If there's one thing I learned while living in Florence, it's that I will never truly be satisfied anymore when eating Italian soul food. Although I have a long lineage of great Italian cooks in my family, nothing compares to the real thing. Only a true, born and raised Italian can cook like an Italian; everything else is purely imitation.
I studied abroad in Florence, Tuscany and took a course in food in wine pairing. This experience was purely for my own experience rather than a school requirement so I chose to take a course I'd enjoy. Giancarlo Russo was the instructor for my course and I wish I could have brought him back in my suitcase. Not only was he a great teacher, but he was also the best chef I have ever met. He has traveled in Europe, Asia and the Americas and has learned how to create all types of amazing delicacies.
Although he was well versed in several types of cuisine, we focused on Italian (specifically Tuscan) cooking. We made all types of dishes, spaghetti alle vongole or spaghetti with clam sauce, spaghetti alla carbonara, pappa al pomodoro or potato tomato soup and much more. One of the lessons he stressed most to the class was that Italian olive oil is good for you. As nave Americans, we assumed it's oil, so it must be inherently unhealthy. However, Giancarlo made it very clear that it is one of the few oils that can be consumed daily and actually benefit your health.
Being skeptical still, I decided to do a little more research on the subject. As a result, he was right! In an article published by the Global Healing Center, titled, "The Health Benefits of Olive Oil" Dr. Group lists the benefits of consuming it and six uses other than cooking. Unaprol, an Italian company, produces a premium product that is packed with antioxidants and Vitamin E. Their website also lends some more information to the topic of how this is an advantageous product.
My face spoke all the things I was thinking when Giancarlo drowned my pappa al pomodoro (that I had worked so hard on) in olive oil. "Trust Tio Giancarlo, trust" he would say numerous times throughout the summer. Eventually I did learn to trust that crazy yet adorable, old man.
I studied abroad in Florence, Tuscany and took a course in food in wine pairing. This experience was purely for my own experience rather than a school requirement so I chose to take a course I'd enjoy. Giancarlo Russo was the instructor for my course and I wish I could have brought him back in my suitcase. Not only was he a great teacher, but he was also the best chef I have ever met. He has traveled in Europe, Asia and the Americas and has learned how to create all types of amazing delicacies.
Although he was well versed in several types of cuisine, we focused on Italian (specifically Tuscan) cooking. We made all types of dishes, spaghetti alle vongole or spaghetti with clam sauce, spaghetti alla carbonara, pappa al pomodoro or potato tomato soup and much more. One of the lessons he stressed most to the class was that Italian olive oil is good for you. As nave Americans, we assumed it's oil, so it must be inherently unhealthy. However, Giancarlo made it very clear that it is one of the few oils that can be consumed daily and actually benefit your health.
Being skeptical still, I decided to do a little more research on the subject. As a result, he was right! In an article published by the Global Healing Center, titled, "The Health Benefits of Olive Oil" Dr. Group lists the benefits of consuming it and six uses other than cooking. Unaprol, an Italian company, produces a premium product that is packed with antioxidants and Vitamin E. Their website also lends some more information to the topic of how this is an advantageous product.
My face spoke all the things I was thinking when Giancarlo drowned my pappa al pomodoro (that I had worked so hard on) in olive oil. "Trust Tio Giancarlo, trust" he would say numerous times throughout the summer. Eventually I did learn to trust that crazy yet adorable, old man.
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For further details related to olive oil, for Italian cooking or otherwise, please contact Unaprol.
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