An Afternoon Cappuccino That Made People Do a Double Take in Milan—Dining Rules in Italy That Japanese People Don't Know
It was not long after I started living in Milan.
At a bar in the early afternoon, I placed my usual order: "Cappuccino, per favore." At that moment, the barista's hand stopped for a second, and he did a double take at my face.
Huh? Did I say something wrong?
I had. In Italy, cappuccino is a morning drink. A cup full of milk is meant for the "morning stomach," and ordering one after a meal or in the afternoon is, to an Italian, as strange a sight as someone eating breakfast in the evening.
Things that are taken for granted in Japan become taboos at the Italian dining table. During my six years living in Milan, I encountered this "reversal of common sense" many times. Today, I would like to introduce four of them that Japanese people often do.
No. 1: Afternoon cappuccino (as mentioned above)
After a meal, Italians take a sip of a small espresso. Their reasoning is that "milk is too heavy for digestion." Whether the logic is sound or not, their commitment to it is serious.
No. 2: Grated cheese on seafood pasta
If you try to sprinkle Parmigiano on vongole, the waiter's face will cloud over. "The delicate aroma of the seafood is erased by the cheese"—this is almost a constitutional rule at the Italian dining table. Even though it is a country of cheese, there are times when you must not use it. It's interesting, isn't it?
No. 3: Twirling spaghetti with a spoon
That way of eating, which looks elegant, is actually for children in Italy. Adults use only a fork, twirling it against the edge of the plate. If a colleague in Milan asks you, "Do you need a spoon?" it's a light joke.
No. 4: "It's not al dente" is an incident
What would be dismissed as "a bit soft" in Japan becomes a situation where the dining table goes silent in Italy. The level of doneness is a line Italians will not cross. This story is long, so I will write about it in detail in another article.
The true nature of the taboo was "love for food"
When listed like this, Italians might seem like difficult people. But after six years of being included at their tables, I realized that all these rules come from a "seriousness about eating well."
The time for cappuccino, the prohibition of cheese, and the obsession with al dente all have one root. "I want to enjoy this dish in its most delicious state." That is all it is.
Once I realized that, I came to love the Italian dining table even more.
About this series
In "Shingo's Italian Dining Table," I share stories of the dining tables I actually saw, ate at, and occasionally got scolded at in 1990s Milan, through essays and four-panel comics. If you follow me, you'll receive one "Aha!" moment about Italian dining every day.
Ci vediamo domani! (See you tomorrow!)
Click here for previous stories.
A story that started with a single espresso → (https://note.com/shingo_iso/n/n3617e478cc1d)
The real way to eat a Margherita → (https://note.com/shingo_iso/n/n01fdf5fabe2d)
The shock of Milanese-style cutlet "Cotoletta" → (https://note.com/shingo_iso/n/nc0b19a130f44)
[4-Panel] The time the accounting guy in Milan was too scary → (https://note.com/shingo_iso/n/ncf2cd10823e1)