THE FOOD MORE CHIC IS THAT OF THE PLEBE

Milan, Cecina, Venice, Carrara, Viareggio, Lecce, Caorle, Senigallia ... There is no town or sea resort that does not host a Street Food festival in summer, certainly the most chic, cool and contemporary way to taste local and traditional street specialties not always available in restaurant menus. They range from the classic Romagna piadina to the panino with lampredotto from Florence, from the Pani ca ’Meusa of Palermo to the Miassa Piedmontese (a sort of piadina made with polenta).

And then Panzerotti from Puglia, Sciatt from Valtellina, Arrosticini from Abruzzo, Focaccia from Genoa to the pizza sold in the alleys of Naples and the equally famous Roman roast. Although considered “modern” food prepared and cooked on the street dates back to the dawn of civilization, about ten thousand years ago. The Greeks already described the Egyptian custom of frying fish and selling it at the port of Alexandria. If you happen to visit Pompeii during a vacation in Campania, you can see the well-preserved remains of the “thermopolia”, ancestors of the modern “baracchino”. This is because only the patricians had houses with kitchens, while the plebeians fed on the street with a couple of “assi”, more or less two euros today. Poor stuff then, even if today with street food the star chefs try their hand. But the “rip-offs” are the case to say it around the corner. So again this year Gambero Rosso has released its Guide to Street Food, with over 550 safe addresses also available on the road on www. gamberorosso.it.

Enjoy your meal