By Emilia Adorna
There are few things more satisfying to an Italian than a good panino! This week, the families of the Bimbi Time! bilingual playgroup headed off on an excursion to the home of some of the best panini you can find in Sydney – Campisi Fine Food & Deli.
There was excited chatter amongst the children and parents as they walked up the road to the deli, led by playgroup coordinator Emilia and their faithful playgroup puppet, “Roberto”. Little eyes were open wide with curiosity as the children were warmly welcomed inside by Belinda and Melissa from the Campisi team. As they stepped through the doors, they were immediately engulfed in a world of delights – a world seeping with authentic Italian food and culture.
Belinda gave the children a tour of the store – highlighting the vast array of formaggi (cheeses) and salumi (cold meats) behind the deli counter, the baskets of bread baked fresh daily in the store, and of course the mouthwatering selection of cakes and desserts.
After a brief history of the deli, the children gave a big chorus of “Buongiorno” to passionate owner, Tony, who was unmistakably beaming with pride seeing the store filled with the youngest generation of Italians.
Then, the time had come! Practising the names of fillings in Italian, and of course their “per favore” and “grazie”, each of the children ordered their very own panino, made and wrapped with great care before their eyes. With their panini in tow, the children enjoyed one last wander around the store – marvelling at the huge range of pasta, biscotti and other Italian specialty foods.
With a big, heartfelt chorus of “grazie”, the group presented to the Campisi team a handmade thank you card, made lovingly by the children as a token of their appreciation and featuring many of the delectable foods on offer at the deli.
At a nearby park, the children devoured their panini before joining in some fun with a round of “Giro giro tondo”, Italian musical statues and of course a bit of calcio (soccer).
It was a wonderful morning, filled with pride and passion for Italian food, and the joy that comes with it. While little moments like this can easily be taken for granted, they are traditions that live on, and invaluable opportunities to connect with each other and our truly wonderful Italian culture.
