WLC 310 Culture of Italy Class Trip to Buona Tavola

Students in WLC 310 Culture of Italy took a class trip to local San Luis Obispo Italian restaurant Buona Tavola.

All the students in WLC 310-03 Culture of Italy participated in a field trip to Buona Tavola, where Italian chef Antonio Varia gave a presentation on Italian culinary tradition followed by a tasting of two renowned Italian dishes: Pennette all'Arrabbiata ("mad" pasta, with spicy tomato sauce), from Rome, and Tortelloni alla zucca (giant tortellini with squash filling), from the Piedimont region.

Our students of course took part with great enthusiasm and gusto, interacting with the lively chef Varia and other members of the wonderful Buona Tavola staff. The field trip aimed at giving students a hands on (or rather "forks-on") experience of Italian food and tradition. In class we discussed various ways of understanding the central place of food in cultural identity, exploring themes of conviviality and social fragmentation, the ecological "Slow Food" movement, and more.