Page:Wood - Foods of the Foreign-Born.djvu/35

Rh The Italians from the northern provinces use stronger drinks than wine, both at and between meals. Their diet consists of black coffee for adults, goats' milk for children, and bread without butter for breakfast. The bread is heavy and made of wheat, which is home grown and ground. It is dark in color, because the wheat is not put through any refining process. The bread is made in large, round loaves, or in oblong pieces, and is baked on the bottom of the oven, without being placed in tins. Oftentimes it is baked on the stones in one side of an open fireplace, or out-of-doors on heated stones. This gives a heavy crust on all sides.

The midday meal is not considered an important one, as the men are out in the fields during the farming season, which lasts from early spring till late fall. Often the women are with them, helping with the work. Sometimes they take along bread, cheese, and coffee; sometimes a piece of sausage. If they return to the house they have bread, fried eggs, and black coffee.

The important meal is served at the end of the day, preparation for which is generally started early in the morning. The black pot is put over the fire, and into this is put a small amount of meat or some beans. Their variety of the latter is so great, they can use a different kind each day if they wish. Later they add vegetables, then macaroni, and last fat, either lard or olive oil.

Polenta may be started in this same black iron pot. This to us is a thick corn meal mush, to which is added tomato paste or ripe tomatoes. Sometimes they change it by adding grated cheese, or bits of pork and garlic. It is eaten hot; or, if allowed to cool, is then sliced and fried in olive oil. This is eaten with bread and butter.

Proceeding south in Italy, one finds the use of alcohol