Philosophy of Food 2016

 Introduction

Food is a very complex entity, that can take years to come to fully understand.  Starting from where foods are grown and following the process all the way to when it is eaten at a table, it becomes clear that food is more than just a combination of ingredients. The notion of food is embodied in the way in which the ingredients are combined and that is what constructs the more confusing, and fascinating part of food.  Some people seem to have a natural skill at being able to produce some delicious masterpiece, while other struggle to boil some pasta.  A special technique is obviously required in order to truly master the proper manipulation of food in a way that is both appetizing and aesthetically pleasing.  In this paper I will exam the role the that technique plays in establishing food as an art form.

Argument Against Food as Art—Telfer

                  In “Food for Thought-Philosophy and Food” by Elizabeth Telfer, the author argues that food cannot be a major art form.  She does this by outlining three characteristics of food that limit it to only being a simple art form.  First, she says that food is simple; however, the next wo points that food is transient and lacks the ability to express emotion are the two arguments that she focuses on.  When Telfer describes food as transient, she explains that it is not meant to last for long amount of time.  Next, when Telfer says that food cannot express emotion, she explains that art is meant to withdraw intense feelings from the viewer—Telfer states that food cannot do this.  Furthermore, Telfer argues that cooking is more of a craft than an art form because of the functionality.  She states “it is inappropriate to look at food aesthetically because this is treating a means as an end, and assuming food to be positively good when it is merely necessary” (Telfer, 1996).  Telfer believes that because we need food, and use it as a way of satisfying a need, it cannot be appreciated as a major art form.  Continually, our tastes influence our perception of the art, while sight and hearing are considered the nobler senses in terms of appreciating art—as such art that requires taste instead of just sight or hearing is inferior.  I however believe that all of these arguments can be contradicted when the technique of cooking is examined from a both critical and aesthetic standpoint.

Lunch at Buonumore

While in Viareggio, we had lunch at a “slow food” restaurant called Buonomore that specialized in fish and other types of seafood.  The “slow food” motto reflects the restaurant and cook’s philosophy that we need to take a step back from our fast lives and sit down and enjoy a meal with the people around us, both in terms of how we consume the food and that pace at which the meal is presented to us.  Each course had some type of fish in it, and was presented to us one at a time with a lot of time in between so that we had ample time to enjoy each dish and not rush through the meal.  The dishes were brought to us artfully arranged on plates that inspired many food Instagram photos to be taken.

After the meal was over, the head chef came over to our table and explained some of his methods and beliefs when it comes to preparing these foods.  The cook, Amelio, explained that each food had to be treated individually, and different genetic makeup of each fish had to be respected when cooking it.  He firmly believes that when cooking you do not need to add a lot of extra ingredients or flavors because if you cook it the right way, you should be able to get all the natural nutrients and flavors from that particular food.  For example, while most of his food tasted salty (in a way that only complimented that flavors of this fish) he added little to no salt, but just cooked it in a way that was able to bring out that salt that is in the fish.  The same technique is applied to the nutrition aspects of the food; it is imperative to understand the chemistry of the food because if something is overcooked or undercooked the nutrients could either be boiled off or not brought out enough in the food.  Amelio believes that cooking is less about the artistry of the action, but that one must understand the technical aspects that go into each dish in order to create something delicious, and it is in the mastery of the technique that art can be found.

How Food becomes an Art

In response to Telfer, Amelio would argue that it is in understanding the process and appreciating the technique that brings out the emotion behind food.  While he does not necessarily consider himself an artist, Amelio’s ability to master a skill that others find desirable and is not easily done by others makes his craft valuable and an art form.  Furthermore, in contrast with Telfer’s argument stating that because something is a means to an end it cannot be an art, Amelio’s overall presentation of each dish shows an appreciation for the aesthetic beauty in cooking.  Incessantly, the beauty can be in how each dish is prepared at a temperature specific to that animals anatomy, and only natural ingredients were used to highlight each fish’s unique flavors.  The skill of being able to understand the food and how to manipulate it can be compared to understanding paints and learning how to mix colors and different kinds of paint to create a masterpiece: both true forms of art, simply expressed in different medias.

Chiccheria Gelateria

Another place that really focuses on the technical aspect behind preparing food is the gelato place in Grosseto called Chiccheria Gelateria.  Manuele Presenti, the owner and founder of this particular Gelateria studied chemistry very closely and now focuses on how to properly combine ingredients to get the best result.  A prime example of this is the difference between a sorbet and granita.  Both have the same list of ingredients; however, the way in which they are combined creates two distinctive different textures and tastes.  Manuele is another case of a person who has turned his craft into artisanship because he has taken a knowledge of the materials that he works with and has managed to manipulate them in ways that are pleasing to his audiences—something that other producers in his field have fallen short of when they attempt a similar feat.

Conclusion

Overall, while the argument on what Telfer constitutes as art holds true, what does not align are her assumptions about the role food plays.  Through the passing down of techniques of cooking and how to properly prepare dishes food and cooking is an art that can becoming long lasting and enjoyed multiple times.  Moreover, it is this very technique of cooking, that can only be accomplished through the painstaking study of food and its properties that one can feel the emotion that each flavor, bite, and dish possess.  It is for these reasons, that cooking is so much more than just a craft, the mastery of good cooking where there is an understanding and respect between the cook and the ingredients is just as much an art as putting paint on a canvas or carving a sculpture out of clay.

Works Cited

Telfer, E. (1996). Food for thought: Philosophy and food. London: Routledge.

Introduction

Many times, when people think of consuming gelato, they only think about the joys and pleasures they receive from its consumption. In addition, many individuals do not typically consider eating gelato healthy and part of a “balanced diet”. The gelato culture in Italy and over the world is changing as we speak to create a healthier version of gelato which still produces the feeling of pleasure for its consumers. Today, there are now ‘biological gelato shops’ which strive to make this happen. In a biological gelato shop, the makers make every effort to create the healthiest gelato possible with as few or any additive ingredients as possible. Many people today remain skeptical at first and often find themselves thinking: How can you make gelato healthy and still taste good at the same time? Three specific biological gelato places I tasted in Italy: Edoardo, De’ Coltelli, and Chiccheria, have successful bridged the gap between pleasure and diet and created gelato that pleases individuals both diet-wise and pleasure-wise.

The “Blind Consumer”

Before discussing how these gelato shops successful connect pleasure and health, it is important to note that many people in today’s society rarely pay attention to what their food contains. Wendell Berry refers to this person as a blind consumer. As Berry puts it, a blind consumer is one that fails to recognize the components of their food, and “blindly” consumes without truly knowing what they are consuming. The lack of concern for what people consume correlates to the fast pace life they must live. In the fast life, individuals are constantly on the go and because of this the fast food industry has increased drastically. In addition, people do not even take the time to actually enjoy the food they consume. In the Slow Food Manifesto, the authors note: “Let us rediscover the flavors and savors of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of Fast Food…This is what real culture is all about: developing taste rather than demeaning it” (1). If consumers want to truly take time to taste the products that bring them pleasure when eating, they need to slow down and understand what exactly they are consuming. In all of the biological gelato places I visited thus far, every place has listed the ingredients contained in each flavor on the menu, or on their website. Although the owners provide the necessary resources for consumers on how to become more knowledgeable, it is up the consumer themselves to take the time to check into these available resources given.

Pleasures

A major component of the consumption of gelato is for the purpose of pleasure, even though there is no exact formula for obtaining this sort of pleasure. In addition, pleasure cannot be ensured every time consumption occurs. For example, I typically gravitate toward Crema gelato, but not every Crema is the same and my level of pleasure will never be the same each time I consume Crema from a different gelato shop. Another important aspect of pleasures is that in order to justify the pleasure obtained, a rational principle is needed in order to accurately justify it. However, many times rationally justifying the pleasure of eating gelato proves to be difficult since this pleasure is a bodily one and the body is irrational. In order to rationally justify the pleasure obtained from the consumption of gelato, many say dieting provides the correct rationalization.

A Rational Justification of Pleasures: Dieting

In Paul B. Thompson’s article “From Field to Fork” he explains the ethics of diet and how that has changed throughout the years, thus affecting today’s consumer. Specifically he details that in the past, eating wasn’t solely for pleasure like it is today. However, there has been a shift in the dieting of ancient times compared to the dieting of today. In the past, the root for dieting was mainly in spiritual and religious practices and medicine. In the past, doctors were the main source of authority when it came to dieting and advising patients. On the other hand, in today’s society, dieting and one’s relationship with food is based on things invisible to the human eye like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc. The authority figure has shifted today with the doctors having less authority over the individual self.

In addition, dieting is a form of justifying what we eat and why we eat it. If we say that we are eating for health concerns, a rational reason, it successfully justifies the pleasure we receive from the food we consume. In the case of gelato, if we know we are consuming biological gelato as opposed to non-biological gelato, we can rationally justify the pleasure gained from the gelato because it provides more health benefits to us.

Biological Gelato Stop Number 1: Edoardo in Florence

A picture of the Chianti and strawberry and Crema gelato from Edoardo

The first stop on my biological gelato search was Edoardo in Florence. Upon entering Edoardo, I discovered their menu changes daily and that all of their flavors consist of only a few ingredients. Normally, if you grab a pint of Ben and Jerry’s at the supermarket and read the ingredients listed on the back, you discover a lengthy list of ingredients, and many times these ingredients are not naturally occurring in our environment and are added to intensify the flavor.  On the contrary, Edoardo lists all of their ingredients on the menu which helps consumers become less “blind” and more involved in their consumption of food.

When deciding what flavor to pick, I decided to choose the Chianti and strawberry flavor which included the ingredients Chianti white wine and strawberries, and Crema. I personally have never mixed wine and ice cream together, so I was hesitant at first. Much to my surprise the Chianti and strawberry flavor was surprisingly refreshing and extremely flavorful. I could taste the hints of Chianti wine and the strawberries and it amazed me that the workers at Edoardo did not add any artificial ingredients to enhance the flavor. The other flavor I chose to combine with the wine and strawberry was the Crema, a very basic flavor with only eggs, milk, and sugar. Once again, this flavor although basic in ingredients, was extremely rich.

In fact on their website, Edoardo stresses that their biological gelato lacks many ingredients that non-biological ice creams contain: additives, coloring, preservatives, adjuvants, chemically synthesized productive factors, and genetically modified organisms (GMO). From my first experience of a biological gelato shop, I received the same amount of pleasure from this gelato, if not even more than normal non-biological gelato. I eventually returned to Edoardo a second time and tried completely different flavors, but still felt the feeling of pleasure during and after consumption.

Biological Gelato Stop Number 2: De’ Coltelli in Pisa

While in Pisa, I stopped at De’ Coltelli another biological gelato shop. Like Edoardo, De’ Coltelli articulates its use of natural ingredients such as: fresh, seasonal fruits, organic ingredients such as fresh milk, cream, eggs, no synthetic fragrances, no dyes, and no chemical stabilizers. Like Edoardo, De’ Coltelli provided all of this information either directly on their menu in the gelato shop or on their website, providing easy access for the consumers to increase their knowledge of what they consume. I decided to try the vanilla after the owner explained to us where the vanilla bean came from. Once again, I was truly amazed by the simplicity of the gelato and how flavorful it was despite of the simplicity.

A picture of gelato from De’Coltelli in Pisa from their instagram account, @decoltelli

Biological Gelato Stop Number 3: Chiccheria in Marina di Grosseto

On my final search for biological gelato, I visited Chiccheria in Grosseto. Like the other two biological gelato shops, Chiccheria made it known to the consumer about the fresh ingredients and how little of them they actually included in each flavor. I decided to stick to my typical flavor of Crema and mixed it this time with a flavor which included ricotta, pine nuts and caramel. Just like the other gelato places mentioned earlier, the simple ingredients were much more flavorful than other kinds with a multitude of ingredients and flavors.

Finally: How to Obtain Pleasure from Biological Gelato

I am no expert gelato taster nor do I claim to be one, but after visiting these three biological gelato shops I can say that they are succeeding when it comes to making gelato healthy and delicious. After every visit at these shops, I noticed that I actually craved more gelato and wanted to go back for seconds immediately after consuming the first one. Typically when I eat non-biological gelato, this craving does not return for a while after consumption because I typically feel a little sick from all the extra additives. I truly felt good after consuming the biological gelato which rarely occurs after eating something which gives me pleasure. The job of the biological gelato shops has helped consumers become more knowledgeable about what they are consuming. Every gelato shop has a story, and it is up to the consumer to understand what they are saying to us. In the case of the biological gelato shops, they desire to show to their consumer that although gelato brings great pleasure to us, it can also be beneficial to our health.

References

Berry, Wendell. (2014). The pleasures of eating. Center for Ecoliteracy, 1-3

Chiccheria. Gelato naturale: Passione, tradizione, evoluzione. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://www.chiccheria.com/

De’ Coltelli.Una gelateria naturalmente… artigianale. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://www.decoltelli.it/tabella-gelati.php

Edoardo. Good for Nature, good for you. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2016, from http://edoardobio.it/eng-index.php

Slow food manifesto-selections.(1989).

Thompson, Paul B. (2015). From field to fork: food ethics for everyone. Oxford University Press, 81-105.

All over the world there is not a lot of money in farming, so one has to know what they are getting into when starting a farm. The business is risky, requires a lot of hard work, and may not always be rewarding. This brings up the problem of economics in production of a human necessity, food. Do you treat animals morally? Do you grow food organically? When producing do you focus on the quality of the product or just to get money?

Animals

The Podere Le Fornaci cheese producers run an organic farm in Greve in Chianti. They started out small with just 20 goats but have now increased to 100 goats. They always put their animals first and strongly believe that if the animals live well, they will be healthier. They make their own hay, but also let the goats roam freely for part of the day in order for them to eat the healthier, fresh grass. The producers milk the goats twice a day. Each female goat produces 3-4 liters of milk a day and it takes 24 hours for the cheese to be ready for sale.

Kids at Podere Le Fornaci

This business requires much hard work and attention, but gives off very little reward. If a male kid is born, the producers automatically lose 500 euros. The male kids consume the milk that could be used for making cheese and are sold or killed when old enough because they don’t have any further use in producing milk. The producers had to come up with a way to create more profit; therefore they decided “rent” their animals for three months during the winter. A renter would pay 100 euros to financially support the farm and in return will get 110 euros worth of products from the farm. This allows the producer to be economically stable in the off season and to get more profits in the long run.

Dario Cecchini, a very famous butcher in Panzano, is currently constructing a project where he is raising chianina cows for their full life and then using their meat. A chianina’s life span is about 13 years, so Dario loses a lot of money feeding these animals for such a long time. Dario will only profit from their meat once they die. The purpose of this project is to raise the animals the right way and to treat them morally. Dario’s mission is to respect and to use every part of the animal.

Chianina cows in Dario’s Project

Maremmana cows on the national park lands in Grosseto are not the best cows for meat, but are still raised for butchering. They are not used in many parts of Tuscany for many reasons. All maremmana cows have horns, which translates into money loss when selling the animals for meat. If the animal weighs 1000 kilos, only 500 kilos can be used for meat. This can be compared with other breeds of cows that can produce 700-800 kilos worth of meat. Also, maremmana cows have very large stomachs, which is not good for butchering. However, they create an economic advantage in the Grosseto region because they can survive off the land while roaming, which other breeds are not able to do. Therefore, no money has to be spent for feeding them.

In his article, “Animal Liberation,” Peter Singer mentions speciesism, which concerns the human animal relationship and occurs when humans put their lives above animals, and utilitarianism, which values bringing about less sufferance and more pleasure for both humans and animals. Both the producers at Podere Le Fornaci and Dario Cecchini want to eliminate speciesism and treat their animals with respect. By treating their animals morally right, they raise excellent products and still getting pleasure from eating. The butteri that take care of the maremmana cows are respecting the animals by keeping them alive even though they are not good for butchering. Also, they are keeping the tradition of the land alive.

Wines

It is extremely risky to open a winery. A new owner has to acknowledge that they will most likely lose money in their first years of opening a winery since it takes a while for the trees to grow into quality producers and wines can’t be made and sold right away. The wine making process varies in time depending on the type of wine being made, but it surely doesn’t happen overnight. In order to make some money, wine producers can harvest the grapes and sell them right away, but this yields little profit.

One method of raising a vineyard is organically, which is really pushed by the government in Tuscany. The government gives out subsidies of 500 to 800 euros for every hector of organically grown vineyards. The agronomist that spoke with me believes that this subsidy is no longer useful because it has been proven that producing organically is not more expensive. Producing organically is now a reality and everyone can do it. The vineyard must find an economic balance in producing organically.

Nittardi is an organic vineyard in Castellina in Chianti that I visited. They spray copper and sulfur in order to prevent parasites instead of spraying chemicals. Although this sprayin method is time consuming, it is less expensive than spraying chemicals. When it rains, the producers have to decide on spraying the plants. They usually spray 12 times during the summer and spend 500 euros per hector on protecting the vineyard for a year. Not using chemicals also protects the soil for years to come. The producers at Nittardi agree with Steigler’s argument in his article “Take Care” that if plants do well, consumers will benefit too.

Chianti Classico wines must be produced with at least 80% san giovese grapes and must come from the Chianti region of Tuscany. This geographic indicator is worth a lot when selling wines and is similar to a copyright. Many consumers look for the rooster on the label knowing the quality of the wine will be superb. The geographical indicator exemplifies that the land these grapes are grown in produce a high quality of grapes just based on the region they are grown in. Another wine from a different region that is produced with the same variety of grapes with the same methods of production could not be called Chianti Classico and will not taste like the one made in the Chianti region. By buying a Chianti Classico wine, it is known that one will get a high quality wine that is worth the money, since these wines are usually expensive. Also, Chianti Classico wines have to go through testing and be approved before being bottled, which is why these wines are sought after.

Advertising is essential in the sale of wines. In order to gain the highest income with the label, the producer has to have a market. Some farmers only take care of the grapes and find it difficult to do sales. It could be profitable to get to know consumers in order for them to know the high quality of the product they are interested in buying. They will know what they are consuming.

Small Businesses Artisanship vs. Big Business Beautification

Le Cinciole is a small winery in Panzano that takes pride in its artisanship and the role their owners play in creating the wine. The owners of the winery have contact with the grapes and makes sure to pick the highest quality grapes to put in their wines. However, a more bigger and flashy winery, Petra, in Maremma, focuses more on appearance. They have the latest, most advanced technologies and a more modern look. They try to look clean and polished to the furthest extent. It took 100 million euros to build Petra, but it loses money each year because there are a lot of expenditures. Le Cinciole makes 200,000 to 300,000 euros per year, but they are not looking to expand much bigger. The artisanship in Le Cinciole’s wine making may go unnoticed because it is so small.

Petra architecture

Global Food System

Food is a human necessity and the best way to feed the human population is through a global food system, which Sandler explains in his article “Food Ethics”. The global food system allows places to always have food, since some places can’t grow food all year round and allows for a higher variety of available foods through importing produce. There is an economic advantage for some producers because they can focus on specializing on one good and can know they will still profit. However, there is an economic disadvantage because producers and countries can no longer decide the prices of their own goods. People on the other side of the world decide the prices of products based on their demand. In the end, it is essential to remember that quality of product and life is most important.

When we first read and discussed Ronald Sandler’s Food Ethics, I began to seriously consider the merits of a global food system against its faults for the first time. I struggled to find a solution to the issue of exploitation of producers who provide simple food commodities commonly used in a greater production. However, I was able to experience such a solution through an extensive understanding of the method of production and the source of ingredients, in this case vanilla beans, when we visited De’Coltelli’s gelato shop in Pisa.

The exploitation of small producers of goods like coffee beans, cacao, and even vanilla occurs partly as a result of the fact that they provide little of the final value of what their products will eventually become. A quart of Ben and Jerry’s vanilla ice cream costs a lot more that it cost them to buy the vanilla beans they used, if they even used real beans. These producers face a significant challenge if they wish to bring the unprocessed goods to the market themselves, and intuitively would rather take the quick cash up front instead of trying to process them. Due to this, the producers often get by with very little profit while those who purchase their goods make a fortune. With these challenges in mind, it becomes difficult the knowingly consume food like gelato without an understanding of where the ingredients originated.

This is precisely the reason that made visiting De’Coltelli’s shop so special. We heard very precise descriptions of not only where the ingredients of each flavor came from, but also how they manipulated different factors of production to create such interesting combinations. The owner spoke to us at length about the origin of his vanilla beans as well as how to judge when one truly is of quality. With the complete knowledge of the vanilla’s source (Alain Abel’s Tahiti Vanille Project) in addition to the full technicality involved in its production, the gelato tasted much better, if not more honest. The flavor was simple and expressive of its quality.

Even with this knowledge, some problems still remain. We do not have all the information or history about Alain Abel’s project. We do not know if he exploits his employees or the environment in the process of production. Moreover, Abel is a foreigner who uses another country to produce a good that he then exports, something increasingly popular in the Chianti region with Chianti Classico. This can be seen as detracting from the local heritage of an area as more and more foreigners take over. However, his website does insist on the passion, love, and pride that he has when cultivating and preparing the vanilla.

To steal a line from the Montserrat cluster I was in, how then shall we live? We can all improve our lives and the lives of others by increasing our knowledge of the ingredients in our food. Not only will it taste better, as I learned in Pisa, but we may also be contributing to a more just food system across the globe. We might not always be able to reconcile every aspect of production, but we certainly can take a step in the right direction as more informed consumers.

“What’s been your favorite meal so far Lola?” This has been a repeatedly asked question by my friends and family back at home since being in Italy. They always expect me to say some pasta dish or pizza pie, but this was not the case. My favorite meal so far has been the hamburger or the “MAC DARIO” at the Mac Darios restaurant. We went to Mac Darios on May 24th, only five days after arriving in Panzano. By this point in the trip, I wasn’t missing American food yet so I didn’t think I’d be as excited to try the hamburger and potatoes from this place. However, let me tell you, I was so wrong. Everything about this meal was perfect. We were seated outside and given bread, olive oil, and their delicious salt mixture to start off with. Next our burgers arrived and I was immediately taken aback by the lack of a hamburger bun. It was just a single burger patty, surrounded by potatoes, celery, and fresh tomatoes. I was hesitant to try the burger without the bun because that wasn’t how I was accustomed to eating a burger. Ultimately of course I tried it anyways and it was a fantastic first experience. Normally I’m not big into thinking or noticing different meat qualities, but with this meat the quality could not go unnoticed. It was so tender and thick; you could taste the juiciness with every bite. Even the potatoes were perfectly cooked with just the right balance of crispiness and softness. And on top of it all, at Mac Darios they have three original sauces to go with the meal. One of them being a mustard sauce that reminded me of what we have back in the states known as honey mustard. The combination of the burger and potatoes with this sauce simply made everything so balanced together. By the time the meal was over my plate was completely clean. That was when I knew this was going to be one of my favorite meals in Italy.
Like a lot of the meals I have back at home, I am completely unaware of where my food comes from. However, before arriving to Mac Darios, we learned a lot about how, Dario Cecchini, the owner, runs his business. All over the world, Dario is known for being of the best butchers. To him, there is no such thing as a bad piece of meat. Every part of the cow is valuable in some sort of way. That is why Dario makes sure to use the entire cow during the butchering process. He has become such a humanitarian that he even started his own project. This project allows the cows to roam freely until they die on their own. Once they die, that is when Dario plans to use them for production and consumption. Although this project is expensive and may result in complications with the meat’s tenderness, Dario is nonetheless sending a message about animal liberation. In a relatable manner,  McWilliams in his piece, Loving Animals to Death, discusses the problems with killing animals with kindness. Moreover he discusses the problems against treating animals nicely before killing them for consumption. Whether it’s through the distribution of antibiotics or by simply showing them affection, McWilliams argues it can be deceitful and wrong to gain an animal’s trust and then return the favor by killing them for personal benefits. In opposition, Dario’s project seems to represent the exact opposite of this practice.

Knowing Dario’s philosophy beforehand made the entire meal experience 10x more special because I knew the quality of my food was coming from a respectful and trustworthy source. This food awareness is something mentioned in Wendell Berry’s article, The Pleasures of Eating. Berry mentions that a lot of times as consumers we are very naïve about where our food comes from. By learning about Dario’s business/project, as well as by visiting the meat production site and cow plantation, I ate my meal at Mac Darios responsibly, as Berry would call it. This was honestly one of the first times I knew the exact origins of the food I was about to consume. It was a refreshing and new experience that I do plan on trying to recreate more often back at home. Overall, even with just a week left on the trip, there has yet to be a pizza or pasta that has topped the Mac Dario’s burger for me.

The similar “honey mustard” sauce

The “MAC DARIO”

The Cows for “Dario’s Project”

On Monday June 6th, we stopped at a small historical town of Bolgheri shortly after our olive oil tasting. I had lunch at a small and cozy restaurant at the corner of Bolgheri town. The restaurant is owned by married couple and hey offer mainly slow-cooked food, like the one I’ve ordered, cut of beef reduced in red wine sauce and balsamic vinegar.

Having read Telfer’s article on food and art, which claims that food can hardly trigger emotions like a piece of art does, I was eager to prove Telfer wrong by tasting some stOn  Monday June 6th, we stopped at a small historical town of Bolgheri shortly after our olive oil tasting. I had lunch at a small and cozy restaurant at the corner of Bolgheri town. The restaurant is owned by married couple and hey offer mainly slow-cooked food, like the one I’ve ordered, cut of beef reduced in red wine sauce and balsamic vinegar.

unning dishes that could move my heart, mind and emotions like nothing else does.

The restaurant at Bolgheri uses a casserole dish to sear the beef brisket first, then puts on a simmer with a variety of locally grown seasonal vegetables such as carrots and fennels. The long simmering process allows the beef to take on multiple flavors from the vegetables. Reducing in red wine and basaltic vinegar also gives the sauce a spicy kick, stimulating our taste buds do we could continue eating this rich dish without feeling overly greasy.

Nowadays, to achieve the best flavor, chefs usually utilize technologies such as a pressure cooker or even a sous vide to allow maximum flavor penetration and perfect donees. Yet, in my opinion, traditional simmering with a casserole or a terracotta pot magnifies the effort put in by the chef. Every dish cooked in this way is authentic. It is a not a result of following a fixed formula and let machines take over. Slow cooking requires continuous effort in observing the texture and state of the food and adjusting it correspondingly. It also eliminates the use of technology such as sous vide, which is gradually making cooking an industrial process even on a small level.

I’m glad that in such competitive European culinary field, there are still people like this couple who uses the most traditional method to cook such dish. They are, in some ways, not aiming at maximizing their profits, but upholding the art of cooking, which many high-end restaurants no longer practice. To me, the plate of beef brisket may neither have the best color, nor the best plating. But they do have the best effort from the chefs, and personally, a taste and structure beyond my level of expectation.

This dinning experience also reminds me of my visit to Chihuly glass museum in Seattle Washington. The glass structures are surely beautiful, but what captured my heart was seeing the process of glass making, a true process of artisanship. Similar to this, I believe that a dish can be regarded as art only if a mindful and effortful process is put behind in making it. And I believe that traditional way of cooking is such a process. Hence, I have to disagree with Telfer, and say that food can indeed move us just like a piece of art does. The food itself may not have to be aesthetically beautiful be general standards, but the traditional process of making it is definitely art, w
ithout any doubt.

I prepared myself to eat a lot of gelato in Italy. I didn’t know how it differed from ice cream, but I knew it was similar and that I liked it. A lot of the gelato here in Italy is pretty standard – the same flavors made from similar mixes and powders. While this gelato definitely hits the spot, finding and tasting gelato from an artisanal shop made by passionate creators is a completely different and more meaningful experience.

We ended our day in Pisa with a gelato tasting at De’ Coltelli, as arranged by Professor Borghini. He prepared us by explaining how much the owner and employees care about the gelato and that they are constantly experimenting with new flavors and textures. They use fresh ingredients from reliable farmers – something that makes more of a difference in the taste of the gelato than you would think. We tried flavors such as strawberry and sage, ricotta, and traditional chocolate. At De’ Coltelli, they make different kinds of gelato: cream, which is cream based and very similar to ice cream, and granite, which originates in Sicily. There is no cream in granite, so it is icy and works best with fruity flavors, almost like a sorbet. It was nice to try some granite flavors, but the cream was my favorite, since it reminded me of ice cream and home.

After trying some new flavors, I still wasn’t satisfied, probably because I like picking my own flavors and eating it from my own cone (clearly I’m bad at sharing). Whenever I get gelato, I always order hazelnut, but I figured that since I’m at a real gelato shop, I should branch out. I ended up choosing macadamia nut and ginger, both in the traditional cream form. The macadamia was nutty and sweet, but more mild than hazelnut, while the ginger was a little spicy. The two worked very well together to create my favorite gelato experience in Italy so far.

In class, we’ve talked a lot about art. One of our recent readings was by Elizabeth Telfer on food as an art form, and if food can even be considered art. She describes that food is only a minor art because it is short lasting and can’t convey emotion. In my opinion, the gelato I tasted at De’ Coltelli was absolutely emotional; the passion of the owner stood out in the taste of the gelato. The amount of care and pride he puts into his work is evident by just tasting how fresh the ingredients are and how perfectly they work with each other. Of course my gelato was eaten quickly (it was hot out and melting, and I couldn’t resist), so maybe it wasn’t able to be looked at and analyzed for an extended period of time, but the taste said it all. Whether De’ Coltelli’s gelato is considered art or not, I have a delicious memory of eating artisanal gelato in Italy, and that’s all that matters.

As we were in San Miniato for a couple of hours to visit a butcher shop, our professors gave us some free time to explore our surroundings and nearby shops. Immediately, all of my classmates went to try the gelato that was right next door to the butcher shop, but as I looked across the street, something caught my attention. I couldn’t quite see what it was, but something in me was excited, as If I was going to find the world’s biggest treasure. Anticipated, I crossed the street and there it was: the most flawless sculpture I have ever laid my eyes on.

The sculpture in front of me was of a black woman, with sensuous hips, large buttocks and her head held high, as if she’s never been prouder to be herself. Immediately, a smiled showed up on my face. I thought to myself: Wow! I honestly couldn’t have expected to see someone exhibits as much confident as she did. On the other hand, I have to admit that on some level I thought the sculpture, Franco Mauro Franchi, was objectifying and mocking her oversized body as European men had done to Sara Baartman (a woman with similar features) in the 1800s.

This sculpture allowed me to reflect on two specific topics that we have discussed recently in our philosophy class: obesity stigma and aesthetics. There it was a beautiful black woman appreciating every single curve, and one of my reactions was: how inspiring, but also how weird. Because of the obesity stigma that occurs in our society I couldn’t help but feel that the sculpture was made as a way to praise women of larger size, but at the same time I was considering if there was some negativity revolving the intent of the sculpture. We often believe that obesity occurs when people do not have self control and then ridicule them when they decide to fall in love, and find pleasure with their bodies that necessarily does not reflect societal standards. Viewing this sculpture enabled me to think critically of what beauty means to me. I believe that we shouldn’t look down upon others who may be classified as “different” but find ways to encourage others to find pleasure in what they see in the mirror.

Not only were my ideals of beauty changed by the viewing the sculpture, but it also made me question what is actual beauty. In her article, Elizabeth Telfer argues that we should appreciate an object for the sake of it being an object and not because it brings joy to oneself or others. Though there was some validity in her argument, I couldn’t resist the thought that the sculpture was beautiful not only because it was a sculpture but also because of the way it made me feel when I was in front of it: completely mesmerized.  When I first read Tefler’s argument I started to question my own beliefs. I thought I was taking something away from the sculpture by appreciating the meaning behind it; which was a woman breaking all social norms. I started to ask myself  “is this sculpture beautiful because it makes me reflect or should it just be beautiful because it is an object?” After pondering through these questions I’ve realized that it can actually do both: I can appreciate it for what it is, but also for the pleasure that it brings me.

This painting allowed me to reflect on our American standards of beauty and obesity stigma. It has made me realized that there shouldn’t be a standard on beauty. We should all be able to indulge in our bodily pleasure as long as it is not destructive.  Obesity stigma do not allow others to feel proud of their body, and shame them when they do not fit the standards, but our bodies are part of our identity in the same way that food and culture are. Because of this sculpture I now view my maymester in a different light as I was able to not only see the aesthetics and pleasure in the foods that we eat, but to also view it from an artistical point of view. My classmates found their favorite gelato, but I have found the perfect art piece, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

One of my favorite meals that I have had so far in Italy was on our second day in Panzano when our group went to Dario Cecchini’s restaurant for dinner. We got to experience eating many parts of the cow that most of us have probably never ate before. We ate muzzle, braised meats, rosemary up the ass, roast beef, ragu on toast, boiled beef along with Tuscan style bread, beans, vegetables, and olive oil cake. Our placemats showed which part of the cow where each dish came from, which can be related to Berry’s text, “Pleasure of Eating.” In this reading, Berry should form a relationship with our food and to not be blind consumers. We learned that Dario gets his cows from Spain, uses only the freshest, locally grown produce, and makes sure to use all parts of the cow.

Dario’s goal as a butcher is to maintain a sense of morality towards the animals. He believes that every part of the animal should be used. If he were to waste the animal, he would be taking advantage of the animal and it would be considered selfish. This relates to Singer’s concept of speciesism, in which humans value their life over animals lives. Dario doesn’t want this to be the case which can be proven by his project with the long life chianina cows. He is experimenting with chianina cows to care for them until they die and then use their meat. Although, these cows have not been eaten yet, he makes sense to butcher the animals that were taken care of properly. His goal is not about health, but about getting the most out of the animals he butchers.

Besides the fact that anyone can walk into the butcher shop and get free bread and wine at pretty much anytime of the day, I have always felt a family atmosphere being at Dario’s. All of the tables are family style, so they are long and many different groups would be sat at the same table. Although I never got to experience this, I think it is an awesome concept and is one aspect that makes Dario’s restaurant so special.

The place mat showing every part counts

Roast Beef at Dario’s restaurant

Chianina cows at Dario’s Project

Coming on this Maymester, I was excited to discover that we would be going on wine tastings with the opportunity to learn how to accurately taste and describe wines. My favorite experience thus far was the visit to the Nittardi Vineyard. At Nittardi, we were given the opportunity to create our own wine by mixing several different kinds together. We worked in groups in order to create our special recipe. A major problem in wine tasting is distinguishing between taste and judgement. Being a novice taster myself, I found it hard to distinguish between our preferences, or tastes, and our judgments, or objective points of views.

At Nittardi and in the article “The Taste of Wine” by Steven Shapin, we learned how to overcome this problem of subjectivity and objectivity in tasting wines. Describing wines by our preferences allows us to convey our experience to others and to be able to compare and contrast this experience with others, a subjective point of view. However, by describing wines with an objective point of view, it allows others the ability to understand and taste the flavors of the wine as opposed to what flavors we like.

In order to balance this objectivity and subjectivity problem, some scales have been created. For example, Bob Parker created a 100 point scale in which he rated wine based on a specific set of universal standards. The scale created by Parker and Ann Noble’s wine wheel has helped novice tasters to be able to develop their palette and describe wines in a more objective way.

After learning how to objectively taste and describe wines, my group was able to accurately describe the wines given to us: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Sangiovese. We differentiated between the different aromas by using Noble’s wine wheel and began mixing the wines together. It took several tries for us to complete the final mixture we liked, which included 30% Sangiovese, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Petit Verdot. We submitted this mixture to the judges and surprisingly my group won! Along with creating the best wine, Nittardi gave us a free bottle of one of their most popular wines called Ad Astra. Had we not learned the proper way of wine tasting and differentiating between subjective and objective points of view, I don’t believe my group and I would have been as successful in the creation of our wine or understood how to combine the flavors.

Although we learned how to distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity, I believe that both points of views are necessary when tasting and describing wines.

One of my partners, Katie, and I holding our free bottle of wine we won!

My group’s final blend we submitted

The judges of our wine competition