I know. What a strange title and idea but bear with me. I am a huge fan of the travel and food show: Tucci in Italy. It’s a glamorous and vivid documentary which makes you drool when you see all the amazing food that he gets to eat.
It’s such a great show and almost up there with Anthony Bourdain. Food porn at its best and does he partake. Tucci says:
“I believe the best way to understand what makes a country and people unique is through their food.”
He is of course an American albeit with deep Italian roots like many Americans. Think about the deep imprint Italians have given us both positive and negative: Pizza, pasta, the Godfather and the Mafia. These are the things that come top of mind if we are honest.
Yet in his conversations and observations when traveling through Italy, you get a better sense of America too. At least to me.
He mentions a term, deeply relevant to America.
“There’s an Italian concept that to me that sums up why Tuscans are so keen to fight for their traditions. Campanilismo, from the Italian for bell tower, is the fierce belief that you belong not to your country but to the area within earshot of your bell tower. But the word also carries with it a darker connotation, a fear of anything that is foreign be it people, religion or even food.”
This describes the warring impulses of most Americans. The adventurous & expansionary drive for the frontier versus a more local and even tribal isolationists instinct. Global versus local. Continental power versus maritime power because the United States is uniquely both unlike most countries in the world. For counter examples, China, Russia, France, Germany and Iran are deeply continental powers. In other words mainly land based. While Japan, the U.K. due to their island geography have a more maritime and trade oriented cultural instinct.
But I think the true reflection of America is its powerful soft power and assimilative culture. One that is truly unparalleled in the world.
Tucci talks about the northern region of Italy. “Trentino-Alto Adige is a complex region. The resilience of its communities shows that their identity means so much more than just some lines drawn on a map. The more the people have to flex with political whims, the richer their pantry becomes, in spite of a sparse landscape. They take the best from all cultures, wherever they originate, to enrich their food and their sense of self.”
In his description of Milan and the Lombardy region as a whole: “Milan has always been an oasis for the forward thinking and the innovative. Lombards respect their traditions but never shy away from new ideas.”
Both are perfect descriptions of the United States as well. We bring the best and brightest, put them in the melting pot and make the country better than before. This is the America that we know and love.
“Your starting point is important but where you go next is more so.”