Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

Let Them Eat Gelato
Saturday, June 9, 2007

Geltao-gate strikes Italy. Man the barricades!

A group of Italian senators want ice cream in their cafeteria to "improve the quality of life" in the Senate, astonishing observers as Italy's political class faces a growing backlash over its handsome pay and perks.

In a letter to the Senate building's administrators, Italian senators Rocco Buttiglione and Albertina Soliani said serving "gelato" could be considered serving the needs of people's daily life.

"The cafeteria is not supplied with ice cream," said the letter, published by Italian newspapers on Friday. "We think it would be useful if it were and we are certain that it can be interpreted as the desire of many."

The letter comes amid a public crisis of confidence in Italy's political establishment, with opinion polls showing a general lack of faith in elected officials while a new book that portrays it as a bloated, overpaid apparatus has quickly become a bestseller.

This is not the first gastronomic request by Italy's senators either, La Repubblica newspaper said.

They had previously asked for -- and succeeded in getting -- regional specialties on the menu such as meat of white buffalo, and also partook in a wine sommelier course in March.

Posted by B Feiler at 9:00 AM
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