Regardless of your personality, whether you are a big picture person or consider yourself a short-term, goal-oriented individual, there is one thing that foodies have in common .... they enjoy the immediate gratification of good food, usually with first bite. Often it sends conversations into superlative descriptions as though one was describing fine art or critiquing the melody of a song. Food is experiential ... you have to grow it, prepare it, present it and then of course, eat it. So, naturally from my perspective, I think you should enjoy it by all means! When we are out for our daily "passeggiata" here in Italy ... a walk ... more often than not, the conversations overheard are about food. Italians love talking about food as much as they love eating it. The conversations are between men, women, young and old, poor and wealthy. Food is one of the important common denominators that all Italians can relate to in life, with people of different economic statures and has seasonal significance for winter, spring, summer and fall as well as holiday and religious traditions. Currently, it is the season for sweets .... 
everywhere I turn showcase pastries and special "fritti dolci" for carnevale. For us foodies, it's instant delight when something absolutely delicious, either self-made, prepared by a friend or created by a professional lands on our scrupulous palates. It is why we wait in line at restaurants, spend hours in the kitchen preparing, days tilling in the garden, travel miles to a diner and anticipate our online orders. Immediate gratification is sure to be found. Today, feeling very hungry, Michel and I went off to a new favorite local restaurant in Porto San Giorgio. First bite of the tagliatelle had us "oooing" and "awing". Molto semplice piatto 
--- Very simple plate -- but it was incredibly flavorful with small bits of sausage sautéed with fresh mushrooms, finished off with a touch of cream and a drizzle of local extra virgin olive oil. Luckily we had a basket of bread to help "clean" the plate. Immediate gratification accomplished. Last week we ventured out for a day trip and headed south to return to a rugged coastline we discovered about two years ago. Between Ortona and Foggia fishermen are still taking in the fresh catch of the day from these structures built in the Adriatic called Trabocchi. 
This area is not prosperous by any means and what I can tell from the sporadic informational signs posted, families have been reeling in their lunch and dinner from these structures for centuries. The homes are run down and the small road that curves around the Adriatic Sea is unpopulated. During the summer months, the Trabocchi are fishing structures in the morning and then transformed into tiny restaurants for lunch and/or dinner. Since February is the off season, Trabocchi were standing alone in the sea with zero activity in sight. We opted for a roadside restaurant that looked like it had seen better days. However, once inside, we were shown to our table adorn with a white tablecloth, fresh flowers, hand painted pottery and real silverware. With only five items on the menu, the waitress tells us what they have cooking in the kitchen. While we wait, I enjoy the local wine that reminds me of Oregon chardonnay and take in the view that is overlooking the Adriatic. 
This little family restaurant continued to surprise me with the freshest and prettiest "Insalatina a mare" followed by fantastic spaghetti tossed with fresh, teeny clams, cherry tomatoes, white wine and extra virgin olive oil. Both dishes simply prepared, simply superb, featuring minimum ingredients and preparation but always fresh and top quality. Really good extra virgin olive oil remains to be a key ingredient in these dishes. Once again, immediate gratification accomplished after a long drive for lunch. We hope that you too can enjoy immediate gratification from the simple pleasures of life, such as enjoying quality ingredients in your own every day cooking. 
Thank you for the wonderful reviews of Casal Cristiana Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We have re-tooled our website so you can purchase on-line for same week shipping. If you are out and about in Oregon's wine country, you will find Casal Cristiana Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil stocked at The Dundee Bistro in Dundee and Peirano & Daughters Market in McMinnville starting in March. We find ourselves evolving for our clients and their desire to have Casal Cristiana Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil readily available as they find its multiple uses. Because we all know by now that immediate gratification for something good, for something real, can be worth waiting for but if you don't have to .... why wait? Michel and I invite you take a tour on our website. We have made some changes and there are more to come as we listen and learn from our clients and through our adventure of living on the balcony of the Adriatic in Torre di Palme, Italy.
In one day, our server's pedometer logged 16 miles within our restaurant hustling food and drinks to our celebratory guests. Whether its an engagement announcement, birthday, Mother's Day, work lunch or it's a "I am treating myself" moment, we are in the business of happiness with great food in a beautiful and relaxing environment and an upbeat team to make it all happen.
