All this and much more was learned in a
Roman kitchen, where through the wide
window one saw roses climbing high, and
heard the nightingales at evening. It was
not American housekeeping, since Angelo
presided, — Angelo born in Ravenna, and
drifting to Rome as so many do; Angelo
the ever-ready, with his gentle eyes and swift
silence of service, and a voice so sweet that
it could hardly speak too often. Cook,
waiter, major-domo in general, how he cared
for the two Americans who played at house-
keeping in those charmed days in Rome!
A great child in simplicity and gentleness,
yet so wise for all emergencies! How he
guarded the family purse, making every
penny do its utmost ! How his face fell if
by any chance he feared full satisfaction had
not been given, and how it lighted at every
little recognition! Italian servants are
counted as thriftless, untrustworthy, and
dishonest, but this is much as one takes
them. It is certain that they love a bargain,
ITALY. 87
that they take advantage of each other
where they can,, and laugh over it when the
gain is on their side. But my own experi-
ence, as well as that of many others, proves
that when once trusted they are loyal to a
degree.
For Angelo — and there are many of his
type — there had been from the beginning
a complete adoption of all the small inter-
ests as his own. He was not only cook and
general care-taker, but knew all the shops ;
where the best filagree silver, the clearest
photographs, the most genuine bronzes, and
so on, were to be found. He shopped or
marketed, or even turned guide, as occasion
demanded, and in each and all of these
offices did such service as money never pays.
He doubled with merriment over the early
struggles with the language, for he spoke
no English, save a charming "Good-morn-
ing, my ladies." One may read Dante, yet
be quite unable to discuss an omelette or
order the dinner properly in Dante's lan-
guage, but no one knows genuine Italian
housekeeping till this is mastered.
The housekeeper's day is much like the
88 IN FOREIGN KITCHENS.
Frenchwoman's. Our next neighbor, an
Italian advocate's wife, busied herself in
much the same fashion. The cook Assunta,
long in her service, knew the family tastes,
and scarcely needed assistance; but the
mistress prepared special dishes now and
then, chiefly compotes and light sweets.
But, like the French, the larger portion of
the people eat little sweet, save perhaps in
ices taken at the cafes, dessert being most
usually simply fruit and cheese. Mistress
and maid went together to market, pausing
on the way for five minutes* devotion in one
or another of the innumerable churches,
and issuing for the season of profound ex-
citement which marketing in Italy always
affords. Instant destruction for everybody
concerned is the stranger's first feeling as
the voices rise to a shriek and arms fly and
madness seems to rule, But it all ends
placidly, and the dinner has a better flavor
for having been fought for.
The early coffee or chocolate is taken with
a roll or two, and the mid-day meal is like
the French second breakfast, almost a din-
ner, the dinner proper being at six or seven.
ITALY. 89
Page 26
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
All this and much more was learned in a Roman kitchen, where through the wide window one saw roses climbing high, and heard the nightingales at evening. It was not American housekeeping, since Angelo presided, — Angelo born in Ravenna, and drifting to Rome as so many do; Angelo the ever-ready, with his gentle eyes and swift silence of service, and a voice so sweet that it could hardly speak too often. Cook, waiter, major-domo in general, how he cared for the two Americans who played at housekeeping in those charmed days in Rome! A great child in simplicity and gentleness, yet so wise for all emergencies! How he guarded the family purse, making every penny do its utmost ! How his face fell if by any chance he feared full satisfaction had not been given, and how it lighted at every little recognition! Italian servants are counted as thriftless, untrustworthy, and dishonest, but this is much as one takes them. It is certain that they love a bargain,
that they take advantage of each other where they can, and laugh over it when the gain is on their side. But my own experience, as well as that of many others, proves that when once trusted they are loyal to a degree.
For Angelo — and there are many of his type — there had been from the beginning a complete adoption of all the small interests as his own. He was not only cook and general care-taker, but knew all the shops ; where the best filagree silver, the clearest photographs, the most genuine bronzes, and so on, were to be found. He shopped or marketed, or even turned guide, as occasion demanded, and in each and all of these offices did such service as money never pays. He doubled with merriment over the early struggles with the language, for he spoke no English, save a charming "Good-morning, my ladies." One may read Dante, yet be quite unable to discuss an omelette or order the dinner properly in Dante's language, but no one knows genuine Italian housekeeping till this is mastered.
The housekeeper's day is much like the
Frenchwoman's. Our next neighbor, an Italian advocate's wife, busied herself in much the same fashion. The cook Assunta, long in her service, knew the family tastes, and scarcely needed assistance; but the mistress prepared special dishes now and then, chiefly compotes and light sweets. But, like the French, the larger portion of the people eat little sweet, save perhaps in ices taken at the cafes, dessert being most usually simply fruit and cheese. Mistress and maid went together to market, pausing on the way for five minutes' devotion in one or another of the innumerable churches, and issuing for the season of profound excitement which marketing in Italy always affords. Instant destruction for everybody concerned is the stranger's first feeling as the voices rise to a shriek and arms fly and madness seems to rule, But it all ends placidly, and the dinner has a better flavor for having been fought for.
The early coffee or chocolate is taken with a roll or two, and the mid-day meal is like the French second breakfast, almost a dinner, the dinner proper being at six or seven.