Italians to New Yorkers: ‘Forkgate’ Scandal? Fuhggedaboutit
We here at The Salt were interested in de Blasio’s self-defense: As an Italian-American, he said, he was merely honoring his heritage by eating pizza the way they do back in the homeland — start with the cutlery, then finish off with your hands.
“Of course, de Blasio is absolutely right,” says NPR’s longtime Rome correspondent, Sylvia Poggioli.
“The story made headlines here, too, with everyone scratching their heads, wondering if Americans don’t have more serious issues to deal with,” Sylvia tells us. She adds:
“Italians cut their pizzas with fork and knife and then eat the slices with their hands. One reason is that pizza is served piping hot, too hot to rip apart with your hands.
“Another issue altogether is pizza cooked in long rectangular shapes and sold at bakery or cafe counters by the slice, then it’s wrapped in paper and eaten like a sandwich.
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