Italians are currently debating a very important global issue: the politics of Nutella:

“Only Italians could turn something like this into an ideological question,” said Gigi Padovani, who put the question to a group of students at the Velso Mucci Institute, a technical school for chefs and waiters in this small town in northern Italy. As the dark creamy treat turns 40, intellectuals throughout the country have been debating what Padovani calls the “cultural, social, artistic and gastronomic phenomenon” that is Nutella.

“It’s only here that people say that a shower is ‘left’ while a bath is ‘right,’ jeans are ‘left,’ a jacket is ‘right,’ or that Nutella is ‘left’ and Swiss Chocolate is ‘right,”‘ said Padovani, setting off titters among the students.

He was teasing, but he had a point to make: “All generations have appropriated Nutella – they all feel as though it belongs to them. It transcends generations…Today we would call it bipartisan.”

Here in the States, it’s not the Nutella that defines your politics. It’s how you eat it.

On a rice cake: Left.
On Wonder bread: Right.
With fruit: Left.
With potato chips. Right.
On a crostini: Left.
Straight out of the jar: Just right.

Time for breakfast!

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