Water

The gifts from the earth and air and the power of fire would all be useless to a cook who has no water. This crucial element is too often ignored by those who discuss food preparation. Water is the primary component in many foods. It is essential for washing ingredients; cooking food in boiling water is one of the most ancient of all methods. To speak of the social and economic development of Italy is to speak of the availability of water. The Po valley is so rich because the land is so fertile. Parts of southern Italy are extremely impoverished because so little can be grown. Intensely regional Italians even differ on who has the best water. Neapolitans explain why they are considered to make the nation’s best cup of coffee by stating that they have the best water. They also say that their water combined with flour produces Italy’s finest pasta. The natives of the mountains in the Abruzzi make the same claim. I have been to many restaurants in the province of Parma where owners proudly serve fresh local water instead of bottled mineral water. People in the Alpine regions, north of Venice, Verona, Milan, and Turin, all say their water is the best. People throughout Italy all tend to drink a lot of bottled mineral water, which comes either con gas (carbonated) or senza gas (flat). The labels on these bottles feature detailed chemical analyses along with a statement by a professor from the local university describing the properties this particular water has for curing specific ailments. Many Italians “take the cure” once a year. That is, they vacation in spas such as Montecatini and Chiancino Terme to drink water.