Enrico Maso, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 5 – In Search Of A Lost Taste
Back at the car, Gianni looks at the map: there’s still time for lunch at another fair.
“The ‘Fiera dell’aglio selvatico’ looks interesting,” he thinks. “We’ll have to skip the aperitivo but we should make it in time.”
Yet things are no better at the ‘Fiera dell’aglio’. On the menu Gianni finds things like “Thoughts of Spring”, “Sip of Summer” and “August Inspiration”.
“What sort of names are they?” he thinks. “Shouldn’t tradition and simplicity be the order of the day?”
This festa clearly isn’t going to satisfy him either.
The rest of the week doesn’t go any better. Gianni has got nowhere so far, and now pins all his hopes on one fair in particular. It’s speciality is “toro alla brace”. But when, after a very long wait, the meat finally arrives, it’s almost burnt. Gianni gives up.
“Never mind Nebo, this evening we’ll go for a pizza.” The dog looks at him and wags his tail happily.
This Saturday’s article is a real bloodbath. Not a single fair escapes criticism. When a call comes from the director, Gianni is unsurprised.
“You must be less harsh in your judgments, Gianni,” says the director.
“That’s not possible. I won’t lie! If slowfood reveals itself to be just another way to deceive people, I’ll say so. It’s a matter of principle.”
“So is selling copies of the newspaper, and your anti-slow food crusade isn’t helping….”
“Crusade? What do you mean?”
“Listen, Gianni, I make the decisions. Find a fair that you like or I’ll pull the column, OK? You have a week to do it. Ciao.”
Gianni hangs up, despondently. So, what now?