There has to be something said for the architecture of Europe. I’m probably not the person to say it since my knowledge is so limited, but I’m certainly learning to enjoy it. How could you NOT enjoy this view, especially when I can just wander out to this setting during a break in classes?
I needed a bit of fresh air before heading into our first class on Cheese Technology. Our instructor figures we need to know about peptides, enzymes, proteins and other essential scientific elements before we can even begin to comprehend how cheese is made. I agree, and although chemistry is not my strong point, by the end of the class I began to see how all of the concepts he was explaining have some sort of relevance to cheese making.
I also thought: Hundreds of years ago before the science, people made cheese without all of this knowledge. They just did it the way they figured it worked best. Of course, there was probably a lot of bad cheese made before the good stuff came along. The science helps get you the results you want in a consistent fashion…although some of cheesemakers I know will howl, ‘but sometimes the science doesn’t work!’
So Cheese 101 wrapped up our first week, and it was off to Parma for a night of exploration. Well, mostly a night of drinking. My classmate Betsy and I were going to cab it in to meet some others at 10pm in the Piazza Garibaldi, the main square of the city. Sustenance came beforehand via a vegetarian pasta made with onion, zucchini, and tomatoes. Betsy helped with the chopping, Yumi put together some mozzarella and breasola (air-cured beef) and Andy took the photo and cleaned up. (he’s great at cleaning up, thanks, roomie!)
Getting a taxi from Colorno to Parma on Friday night is not easy, we discovered, and had to walk all the way into town and beg some cafe staff to call one for us. Which arrived about 25 minutes later, at which point the driver stopped for an espresso and a bathroom break before we actually got under way. Viva Italia! At least the time gave us an opportunity to start drinking, which we didn’t stop doing until some hours later. (not that I got drunk or anything)
Piazza Garibaldi was wonderful, our classmates were easily found, and we saw that a huge Christmas tree had been erected but not yet decorated. It was a little damp as we started out, but it didn’t dampen our spirits…because of course we just consumed more spirits. I’m trying to make a point of always checking out the people who work at the bars to admire their amazing efficiency, and the interiors of these places which are loaded with so much history.
I guess we hit three different places this evening, don’t ask me the names of any of them. At the second place we all sat around a huge table and ordered bottles of prosecco and red wine, for which we had to contribute the princely sum of 4 Euros each. I was quite happy with the evening, which ended with another taxi ride back to Colorno around 3am, as I had been feeling a little bagged before starting out, but held out well for an old guy. Did I mention I’m one of the oldest students in the class?
