During the summer of 2014, I had the opportunity to join Dr. Steve and Dr. Susanne Talcott along with 20 other students to tour Northern Italy and study Mediterranean nutrition and food processing.

 

We were stationed along the west coast in Levanto where we worked with a local farmer to build stone walls along the mountainous coast, harvest olive trees, and visited numerous vineyards to learn about the different notes of Italian wines. In addition, we were introduced to the Slow Foods Movement and the Italian school lunch program.

 

Other explorations and excursions included:

• Parma - home of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, black pig farms

• Modena - balsamic vinegar headquarters

• Siena - Monsanto winery, Fontodi winery, Sienese cuisine

• Florence

• Rome - Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)

• Perugia - Nestle Chocolate Factory (Perugina Chocolate)

• Pisa - University of Pisa

 

Other cultural experiences included Italian lessons, consuming copious amounts of pizza, sailing the Mediterranean, and watching Italy play in the world cup in Roman piazzas.