A Little Italian Assistenza Clienti’!

When you have Italian blood coursing through your veins there is always the desire for some pasta or other il mangiare delights.  This is certainly the case with me, even though I am only 50% Italian blood, it is the dominant gene in my food cravings.  So, on frequent occasions, I trek off in search of the authentic Italian food stores where one can buy the ingredients to prepare a quality food experience.  I will buy the ingredients that will make me feel like an Italian chef, if for just one night.  And consume food that makes my palate and culinary soul come alive again.

75 miles north of the town where I live, is a fairly large city that has neighborhoods of ethnicity such as Irish, German, Korean and more.  And of course, there is an Italian neighborhood that has a number of restaurants and a few stores within its boundaries.  I make the trip up there at least twice a year.  The neighborhood of old Italian homes is virtually unchanged from the days some 120 years ago when they were constructed.  Fire hydrants bear the colors of the Italian flag and every yard manicured and every porch adorned with flowers and porcelain figures from the old Italian world.  The area is a throwback to older, simpler times when you could smell foods being prepared on every block.

There is a store in the neighborhood that dates back to the 1920s, which is still owned by original family members and has changed very little in its near 100 years of business.  The store crafts its own cheese, meats, and some varieties of pasta and carries almost exclusively Italian made products.  The walls and floors in the store are old and scuffed but mopped clean as if by an old Italian mother who is expecting company.  There is an air of old-world craftsmanship and a love for that craft that doesn’t exist in today’s modern, plastic, supermarkets and discount stores.  It just somehow feels like home.

On my agenda for this trip is the purchase of the stores’ handmade, dry spaghetti that comes in 5lb packages of 18” strands of heavenly delight wrapped in wax-based paper and tied with a bow.  It is the best pasta that I have ever tasted, and it cooks perfectly even without any gumming of the individual pieces.  When covered by a small amount of Italian tomato pasta sauce with meatballs it is truly heaven on a plate and love twirled on a fork.  This is my little slice of heaven and it is something I could eat every day of the week.

Upon arrival the store I sped off in search of the golden durum wheat, semolina delight, hoping to procure two of the 5lb packages to be stored in my pantry.  Once I found the spot on the shelves that normally housed the 18” wrapped packages, I was met with disappointment as the space was empty.  After a careful search of the entire shelve, I walked to the nearest store personnel to inquire about the availability of the spaghetti.  As his teeth clinched into an “oh I’m afraid I have bad news” position, the young man at the counter told me that the spaghetti would not be delivered into the store until later that afternoon.  However, I would be able to order it online and they would deliver it to me at my home.  He was a very polite and apologetic young man (may have been part of the family).

While the news was a little disappointing, I wasn’t going to be fixing the meal for another week and waiting a couple of extra days was not the end of the world.  So, I took the stores’ card that the young man gave me, and I continued my shopping adventure.  After securing all the other items that I had on my list it was time to proceed to the checkout lane and give them my hard-earned cash (or maybe credit or debit).  Before I reached the check out lane the young store clerk tapped me on the shoulder, handed me two of the 5lb, wrapped packages of spaghetti and told me to “enjoy”.  I had to ask the young clerk how he obtained the delicious prize so quickly.  He somewhat modestly responded, “I drove down to our kitchen facility and picked them up”.  Ok, at this point I am in shock, this young man took the time to travel a couple of blocks down, pick up my desired treat and quickly brought it back before I left the store.

To say the very least, I am not used to this kind of extra effort made on my behalf.  This young man, whether a family member of the store or not has an incredible flair for going the extra mile for his customers, a trait that is becoming hard to find maybe even obsolete.  I really don’t know what this store pays or what benefits they offer their folks, maybe it’s more than what the corporate rats who dominate our retail world pay but one thing is for sure, this is the kind of service that customers like. How refreshing it is to be treated like you are spending a million dollars when in fact it was only 10 bucks.

I know that our economy has become dependent on low-cost goods and services.  Because of stagnating wages, we have become reliant on major corporations to supply us with cheap garbage and unfriendly customer service.  We need a redo now more than ever and try to bring back a better experience for all.  POTUS has promised to “Make America Great Again”, maybe he could start with the shopping experience.  As always, this is just my opinion.  Mangia Bene Y’all!

Talk to Ya Later

The Grumpy Old Fart Customer @2020 All Rights Reserved