There is an undeniable connection between food and community. We have all experienced it; a good meal that brings people together, the laughter and memories made. Being a student in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, I love to see food bringing people together. However, there was something really unique about the food experience in Italy.

In the main piazza of Cortona, the evening hustle and bustle between shops is made up of families buying the materials for their dinner. It is interesting; they buy their groceries for cooking daily. When walking into a shop, the locals know the store owner(s) by name and great them (but even if you are not a local, it is traditional and proper to greet the first people you see “Buon Giorno”).

Everything is specialized and family owned. If you want meat- go to the butcher shop, produce- go to the fruit and veggie shop, and bread- go to the market or bakery. They know you. The owners and workers begin to remember your face and the little things you do. (For example, I loved to go to the Molesini Market and get the number 5 sandwich (highly recommend: ciabatta bread, pesto, mozzarella, salami and tomatoes). After a little over a week, one of the ladies in the shop would greet me and start making my sandwich as soon as I walked in.) But it goes beyond the stores and families, even the restaurants buy their materials from the local markets. You will not see a semi bringing in loads of food- although it would be funny to see a semi try to get down those little stone streets. 

When doing the more daily shopping, it seems Italians are more connected with their food than Americans. When they shop for fruit, vegetables and meat, they know where the products originate. They understand the processes and labor it took for the farmer to grow and harvest the commodity- it did not just magically appear. The produce is perfect to the point shoppers do not touch the fruit and vegetables. The store owners assists you and provides you with the colorful and delicious products for your meal.

The citizens realize community starts with a farmer. He or she brings in their harvest to the market and talk to, not just the store owners, but the individuals, who buy their products. The store(s) become a hub-almost a Chick-fil-A like oasis– where workers ask about your family and how your day has been. Then maybe later on, you see the farmer drinking a cappuccino in the cafe. You get to put a face to the food. A face whose livelihood provides the food that nourishes the soul and brings people together. They see the fields as they commute to their jobs. The store owners know the farmers and have long term relationships with them- some relationships going back generations. 

Imagine if in America, everyone was as connected with their food. When a person ate, they did not JUST eat. They realized HOW that food got to their table. The joy and value of that meal becomes more, and you can not help but savor and share it.

I think we would have a more happy America- or at least a little Italian mix in our everyday. But I challenge you to think like the Italians. It will change the way you approach food because you will see the connection.