"Typical Products" and Their Temporalities

What can 'artisanal' products tell you about a culture’s perception of time? How does this relate to the everyday practices of its constituents? And to what extent do these interact with globalization?" These were the questions I asked when exploring temporalities and "everydayness" of Perugia. Through conducting ethnography at an artisanal food retailer and a local vineyard, I was able to answer them.

A hyper-distillation of the regional expression of identity manifested in material goods within Perugia can be found at Prodotti Tipici (Typical Products). The use of "typical" presents a manufactured characterization of the region, and thereby the identities linked to it. Interestingly, this phrase can be found in many restaurants and shops, however, it is most prominent in Norcinerias (cured meat and cheese vendors that are associated with the town of Norcia). I found that Norcia is often invoke when appealing to claims of tradition and authenticity, particularly in reference to salumi (cured meats) and formaggio (cheese), which are quintessentially Umbrian. This proved to be the impetus for my desire to isolate them as my research objects.

Combining my observations and interviews from Prodotti with those from Terre Margriatelli, a local vineyard, revealed the temporal associations between the past and the present as being integral to the identities of individuals. Further, the slow approach towards time demonstrated in daily activities of Perugians, like casually strolling down the street or taking a prolonged lunch break, was reflected in these "typical products" that benefit from long periods of aging.