THE SACREDNESS OF THE TABLE IN THE SOUTH – II Curtigghiu

THE SACREDNESS OF
THE TABLE IN THE SOUTH

There will be a reason why much of the comedy about the southerners has to do with gastronomy , or, more strictly speaking, with being at the table. Many youtubers have already explored the theme for a long time, and at times it may seem that there is something of a caricature in their narratives: but no.

In the South, the table is sacred , as are the food itself and the act of cooking. Sicilian word.

The rituality of the table

Not only of the table, but also upstream, in the kitchen.
The of Southern cuisine, understood as a physical place and its goers, it is usually a direct matrilineal society, in order of seniority in the field, usually by a grandmother. She is the one who commands what to buy, when she is too busy frying to go herself, who directs the helpers – if you accept them – who tells you which tablecloth to put at the table.

The seats at the table , on the other hand, are established according to a tacit agreement between the guests. The place at the head of the table generally goes to the head of the bosses, usually the cook’s husband; on the contrary, a son or a son-in-law. Children often have a separate table (and sometimes even a menu): broods of cousins who make up a team, often even once promoted to the table of grown-ups.

It takes a long time at the table. Not because the dishes have not already been prepared at dawn, just a scaldatina here and there, but because we really like it.
Please note: the stay at the table during the ceremonies, often at the limit of the human, deserves to be treated separately.

We like to chat, we like to browse , taste many things, and then taste again, and then taste again, and drink good wine all together. If the TV is on, it is only in the background, just to add a little more caciara. Cell phones are sometimes next to the napkin, but only to take some photos to send to the Whatsapp group of envious friends: grandma’s pasta is not for everyone (even if, for quantity, it could potentially be).

The raw materials of conviviality

The reasons behind this great truth, that is the sacredness of the table from a certain latitude down, are many. Meanwhile, we like to take it easy, especially on weekends; again, the family is important and deserves its space, even if it is also a more attended kinship meeting once a week. And finally, yes, we like to eat a lot , and above all to see others devour what has been prepared with so much love (and insist, insist and still insist that they take more). But why do we like to eat so much? Because our cuisine is truly delicious.

It is a science based on simple ingredients , intuitions of quantity and cooking times, which takes simple aubergines and makes them the raison d’être of pasta alla norma . White pasta with a few simple ingredients becomes a mouth- watering carbonara .

The raw materials that make southern diners happy are few, they could all be in the same pantry: but they are of quality. Often produced on site, taken from the trusted butcher, from the neighbor’s garden: they burst with flavor and captivate with little, resisting the easy temptation of over-the-counter frozen foods and the fast view. We like SLOW .

At Curtigghiu as in family

If you think that the cuisine of Curtigghiu Ristorante Pizzeria is born from the meeting of two cultures that have in mind what conviviality is – the Roman and the Sicilian -, you will easily understand our choices. A simple and familiar environment, where you can feel at ease and come and visit us without any particular dress code.

We do not have tables for children (but a menu for children, yes!), But we have thought of their entertainment and more: our placemats are full of games for adults, all to draw and color for the little ones. The dishes are those of the tradition, the portions are generous (as well as, on no-diet days , you would fill the plate at home).

Finally, we are a non-WI-FI place : we want to see you have fun and chat without a tablet and smartphone in hand, we want you to rediscover the pleasure of sharing the table as if you were in the family. The only use we “tolerate” is to take it to capture a special moment: the one in which you are happy to spend time together and what you are about to eat.
After all, there is no Wi-Fi at Grandma’s!