Buzz
'Porchetta' - you emphasize while waiting for a surprising lunch in the bustling streets of Florence's market, after we've both browsed through stalls brimming with bread, cheese, and cured meats, typical Western dishes.
Porchetta - Unforgettable Flavor on an Italian Travel Adventure
I burst into laughter, causing a few passing guests to look back.
I haven't pronounced any Italian word correctly since setting foot in this boot-shaped country, where the song 'Italian Summer' for the 1990 World Cup was engraved during childhood, the blue-shirted ponytailed footballers gliding across the TV screen stole countless smiles and tears from Vietnamese girls.
The quintessential romantic and alluring Italian beauty is now vividly displayed before me, momentarily overshadowed by hunger pangs. A late, simple lunch akin to any native Florentine but not lacking in the typical flavors of Italian cuisine.
The owner sets up the feast on a small table crafted from a piece of wood affixed to the wall, accompanied by four bar stools. The walls and glass cabinet are adorned with hand-written signs showcasing the dishes and prices.
Porchetta - the signature Italian roasted pork, sold by the kilogram at 2.79 eur/100g, priced for the common folk.
A basket of fragrant bread, a plate of thinly sliced Porchetta, cut with precision by a specialized machine, a variety of cheeses, and some olives soaked in oil, accompanied by a glass of wine.
I dash to the fruit stand and grab a box of fresh strawberries, oh my, a lavish lunch prepared at a truly 'budget-friendly' price, just under 9 eur.
The thinly sliced Porchetta reminds me of a funny anecdote from my college dorm days in the late 20th century.
When I say thin, I mean not as thin as a piece of meat hovering in mid-air unable to fall to the ground because it's too light. It's thin enough to have the chilled fat melt delectably on the palate without being overwhelming, even for someone who used to despise and fear fatty meat like myself.
Sipping a glass of Tuscan wine, though unaware of the grape variety or aging process, the ruby red hue and tannin lingering on the lips, tongue, and throat evoke a delightful exclamation.
Porchetta boasts a rich flavor of salt, pepper, garlic, and fragrant rosemary leaves, with secrets known only to the restaurant owner.
Lost in our footsteps, barely finishing the bread and cheese, barely sipping the wine, the roast pork dish vanished clean! So we had to call the owner to buy a few more ounces, craving satisfaction.
While waiting for the owner to slice more Italian-style roasted meat, elegant and sophisticated, romantic and unique, I curiously admire the counter.
The large Porchetta pig lies horizontally on the counter, rolled like a pastry, with strands of twine wrapped lengthwise, the crispy skin baked in the oven for up to 6 hours, swelling into a deep brown hue.
However, when slicing the meat, the owner will remove this layer of skin, perhaps because over time, the skin will become less crispy and chewy, contrasting greatly with the way we enjoyed Porchetta on later occasions.
Savoring porchetta on freshly baked bread, accompanied by cheese, red wine, and a strawberry dessert amidst the bustling marketplace of a vibrant Firenza. Outside, bustling restaurants attract guests from around the globe with their luxurious and exquisite dishes.
As we stroll through the bustling streets, tourists observe the market while curiously watching two Asian individuals with golden skin and black hair, thoroughly enjoying their late lunch.
The young girl, the shop owner's daughter, sits beside me with her sketches, though not fluent in English, she is remarkably friendly and polite, attempting to communicate with customers using the simplest Italian phrases.
Engaging with locals, dining and living like the people of Florence, even through just a small lunch, fills me with excitement, overshadowing any dissatisfaction with the famous and perpetually tourist-filled destination.
Subsequently, while traveling through Italy, we often find ourselves indulging in porchetta again, perhaps partly due to our fondness for this Italian-style roasted pork, both comforting and flavorful.
The world boasts many variations of roasted pork, prepared similarly in various locations like Vietnam, Balinese Babi Guling, or Italian porchetta. It all begins with meticulously selecting the finest ingredients to ensure the savory perfection of each succulent piece.
Next comes the seasoning. Then into the roaster. So what's the distinctive difference in flavor profile between regions? It's definitely the spices. Each region has its own unique seasoning blend to create its own traditional flavor profile for its dish.
Italians typically prepare a stuffing mixture to fill a large slab of meat consisting of sage leaves, thyme, black pepper, salt, garlic, and sometimes even minced liver, heart, and lungs. This mixture is placed between the meat slab and tightly rolled to marinate for about 1 day before being placed in the oven, no extra oil or fat needed, continuously rotating for about 6 hours.
Just like how Vietnamese use strings to tie pork legs before boiling or wrap beef tenderloin for marination, Porchetta is also tied up with strings, dividing the meat into several portions spaced about 2 – 3cm apart for each portion.
When cutting the meat, the seller will cut according to the previously divided sections using the strings to cut into large meat pieces to sell to customers.
No need to slice thinly like in Florence market, a whole roasted meat slab, a mouthful bite, the crispy skin still intact, sage leaves sticking to your fingers, black peppercorns still lingering, spicy on the tip of your tongue. Oh, so delicious!
Yet it's another lunch in a remote village in Tuscany, Italy, under the shade of a chestnut tree. Cold sun. Cool breeze. But the warm laughter of your companion makes it all cozy.
Exclusive insights by Theo Thủy OCG/Tuổi Trẻ
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Mytour recommendsNovember 4th, 2016
