27
2006
It would seem that I'm not the only person in this city who either can't or won't cook.
An increasing number of Milanese are shunning aprons for ready-made meals and take out food. It's such big business that the Chamber of Commerce decided to study it.
So, how much is everyone eating out?
Well enough to register a 101% jump over five years in the number of businesses making and selling prepared foods, with a 30% increase between third quarter 2004 and 2005.
Milan's food industry has grown over 31% percent, nearly twice as much as the national average of 18% and analysts at the Chamber of Commerce put the grown down to the "laziness" of locals in the kitchen who prefer to buy read-made dishes at supermarkets or get food at delis, kebab joints and Chinese take outs.
It would appear, however, that Milanese are still respecting the apple-a-day rule -- fruit and vegetable processing increased 200% over the last 12 months. This follows my own admittedly lazy diet, a lot more "take away" (as the Italians call it in English) plus a lot of repentant fruit and veg.
I noticed with panic on Sunday that the kebab place around the corner is now closed on the weekends. I'm waiting with the anxiousness of a non-cooker for the "yes-it's-August-but-something's-still-open" guide. City government publishes a booklet every year, to keep the three people left in the Milan in the summer from expiring while they wander around trying to find someplace to eat.