Eat Like an Italian

To say that Italians like to eat would be to say that Hailey just likes her vitamins. No, Italians love to eat, and they take special pleasure in savoring their meals. I know this because I’m Italian, and I’ve eaten enough meals in Italy to know how long it can take to get through a typical dinner. It’s true. Each course is ordered and brought out separately with time to spare in between. Usually there are 4-6 courses, and the whole ordeal (I mean extravaganza) can last 2-4 hours. Of course, the time speeds by because you are enjoying lovely company and the most delicious food you’ve ever had in your whole life.

Hailey eats in a similar manner. For example, she may eat an entire bowl of spaghetti one noodle at a time. If she’s having salad, then each piece of lettuce must be dipped in salad dressing and eaten separately. Cherry tomatoes are quite possibly the most complicated because they require her to pick up the tomato with her hand and place it on the flat part of her fork then balance it there until it reaches her mouth. Should the tomato fall off, the procedure must start over from the beginning. Not surprisingly, peas undergo the same process, but there are obviously more of them, which only adds extra time as she balances each pea separately.

Of course, this whole eating process must be constantly interrupted by stories and anecdotes about anything and everything. The number of times that we must remind her to “keep eating” warrants us keeping a tape recorder at the table. Oh, forget it, Luke’s already building me an iPhone app so that I can just push the “keep eating” button. Or perhaps, I should take a clue from the Italians and enjoy spending that special time with my child every day. Now who is going to make me the delicious Italian food that makes it all worthwhile???

PS: Answer to Chinese Astrology Riddle – Snake = Alisa; Dog = Hailey; Tiger = Luke