Parma - a Few Final Words Involving (What Else?) Food

Well actually three words - I Tre Porcellini. That translates as the Three Little Pigs and it was an osteria I stumbled on coming back from the band concert on Sunday. I wasn't all that hungry and it was only 1230 a little early for lunch, so I thought I would walk, build up an appetite and come back around 1300. Then, of course, I couldn't quite remember where it was. I wandered around and had almost given up when I turned a corner and there it was.

I love watching people in restaurants and the place was filled with highly watchable Sunday diners. There was a family beside me - Mother, Father, two brothers and the little boy of one of the brothers - so where was the mother of the boy? Was she working that day? Maybe Mama doesn't like her so she wasn't invited? Or they're divorced and it was Dad's turn with the kid? Whatever it was the kid was more than pleased with the second helping of lemon gelato he was allowed courtesy of one of the owners. In the next room there was a large noisy group: 8 women (elderly, middle-aged, teen-aged) with one man - very much Pater Familias chunky gold pinkie ring and all - and a chihuahua that occasionally added to the conversation. In another corner sat a young couple who, I suspect, had spent their first night together - that morning-after glow, strangely more on him than her and all little touches and caresses, knowing looks and giggles - so damned cute. An elderly gentleman, very nattily dressed in jacket and tie, shuffled past with his Filippina caregiver, seen to the door by one of the owners. It was a colorful cross section of people - many it would seem regulars others like me simply passing through - enjoying a good Sunday lunch.

And it was a good Sunday lunch:

Polenta Grantinée with Brie and Porcini mushrooms
Roast Fresh Parma Ham with
oven roasted rosemary potatoes
A pleasant half litre of the house white wine
Honey torte with brandy sauce and vanilla gelato
The house Amaro
An espresso to finish the meal off.

It was the perfect meal for a chilly Sunday, the price was reasonable, the setting comfortable and the service friendly. And unlike the evening before I wasn't made to feel uneasy about being a single dinner. Damn another reason to go back to Parma.

10 novembre - San Leone Magno