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fandomhigh2024-09-16 09:48 pm
carbsliftthespirit) wrote in fandomhigh2024-09-16 09:48 pm
Food & Cultural Appreciation, Tuesday Third Period
"All right, guys," Raiden told his students, "today we're heading to beautiful Rome, Italy, where it should be cloudy and in the mid-sixties when we arrive, if my weather app hasn't lied to me. We will be arriving in the evening and going on a bit of a food tour, because unlike Singapore, Rome hasn't conveniently put all the delicious food in one place for us.
"Rome, for those of you who might not be familiar, is the capital of Italy, and was in ancient times the capital of the Roman empire, which at its largest stretched from Britain in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east, and from, well, Britain in the north to Egypt in the south. It's also the home to the Vatican, the headquarters of the Catholic church, but I'm not going to go into all of that. The point is that Rome has a long and storied history. I understand that some of you may have already been to Rome recently with Professor Beniko, but it's the kind of place that's worth a second look." With your stomach.
"I'm not going to say Roman food hasn't taken influences from different cultures--like the rest of Italy, they happily adopted the noodle and the tomato when they got access to them--but also like the rest of Italy, the food here is very regional, using the ingredients that are available in the area and focusing on traditional preparations. Pecorino Romano, a sheep's milk cheese, is more common here than the cow's milk Parmigiano Reggiano, which comes from Parma. Artichokes, for example, grow very well here, and when they're in season you'll see a lot of dishes using them, especially a Jewish preparation where they're deep-fried. Delicious. Offal is also traditionally common in Roman cuisine, and it's worth giving a try, but I think our itinerary will be skipping it tonight." Some of you might be more disappointed than others.
"Of course you can't talk about Italy without talking about pasta! Fettuccine Alfredo was invented here, but it's not common or popular the way it is in the United States. Instead, here you'll find bucatini all'amatriciana--that's a sauce made with tomatoes, guanciale, which is cured pork cheek, kinda like bacon, and that pecorino romano cheese we talked about--or cacio e pepe, a very simple preparation of pecorino romano and black pepper, or spaghetti alla carbonara, which is made with guanciale or pancetta, pecorino romano, black pepper, and eggs. You can't go wrong with any of 'em. Pizza in Rome comes in two forms. If you order a round pie at a restaurant, it'll typically have a very thin, almost cracker-like crust, where if you get the kind of pizza we're going to be having tonight, pizza al taglio, it comes by the slice, with a thicker, focaccia-style crust. Of course we'll also be trying some delicious gelato, and then we're gonna split off from the food tour to try another dessert, tiramisu, if you've got room." Be strong. It was gonna be worth it. "Sadly we're here at the wrong time of day for maritozzi, which are brioche buns filled with fresh whipped cream--so simple, so good--but if you're ever back in Rome during the day, I would encourage you to seek one out.
"Now, the drinking age in Rome is eighteen, and Italy is known for its wine, so I'm not gonna tell anybody what to do." That would go against Gluttony. "Anybody wants to have a few sips, I fully support that. Just make good choices, okay?" Not singling anybody out here. "All right! Let's head to the Eternal City and see what she's got for us today. Uh, tonight. You know what I mean."
"Rome, for those of you who might not be familiar, is the capital of Italy, and was in ancient times the capital of the Roman empire, which at its largest stretched from Britain in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east, and from, well, Britain in the north to Egypt in the south. It's also the home to the Vatican, the headquarters of the Catholic church, but I'm not going to go into all of that. The point is that Rome has a long and storied history. I understand that some of you may have already been to Rome recently with Professor Beniko, but it's the kind of place that's worth a second look." With your stomach.
"I'm not going to say Roman food hasn't taken influences from different cultures--like the rest of Italy, they happily adopted the noodle and the tomato when they got access to them--but also like the rest of Italy, the food here is very regional, using the ingredients that are available in the area and focusing on traditional preparations. Pecorino Romano, a sheep's milk cheese, is more common here than the cow's milk Parmigiano Reggiano, which comes from Parma. Artichokes, for example, grow very well here, and when they're in season you'll see a lot of dishes using them, especially a Jewish preparation where they're deep-fried. Delicious. Offal is also traditionally common in Roman cuisine, and it's worth giving a try, but I think our itinerary will be skipping it tonight." Some of you might be more disappointed than others.
"Of course you can't talk about Italy without talking about pasta! Fettuccine Alfredo was invented here, but it's not common or popular the way it is in the United States. Instead, here you'll find bucatini all'amatriciana--that's a sauce made with tomatoes, guanciale, which is cured pork cheek, kinda like bacon, and that pecorino romano cheese we talked about--or cacio e pepe, a very simple preparation of pecorino romano and black pepper, or spaghetti alla carbonara, which is made with guanciale or pancetta, pecorino romano, black pepper, and eggs. You can't go wrong with any of 'em. Pizza in Rome comes in two forms. If you order a round pie at a restaurant, it'll typically have a very thin, almost cracker-like crust, where if you get the kind of pizza we're going to be having tonight, pizza al taglio, it comes by the slice, with a thicker, focaccia-style crust. Of course we'll also be trying some delicious gelato, and then we're gonna split off from the food tour to try another dessert, tiramisu, if you've got room." Be strong. It was gonna be worth it. "Sadly we're here at the wrong time of day for maritozzi, which are brioche buns filled with fresh whipped cream--so simple, so good--but if you're ever back in Rome during the day, I would encourage you to seek one out.
"Now, the drinking age in Rome is eighteen, and Italy is known for its wine, so I'm not gonna tell anybody what to do." That would go against Gluttony. "Anybody wants to have a few sips, I fully support that. Just make good choices, okay?" Not singling anybody out here. "All right! Let's head to the Eternal City and see what she's got for us today. Uh, tonight. You know what I mean."
Re: Rome!
"I mean, vacations aren't the worst thing to look into either," she said. "What was the context?"
Re: Rome!
"Mmm," Lydia tried to remember. It was so hard to remember when she was full of delicious food, though. "I told her I was from 1810, and she asked if I'd heard of this thing, and then suggested I talk to the clinic...?"
Re: Rome!
"The medical clinic?" Arden asked, frowning. Then her eyes went wide. "Why would she--oh! Vaccinations! Oh! Shit! No, she's right. That should be a thing we warn everyone from different worlds and times about." A pause. "...Fuck, I wonder if I'm missing vaccines."
Didn't you get most of them as a little baby or something...?
Re: Rome!
What?
Re: Rome!
Sorry, Professor Not-The-Rich-One-Stark. But Arden hadn't heard anything about a real-life medical degree in your background.
"We could also ask Dr. Blake to check in?"
Re: Rome!
for some mysterious reason," Lydia said, "but if you think he would be able to help, that might be a good idea." Even if she still didn't know what a vaccination was. She was really going to have to ask her phone at this rate. (Please not TikTok, Lydia.)"Have you bought anything good? I must confess I'm not much of a cook, but the food here makes me want to try." Or to shove bread slathered in pesto in her mouth and call it a meal. That was allowed, right?
Re: Rome!
"It will," she said. "Vaccinations help you not get a ton of diseases, like..." Shit, what were old-timey diseases? "Measles and, uh, smallpox and stuff."
...Close, Arden. You didn't need smallpox vaccines anymore. BECAUSE OF SMALLPOX VACCINES.
"Okay, okay, but Lydia, have you considered...take out?" Sorry Miss Lambe, for that sudden jump in Lydia's expenses. "Il Pollo is right there on the island."
Not as good as food in, y'know, Rome, but with less effort on Lydia's part.
Re: Rome!
Re: Rome!
She pulled out her phone to get a list to show Lydia. "Like, they give a bunch of these to newborns, even, cause I guess a bunch of babies don't normally survive till one...?"
Yeah, Arden. Lydia knew.
"Dipheria, pertussis...mumps? Is that a real thing?" She shrugged. "I haven't even heard of most of these. Oh shit, there are some you get at eleven and older? I need to get those, too."
Being a sylph, Arden didn't even know if she could get these. But why take stupid chances?
Re: Rome!
Re: Rome!
"Yeah," Arden said, leaning over to give Lydia a hug if she wanted. "You wanna go together? Since I guess I'm due for some, too?"
Re: Rome!
They were just going to poke her with a needle and then she wouldn't get smallpox? That couldn't possibly be correct. If it was that simple why would anyone ever not get vaccinated?
Re: Rome!
"I'm pretty sure we just walk into the clinic sometime and ask if we could get a full suite of vaccinations," Arden said. "You might have to go a few times, cause some have to be spaced out and they might not wanna give you a million at once? And then your arms'll be sore for a few days and you might sleep a lot or feel really sick, but then...yeah, bang. Immune."
She started poking at her phone again. "...Huh."
Re: Rome!
Re: Rome!
Which, you know, sucked still for folks in Lydia's time, but wasn't that good to know? That one day it couldn't hurt anyone anymore?
Re: Rome!
Her whole family was getting vaccinated whether they knew it or not.
Re: Rome!
"Oh!" she said. "Ellie! Eleanor's from the 60s! And if you go to visit her, the portal will bring you back to her time easy-peasy! And we'll get you vaxxed and safe from smallpox, too!"
And then set up some kind of heist to mug a clinic for enough doses of the vaccine for Lydia to inoculate her whole family and probably a couple of people on the side, too.