Pranziamo

One of the most common questions I have gotten from friends and family in the States since I’ve been in Rome is “How’s the food?”    Now with all the sights and experiences of live in Rome and studies at the Gregorian, why this question comes up so often is beyond me; but funny enough I always have plenty to respond with – and they usually all revolve around pranzo.

Don’t get me wrong, pizza and gelato are big pluses when it comes to eating in Italy, but pranzo is the true Italian experience.  Pranzo is Italian for lunch.  But don’t be misled- this is nothing like the school lunches we grew up with.  In Italy, lunch is the main meal of the day: businesses shut down, the streets are emptied as everyone goes to settle in pranzare (to lunch- yes it’s a verb as well!).  And so, of course, living the principle of enculturation (and having Italian cooks running our kitchen) we at the NAC follow suit. 

It starts with salad (this is actual and American adaption- authentic Italian mean have the salad right before desert- score one for American sensibilities).  Oil and vinegar are always the dressing, but you will be surprised how creative seminarians can get with a little cheese and pepper.  Then comes what is known as the prima (the first dish) which is always some kind of pasta.  And yes the pasta is much better here.  After that comes, naturally, the secondo (the second- I probably didn’t need to translate that) which is usually some type of meat (typically veal) with some vegetables.  Finally, when all is said and done, comes desert- which is usually fruit, but every once and a while we get a dulce (sweet) and enjoy some gelato.  Though portion sizes are not like in the States when you order pasta, pranzo is quite the filling meal that makes us all sympathetic to the Italian custom of a siesta.

Yet the actual food part doesn’t really capture what pranzo is.  As the main meal of the day this is the time when the whole community comes together and is able to spend time with each other.  The emphasis of pranzo is not just to get fed, but to enjoy time with your brothers.  Once the meal is underway are large refectory is full of the noise of conversation and fraternity.  It is the time when we can come in contact with other members of the community and enter there lives, strengthening each other and growing in love.  This longer lunch the most of us are use to draws us back into the meaning that the rest of day has, finding a moment of rest and refreshment in a community center around Christ.  Then we can better reflect his love through the rest of the day.

Moreover, to facilitate this community time, we take turn serving our brother.  It is a good remind that with all that we have here in Rome to enjoy; our purpose is to serve others.  Right now we just server in rotations, but when the day comes that we return to Phoenix, our service should be daily to feed the people of God and bring all the joys that we found here to them.   Including pranzo.

P.S. Here's a bonus pix of Fernando singing in a band in our lounge a couple weeks ago.