cheese shop in his little van full of milk. Every morning, he makes the one and a half hour journey to Ragusa to get milk from some of the best, and happiest cows in the country so that his mozzarella will be extra fresh and extra tasty. I remember almost being run over when he finally arrived that morning. I think he was in a hurry because he was running behind schedule. Upon his arrival, we began to help unload all the various cheese products he brought from Ragusa such as pecorino (sheep) cheese, little cheese wheels, and a whole lot of other cheese products, obviously. When the time came to pump the milk from the van to the back of the shop, he stopped us and began to tell us the most important trait of the milk that was sitting and waiting only a short distance away from where we were standing. “Il latte è vivo!” “The milk is alive!” he said as he flashed his hands at us as if they were flashing lights. This means, that the milk is unpasteurized and still contains the original bacteria in it that comes from the cow. The bacteria in the milk helps in the fermentation process and gives the cheese a distinct and fresh flavor.

After hours of inoculating and stirring large containers of milk, sticking our hands in boiling water, and pulling mozzarella, we were finally done, and he sent us all home with a small package of pecorino cheese and thanked us for our help. On my walk home, (by this time, it was 7am) I began thinking to myself, “Why is the food system is so much different here than it is in the states?” Every city I visited in Sicily had a fresh market that was open daily with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, and cheese, all very affordable too. I can’t ever remember spending more than €10 ($15) at the market for a few days worth of food. I think the majority of it has to do with lifestyle and life views. The views of success in the states and in Sicily are quite different. Most people I spoke with in Sicily preferred a slow and humble lifestyle viewing success as living a long happy life with friends and family, while most people in the states are fast paced and want to be recognized for anything and everything, viewing success as having money, and a lot of it (in general of course). I know a lot of different factors come into play when it comes to our current food system other than just philosophical views, but ultimately, I think that’s what it comes down to.

The people get what they ask for.

Comparing Brazil and US Foodways

After a six month exchange program in Brazil, I think Brazilian foodways are not any better or worse than American foodways. Surprisingly, I found myself defending my culture’s “decisions” to eat unhealthfully. When I would begin to explain about the geographical and economical problems of food in the States, Brazilians began to understand why Americans eat the way they do.

Everyone has a messed up diet. I use the example of the Hot Dog. When I asked Brazilians what came to mind when they thought of Americans, they would mostly say that we are hamburger and hot dog eaters. After living in three regions of Brazil, I came to the conclusion that Brazilians eat much more hot dogs than we do (where as we eat a lot more hamburgers). At times, I think that Brazilians treat hot dogs as if it were a real meat. When they are not eating them whole at the street stands, they are cut up and put in pastas and soups. As an American when I see chopped up hot dog and noodles, it brings to mind a poor mom trying to feed something that her kids will eat, or a lazy college student that doesn’t know how to cook.

mmm hoty dogy

The Other Little Things

As I mentioned in my last post, the little things were powerful enough to change my life. But of course, there are other little things that I have experienced abroad that I wouldn’t like to live with forever. Some are comical, but many are sad truths about the world and food. Experiencing these other little things motivated me to question and think how I can change the world.

 

The Little Things

During the last few years, I have been blessed to have experienced several foreign countries. Traveling internationally I think is what got me into studying food, because I enjoy seeing how people around the world treat food. It is amazing to learn about food taboos, etiquette, and I like to challenge my palate. Weird food combinations, smells, and at times disturbing appearances can be surprising at times, but it brings more understanding about the meaning food. Setting cuisine aside, I find that it is always the little things associated with food that end up having an impact on my life, because the little things reveal a deeper meaning about society.

 

Here are few examples that changed my life:

 

Sharing a single car of beer

Beer is so important. It would take forever to analyze its social importance, but the point I want to make is that beer promotes sharing. In Salvador, Brazil, it is common to share a single can (350ml) of cerveja, dividing it amongst a table of glasses. In my culture, each person would get his/her own can.

Eating Mindfully with Susan Albers

As part of my new year’s resolution of reading a book a week in 2011, I read a little book recently called, “Eating Mindfully” by Susan Albers. I enjoy the idea of eating food consciously without focusing on nutrition. If you think about it, the field of study is called “nutritional sciences” for a reason, it is meant for scientists to comprehend. Susan breaks down eating food into 4 categories: Mind, Body, Thoughts, and Feelings. Categories which she says were pulled from Buddhist teachings. I tried to think how these four elements apply to my relationship with food nowadays in my senior year of college.

 

MIND

Whole Foods – I want foods closer to their natural state in the environment. This isn’t an ad for raw cuisine, but more of a push to understand where food comes from. For example, I drink whole milk, because in my mind whole milk is closer to raw milk than say fat-free. Another example would be  my preference for foods that have not been “fortified” (adding vitamins, minerals, etc that were not in the original food). Not a big fan of supplements either…