Running Out of Gas Can Sometimes Be a Good Thing

Almost all the time, running out of gas on the highway can be awful. Fortunately, what could have been terrible experience turned out to be another great one that revolved around what else, FOOD! I’ll get to the story in a minute...

I went to the Vasco Rossi concert other night in Ancona, with my cousin Gianni and some of his friends. Ancona is about 3 1/2 hours from Rome...not a short trip.
First of all, the concert was amazing. I had never really listened to Vasco’s music, but he is huge out here. The arena was packed and people who were out of their minds from start to finish.

We didn’t have tickets to be on the floor level, but we someone worked our way down there. From the floor we made it all the way to the front of the stage, and had the best spot in the house. Believe me it was not an easy task working our way through the craziness that is an Italian crowd (I don’t know how many of you have seen this video, but you should watch it to get a better idea of how things are around here. It’s pretty funny...unless you are stuck in one of the situations!! At about 3:10 there is an exact demonstration of what it was like waiting in line to get into the concert...and we stood in line like that for two hours before we even went in...a whole lot of fun!!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWNGLv8w74

At the end of the concert I caught one of the drumsticks and I was able to rip off a piece of the shirt he tossed to the crowd. I didn't expect to get caught up in the moment like everybody else. I wasn’t a fan of his before the concert, but I am now.

Ok, so the reason for this entry is not the concert...it’s what happened on the ride home from Ancona. There were 7 of us riding back when my cousin realized we were just about out of gas in the middle of nowhere a few hours outside of Rome. We quickly pulled over at the closest exit and went looking for gas in this tiny town. Not only did we find gas, but we found lunch too...

It just so happened that the town we stumbled into, was also a town where one of the other riders in our car had relatives. These relatives own a restaurant in town and we decided to stop and have a bite to eat...which turned into a three hour meal that left me stuffed for two days!

As soon as we sat down, the eating began. The first course was a huge bowl of pasta fagioli (pasta and beans). It’s kind of like Italian comfort food. Not very fancy, but always a great dish. To be honest I could have just had this bowl and I would have been fine until dinner.

Next, came the antipasto. We each got our own plate of bruschetta and a few pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto. The bruschetta was simply done, but the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly toasted bread, top quality olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt. That is without a doubt what Italian food is all about...super fresh ingredients combined really well to make excellent flavors. Most of the time, Italian food doesn’t need to get too complicated.

Next, came the house specialty...Ravioloni (one GIANT ravioli). It was the size of the entire plate, stuffed with a ricotta and spinach, smothered with marinara sauce and parmigiano cheese. The owner said that she is one of the only people that still makes this kind of pasta, so it was not something you would normally have on a menu. I could tell she was proud of this dish...and rightfully so, because it was so well done.

Normally, the pasta dish is followed by the meat portion of the meal. Here, the pasta was followed by, what else, another pasta dish! Homemade fettuccine with a similar tangy marinara sauce and parmigiano. I was offered enough that could have easily fed three people. I had to turn down most of it, because at that point I could barely breathe...

...but I kept on eating anyway.

After the pasta came two platters filled with different kinds of meats. Lamb, beef, sausage. Again, just simply grilled with a little lemon...fantastic.

**NOTE: The whole time we drank jug after jug of homemade wine. Sometimes, homemade wine can be a little nasty, so you have to be a little careful. This was not the nasty variety...it was a perfect compliment to the food we ate.

French fries came next...that’s right french fries. I don’t know what it is, but Italians love their french fries. At this point, I really couldn’t eat anymore. I only had few.

The meal ended with coffee, pastries, and limoncello. What was supposed to be just an unexpected side trip for gas turned out to be an amazing meal. I think Italians are used to these kinds of meals, so to them it’s nothing too special. To me however, it’s still something I need to share with other people.

When we left, the owner refused to take money for the meal. It was on the house because it was for family and friends of family. The hospitality that Italians show to guests is something special. It makes me feel like I haven’t done enough for my guests in the past...that will change from now on!