櫻桃宴 Cherry Party

我所居住的威內多地區，有著得天獨厚的氣候與地理條件，豐富的農產品在全義境內享有盛名。特雷維索的紅菊苣、山區的松露與牛肝菌、巴薩諾的白蘆筍、馬洛斯提卡一帶的櫻桃等，每一個季節，都讓我在滿心期待、盼望大飽口福的心情中度過。
Due to its superb climate and geographical conditions, the agricultural products in Veneto area are famous and well appreciated all over Italy. The radicchio of Treviso, the Porcini mushrooms and white truffles in the mountain area, the white asparagus of Bassano del Grappa, and various kinds of cherries around Marostica are just few examples. There’re different tastes for different season. How lucky I am to come and live in this area.

我最期待的，莫非是每年的櫻桃季。櫻桃向來是我最喜歡的水果之一，搬到維琴察以後，知道這一帶是櫻桃產區，興奮的心情自然不在話下。在維琴察省內的著名櫻桃產地，離我家約莫半小時的車程，因此，每年五到六月間的週末，自然就常常到各地的櫻桃展中報到，品嘗各式櫻桃。
I’m always looking forward to the coming of cherry season. Cherry has always been my favorite fruit. When I just arrived in Vicenza, I was so excited to know that this is the cherry production area. Famous cherry places in Vicenza province are around half hour driving from home. Therefore, we often visit cherry fair savoring cherries every weekend during May and June every year.

通常，為了拉抬一地的人氣，櫻桃展的重頭戲通常都在星期天上午。所謂的重頭戲，簡單來說，就是一群人一起大拜拜的活動，除了當地市政府的頒獎活動以外，每家把自家上好貨色整齊排列以供陳列觀賞的優選展，也是難得一見的景象。平常看慣了市場裡一堆堆的櫻桃，一到了櫻桃展，一顆顆完美無暇的飽滿紅色果實排排站的光景，總是罕見的視覺饗宴。
The important events of cherry fairs are always held in Sunday mornings, so as to attract visitors. The so-called important events are often group activities such as award ceremonies for the best production of the year or the exhibitions for selected cherries from every farm. We’re used to see shimmering piles of cherries in the market. When it comes to cherry fair, selected and perfect cherries arranged neat and tidy in boxes are a sight rarely seen.

頒獎典禮自然是有關櫻桃優良農民的各種獎項，典禮結束以後，會開放展區讓貴賓們一飽眼福，之後便是櫻桃拍賣會。被拍賣的對象，是各家被展出的特選櫻桃，價格也就比攤子來得高，這些櫻桃比較漂亮是真的，不過有沒有比較好吃，我就不得而知了。
The award ceremonies are of course about various kinds of rewards and prizes for farmers. After the ceremony, the exhibition area will be open for visit, and then comes the auction. The cherries exhibited are put to auction, and the price is for sure higher than what we can find in the market. These cherries are of course more beautiful. But do they actually taste nicer? That’s a question I can’t really answer…

喜歡去櫻桃展，眼福雖然不能少，不過滿足口腹之欲才是我的重點。櫻桃展的周圍，都會有一些小市集，有著各種賣衣服、玩具、食品的攤販，而水果攤販，則清一色是櫻桃攤販。一走進市集，我們也顧不得形象，買了一公斤的櫻桃，閒逛時便自顧吃將起來，不過一會兒就滿嘴紅牙，忙著吃櫻桃以外，還要小心米奇的照相攻勢，省得留下拙相，成了被取笑的對象。約莫中午，展場內一切活動結束以後，搖身一變成了美食區，販售的夏日節慶的典型餐食，一陣陣的烤肉香、沁涼的啤酒，卻怎麼也引不起我的食慾，心裡只顧著計算，等一會而要帶多少櫻桃回家。
I like going to cherry fair not only for sightseeing, but also for satisfying my tummy. There’s always an open-air market around with lots of stands selling clothes, toys and food, but the fruit stands sell only cherries. When we’re there, we can’t really take consideration of the so-called “image”. We always get at least a kilo of cherries to be tasted immediately when we walk around and get a mouth of “red teeth” not long after. My mouth is always full, but I always have to be careful because Michele is always taking photos. Around noon, the exhibition area is transformed into lunch area, selling typical dishes that one can find in a town festival. However, the smell of BBQ and the fresh beer can’t really raise my appetite. I’m too concentrated on calculating how many kilos of cherries I should bring back home!

每次櫻桃展買個十公斤以上的櫻桃已是常事，後車廂裡櫻桃到處滾也是難得，剛開始，朋友們常常訝異於我們的大量消費，因為櫻桃在摘下以後不能久放，尤其氣溫日漸升高的六月天，存放季節更是短，殊不知我們除了帶一些與公婆分享以外，大部分的採買都在三日以內就‘屍骨無存’，只因為我和米奇兩人都嗜吃櫻桃，每人一日吃個一公斤以上實屬平常。今年我給自己的功課，除了吃櫻桃以外還想學做櫻桃果醬，這樣子，我就可以把家中的櫻桃季延長一些時日，不過米奇在聽到我的計畫以後取笑道，「這些櫻桃真的有辦法存活到變成果醬嗎？」我想，朋友眼中的「櫻桃饕」絕非浪得虛名！
It’s a norm that we buy more than ten kilos of cherries in the fair, and we always find cherries rolling around in the car when we arrive home. At the beginning, our friends are surprised of the quantity we buy, because cherries can’t stay long after they’re picked from cherry trees. The durability is even shorter in June for the rising temperature. However, they didn’t know that apart from bringing some for Michele’s parents, we finish almost ten kilos of cherries in three days. We both love cherries, and it’s common that each of us consume more than a kilo a day. This year I wanted to try something new. I was thinking to make cherry jam so that they will probably survive longer. After Michele got to know my plan, he started to tease me! “Are you sure these cherries will survive until you make them into cherry jam?” The nickname “cherry glutton” doesn’t come for nothing!!

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