One of my favorite spiritual practices is eating and drinking with friends, so mindful of Jesus and his friends breaking bread together at times of miracles. For a very small town there is great difference among the businesses here, especially in the eating and drinking establishments. This is a great value not only to the people who visit such as tourists, but also to those who live here. For the world over people are so diverse, we all have different tastes, even in tiny villages like Piegaro. Just as our friends are never all alike, so these wonderful places for gathering are not all alike.
At the Principi, you find the heart of Umbrian tradition permeates not only the rooms of the hotel, from the grand suites of the royals, to the comfortably cozy economy rooms in the style of the villagers, but also in the food of the restaurant. It is foods that have been eaten here in the green heart of Italy, Umbria, for centuries, featuring the meats, pastas and vegetables that have adorned the tables of feasts.
Not only do they offer these tempting fares, but they also offer cooking classes for their out of town guests. Until the height of tourist season the guests are invited to dine at the traditional local dinner time of 8 p.m. to 10:30. The breakfasts here are included in the price of the room for the guests and are amazing feasts in and of themselves, to accommodate people from around the world who prefer more than the modest breakfasts eaten by the locals. It was fun for me to eat breakfast with my friend Maria when I stayed for a few nights at the Principi, she was shocked at the amount of food Americans or northern Europeans would eat at this time, but it was sweet that they provide for all us from other parts of the world.
In Italy the primary meal is in the middle of the day, pranzo. Currently, before the tourist season starts, the local restaurant serving pranzo is Osteria di Juni, which has Vittorio as their amazing chef. Their seafood is known throughout the region, and on holidays like Valentine’s Day it is a good thing there are few tourists, for it is packed with locals. In the summer you can eat outside and chat with local friends. Although Umbria is the only land-locked state of Italy, it is still very close to the seas and fresh seafood. Coming from Seattle, a city known for fresh seafood, I was surprised by its amazing quality and flavor, none better have I tasted.
For lighter, more economical fare the local bars are great. Here in Italy a bar is not the same as in the USA, it is here where you will get your coffee, snacks, gelato, pastries, sandwiches and candy in addition to an evening drink. Just as with the restaurants, in Piegaro there are two bars, Fortuna and Bar-Pub Bottiglia, which are very different from one another. Both are open long hours, and are wonderful places to stop in for morning caffe and pastry or for a night cap late in the evening.
Fortuna is a long-running local establishment that is big and bright with shiny counters and floors in the new part of town. They have ample parking and many in the village stop in on their way to work, to play, or just stop by for a quick caffe, bite to eat, or drink. They also have tables both inside and outside, which provide a place to chat with friends year round. In the summer their gelato is very popular with the locals and tourists alike, fresh and delicious! Maria Pia serves up great conversation along with the service when she is in the bar, while the rest of her family who work here are not so talkative, all are so welcoming and gracious in this family business.
Bar-Pub Bottiglia is the newest eatery in Piegaro, having just opened in February. It is a Bar offering all the traditional bar fare, but being in the older historical part of the village the feel is very different than Fortuna, as it offers a more rustic atmosphere. They also have a larger menu than most bars and is a great place for cena – light dinner serving up larger traditional sandwiches, salads, and antipasti. It is easy to sit down for a multi-course meal here in the evening with friends and family. The Bottiglia also offers up one night a week of entertainment, be it dancing or karaoke. They too are open throughout the day, and during the day you often see the locals sitting inside or out on the stoops in the street chatting in their neighborhood hang-out.
No matter the eatery here in Piegaro, one common factor is the joy of people coming together over food or drink and conversation. It is always an action of community and shared experience. Here in Italy it is considered sad for a person to eat alone, not something a person should do. Whenever I eat with others I think of Jesus’ words as he shared the bread with his friends, “do this often in remembrance of me.” When I eat with others it is sacred time, the grace of God is there, the spirit unites us as we talk and share our food, our hearts and our lives. It reminds me of eating at Mary’s Place, where the food is a gift, where people sit at tables with friends, and where the conversation is so important to the meal.
What sacred images does food and eating with others bring for you?
How can you vision that wherever you get your food from, that this can be a time of grace?
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