Our dear and tasty Arrosticino of Abruzzo (small skewers of sheep’s meat) finally did his way. Although it is still not clear its true place of birth (there is still a funny dispute in progress between various small villages around the city of Pescara), we know where it arrived.
Thanks to the website www.ilmioviaggioanewyork.com (a tourist agency based in New York – here the official page – that introduces the Big Apple to italian tourists through tours and excursions) we discovered that in the famous Christmas Markets of Bryant Park there is a small kiosk where delicious arrosticinos from Abruzzo are cooked and sold. (See the officiale facebook fanpage)
Left the Abruzzo region, our Arrosticino, step by step through the Apennines reached Rome and then the port of Civitavecchia. From there he embarked on a passenger ship with destination… America! A month-long journey was waiting for him, but our Arrosticino was convinced to try and spent days on the ship’s deck thinking about America, but with nostalgia for the mountains and the sea of Abruzzo.
Sometimes a tear (salty to the right point) of emotion and a smile thinking about America, the land of opportunities. The arrival in New York was greeted by the festive crowd full of joy, with confetti and small firecrackers. On the pier waiting for the Arrosticino, to do the honors and give official welcome, there were Pizza and Pasta and a little further on, almost shy but proud, a bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine. The hug was warm and affectionate, “Welcome to America, dear friend, Arrosticino!”, they all said.
Here is the original video that shows the Arrosticino in Bryant Park
In this video, the exciting moments in front of the kiosk in Bryant Park waiting for cooking the Arrosticino and, finally, the moment when the small and tasty pieces of sheep are bitten, releasing intense gustatory emotions so dear to people from Abruzzo. The price? $ 23 for 10 Arrosticino!
New Yorkers, be careful now! People from Abruzzo control you! Take care about our Arrosticino, Expensive fines for those who use a knife and fork! To eat the Arrosticini as a real Abruzzese you must necessarily dirty your cheeks! ?
Photo: thanks to Piero Armenti (Il Mio Viaggio a New York)
Roberto De Ficis
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