French connections
Plus, a prison bakery and Italian stand-up
It’s a while since I’ve written about Italian party politics. The war, pandemic and EU affairs have all dwarfed what, in the grander scheme of things, does sometimes seem like mere, almost irrelevant, power jostling. But with the next round of the French elections on the horizon this seems like a fitting moment to take stock of things. Well, according to the latest polls, national sympathies here seem to be split moreorless evenly between the centre left and far right. The Partito Democratico, believe it or not, are currently the top party in Italy, with a projected 21.8% of vote share; a sizeable gain over the past twelve months. This is almost certainly a reflection of the strong support for PM Mario Draghi, who, while unaffiliated with the PD itself, has enacted many of their proposals. On the other hand, Fratelli d’Italia, Giorgia Meloni’s opposition sovereigntist party, are close behind on 20.9%. This is extraordinary growth, and double the support they had a year ago. Most of Meloni’s votes seem to have come from Salvini and the Lega who, following a series of blunders, are now dwindling at 16%. Elsewhere, for better or worse, the Five Star Movement seem to have plateaued at around 13%. It’s impossible to say what kind of coalition might be formed if an election were called tomorrow and I am no reader of the tea leaves. Still, it’s clear that small parties, from the Greens to Sinistra Italiana, now have more influence in national politics than is commonly recognised, and the question of how they play their hands may yet prove decisive in the months ahead. Food for thought indeed.
As for actual policies: news about the Italian ‘eco-bonus’ is beginning to gather some more international attention, which is good to see. This week it was The Guardian’s turn to publish a feature on the initiative, which allows people conducting home renovations to claim 110% of the costs in tax over a five year period if such works serve to demonstrably improve the energy efficiency or seismic resilience of a given property. The Guardian’s angle is - unsurprisingly - closely tied to the climate crisis and environmental emergency, which is understandable. It’s worth noting, though, that the scheme is also a key part of Draghi’s strategy for economic growth, and a linchpin of his ambition to make the country a more appealing destination for international investors. It remains to be seen, therefore, what exactly this will entail at a macro-level... still, if you’re interested in taking advantage of the opportunity, the bonus lasts until 2025 when, apparently, it will be gradually phased out. For the technical info, in Italian, click here.
This time last year Giorgia Cannarella, the Bologna-based journalist, published an Easter-themed reportage that I never got round to sharing. So here it is, finally. Her piece concerns the Due Palazzi Detention Centre in Padova, a prison which is home to some of Italy’s most dangerous criminals and also, remarkably, one of the country’s most well-regarded pasticcerie: the Giotto bakery. The local authorities set up this initiative way back in 2005 as a way of providing meaningful employment for some of the 500 inmates. In a bold experiment, however, they also entrusted Ascanio Brozzetti, a chef who had previously been working in a three-star Michelin restaurant, Le Calandre, to head up the kitchen. Now, thanks to his tutelage, 38 of the prisoners are working everyday, on regular contracts, to make traditional sweets like panettone and colombe to a professional level. It’s basically the plot of Paddington 2, but in real life and without the talking bear. Seriously, though, Cannarella’s piece is a well-researched look at the realities and challenges of this experiment, featuring thought-provoking interviews with the chefs and some wonderful photographs. Read it, and if you fancy ordering yourself a sweet treat, they deliver worldwide.
Arts and culture: bank holiday tidbits
The European Literature Network has just published the latest edition of The Riveter Magazine, and this time it’s dedicated to Italian writing! There’s a vast number of contributions here. I mean, the pdf is 190 pages long including prose, poetry, images, reviews and extracts from novels. The contributor list is similarly dizzying. You’ll find works here by some of the greatest Italian writers living and dead – Natalia Ginzburg, Paolo Giordano, Lia Levi, Cesare Pavese – rendered into English by translators of such calibre as Tim Parks, Ann Goldstein, Jenny McPhee. I confess I haven’t started reading yet, but I’m travelling a fair bit over the next few weeks and very glad to have the pdf downloaded on my phone for the airports and trains to come. Get yourself a copy – for free – here.
Are you an Italian speaker looking for something to cheer you up over the Easter break? Well, look no further. ‘Cachemire: un podcast morbidissimo’ has got you covered. If you’ve never heard of the show, then stop what you’re doing right now and look this up. The comedians Edoardo Ferrario and Luca Ravenna set up this project at the start of the pandemic when live stand up performances were - obviously - an impossibility. Since then, they’ve been publishing (almost) weekly updates between 30 minutes and two hours long. Watching these clips is basically the closest thing you’re going to get to sitting around with some very funny Italian friends over an aperitivo. I’ve been binge watching the archives for weeks now and can confirm this this is millennial, VICE-like humour done to a T. I’ve particularly enjoyed the episodes on Italian adverts, horoscopes, veganism, campanilismo, Milan fashion, nostalgia and… gossip girl… but am yet to encounter a dud. Anyway, their whistle-stop satirical tour of Italy’s 20 regions - below - is as good a starting point as any, especially if, like me, you’re a dialect nerd. So buona visione.
Recipe of the week: Burrata affumicata, tomato and anchovy
OK this isn’t exactly a recipe I admit, but more of a personal “serving suggestion for a quick spring dinner.” It’s been a busy week. I’ve spent more time on work-related zoom calls than is healthy recently, and the rest of my time - basically - has been dedicated to ploughing on with some long overdue edits. Let’s just say cooking has been low on my priority list. The other day I did, however, notice that my local Conad was selling burrata affumicata for just over a euro - so obviously I had to jump on that! I know, I know. Not everyone reading will be able to find that cheese, and certainly not for such a bargain. Sorry. If you can, or you’re willing to fork out some cash, though, I really recommend buying some and serving it as follows: take a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, mix some basil and oil and vinegar through them, plop the burratina on top, maybe add an anchovy or two as garnish and grab some focaccia to serve alongside. That’s it. The effort to flavour ratio here is - honestly - about as good as it gets. It’s a next level caprese, basically. But also, trust me, so much more than that…
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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