By Olivia Treu
In my family, when it is someone's birthday, it is a tradition for them to get to choose where to eat lunch and dinner as breakfast is always served in bed. As a kid, I would always choose Subway Sandwiches as my lunch option because I loved the experience of watching them make it before my eyes and I loved a good sandwich. Before coming to Italy, I thought that I would only be eating pasta and pizza, which is mostly true, but great sandwiches can be found almost everywhere. Italy has many delicatessens or gastronomias, that have an abundance of meats, cheeses, and bread. Almost any deli in Italy can create the most perfect sandwich for you and you just get to sit back and watch.
One of the main themes of this study abroad trip that I have noticed is the importance of family in Italian culture. It is a constant conversation in the classroom, prominent in Italian history, and can be seen daily while being out and about in Italy. One example of where I saw the importance of family weekly was at the Fratelli Santi Mauro and Zero Deli owned by the Santi Brothers. They are a local deli that is two blocks away from the American University in Rome and my classmates and I have been going almost every day in between classes. They opened in 1996 and the business has been in the family ever since. They make the best sandwiches I have ever eaten.
Not only do the Santi brothers sell cold cuts and cheese but they also sell art made by one of the brothers. He is a very talented modern abstract artist that uses everyday items like forks and bottle caps to create captivating art pieces. This sandwich shop is significant to me because I love a good sandwich, but also because I have two brothers who I can see in the Santi Brothers. When I go in I notice their playful, brotherly interactions and I can see how they support each other in their passions for art and sandwiches. My brothers do the same; they are three years apart in age and one is into sports while the other is into technology but despite their differences, they always have each other's backs.
One cultural shock that I experienced while my time in Italy was how simple sandwiches are and how slow sandwich making is. In the United States, I am very used to Subway or Jimmy Johns where their goal is to be as fast as possible when making your sandwich. Jimmy John’s motto is “freaky fast” which says a lot about American food culture. But in Italy sandwich making is an art form just like the process of making and cooking pasta. It takes time and effort to create these sandwich masterpieces.
I noticed that the Santi Brothers deli only has seven sandwich options on the menu. It was very unexpected to see this because in the United States you can get almost anything on a sandwich and the size of it has no limit. The options are endless in America and the products are not always the freshest, but in Italy, I noticed the ingredients are limited but they are of the best quality. The meats, cheeses, and bread at this deli are real, timeless, and truly Italian. They don’t do anything crazy with them. I noticed this theme with many Italian meals, especially pasta and pizza. Tradition is valued and nothing is over the top.
I also was surprised to see that mustard and mayonnaise were not used on sandwiches in Italy which is one of the most important ingredients for sandwiches in America, instead they use pesto. Also, none of the cheese or meat is ever precut into slices or preserved, it is cut off the block or round fresh and in front of you.
My favorite sandwich is a simple roll or focaccia bread with pesto, turkey, salami, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes. I like this sandwich the best because the salty pesto pairs so nicely with the creamy mozzarella and turkey or salami has always been my go-to at home. The tomatoes are also unmatched here and I could eat one like an apple if it was socially acceptable.
My sandwich experience here will definitely change how I eat and order them back home. No more absurd toppings like banana peppers or pickles, just the basics. I also feel like I am going to be more of a snob about the freshness of the meat and cheese that I put on my sandwich, and I will be sad that I can never get an Italian tomato back home.
About the Author
Olivia Treu is from Bend, Oregon and she is going into her fourth year of college. She is studying Journalism and Media Communications as well as Sports Management at Colorado State University. Her dream career is to work in public relations or marketing for the National Football League. She enjoys playing sports, being on the water, eating good food, and hanging out with friends. She would like to thank her awesome teachers for giving her an experience that she will never forget!
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