A 'calculated risk'
Plus Sicilian snapshots and some hiking inspiration
First things first, a quick Covid-19 update. I know, I’m sick of it too. But there is, I’m pleased to say, some actual news to share this week beyond the tragedy of the death toll. Yesterday evening the PM Mario Draghi signed a new decree, outlining the measures which will be in place to tackle the pandemic over the coming months. This is actually a big deal as it establishes baseline rules for the entire emergency period as things stand: i.e from 26 April all the way to 31 July. The zones will remain. All regions, however, are set to return to face-to-face schooling at 60%-100% capacity. Restaurants and bars will open for outdoor eating and drinking in yellow zones, and theatres, cinemas and indoor venues will re-open to those that are vaccinated or can demonstrate immunity. Perhaps the most welcome news regards travel: after five months of restrictions, movement between low-contagion regions is set to be allowed again! Draghi insists this is a “calculated risk” which seems fair. The numbers are stable; contagion is down in the north, though up slightly in the south, and ICUs are starting to empty out. The main concern now, as everywhere, is whether vaccine coverage will be enough to keep the virus under control. The programme is thankfully accelerating - 20% of the population has now received a first dose - but this remains very much an open question.
It’s been a quiet-ish week news wise. Matteo Salvini and his party the Lega have been opportunistically splitting hairs over the current evening curfew, which they argue should be extended from 22:00 to 23:00 or else they are threatening to topple the government. Sounds great. Meanwhile, the streets, once again, have been filled with people protesting against Covid restrictions as well as the proposed and highly controversial soccer tournament, the European Super League. As you can probably tell, I haven’t got much to add about these stories, so I thought, instead, it might be a good opportunity to share this rather wonderful selection of documentary photographs which The Guardian just published. These shots, taken by Nicola Lo Calzo, show Sicilian street life in all its charm. He really gets under the skin of Palermo, capturing the city’s beauty, its traditionalism, its radicalism, and its playfulness. Sure, the island is no paradise. But it is unique, diverse and, for me, still the most beguiling part of the country we currently call Italy. Nicola’s book BINIDITTU has won critical acclaim from publications including Internazionale and Granta, and it offers a welcome change from the usual crime-saturated images of Sicily. You can see more previews, and buy a copy here.
Arts and culture: Italy’s new favourite superhero
Earlier this week I came across an English language book by Marco d’Eramo, an Italian journalist who has been writing for the newspaper Il Manifesto for over 30 years now. The title, The World in a Selfie: An Inquiry into the Tourist Age grabbed my attention. I picked it up, expecting perhaps to find the usual leftist critique of AirBnB/gentrification etc. D’Eramo’s approach is actually far more ambitions. His leading question isn’t just about economics; it’s cultural and psychological in nature. “We’ve all been tourists at some point in our lives,” he acknowledges, “[so] how is it we look so condescendingly at people taking selfies in front of the Tower of Pisa? Is there really much to distinguish the package holiday from hipster city-breaks to Berlin or Brooklyn? Why do we engage our free time in an activity we profess to despise?” It’s a fair point... I for one was intrigued enough to buy the e-book and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes the argument. You can find out more, and buy a copy for yourself straight from the publisher.
Earlier this year I wrote a post about Italy-related Netflix content. Well, how time flies. Some of the series have already started hitting the small screen. On Tuesday, it was the turn of Zero, a drama about “a shy teen with the power to turn invisible [who] must get it under control to help defend his neighbourhood.” I’ll be honest, this kind of superhero plot isn’t usually my cup of tea. After reading about the show, though, I’m willing to give it a shot. The script was co-written by Antonio Dikele Distefano, author of the great novel Prima o poi ci abbracceremo (2016) and editor of the music magazine Esse. It’s also the first series ever on Italian TV to feature a predominantly black cast, which is a milestone in its own right. There’s no escaping the fact this show will get attention for this fact alone. That’s fine in my book. Indeed, given the intensity of media racism here, it has to be a good thing. As far as artistic quality goes, meanwhile, the New York Times, among others are already mobilising their hype machine, which is an encouraging sign… anyway, if you’ve seen it already do get in touch and let me know what you think. I’m curious to hear.
Spring’s arrived in earnest, the sun is properly out, and most of us I imagine are trying to strategise for the summer. Well, I’ve got some good news, and a proposition to fuel your wanderlust: after months of maintenance work, the Sentiero Italia (CAI) is back up and running. For readers unfamiliar with it, the ‘Grand Italian Trail’ is a national hiking route that goes all the way from Palermo to Trieste, following a scenic path along the spine of the Apennines. The entire thing takes a year (and if anyone wants to cover my rent for 12 months I’d be up for it.) More realistically, though, you’re probably looking at doing a leg or two for a short holiday. Covid news is promising, it’s true, but I imagine travel is still going to be a mess for the next while, what with vaccine passes, testing requirements and other documentation. Walking a CAI trail seems like a good way to freshen up, get away from crowds and make up for all this time spent inside. Or not? Another option I’m personally mulling over is the Sentiero dei parchi, which offers itineraries through woodland and national parks. You can read all about it over at Italics magazine.
Recipe of the week: potato gnocchi with asparagus and spring onions
I’m a big fan of Giulia Scarpaleggia’s recipes. She specialises in Tuscan food, sticking close to tradition, though she’s rather heavy handed with herbs and salt which is absolutely OK by me. I feel obliged to recommend her book From the Markets of Tuscany, which takes the reader way beyond Florence and Siena to explore the local cuisines of Lucca, Livorno, Mugello, Lunigiana, Maremma, and beyond. It’s a fantastic off the beaten track guide, curated with genuine passion and knowledge. This week, though, I had to face a more pragmatic problem: what to do with the kilo of asparagus I impulse-bought at the local market? That’s how I came across Scarpaleggia’s blog for ‘potato gnocchi with asparagus and spring onions’. I mean, what a lovely combination. This isn’t actually a traditional dish, but who cares? It’s fresh, seasonal, gluten free, vegetarian and it perfectly captures the spirit of what Tuscan food is all about. One for the roster, definitely.
That’s it for this week - as ever I do hope you enjoyed this instalment. If you haven’t already, please do follow the ‘Week in Italy’ Facebook page, or my twitter, for a few extra links and easy-access to the substack archive. If this email was forwarded to you, or you’re accessing on the web and would like to receive further updates, you can subscribe using this link below. Thanks!
About Me
My name is Jamie Mackay (@JacMackay) and I’m an author, editor and translator based in Florence. I’ve been writing about Italy for a decade for international media including The Guardian, The Economist, Frieze, and Art Review. I launched ‘The Week in Italy’ to share a more direct and regular overview of the debates and dilemmas, innovations and crises that sometimes pass under the radar of our overcrowded news feeds.
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