Where's the Walmart?

So this weekend, the girls and I decided to try to find the Coop (pronounced Co-Op, not like a chicken coop) which is basically the local grocery store/ notsosuper Walmart. After paying 22.50 Euro for some lotion, I was ready to climb just about anything for a cheaper option. We were ready to go by 8:15 am (on a Saturday!) and began our trek down the masive hill that is Castiglion. We dicovered that there hardly any side walks anywhere, and cars will go anywhere and play chicken with anything. I'm still waiting to see someone get hit as the little Fiats whiz down narrow curvy medieval alleyways at 50 mph. Our first stop on the trip was a cafe called "La Perla". Their pasteries and cappiccino were AMAZING...and only 1.80 euro! After our bellies were full we set out to navigate through round-abouts (which were supposedly recently installed and no one can figure out how they work in Italy...like anyone in the USA know how to drive through them either) to find the Coop. It turned out to basically be the size of an Aldi...a really small Aldi. Oh, and you have to bring your own plasic bag or buy it from them. I'm starting to think the rooms of walmart trash bags I've accumulated over the years may be a sign of wealth here. Inside we looked for some snacks and I wanted juice. I stood infront of an area where there seemed to be bottled orange juice, lemonade, tea, etc. The three different juices in front of me looked funny, so I chose the least off color one. Once outside I openned the bottle right away and fizzzzz...shoot. Carbonated Juice. It wasn't bad, but not what I was looking for.

Later we wanted to get lunch, but all of Italy shuts down from 1-4 (or 12-4 in this town). Houston we have a problem. Because I'm lazy, I'm stealing the story of our next adventure from Cara. Enjoy-

Today I ate like an Italian.  Before I let you know what I ate, because that’s obviously what we’re all here for, you must understand the Italian’s schedule.  Shops and restaurants open in the morning until about noon.  Then they close from about 1-4, so that the shopkeepers and workers can go home and have a three hour lunch/siesta.  Today, we had planned on going to the café in the morning (where I successfully ordered a pastry and hot chocolate), walking to the store at the bottom of the hill to get some groceries before the siesta, and making it back up the hill for a pezzi di pizza (piece of pizza).  Unfortunately in our small town, siesta starts earlier than we expected, so the only place we found open was a restaurant called Ristorante da Muzzicone.  It is owned by an old, chain-smoking Italian named Tugli.  He opened the door for us and let us know that it was “Apresto,” or open for you uncultured Kansans. 

When we entered, we saw that it was clearly a nicer place - every table set with tablecloths, wine glasses at each seat, everything you would expect in a nicer restaurant.  He didn’t speak English, so we tried our best to ask about the costs.  He brought us a poster that had the menu on it and showed that it was going to be 25 euro/person for an appetizer, pasta, meat, dessert, wine, water, and coffee if you so choose.  It was the type of menu where you pay to eat what he is making that day or you don’t eat there at all.  He saw that we were very hesitant (because we only wanted a light lunch that didn’t cost much), so after we deliberated a while if we should stay or not, he told us he would feed the whole table but only charge for 5 plates (there were 8 of us). We decided to accept that and just take it as an experience. 

The meal began, naturally, with wine – Il Rosso 12.  He brought out some bread and we got comfortable in our seats.  After a while, he brought out the antipasti, which was a meat tray of prosciutto, sliced salami as well as thin deli-like pieces of salami.  Next, he brought out a tray of noodles covered in a cheesy cream sauce with small pieces of bacon in it.  Oh. My. Goodness.  DELICIOSO!  Kelsey had three servings. I held back with just two servings, and needed some digestion time before the next course.  This was by far my favorite dish so far.

After drinking more wine and talking about life, the main course was brought out.  Slices of cooked meat soaking in olive oil and vinaigrette, covered with what I thought was a pine tree at first, but turned out to be rosemary.  Pretty tasty once again!  Finally came our first real dessert this semester – tiramisu.  We learned from our Italian teacher that tiramisu means “lift me up.”  This is because it was originally used for people who are sick, because it helps give them energy.  It was molto bene!  I hate coffee, but despite the espresso taste this dessert was super. 

Enough about the food and on to more interesting things.  This restaurant is a family business.  The owner just sat at a table and drank wine and smoked the whole time we were there.  He would be a very intimidating person if you came across him in a dark alley, but if you are friendly to him, he is friendly to you.  In the middle of our lunch, we noticed a bit of a quarrel between a waiter and another man dining there.  Apparently he didn’t like the cost of the meal, and was complaining.  The man eventually went to the owner and they were yelling at each other in Italian.  Tugli told the man to get out of his restaurant and never come back, plus a nice “F.. you!” in English.  The man left without paying, but I am positive he is going to be dead by the end of the night.  Good thing we tipped Tugli well, because thanks to the Godfather I now know that if you are in with the mafia and don’t wrong them they won’t kill you.  We’re in the clear.