Italy Daily 義大利日常 #1

許多人對歐洲的印象，就是在中古世紀石子路上走著一個又一個時髦有型的人，花草樹木在街邊綻放，街頭藝人浪漫在一邊演奏小號吉他，情人們手牽手在夕陽斜照下講著像電影裡會出現的台詞...
Instagram 上總有看不完的 #Europe #Travel 美圖，世界知名導演們如 Woody Allen 或 Paulo Sorrentino 也常常將歐洲塑造成美麗與頹廢的迷人象徵，報章雜誌上那些名模名牌美食照片，更是讓人看得眼花繚亂。
但這些印象其實只占真正的歐洲生活面貌一小部分而已。
在義大利，除了歷史悠久的市中心之外，其餘大部分城市都是由 “無聊” 的建築與景色所組成。人們吃喝拉撒睡，整天為生活煩惱奔波，沒什麼心思講些電影錦句。貓狗來來往往，社區有時候還會突然停電，很多地方看起來和台灣也很像。
來歐洲旅遊一兩週，便會看見最浪漫美好的一面，可是長期住在歐洲卻又是另外一種面貌了。
生活被簡約成一頁又一頁平凡的白紙，日復一日不停向前翻去，日子長的看不見盡頭，今天卻又向昨天像明天，日子就像這樣白晃晃得糊成一片。
不過長期下來，漸漸地， 日常生活底下的韻味與況味便像渣滓般慢慢浮起。對像我這樣一個外國人來說，這些像在暗房裡慢慢顯影成形的人事物，才是真正寶貴真實的歐洲面貌。

Viareggio 維爾雷焦
Scorching hot afternoon 炎熱午後空曠的街道

Cinque Terre 五漁村
Chilling beside the sea 躺在海邊談天說地

Forget where this is 我忘了在哪
A cat 貓

Pietrasanta 皮耶特拉桑塔
City inside a frame 城市如畫

Pisa 比薩
Eating at Insalateria 在沙拉店裡吃午餐

Lucca 盧卡
Autumn 秋景

Massa 馬薩
Homemade Italian Dumplings 家常義大利餃子

Siena 席耶那
Sisters' Conference 修女間的會談

Cinque Terre 五漁村
Street Artists trying hard to make money 街頭努力賺錢

Pietrasanta 皮耶特拉桑塔
Drinking the water from the core of city's guard 飲水思源

Viareggio 維爾雷焦
Afternoon in a Cafe 午後咖啡廳

Siena 席耶納
Jack & Jill 亡命情侶

Massa 馬薩
Musician under cover 吸血鼓手

Forte dei Marmi 馬爾米堡
Buying Ice Cream 買冰淇淋

Siena 席耶納
City on the Cliff 崖上的城市

Pietrasanta 皮耶特拉桑塔
Mysterious legends never fade away 謎樣傳說永不逝去

Siena 席耶納
Playing Skateboard 玩滑板中

Pisa 比薩
Having diet meals 吃減肥餐

East Side of Pisa 比薩西區
Silent Afternoon 寧靜下午

Siena 席耶納
Waiting for chestnuts 等著吃烤栗子

Carrara 卡拉拉
Clouds in the forest 林間雲霧

Siena 席耶納
Chestnut Baker 烤栗子師傅

在義大利賣胰島素有沒有搞頭？ Gonna be rich selling insulin in Italy? ( About Italian breakfast )

在台灣早餐有鹹有甜，不過似乎如蛋餅蘿蔔糕之類的鹹點較受青睞。然而在義大利，早餐幾乎清一色甜食，有種早上就在吃下午茶的感覺。
每一個地區的食物種類都略有不同，但其實都大同小異，本文會以托斯卡尼區為主來做介紹！

In Taiwan, you can find both sweet or salty breakfast, but the salty ones such as fried carrot cakes and omelets are more favored. Italian breakfast culture is instead dominated by sweet tastes. I always feel like I'm having afternoon tea sessions even though it's in the early morning.
Each regions in Italy has slightly different kinds of pastries, in this article I'll introduce the most common kinds of breakfast food you can find in Tuscany region.

很多早餐吧一走進去，就是以上這等光景，讓人目瞪口呆喘息不止。
在義大利這類早餐吧隨處可見，營業時間也很長，除了販賣一整櫃小點外，當然也有賣咖啡，茶，果汁，水等。
另外，如果招牌上寫著 Pasticceria 代表他們店裡東西是自己店裡做的，可能烘焙廚房就在裡面或在樓上，每天現做十分新鮮。若只是一般的 Bar，那賣的東西可能就是從附近別的地方買來賣的。(口味是沒什麼差，價錢也一樣，單看個人心情比較偏好去 Pasticceria 或 Bar )

Be prepared to see all these extravaganza pastry collections every time you walk in a breakfast shop.
In Italy, you can find breakfast bar everywhere, with comparatively longer opening hours than other kinds of shops or restaurants. Other than selling pastries, these bars also provide coffee, tea, juice and water.
An interesting thing to know, if the word "Pasticceria" is written in front of the shop, that usually means that the pastries they sell are directly made from their baking kitchen, which is possibly just one floor up or inside of the shop. However, if you see only the sign "Bar", that means that the food they sell here are bought from elsewhere. ( The tastes of food and prices are the same though, so it depends on your personal preferences to chose whether to go to Pasticceria or to Bars )

1和3螺旋狀的東西統稱 Cannolo，任何裡面塞奶油或巧克利等餡的管狀麵食都被歸類在這名字底下，外面通常是用酥皮或麵包製成。

Number one and three are called Cannolo. The members of this category all look tunnel-like, with cream or chocolate stuffed inside.

另外，有一種 Cannolo 叫 Sicilian Cannolo，是西西里島非常有名的甜點。一般 Cannolo 外面是麵包，這種則是用一層有厚度的，脆脆的餅皮包起來。

There's a kind of Cannolo called Sicilian Cannolo, very famous in Sicily. Usually the outside part of cannolo is made of bread, but the Sicilian ones are made by layers of crispy cookie-like stuff.

2和5泡芙類的食物都叫Bigne，裡面通常會擠奶油，開心果醬，巧克力醬等。上面再鋪上一層糖霜或一層焦糖。
而4號叫Occhio di bue（公牛之眼的意思），是一種裡面塗果醬或nutella的扁扁甜餅，看起來還真的滿像一隻血紅眼睛的。

Number two and five are called Bigne, usually stuffed with cream, pistachio jam or chocolate. On top of the bigne are some icing decorations or sugar glazing.
Number four is called Occhio di bue (The eye of bull). Two thin layers of sweet pastries with jam or Nutella in the middle and an extreme amount of sugar powder on top. It indeed looks like a bloody eye.

接下來是水果塔。
這邊水果塔都弄得很漂亮，看了馬上有種幾近不健康的購買欲望。

Next, the fruit tarts. Cream-based with fresh and juicy fruits on top.
Italians really know how to decorate fruit tarts. I have an unhealthy urge to buy this stuff every time I go to a breakfast shop.
 

Next,  可愛的蛋白霜 Meringhe！
蛋白霜一咬下去馬上酥酥化開，口中瞬間充滿甜水與蛋微微的清香。

Next, the cute Meringhe!
Meringhe melts almost immediately when you put it in the mouth. The tastes of sweetness and egg white blossomed pleasantly on top of the tongue.

Meringhe 當然也有進化版！如下圖中在兩片蛋白霜裡夾奶油和草莓，或是直接把蛋白霜做成水果塔基座也可以！

Of course there are evolutions of Meringhe. As the following pictures show, people here put cream and strawberries in between two petals of meringhe, or simply use the meringhe as a foundation of a fruit tart.

早上來一片小蛋糕，一整天大概都得強迫自己做些小運動來消耗熱量與罪惡感。
 
A piece of cake in the morning. Probably need to force yourself to do some little exercises all the day to consume the calories and guiltiness.

除了一般大小的甜食外，還有賣一口大小的小點。
這類小點一個約20幾塊台幣，而一般甜點則在約 50 台幣上下，一些比較精緻的蛋糕可能會貴到一片 100 多塊。
吃這種小點的好處是可以自己拼一盤，嘗試不同口味，又不會吃飽，一個點心配一口 Espresso 滿剛好。

Other than normal size desserts, the breakfast bar also sells mini pastries.
These minis are around 0.8 euros each, the normal size ones are around 1.5 euros. Some cakes that are more refined can cost around 3 euros a piece.
The benefit of taking these minis is that it allows you to make a combination by yourself, trying different tastes without feeling full. One mouthful of dessert + Espresso is a well-matched combo.

冬天的時候還有賣浸在酒精裡的小海綿蛋糕。

In winter you can even find little sponge cakes soaked in alcohol.

米布丁  Budino di Riso
顧名思義就是米做的布丁。吃起來軟中帶著 Q 勁，有種微甜粗獷的米香。

Rice pudding ( Budino di Riso )
As the name suggests, rice pudding is made of rice. It's soft but a bit chewy, with slight sweetness and natural taste of rice.

酥皮餅。
這種酥皮餅裡面常包果醬，有時候甚至還會包米布丁內部那種軟爛的米漿。

Puff pastry.
Usually with fruit jams inside.
 

 
 
通常早餐會配咖啡，有趣的一點是，義大利人幾乎只會在早上喝卡布奇諾。其他時段雖然店家還是有供應，但一般人都只選擇其他又苦又濃烈的咖啡來提神。

Italians don't really drink Cappuccino outside breakfast time. I asked my Italian friend why is that, he said because they prefer to have some bitter and strong caffeine shots for energy, Cappuccino only makes them feel heavy.

看完這篇介紹，應該有不少人覺得在這裡賣治糖尿病的胰島素會賺錢。
不過，飲食習慣還是因人而異，雖然早餐吧裡各類甜點琳琅滿目，還是有人早餐只吃水果或簡單一個雞肉可頌的。

After reading this article, you probably think selling insulin for diabetes is a profitable business here. However, eating habits still differ largely among people. Although there are so many temptations in breakfast shops, still you can find people simply have fresh fruits or a chicken croissant for breakfast.

義大利深秋 In the end of autumn

義大利已經是深秋時分。電視裡傳來播報員冷冷的聲音，說著十天後氣溫即將降至零度。

趁著還未天寒地凍到無法出門的地步，我和朋友結伴到義大利北部 Massa-Carrara 附近的 Campocecina風景區，體驗了秋天最後一抹光景。
陽光亮晃晃地照在光禿的松樹林裡，白光斜斜打在樹幹一側，閃爍著金屬般的光澤，讓人以為身在超現實的鐵樹林裡。霧氣在林中漂浮，像過往雲煙般，抓得住又抓不住，讓人覺得虛無縹緲，漫無邊際。

我們上山前忘記加油，已經騎了四十分鐘的車才發現這件事，於是開始劇烈爭吵著到底要繼續前進還是打道回府。最後雖然負氣決定不顧一切直接給他開上山去，但心情早已低落到谷底，眼淚模糊了視線，心中燃著熊熊怒火。

奇妙的是，原本慍怒陰鬱的心情，卻在抵達山頂後，瞬間煙消雲散。

空曠廣袤的美景，的確有安撫人心的能量。古今許多作家都曾討論過有靈氣的地方能夠帶給人力量，雖然人理智上不察，可是身體卻能深切感受到。我們雖然習慣了紛紛擾擾、五彩紛呈的城市生活，但追根究底，我們仍然是屬於大自然的。

從山頂望下去，可以見到環繞的山被切割成一方一方的，乳白色的大理石從綠色植被裡露了出來，像是一個皮膚白皙的女人衣裳被人一片片撕去。山再往前瞭望，是海天一線的海洋。海平線、清藍雲層與淡黃光霧層層層疊疊而上，澎湃敞亮，讓人看了不禁屏氣凝神，久久無法言語。

樹葉像雪花般，片片飛落在地。踩在上面感覺非常舒服，厚篤篤的，像是大地深棕帶紅的迷人地毯。乾枯的葉片質地像脆紙一樣，踩在上面一片嘎吱作響，十分痛快。

我們在這裡流連忘返，盡情呼吸著高山清冷提神的空氣，感到靈魂被洗刷乾淨。
直到太陽快下山時我們才啟程下山。摩托車油表已經顯示為零了。我們借著下坡山勢，一路往下滑，就這樣就著殘餘的日光，滑行了好幾公里遠。

抵達山裡第一個村子時，天已經完全暗了。我們被寒冷黑夜籠罩，燦亮星星在空中閃閃發光。向山下平原望去，城市燈火像複雜精細的花紋般爬滿了黑暗的大地。只有身在大自然中，才能如此將自己置身事外，細細從第三者角度品察人類文明的美麗與哀愁。在黑暗的宇宙中，有關人類的事物看起來 就像是這樣吧！

此時此刻，我感到一股異常的寂寥，卻也感到一股超脫的溫馨。

回到平地時，我們拽著機車去加油，並在加油站旁的販賣機裡買了一杯熱巧克力。

那杯裝著巧克力的白色塑膠杯，握在手裡，非常溫暖。

Italy is in late autumn now. The cold voice of the news reporter could be heard from TV, saying that in ten days it will be zero degree.

In case the weather becomes too cold and unbearable to go out, my friend and I decided to visit Campocecina, in order to catch the last glimpse of autumn.
The sunlight shone in between the bald pine trees. The light that reflected on the tree trunks was so solid and white, in one moment I thought I was inside a forest made of iron trees. Light fog floated in the air, forming up and dissolving, like memories, can not grab at them, but they still exist right in front of you. I felt empty.

We forgot to put gasoline in the motor bike before we drive up to the mountain. We realized the situation when we have already been driving for 40 mins, in the middle of nowhere. We had a huge and vicious fight arguing whether we should risk to go up to our destination or not. In the end we chose to drive up under a desperate and furious mood. I was so angry that I started to cry, I thought my day is ruined.

However, once we arrived on top of the mountain, all the negative moods disappeared.

The massive and beautiful nature indeed has a very strong power to heal people. From ancient to modern times there are always great authors talking about how "spiritual places" can bring energy to people, although we can't recognize this fact consciously, but our bodies react naturally to it. We are used to the hustle and bustle city life, but in the end we still belong to nature.

Looking down from the cliff, we saw the mountains in front of us were cut in sharp angles. Those places are the marble mines of Carrara. The milky white marbles bared out from the green plantations, looked like a white skin woman's clothes being peeled off pieces by pieces. In front of those mountains are the ocean. Horizon, azure clouds and gentle yellow lights piled up layer by layer in the the of the world, the scene was so marvelous and fresh, that watching it, I couldn't speak for a long time.

Leaves fell on the ground like snow flakes. It felt very comfortable to walk on top of those leaves, liked walking on top of a thick, brown carpet. The dried leaves crunched like paper when I trampled on them, I felt very satisfactory.

We lingered here all the afternoon, inhaling and exhaling the cold fresh air, feeling our souls being washed clean. It was not until the sun was already going down that we decided to go back home. We slide all the way down for many miles, with the last smear of sunlight.

When we arrived the first village, the sky already turned dark completely. We were surrounded by cold darkness, brilliant starts shone in the night sky. Looking down to the plain in front of us, the city lights were like intricate patterns, climbing and stretching on the earth. It's only when we are in nature that we can get out of the box, that we can see the loneliness and beauty of human civilization from an outsider view. I guess every human-related things simply look like this from the universe!

At the moment, I suddenly felt an eccentric loneliness, and a nirvana-liked warmth.

When we finally arrived Carrara, we dragged our motorbike to the gas station nearby to charge the gasoline, and bought some hot chocolate from the vending machine nearby.

I held the white plastic cup that contained the hot chocolate in my hands, and I felt very warm.