Live out in the country long enough in Italy and you'll come across garishly colored signs announcing various food festivals called Sagre. These represent your chances to eat well and cheaply during the summer season, without having to get the kitchen all heated up.

Every weekend thousands of these things are held across Italy. You can join in easily. The hardest part at the good ones is to find a parking place. In the country we just leave our cars anywhere. Your mileage and tolerance for breaking the law may vary.

In any case you'll be herded toward a table with a list of all the foods on offer. Just pick the dishes that sound good to you, pay up and head to a table while they take care of your order.

A village in our vicinity in northern Tuscany recently held a sagra as a benefit for their sports teams. In the picture is a plate of meat we bought for €7, cooked over a wood fire and emerging mighty delicious. There's a sausage, three ribs, and a pork chop.

Buon appetito.