Snippets from the Italian Scene
Urban Legends in the Making
Sorry to send out two newsletters closely spaced, but I'm making up for lost time. How many of you have had your cars stolen? This has nothing to do with Italian food, but does have something to do with me -- when my father died I inherited his Fiat 500, a car shaped something like a VW bug but half the size. It was perfect for city driving because you could park it anywhere, while its maneuverability made it excellent for avoiding the obstacles in horrible dirt roads. So what if it could only break 50 mph going downhill; speed's not everything. Unfortunately, its locks were the kind that surrender to a nail file, and though we used a steering column lock it got stolen -- twice. The first time it was recovered intact near a gypsy camp, but the second time it was totaled. So I couldn't help but feel a certain fascination at a recent newspaper article about a Florentine artisan who built a spring-loaded razorblade-guillotine gismo and slid it under the dash amidst the wiring the third time his car radio was stolen. He was at a bar when the screams began, and according to the article he finished his coffee before strolling out to join the crowd contemplating the fingertips the thief left behind -- along with the new radio. Apparently the police are now keeping an eye on the guy, lest the thief's friends decide to extract revenge. Though I'm not sure I believe it, it does make a good story.
Thoughts on Italian food
On Italian wine
On
living in Italy
Send a card from the
Italian Cuisine Post Office, or browse the photos!
