On the eve of our wedding in 2008, I told every relative and friend who flew in to attend the wedding, asking them to bring a handful of rice from Taiwan Province Province. There is a special custom at the wedding in Guo Yi: When the newlyweds walk out of the auditorium, the guests attending the ceremony will sprinkle a handful of white rice on the newlyweds, wishing them a full house of children and grandchildren in the future. ? Italy's "rice custom"
Rice plays an important role in the customs of Taiwan Province province: in the wedding ceremony, rice screen is used to block the sun to avoid haste, and rice screen is also used to seal the door to prevent the loss of good luck; For Italians, rice symbolizes abundance, wealth and prosperity. A lot of uncooked rice will be sprinkled on the couple, which represents the guests' full blessing to the bride and groom.
This tradition is unusual for the daughter-in-law of a Taiwan Province girl who grew up eating rice: braised pork rice, rice bowl rice cake, mushroom oil rice, moss rice and fried rice in Taiwan Province Province, each hometown flavor not only satisfies the appetite during the growing process, but also soothes the soul. When you get married happily in a foreign country, you can get Sami's blessing. Of course, you should use the sunshine, air and water in Taiwan Province Province to cultivate good rice. The custom of Misha in Italy is inherited from ancient Greece. In this inherited culture, rice is a symbol of happiness, representing a full house for children and grandchildren. At that time, people would sacrifice rice or wheat in the temple of Demeter, the goddess of grain, to pray for a bumper harvest; This tradition continues from the temple to the wedding, and guest Sammy wishes the couple fruitful results. Another story tells the story of a "good man" from China: In the famine years, a good man pulled out his lower teeth and scattered them in the wilderness, and later planted rice to help everyone through the disaster years.
Italy's "rice history" Some people say that rice is a souvenir brought back from Asia by Alexander the Great, who pioneered the territory. It is said that in the Middle Ages, when Arabs occupied Sicily, they introduced rice from West Asia to Italy. The third possibility is the shrewd Venetian businessmen, who let rice take root in Europe in the process of East-West trade. No matter how different opinions are, food historians generally believe that rice originated in China and was introduced to Italy via India. Coincidentally, the varieties introduced into Boot Peninsula have the same pedigree as Penglai rice in Taiwan Province Province, all of which are plump and chubby with Q-shaped kernels.
During the Roman period, rice was regarded as a precious "imported commodity", which was scarce and only lived among princes and nobles, and was regarded as food for health preservation and treatment. What is recorded in the Oxford Italian Cuisine Guide compiled by Oxford University? Romans also ate porridge, boiled white rice until it was soft, and then added almond syrup or milk. It is said that this can relieve the stomach. I can't help but think of Cantonese porridge cooked with Italian rice and share it with my in-laws. Dare not give more, a small bowl, I don't expect them to say delicious at all. At that time, I had no idea that Italians had the habit of eating porridge. I was worried that they could not accept "foreign food." After eating, my mother-in-law told me excitedly that this porridge is just like what my mother made for her when she was sick when she was a child: the bone soup is sweet, the rice is soft and rotten, simple and simple, but full of aroma. The foreign daughter-in-law cooked the "mother's taste" in her mother-in-law's memory, which added another similarity between Taiwan Province Province and Yida. I was really moved.
Italy's rice producing areas are mainly located in Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto in the north. Clear water comes from the Alps and flows into the Po River, which winds through Yi Bei. Nearly 700 kilometers of river trunk lines are equipped with well-planned canal channels to fully irrigate fertile fields, which are cultivated from April to May and harvested in September and 10 every year. Over the years, Bohe Plain has produced high-quality rice.
Italian food based on rice is ever-changing, salty and sweet. From warm soup in winter to refreshing rice salad in summer, braised rice is one of the stars. Supplement 6
Italian rice with the number * * * is classified according to the size (length) of rice grains: une is short and fat, with the smallest rice grains, and is usually used for porridge or dessert. Semifino is a little bigger, and the representative variety is "Vianone Nano", which is just right for making rice balls or fried rice balls. The standard grade (fino) is slightly larger, which is resistant to cooking and firm in taste, and is suitable for making rice salad as an appetizer in summer. Superfino's grain is large and slender, which is the best rice for stews. The most famous variety is "Canaroli", which is known as "Ferrari in rice field", and the top delicacy is self-evident. Another variety, Arborio, also belongs to the slender class and is called pearl rice. Although its water absorption is slightly weak, its strong taste is not diminished at all. It is also suitable for braised rice, and the price is close to the people.
Everyone loves risotto. Do you know there are braised rice in the opera?
The Italian composer Rossini's work Tancredi describes the love story in the bonfire era with the Crusade as the background. Among them, the beautiful aria Di tanti palpiti was composed by Rossini when he was about to debut at the age of 20, when he was cooking stew. The beautiful melody is widely sung, and this work, dubbed "Braised Rice Play" by later generations, made him an instant hit in Europe.
Three main rice producing areas in Yi Bei have developed different braised rice dishes with local special ingredients. In Piedmont, the hometown of truffles and barolo, these two top ingredients are mixed into braised rice, which makes the meal valuable. When you come to Venice, a tourist resort in Venice, you can't miss the comprehensive seafood braised rice and squid ink braised rice, which are the queen of local dishes: the former gathers fresh fish and rice in one dish, and the latter is deeply loved by the public because of its special flavor. The risotto is golden in color and is known as the "king of braised rice". It is said that during the construction of Milan Cathedral in the16th century, saffron was used to color the Great cathedral glass. A crude craftsman accidentally spilled this Huang Chengcheng dye into rice, which made rice a classic food.
Just as Taiwan Province Province will eat rice cakes in the New Year, Zongzi will be delicious during the Dragon Boat Festival, and men will eat fried rice at the full moon, rice food is indispensable in various Italian festivals.
One Christmas, I was invited to visit a friend's house in Venice. The eel stew on the table still lingered in my mind: the southern coast of Venice is the origin of eels, and wild eels come back every autumn and winter. The meat is firm but not greasy, so it is a good ingredient in season. My friend's old mother is an expert in handling eels, and her skills are extraordinary. The following description happened in a few seconds: she copied a long and thick nail. "I mercilessly fixed the swaying eel head on the chopping block, grabbed the struggling eel tail in my left hand and held a sharp knife in my right hand, and suddenly the white light flashed.
After the eel is peeled and cut into pieces, immediately put it into the pot and stir-fry it to lock its delicious taste and bring out a crisp taste. Finally, add the stewed rice and cook it together. To cook this dish, you must use old rice, which is highly absorbent. In the cooking process, it is necessary to absorb the fresh oil of eel and the sweetness of vegetable soup, and enhance the taste in a pleasant atmosphere.
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Eating Italy: Land, dining table and human feelings meet in an instant. Author: Yang Furu
Publishing House: Time Publishing House