September 2012 – DEV – The Umbra Institute – Study Abroad in Italy

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s Umbra Pizza Night!”
— Dean Martin

More than 80 Umbra students, faculty, and staff members descended on La Cambusa for the long-awaited Pizza Night on Tuesday.

Because pizza connoisseurs say that the quality of a simple margherita pizza – just fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves – reveals the skill of the pizzaiolo (pizza chef), students were served this classic pizza.

La Cambusa’s low, arched brick ceilings, wood-fired ovens, and visible pizza-making station provided the perfect atmosphere for the evening. While this marked the first time the favorite event was held at this venue, the staff agreed that it was another Pizza Night success.

“I think everyone really enjoyed themselves,” said Umbra Student Services Assistant Marco Bagli. “Students left with smiles on their faces.”

Don’t miss the next Umbra Pizza Night at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16!

Tune into the Today Show on Thursday morning to watch former Umbra Institute student Dave Engledow, fall 2001, talk about his new, almost darkly whimsical calendar featuring himself with his young daughter, Alice Bee, in comically precarious situations.

“His work is just amazing – it’s so much fun to see develop,” said Umbra Director Anna Girolimetti, who remembers Engledow’s interest in photography as a student at Umbra more than 10 years ago.

Engledow uses his know-how with photography (he holds a degree in photojournalism) and Photoshop to create these playfully morbid scenes.

“When I first started posting photos of Alice Bee to Facebook, my intent was primarily to entertain my family and friends, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response that these photos have generated in many countries around the globe,” Engledow writes on Kickstarter, where he raises money for the 2013 calendar.

“The first World’s Best Father image I shot (see right) was initially intended as a one-off. I wanted to capture the dazed, sleep-deprived obliviousness of the new father, while at the same time gently poking fun at myself and new fathers everywhere,” he continues. “The character I portray in this series is intended to be a parody of the father I hope I never become–distracted, self-absorbed, neglectful, clueless, or even occasionally overbearing.”

Engledow; his wife, Jen; and baby Alice Bee live in Maryland.

What do e-grocers, fried Snickers bars at state fairs, and food assembly kitchens have to do with each other?

A new book, Culinary Capital, helps us “understand how and why certain foods and food-related practices connote, and by extension, confer status and power on those who know about and enjoy them.” The co-author, Professor Peter Naccarato does not have a short list of accomplishments: PhD in British Literature, Professor of English and Chair of Humanities Division at Marymount Manhattan College, and co-editor (with Kathleen LeBesco, also co-author of this volume) of Edible Ideologies.

And add to that his time as a visiting professor at the Umbra Institute. Last summer, Naccarato taught “Mangiamo: Food in Italian and Italian-American Literature and Film” to eight Marymount Manhattan students in Perugia’s idyllic setting. The course included discussions of food in books ranging from giant Italo Calvino to Frances Mayes, as well as a field trip to hunt truffles.

Naccarato and LeBesco’s book was published by food publishing powerhouse Berg and will be available Oct. 1. Food Studies Program coordinator Zachary Nowak has already ordered two copies for the Umbra Institute’s library of food studies books. See a description here of Culinary Capital.

Congratulations to Professor Naccarato!

Food Studies Program - Aperitivo Workshop

Two nights ago the students participating in the Food Studies Program’s core course on the History and Culture of Food in Italy had their first cu-curricular food workshop. These workshops, each focused on a particular food or beverage, pr

ovide a historical background and seek to contextualize the food product in Italian culture. The subject of this first workshop was the aperitivo, an Italian pre-dinner meeting where friends sit down to a small drink and finger foods. Though heir to a long tradition of “opening” (aperitivo is from the Latin verb aperire, “to open”) the stomach with a bitter concoction, modern-day aperitivo drinks are less murky black elixirs of yore and more likely to be outrageous neon colors. Campari, queen of aperitivo liqueurs, is an excellent example. The workshop was the first in a series, which include cheese, olive oil, and gelato.

On Wednesday, September 5^th, students gathered at Il Birraio for a Welcome Aperitivo with Umbra staff. Refreshments were served while students lounged on plush couches and cushions.

A flood of students to the pizza table signaled the beginning of an endless supply of various pizzas. Students enjoyed their first aperitivo at Umbra:

Lauren Cudney said, “I was really happy to get to explore a different part of the city. It was nice to learn of a new place to go and it was a cool venue!”

“I thought it was great to have all the students gathered in one place since we’re still getting to know each other,” added Taylor Kingston.

Brian Stocksdale said, “It was the first time interacting with Italians who will be taking classes with us, so that was great.”

All in all, a fun kickstart to the semester!

On Friday, Aug. 31, students arriving for the Fall 2012 semester at the Umbra Institute landed in Rome and continued to Perugia on a sleepy, three-hour bus ride. Orientation began at Hotel Giò, where students met future roommates and classmates, explored the area, and enjoyed their first meal in Italy with the Umbra staff.

On Saturday morning, students began moving into their apartments, where they had time to get settled, unpack, and see some sights around Perugia. That afternoon, they attended an open house at the Umbra Institute and became more familiar with the city on practical walking tours.

It was a busy afternoon as the Italian Language professors proctored placement exams, and students solidified and reworked courses and schedules. Many students also signed up for a trip to Capri, Sorrento, and Naples this upcoming weekend with Addy and Julie!

The open house continued on Sunday afternoon, when there was assistance provided for the Permit of Stay and guided tours for upper level Italian students. To end orientation, students gathered in the Oratorio Santa Cecilia for the Safety and Academic Information Meeting in which Umbra staff reviewed policies and procedures.

Students have already begun their Intensive Italian week and are busy with grammar lessons in the morning and “Survival Italian” throughout Perugia in the afternoon!