The diversity of urban farmers

Guerilla gardening in Bologna

Finally I’ve made it. A short break and a full agenda didn’t allow me to give you the so wanted examples of new initiatives to grow food. Here we go!

In the beginning of this month I did a little research which you can find here. I tried to find as much innovative ways to grow food in the cities. Although the well-informed have not yet finished their discussion on it yet, I think urban farming is a good thing to do anyway. Maybe it is a bit naïve to think it can solve the worlds’ most urgent problems but at least it can be a start. Urban farming gives us food, saves us fossil fuels and brings us back all kinds of (positive) energies. Besides that urban farming is a good way to show ‘the normal and the abnormal’ what it takes to foresee in our food requirements.

The possibilities for growing food in the city range from low-tech fruit picking from someone-elses fruittree to high-tech production with unaffordable LEDlights in empty offices. Don’t be scared to get dirty hands. I will offer you some options to choose from starting with the most feasible ones.

First of all do I want to advise you to give it a start. It might sound scary to start growing food, but it turns out to be fun when you can eat your own-created-harvest. Buy some seeds, find a good spot to place them in and see what happens. Don’t forget to give it some water every now and then off-course. The food growing spot doesn’t need to be big. Some creative minds have already found solutions for those who have a lack of space but a will to create harvest.

The lucky ones – those who have enough space to cultivate on – can really consider to feed themselves fully with their own produce. You can use a rooftop or an empty urban plot which are abundant thanks to the current crisis. Maybe you can even find some friends or neighbors to help you to maintain the garden. Here some useful suggestions to make it successful.

For the technicians amongst you I suggest to try and invent something new. Many went before you and successfully developed systems which allow people to grow food wherever they like. It might not look very natural but if there is no other option to choose it might be the only solution.

I hope these posts gives you a good boost of inspiration. Now it is time to celebrate Christmas and start a list of next year’s good intention. Guess what is on top of mine?

A short history

After I discussed some examples of growing food in the cities, I think it is now time to look back. Not because I am such a traditionalist but because I think it is good to learn from the past. You join me?

This short history on (urban) allotment gardens is not only about feeding the city. The popularity or need for gardens is strongly related to political situations. You will see that in some cities the development of allotment gardens was facilitated by the government while in others having a place to grow food was the only way to survive.

The UK is famous for their garden city concept designed by Ebenezer Howard. This man developed the first suburbs around London thereby leaving space for the people to grow their own food. Besides that there was the national law forcing municipalities to have land available for their citizens to grow food. The popularity for these allotments had a short backdrop in between the wars and in the booming second half of the 21^st century but is rising again now food prices are going-up and food miles need to be decreased to stop climate change.

On the other side of the canal, in Germany and Austria, the industrialization and both World Wars were large catalysts for the development of (urban) allotment gardens. During the 19^th century farmers came to the cities hoping they would have a more prosperous life there. But it wasn’t easy to find a job so they had to find ways to feed themselves and their family. Picking up their old profession was the only way to survive. In gaining land they were helped by the municipality or the church. During and after the World Wars these gardens helped the Germans to maintain a healthy energy level. 

In neighboring Austria - or more specific in its capital Vienna - it was the socialist Otto Neurath who founded the Cooporative Housingand Allotment association (1921) to support groups who decided to become self-sufficient concerning housing and food supply. IKEA like building kits enabled persons to create their own houses depending on their family size and needs. On the plots there was room for allotment gardens. Now Vienna has one of the largest allotmentgarden parks in Europe.

The Russian middle and upper class used the dachas (‘something is given’) for relaxation in the weekend – as a second home. After the Bolshevik revolution in 1917 they became communal so that at least everyone was able to go there a few times a year. After WWII some the Russian governments changed the legalizations a few times which lead to a high-popularity of the dachas in the ’80. The gardens turned out to be the ultimate solution for cheap holidays. After communism collapsed most dachas have been privatized. This is still the fact although the government is supporting those who want to start an inner city garden again.

Further south - in the Italian city Milan there - have been some ups and downs regarding the popularity of gardening. In the 17^th century the gardens where mainly owned by the rich. Like in other cities this changed at the beginning of the industrialization. Then gardens were kept and maintained by the new citizens who were used to grow food and now needed it to provide in their daily energy intake: their salaries were not sufficient to buy it all on the market. While in the WW II the gardening in the city had its peak – with grain growing in the Piazza del Duomo – after this period the allotment gardens where pushed out to cheaper land out of the city.

As you can see food growing can be fun but also might be a need. Not only in the early days but also in the beginning of the 21^st century certain external causes make us want to be more self-sufficient. It is not something to be ashamed of. No, you rather be proud of yourself. Next week some new initiatives in the spot lights.  

How to grow food in the city

Don’t expect a solution after reading this title. This post is to inspire you. I did some research, talked to some people and collected information on how to grow food in cities. Some examples will be posted on the facebook page next week, others will be discussed here.

As Carolyn Steel and many others have written before food and cities are indispensable connected. Without food no cities, without cities no food. Although both statements seem to be the topic of discussion now. The ‘food’ eaten in cities is for a major part technical food while at the same time we have to start to worry about the amount of food we citizens consume in relation to the production capacity of true farmers.

After having tried for decennia to get food production asfar away from the cities as possible a new movement has started some years ago trying hard to get production closer to consummation. People decided to grew herbs, strawberries and other small greens on their balconies, on rooftops or in backyards. Slowly cities are filled with edible green.

It is not only private persons encouraging this movement. People gather in collectives to support each other in the process of learning how to grow food, schools start gardens (again) to combine education with outdoor activities and offices grow their rooftops to give their staff this special opportunity to share some fun activities with their colleagues.

Besides these planned projects there are also initiatives encouraging wild-picking. Websites tell you where to find fruit trees in your neighborhood, workshops are organized around ‘getting food from the wood’.

It is not only about the food itself anymore, more also about the fun to grow or pick it. And that makes people aware what it takes to get the products you need to make your favorite recipe. It turns out that is takes a lot more to get your ingredients than just going to the supermarket. It brings people together sharing knowledge on the growth process and on recipes. It makes cities greener, not only in a visible way but also seen from an environmental eye.

I could continue with the benefits for a while, but guess it is time for action now. After the Dutch examples last week you will find some examples from Milano and the rest of Italy next week.

The Dutch examples

Creativity is needed when space is scarce

Oke. Let’s start this research on green in the city in The Netherlands. The country I’ve lived most of my life and in which I have some connections in the field.

Holland is known for its organized structure. This tradition dates a long way back to the period in which water management was started to guarantee the Dutch dry feet. Thanks to centuries of experience the country now has quite a clear tax system, takes care of the young the old and the in between and seems to be able to win economic importance in the fight with the big ones. The Dutch are a lucky nation not having to worry about anything.

But as all happy people they have found something to complain about. The country is too organized, governments is to bureaucratic, things are too slow. So they started to look for ways to obviate the laws and initiated the things which lacked in their happy lives.

Some years ago the Dutch realized they missed green in their cities and decided to make a change. Left over places in the city - which are ample thanks to/ caused by the current economic crisis – were squattered (also a famous Dutch tradition). In a country as small as the Netherlands, we cannot leave too much space unplanned. So seeds were spread, plants were planted and nature did the rest. Well almost.

It took a few years but now the governments and (big) companies have realized that these Dutch rebels made a point. Next to the economic crisis, causing many people to find it harder to fill their plates, we are heading for a social, a climate and a food crisis. And this spontaneous urban farming on places which were no use before seems to be the solution for it all! 

All these ideas broad-up and executed by brave citizens have shaken our local governments awake. Thanks to their efforts many cities now offer subsidies to make green roofs, not only good for insulation and water intake but also for our hungry stomachs. It even might be used as a way of city marketing.  Individuals have developed themselves in specialists dealing with roof gardening. Artists have created greener, healthier and more social neighborhoods. Multinationals have spent their money. Ideologists have realized their dream.

Now food is hip. Or a hype. I don’t know (yet). At least more and more people realize that it is not really hard to grow your own food. And that it is important to know where your food comes from, how it is produced and so on. Many brave citizens have followed the rebels. And the government did.

Could this happen in other countries too? You will read it next week.

Next week on Food in the Streets facebook page many examples of Dutch’ with green thumbs. 

Where is the green

This garden shows that you don't need that much space to grow food

Ok. This is maybe not the time to complain about a lack of green. The trees now deserve a good break to be able to carry fresh green leaves in the next spring. But this doesn’t mean that we do not have to think about the near future.

Milano is a green city. It has some big parks in and around the centre and most streets are wide and have room for large trees. The city also has many fruit and veggie sellers and regular markets. We even have a bosco verticale It actually lacks only one thing.

Many cities are now searching for ways to bring their citizens in contact with the origin of their food. Now the countryside it getting empty while cities continue to grow it is more difficult to feed them all. Who is there to grow our food, how to keep it fresh and what about the factual costs as energy price and environmental impact?

As part of the Italian culinary tradition many people in small and medium sized villages use parts of their gardens to grow food. Some of these gardens are built out of necessity (economic, long distance to fresh food) but most of them are there just for the fun. Because it is enjoyable to grow your own food, it is healthy, tasteful and so on.

Opposing to this wealth of gardens around Milano there is hardly any vegetable or food garden to see in the city. Why not. Are the fashion designers, models, architects, and others afraid to get their hands dirty?

I don’t know, but I think it is just a matter of tradition. The city developed thanks to its industry. And in developed cities is no time to work the soil. People work all day and at night they want to be able to go out to a theatre or meet friends in a bar or a restaurant. In the weekends one needs to visit friends or family or goes to take a look in the nearby mountains. No time for any other obligations.

Now the development has stopped and maybe even diminishes there is a great opportunity to change the tradition in a way from which we all might profit. The unfortunate unemployed can spend parts of their days working in a vegetable garden. Newly planted trees give fruits which we can all enjoy. Fresh herbs can be picked from nearby mini gardens. The city gets full of edible green pearls.

It is time we start to grow real kilometro zero food here. The coming weeks I will show you how!

Follow Food in the Streets on facebook to get more regular updates. 

Hunting the Streets

Signs telling us hunting is allowed

You must have noticed it’s autumn. While most people decide to slowly crawl back in their houses (it’s cold, rainy and dark) other are just about to be out as much as possible. It’s game time!

Hunting has been done since mankind lives on this earth. It has been the start of what now is our civilization. More specifically hunting once was the only thing that kept us alive. We used to run behind the animals until we were able to catch them. No catch meant no food.

During the centuries hunting became less necessary. Nomads learned to settle down and found out how to keep and bread animals. There was no need to get out in nature for daily nutrients; they could just be ‘picked’ from the backyard. Later on - when cities started to grow bigger - the backyards where further away and run by people specialized in these kind of things. Growing food became a profession.

While hunting once used to be something for the everyday man, it suddenly became something which was only done by the bored rich. Mostly they were given an easy job as they had horses, special trained dogs, shotguns and a piece of land full of game. No need to stress. If no one was able to catch anything there would not be any problem except the landlord’s ego hurt.

Lately  I have made some walks in the beautiful hills around Milano. Apparently these areas are full of tasteful animals as gun shots were heard regularly. Hunters – some legal some illegal – were walking around dressed in camouflage green wearing a shotgun. Hunting for innocent birds, rabbits and wild boars.

During the season( which lasts a few weeks) the woods are full of people and signs warning the other visitors to be careful. I wonder how many animals are shot and how they are sold to the ones preparing them. Most hunters I met where allowed to hunt given the tags they were wearing. Is there a central market place where chefs can buy them per kilo?

At least it gives us lazy restaurant visitors the opportunity to enjoy the wild taste of rough nature.

Follow Food in the Streets on facebook for more updates. 

Your, mine or theirs?

Last weekend I spent tasting, listening and wondering at the Salone del Gusto / Terra Madre in the nearby city Turin. I was surprised by the numbers of visitors, the variety of food and the patience of the market man and woman. But most of all I’ve learned a lot by asking questions and listening to others.

The Salone del Gusto – initiated by Slow Food – is a biannual event which attracts ten thousands of visitors. It is a big showcase from mainly Italian producers. The fairground is divided in the different Italian regions. Each region has its own specific cheeses, salume, liquors and more. Since this salone is the opportunity to convince consumers, retailers and cooks to buy the products the market men are more than welcome to give you a try on their products.

When the salone is mainly dedicated to the gustosi (gourmets) Terra Madre is dedicated to the political, social and economical role of food. The Terra Madre network is formed in 2004 and unites producers which preserve local, seasonal, quality food, their local environment and traditional knowledge. During the salone small producers from all over the world had the chance to showcase their produce to everyone who wanted to know about it. For the visitors it was the opportunity to taste unknown flavors and to chat to dedicated producers from countries one might not have heard from before.

This year it was the first time that all the Terra Madre lectures were open to everyone. With the combination of these two events Slow Food showed to food lovers that food is not only about the end product but that it involves so much more. Food is the energy for life, the basis of many economies and it plays an amazingly important role in the appearance of the landscapes we daily travel trough.

The topics of the lectures were as wide as the products made by the members of the network. I’ve been to lectures on waste, heard about the quality of our daily diet and was taught about the problem of land grabbing It was an amazing weekend full of food, gathering of knowledge and getting to know new (young) people.

Slow Food did a good attempt to make the food lovers aware of all the other elements they are touching when working with, selling or eating food. For the next edition they should continue this effort and hopefully they are able to get the regular visitors out of the streets of the salone into the auditoria, make them listen to what else they can do with food than the things they normally do.

But we cannot wait for two more years. So start to be critical in what, where and why and when you buy your food now. It’s time to make a change!

Find Food in the Streets on facebook for regular updates

Birra, bier, beer, biere

Beer can also be romantic thanks to these guys 

Beer and wine are in a way comparable. They both contain alcohol – although the percentages are different – and the flavors both liquids can have are as wide as the range of prices they are sold at. However, beer was never given the same level of respect than wine has been given. But doesn’t it deserve to be adored then?

It was the Romans who decided that beer was for the plebs and wine for the educated. Since then beer has always been considered a drink for the rough people from the northwest of what we now call Europe while wine fits to the description of a person from the south of the continent.

And maybe they were right. In the wild medieval cities it was much safer to drink beer than to drink normal tap water. The cities mainly consisted out of hard working craftsmen which couldn’t afford high priced wines. Local brewers could be found in each city creating their own specific flavored beer. Due to the low alcohol percentage the citizens could drink beer and still be able to continue to function as expected.

Although beer has always been seen as a drink for the plebs it has long been made by people which usually deserve respect; monks from (German or Belgian) cloisters and abbeys. The disciplined man made two kinds of beer; a light one which could be drunk all day long by citizens and the nuns and a heavier one which only was for special occasions organized by the monks or other religious persons.

Beer has been competing with wine for centuries. Beer has – if you compare price and quality –a big advantage to wine. Off course it is a completely different kind of drink with a different flavor, a different percentage of alcohol and it generally asks for another occasion; whether you would usually have a beer on a hot summer afternoon you probably rather have a full bodied red wine on a cold winter evening. But I am not sure whether this ‘general accepted idea’ is still true.

Lately beer has gained a more important role in culinary discourse. Beer isn’t just the cheap drink you have with your mates after work accompanied with some chips or salted peanuts. Beer has now become a (local) specialty again with delicate flavors which do not only add up to your night out with your friends, but also contribute to your drink in on a fancy terrace or to a delicious meal in a qualified restaurant.

With the growth of respect for beer also the number of brewers grows again. On a twice-a-month market in Milano the number of local brewers keeps growing. And also in the streets of Milano the appreciation for different kinds of beers goes up as I see more and more (brew)cafes open their doors.

It’s time to forget about the decision the Romans made a long, long time ago. Give beer another try and then decide whether it is really worth to leave this for the plebs only.

Cultivate diversity

The cities inhabitants are as diverse as the tourists on La Piazza di Spagna

As you might have notices after almost two years of posts this blogs tries to make a relation between people, their relation to food and their habitat. During the past years this subject has become more and more important in policies of local and national governments. Also in Milan.

Last week I visited a conference called Coltivare la Diversita (cultivate diversity). The conference was the start of a weekend of activities related to food and its cultural value in and out of Europe. Activities like round tables, theatre plays on the origin of food products, cooking laboratories and discussions on the current food system. Besides that a series of films on food which are all on display for free.

The conference hosted over five speakers from different European countries all able to say something about the relation between people and the way they (have to) get their daily food. The main goal of the meeting seemed to be to discuss how communities - whether they are a private initiative or an institution - could create a way to foresee in their food in a sustainable way and become more sovereign.

The backyard of Milan produces a lot of food. An interesting fact as it is a good opportunity to bring the consumer and producer in contact with each other. However, as diverse the inhabitants of Milan are, so homogeneous are their crops; more than sixty percent of the produce is rise, grain and corn. That doesn't make up for the diversity of dishes served in the cities restaurants….

Milan isn't the only (European) city which has a colorful range of citizens but a sober backyard. The potential of this backyard is enormous but therefore help from its users is indispensable. Some examples where presented - one already brought into practice, another still a dream. There are many opportunities but also many steps to take.

A start is made and hopefully Milan and all the other ambitious cities make it to the end.    

From now on Food in the Streets has a facebook page. On this page you find regular updates related to food, streets and people.

Almost there

A typical farm yard in one of the many cascine around Milan

Milan has around 60 farms within the borders of the municipality. Many of them are abandoned but even more are still in use. All the farms still play a very important role in the landscape (their size, their architecture) and in the culture of the city (food supply, economics). With the upcoming Expo 2015  – which has as theme feeding the world. Energy for life – the city tries to bring the farms under the attention of the citizens again. Last week I started a report of my trip along some of these farms. This week the rest of the story.

The event I was visiting was meant to bring Milanese citizens into contact with the producers of their food. Farms were open and organized educational activities in which they showed the production process; how do cows get milked (by an Astronaut), where does honey comes from and what do you have to do to grow rise? Many farms also offered some of their produce as part of the typical Sunday lunch which is indispensable for the Italians.

I ended up on an open farmyard were cows where fed and where bulls silently enjoyed the sun. No sign of any activity except from about 30 family cars waiting for their owners to start them and drive them home again. Then a door opened bringing a steady rumor of forks and knifes touching porcelain plates into the yard. This sounds like food.

The warm and damp space we entered was full of families enjoying plates full of pasta, cutlets, vegetables and the like. This is Italy! We hooked on and enjoyed what the farmers’ family served us: home grown rise by the sister in law, cutlets from their own cows served by one of the brothers, homemade cheeses by mama and a pie with apples from the farms garden by the padrone herself.

As good as the lunch was, this is not what we came for. The intention of the day was to show us what a farmer has to do to prepare our milk, cheese and other products we daily eat.

So – dizzy from the food and wine - we stood some minutes looking at the Astronaut in which the cows resigned themselves to get themselves milk. No farmer is involved, except from those days the cows give an amount of milk which is different than their average.  It seems very  anonymous but on the other hand does it give the farmer and his family time to prepare the tasteful dishes we all eat the hours before.

I am sure that many people did not get the goal of the day. The Italian families ate like they did every Sunday only this time on a farm. And maybe that exactly is the beginning of bringing them closer to the process of food production. What will be the next step? 

Cascine aperte

A typical Milanese cascina

I do not know a European city which has so many farms within its municipality borders than Milano. After long periods of ignorance different organizations now try to get the farms into the spotlight again.

Since I live here (about two months now) almost every weekend one or another event was organized in which people from the city where able to visit the (former) farms. As someone applauding for a better relation between the city and its hinterland, I welcomed these initiatives with open arms and happily visited them.

The last event of this season was meant to get people on the bike, let them ride through the countryside and to show them how farms function, what the farms produce and should give the visitors a real taste of the produce they normally buy in the supermarket or on a market stall.

The weather on this Sunday afternoon was fine and my body longed to go out and move around so I took my bike and was ready to join the crowd cycling along the golden rice fields only a stone’s throw from the centre of Milan. A bottle of water, the camera, my partner and the bike routes including short descriptions of the farms where my company of the afternoon.

The trip we choose contained around six farms from which half of them offered food. For Italians pranzo - or lunch - is the main event of their Sunday afternoon so if you want to attract visitors you have to offer them something to eat.

The first farm we planned to visit should offer cutlets and cheese with a glass of wine for a very attractive price. Except from twenty cats there was no one to see. Not even a farmer.  So we went on to the next one. This farm was better prepared and put up signs telling that its fattoria didattica (didactic farm) was open to us showing how milk, rice and honey are produced.

The number of cars (wasn’t this meant to be a bike tour) was incredible so we expected the best of it. But soon we understood the reason of this parking overload; the farmer rented some air-cushions and a huge barbecue and attracted almost all Milanese young parents with their babies. Very didactic.

Up to the last one from our list. The farm was hidden away between high trees and drawn-back. After a short roundtrip around the farms outer walls we entered the farmyard. This was full of cars but lay into a compete silence. No sign telling us where to go, except from a note saying ‘I am in the agriturismo’. So there should be something happening here.

Our inspection of the yard continued along the milk machine and the stall with bulls enjoying the sun. Suddenly a door opened…..

(next week you’ll know how this ends up)

Powered by milk

Italy imports most of its fresh milk

‘ What if each day you have to bring some money to your job to be able to work. Would you do that? I don’t think so.’

This quote was taken from a Austrian milk farmer at a recent conference on the CAPreform 2020 in the European Parliament in Brussels. To see a sober farmer fight for his tears when he explains that he advised his son to break his family tradition and to find another job than that of a dairy farmer, you know something serious is going on.

The CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) has mainly lead to milk surpluses and thus low prices for the European farmers. Subsidies guaranteed minimum prices for the produced milk which encouraged many dairy farmers to produce as much as possible. These surpluses have later been dumped in 3rd world countries as milk powder and incredible low income for the farmers.

Although the CAP has gone through different smaller and bigger reforms - which alluded to the negative effects of earlier policies - the situation for the dairy farmers still not seems to be very hopeful. Big dairy farmers are under contract of large companies which control their income: When a farmer doesn’t agree on the price per liter milk, the company easily decides to move to another farmer.

While most supermarkets offer fair produce form far away countries, we should consider how fair our ‘own’ farmers can farm. We (Western consumers) tend to shop as cheap as possible thereby forgetting what it did cost to produce our food.

In Germany they have set-up Die faire Milch company which gives farmers a good price for their milk and ensures high quality milk produced by cows which were not feed on genetic soya. In Italy Granarolo  brings the consumers fresh milk from their own region to the nearest supermarket. And recently a Dutch based worldwide company decided to give a price for organic milk which is independent for the price of bio-industry produced milk. 

So things seem to go in the right direction. But – once again – things cannot be realized by one part of the chain. Farmers need to be friendly to the planet thereby delivering high quality produce. Retailers should look for local produce and pay the producer a fair price. And consumers should not forget what effort it did take to produce their food. Don’t just buy the cheapest product on offer.

Pay a fair price as you like to be paid fair as well!

Mercati

A market is like a candy shop. I cannot resist the colorful and fresh produce

In contrast to many northern European countries, it is much more accepted to go shopping on a market in the southern ones. Will this tradition die with the regular market visitors?

I don’t really like to buy my fruit and veggies in the supermarket. However in my full-agenda-life in The Netherlands I used to do my shopping in a nearby ecological shop which offered products which looked fresh to me. Now I have some more time to fill in freely, I regularly visit a market. Which is easy since there is one on my doorstep every week.

Even in a big city as Milano markets are popular. I feel very happy when I pass by the colorful stalls offering mainly local (read: Italian) produce. And every time I visit a market I am amazed by the number of visitors it receives. It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is the lines in front of the stalls are always long.

It must be mentioned that the average age of a market visitor is (way) above mine. And that is reflected by the lines in the supermarket which emerge in the hours right after offices close. The in-house butcher makes a dash speed right before closing time by serving all under 40 working men and women.

Recently a national newspaper reported on the closure of many small shops. Not only the economic crisis, but also the high rental rates and the competing prices and convenience of big supermarkets and other retailers are fatal.

I agree that it takes some effort to visit a market. You need to be aware of the short opening hours. Thereby the market is – except when you live in a market addicted city as Milano – usually only once a week. And when the weather is not on your side, it might be a tough job to carry all your stuff home. But maybe you should take it in another way.

Did you ever hear the owner of the average supermarket hear you explain why he sells Dutch – in stead of Italian – potatoes? And did he teach you how to conserve best your carrots? Or did he give you a bag of apples for free because you are such an appreciated costumer? I guess not.

So maybe remember your young and vital age which enables you to carry some heavy bags and to walk around in the rain for an hour or so. Then think of all the hard working market men (which are usually a lot older than you are) waiting for you to hear the proud story of his home-grown eggplants or delicious nectarines.

Where do you go next time your fruit basket needs a fill-up?

How do you like it

Restaurants are plenty in Milano and choices are overwhelming. Of course there are the Italians offering food from all the different regions the country knows. The different pizza restaurants are one of them.

There are some stories about the origin of the pizza circling around. I think the most famous is the one of Margeritha the Savoy. The favorite pizza of this wealthy Italian woman is now known as the most simple version: pizza Margeritha. The dough is just covered with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil leaves.

Pizza used to be the food for the poor. Although it is still a cheap way to fill up, it is now eaten by many; no matter what age, what background and what income. Therefore the pizza itself or the place you can buy them could play an important role in creating a place where these people meet and get in contact with each other.  

Pizza is now available in many variations. Of course there is the well-known Napolitano which has a more soft dough. Then there is the Roman version with thin and crispy pizza dough. In Milano we also have the pizza al trancio, a so called pan pizza which is enough to fill six to eight persons. Therefore you can buy it al trancio which means no more than a piece.

Influenced by immigrants the Milanese can also buy Turkish pizza. Striking enough they couldn’t find an Italian name for this. The Turkish pizza is probably nothing different than the Turkish pizza you can eat in Germany, the Netherlands or any other European country. I don’t plan to try it any time soon.

Last but not least there is the pizza al asporto or the take away/home delivered pizza. Here you miss the fun of eating out. You just order it at whatever place you like (atmosphere doesn’t count here) and you can eat it wherever you like. Probably this is your home, but it could also be the office, at school or – when you’re lucky – in the park during sunset.

I guess you have to choose what you like most. 

Exhibitionism

One of the artworks made by  Gino di Maggio and Daniel Spoerri

There can be found many similarities and differences between Dutch and Italian eating habits. Lately I’ve become interested in the latter one.

As I’ve mentioned before Italians love to eat and made eating an important part of their daily rhythm. The Dutch and other inhabitants from Northern European countries also like to eat, but seem to value this in another way than their southern neighbors.

Milano hosts a lot of exhibitions. Some weeks ago I visited a mostre in the Palazzo Reale. The exhibition showed an overview of artworks made in Milano made in the tumultuous seventies. In those years Italy went through hard times with political struggle, an economic crisis and terrorist attacks. The artworks reacted on the events that happened during those years; pictures of demonstrations on the square in front of the Duomo, paintings discussing the relation between social events and the autonomy of an artist and poetry. One of the many works on display attracted me in particular.

Food has been an important topic of art for many decades. We know the still lives of fruit and game, see the importance of food in movies and like to look at beautiful decorated cakes at the bakery around the corner. But to make leftovers part of the work is something more exeptional.

Gino di Maggio and Daniel Spoerri created an artwork halfway the 1970’s that reminded me of some more recent, namely the Last Supper by Raul Ortega Ayala which was performed and exhibited at Stroom in the Dutch city of Den Haag in 2010. Both artworks showed the leftovers of a dinner which was eaten by a group of people which wasn’t familiar until they became the main actors of each particular artwork. Although the event itself – eating the dinner – was indispensable to create the artwork, it was the display of the leftovers of that event that became important for the audience.

Both artworks where performed and displayed in different countries. However, they seem to be almost similar in actions: a group of people - whether they know each other or not – sit around a table and focus on their meal and the discussions they can have with their table mates.

No matter how similar these to works seem to be, to me there is a big difference in the level of northern and southern European ‘food exhibitionism’. In the north, everyone just eats when they feel like, whether this is at a dining table, in the train or during a walk though the city. In the south you will hardly see anyone combining one of his meals with other activities besides having a conversation with the one he is joining his meal with.

Bravo for both artists who made the events – joining a dinner while seated at a table with others – such an important work of art in both countries!

Mangiare, mangiare, mangiare

Colazione, pranzo, aperativo, cena. Everything in Italy seems to be organized around food.

Before you go to work you'll have a caffé con brioche. At lunchtime you hook up with your colleagues or meet some friends to have a decent pranzo which usually consists out of a primo (pasta), a secondo (meat, fish or vegetables) all flushed away by some water or a vino della casa. If this hasn't been enough you can go out for an aperativo late afternoon or wait for diner time.

Even in Milano many shops - especially the small entrepreneurs - are closed from 13.00h to around 16.00h. To people from the north of Europe this might seem very old fashioned. For the Italians however this closure (or siesta as it is called in Spain) gives the entrepreneurs the opportunity to have a decent lunch. The decent lunch will enable them to go on until halfway the evening.

During the weekend lunch becomes even more important. On Sunday families or groups of friends go out together or meet each other in a ristorante or go for a picnic or barbecue in the countryside.

A few weeks ago me and my boyfriend went for a long hike up in the mountains near Bergamo. Since there was enough time we started somewhere around 300m and walked up to a rifugio a 1000m higher up. After a three hours walk - during which we hardly encountered any people - we reached the top. And we were amazed. Not only by the view but probably more by the fact that the hill-top and the field around the rifugio was packed by people eating polenta and drinking local wine.

This is Italy. Even when you don't expect it, you will find food and people enjoying it. Although people might be critical on the country and the way it has been governed in the last decennia we could all learn from their traditions in which food - and eating food in particular - has such an important role in daily live. After all  it is true that Mediterranean diet and life style makes people healthy and old. 

Keep it cool

August should be the hottest month of the Italian summer. Therefore many people choose to go out of the city to spend their holidays in the cooler mountains or near fresh sea breezes. But if you decide to stay in the city there are also many options to refresh yourself. Here you will find some suggestions.

The Italians are famous for their ice cream. Not only tourist but also the Italians themselves love to eat them. And it can be eaten almost every time of the day. Whether it is hot or cold an ice cream get's the pain away. Lately I've read this amazing sentence saying: You can't buy happiness but you can buy ice cream. And that's almost the same.

Besides ice cream the Italians made a wonderful invention called granita. The price of this fluid ice drink rises with the quality. But if you know where to go, you can spoil yourself and your friends with any flavor you like and be sure that you can stand the heat for a couple of hours more.

If you don't fancy a cold stomach than you can decide to stay on one of the many terraces along the streets which usually offer shaded seats. Sit down and have a caffé of - when you feel like you need to relax - take a beer or a spritz. A visit to a terrace could be as long as you want.  It can take 10 minutes when you only have a caffé up to some hours when it's late afternoon and you decide to fill-up with an aperativo.

If all these options are not enough to cool you down I suggest you head for the centre of Milano or any other touristic spot in the country and find a terrace with human vaporizers. You maybe won't believe it but - even in this period in which we live in a economic crisis and seem to head for a climate crisis - there is someone who invented these vaporizers cooling down people like they are vegetables in the supermarket.

I rather choose one of the first. 

Graffiti

What has graffiti to do with food? I’ll tell you within a few moments.

Milano has a good source of bars, cafes and restaurants. During the day it brings the streets alive sending out all kind of smells. To me it is very nice to walk or cycle around the city and recognize by the smell that a coffee bar is close by. This is Italy to me!

The country (once) dominated by the mafia wants to be safe. Most banks have a security guard wearing a Teflon vest walking around all day. Also shops – no matter what they sell – have shutters on the shop fronts as if they are jewelry stores offering unique diamonds. You almost start to wonder if they really only sell bread.

The closed-off shops make streets deserted. Especially on Sundays when shops are closed and during August when most Milanese have gone out of the hot city into the countryside or to some seaside resort. But the closed of plinths has inspired some to exhibit their creativity and demonstrate the content of the shop.

So this time period of the year, when the city is not very lively at all and when its hard to find a coffee bar or a place to eat, you have to feed yourself with the joy of art. 

Stranieri a Milano

I am a stranger in Milano now. And although I don't now many people yet I know I am not alone. For at least half a year I am going to live in this new city in a another country. Even though it is still Europe and only an hour and a half from where I used to live, I think I am going to see and experience a lot of new things. You will read them from the eyes of Food in the Streets.

Italy is well-known for its food culture. Although it is not completely sure where the country did get its pasta from and who invented the pizza Margherita, it is there and we all know this. The Italians are proud of their kitchen and love to enjoy it during pranzo or for dinners after work. Mamma's are cherished like they are true goddesses of the kitchen. Although big fast food restaurants exist - and Italians even seem to eat there these days - I am sure they know what's good and what's not.

In my first weeks in these city I've already encountered a lot of interesting places. My apartment is situated in an area which used to be full of industries. In the beginning of the last century it became part of the Comune di Milano. From then the rough village slowly turned into a vivid quarter of the city full of bars offering tavola fredda/calda (cold and hot plates), restaurants and pizzerias.

As in many cities, Milano has a lot of immigrants. Now I am one of them. As you might know immigrants bring their own culture and adapt it to their new 'home'. Not only does it make them feel more comfortable in a place they are not used to. It also gives them the opportunity to show their culture to 'autochthones'.

Milano is one of the more wealthier cities in Italy. This attracts people looking for opportunities. One can therefore find a lot of restaurants offering food from all over the world: there is turkish kebap (strangely enough they haven't found and Italian name for this), ristorante cinese (Chinees) and Giapponese (Japanese). Off course the Italians have found out that there is more to explore than their own beautiful kitchen and therefore these restaurants are really popular too.

One straniero/-a was very brave  and found his/her way into the Italian kitchen. This person dared to open a pizzeria you can see on the picture above. Would an Italian ever dare to visit this?

Bored by beauty

How to prepare a  decent pasta in such a small kitchen

Holiday time! I will take a break next week. Not just to celebrate holiday. I will move to another country. The next time the blog will be written from Milan. Another city means another perspective on Food in the Streets.

The Italians love food. Not in a way that they eat all that is available. No. They know about quality food, locally produced and well prepared. And they know when to eat what.

After food comes television. The Italians love drama. Not only in real live, but preferably on television. Weekly shows are hosted by charming old men who are helped by pretty long legged ladies. We all know about the former president owning a national TV channel.

I am really sure about the cooking qualities of the Italian cooks. But after many visits to websites offering apartments I am not sure about the cooking qualities of the rest of the Italians anymore. I know there are the mamma’s preparing perfect pasta’s. But what about the others?

While looking for an apartment I’ve seen a whole range of kitchens. Going from very small kitchens only foreseeing in a microwave and a two pits electric cooking stove cramped in a corner of the apartment to well equipped kitchens with the size of a small living room. But no matter what type of kitchen it was all of them had a television in or very close to the kitchen.

Off course I know it takes a while for the mamma’s sauce to become as delicious as I like it. She spends hours and hours in the kitchen stirring in a pan every once and a while. And even though I am fascinated by the product they prepare for them it seems to be boring to prepare it. Is this why they have a television for some entertainment?

You will find out more about my experiences with the Italians in the comings months. Enjoy summer holiday!

Dumped

Dutch farmers will bring their surpluses to local food pantries

I mentioned already that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was meant to make sure the Europeans had enough food but worked so ‘well’ that it caused surpluses. During the last decennia some changes in the policy where made to avoid overproduction. It should have caused the European farmers producing enough food to feed their own inhabitants. But nothing is more true than that.

We live in a (officially) capitalist union. When the market wants more, the price will rise. When the price rises, production grows and finally prices can go down again.

Despite the CAP and some protective measurements described by the European Union farmers still have to compete with their colleagues producing goods for prices way below theirs. As long as fuel stays below a certain price and the European wages stay high, it is cheaper to import beans, potatoes, unions and the like from far away countries than producing them ourselves.

These exotic products are a serious threat to the European agriculture. Products produced with a lot of love and efforts are worthless since they are too expensive for the conscious consumer.

Price is just relative. One product can be more expensive than the similar looking one next to it but that won’t say that it will give the producer a better price. A ‘cheaper’ potato from Egypt might have become cheap because of taxes or development money enabling the producer to compete with the EU farmers.

I won’t say you only have to buy produce from your own country even though there are many reasons to do so. I just want to make you aware that the prices on display are not always the real prices. Think twice before you choose.

Food for thought

Vote with your fork! It seems easier to say this than to practice. I guess sometimes you feel really happy when you come home with a bag of locally produced quality food while at other moments you are really content that you have a full bag of foodshopping for almost no costs. What is best to do?

Food is really important in our society. Most of will will probably take the availability for granted. They don’t realize that many is involved to make, transport and sell it. And it is not just an act of commerce. Most of it is politics.

In Europe we have the so called Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This policy is made right after WWII. In this war many Europeans suffered from famine. A period which shouldn’t overcome us again – the EU commission thought. Then a policy was made aimed at producing big amounts of food which would be available at reasonable prices.

This policy functioned so well, that Europe produced way more than it could eat. Surpluses where dumped on the world market for prices way under local market value.  This meant disruption of trade and a lot of waste which we cannot accept in times when sources get scarce. Politicians also became aware of this fact and decided to adapt the policy plan to more up-to-date information. This happened a few times more during the fifty years of the existence of CAP.

Now you will guess what it has to do with foodinthestreets? Well, this policy is responsible for the way most Europeans eat. Apart from some brave small farmers which have decided to go their own way, many adapt their business operation to the policy. Because this means they could receive grants which means at least a basic income.

At this moment the Common Agricultural Policy is a point of discussion again. The policy plan should be renewed by the beginning of 2013 so that the EU member states could start the implementation of the new guidelines. But things are difficult and – as always - a lot of discussion is involved. The plan might not be ready by the end of this year.

Here is your chance to get involved. EU citizens could have a vote in the new CAP plans too. If you think we need more organic food in the supermarket, then ask for it. If you want the farmers to stop using antibiotics, tell them. If you see rural development as an important counterpart of the urbanization, let your (local) government know.

Yes you can vote with your fork! Want to know more? Check here.