--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Italy, for the same price as a typical…" description: "\"In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could eat like a king - rather better in fact, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png" --- # In Italy, for the same price as a typical British… ![“In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could eat like a king - rather better in fact, because pasta dishes gain from being kept simple.” quote by Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png) > “In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could eat like a king - rather better in fact, because pasta dishes gain from being kept simple.” [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simple, affordable meals can provide richer experiences than expensive, complex ones, highlighting value in simplicity. **In simple terms:** Simple food can be richer. Key Takeaway Appreciate simplicity in cuisine. Themes food culture economics Mood contemplative lighthearted Type cultural observational When to use this quote - budget travel - home cooking - restaurant reviews Key Concepts simplicity value culinary tradition Questions to Reflect On - What makes simple meals satisfying? - How does culture influence food value? A Different Perspective Taste is subjective; simplicity may not suit all. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British Hamburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-hamburger-945189/) [Builder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/builder/) [Dishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes/) [Dishes Gain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes-gain-945192/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Hamburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamburger/) [Hamburger Meal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamburger-meal-945190/) [Hamburgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hamburgers/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorous/) [Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including/) [Italian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italian/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Labourers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labourers/) [Meals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meals/) [Pasta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pasta/) [Pasta Dishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pasta-dishes-945191/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Typical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/typical/) ## Related quotes > [When you cut it up, put the pieces in your mouth and swallowed them, the British hamburger shaped itself to the bottom on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/when-you-cut-it-up-put-the-pieces-in-your-mouth-and-swallowed-them/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In recent years, perhaps encouraged by competition from McDonald's, the British hamburger has become a credit to the nation. At the time of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-recent-years-perhaps-encouraged-by-competition-from-mcdonald-s-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The British hamburger thus symbolised, with savage neatness, the country's failure to provide its ordinary people with food which did anything more for them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-british-hamburger-thus-symbolised-with-savage-neatness-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Food is a passion for me, especially Italian cuisine. I prefer to have somebody cook for me, but I can do some very nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-neuer/food-is-a-passion-for-me-especially-italian-cuisine-i-prefer-to-have/) [Manuel Neuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-neuer/) > [Not only are pasta dishes delicious, but they are also great, easy options for a quick dinner during a busy weekday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/not-only-are-pasta-dishes-delicious-but-they-are-also-great-easy/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [It is ambition enough to be employed as an under-labourer in clearing the ground a little, and removing some of the rubbish that lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/it-is-ambition-enough-to-be-employed-as-an-under-labourer-in-clearing/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [If the labourer consumes his disposable time for himself, he robs the capitalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-the-labourer-consumes-his-disposable-time-for-himself-he-robs-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The working conditions of Indian labourers in the Gulf countries are notoriously abusive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/the-working-conditions-of-indian-labourers-in-the-gulf-countries-are/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [No labourer in the world is expected to work for room, board, and love -except the housewife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/no-labourer-in-the-world-is-expected-to-work-for-room-board-and-love/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [Science in England is not a profession: its cultivators are scarcely recognised even as a class. Our language itself contains no single term by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-babbage/science-in-england-is-not-a-profession-its-cultivators-are-scarcely/) [Charles Babbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-babbage/) > [To mean understandings, it is sufficient honour to be numbered amongst the lowest labourers of learning; but different abilities must find different tasks. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-mean-understandings-it-is-sufficient-honour-to-be-numbered-amongst/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [In proportion as the machine is improved and performs man's work with an ever increasing rapidity and exactness, the labourer, instead of prolonging his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lafargue/in-proportion-as-the-machine-is-improved-and-performs-man-s-work-with/) [Paul Lafargue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lafargue/) > [ And, inasmuch \[as\] most good things are produced by labour, it follows that all such things of right belong to those whose labour has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/and-inasmuch-as-most-good-things-are-produced-by-labour-it-follows/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A labourer cannot sit at the table and write, but a man who has worked at the table all his life can certainly take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-labourer-cannot-sit-at-the-table-and-write-but-a-man-who-has-worked/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If this labourer were in possession of his own means of production, and was satisfied to live as a labourer, he need not work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-this-labourer-were-in-possession-of-his-own-means-of-production/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## More by Clive James > [Arnold Schwarzenegger looks like a brown condom full of walnuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/arnold-schwarzenegger-looks-like-a-brown-condom-full-of-walnuts/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [My wife spoke perfect Italian and she was very beautiful and very suave Italian men were crowding around her, talking all the time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/my-wife-spoke-perfect-italian-and-she-was-very-beautiful-and-very/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The streets, at least in this part of town, seemed impossibly clean in comparison to London. The public telephones were unvandalised. For a London…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-streets-at-least-in-this-part-of-town-seemed-impossibly-clean-in/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [In London there was no home cooking worthy of the name. When you were in funds you ate out. But only the people whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-london-there-was-no-home-cooking-worthy-of-the-name-when-you-were/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Generally it is our failures that civilize us. Triumph confirms us in our habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/generally-it-is-our-failures-that-civilize-us-triumph-confirms-us-in/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [I try to be specific. One thought at a time. Clear. Articulate. And above all, memorable, if you can be. You'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/i-try-to-be-specific-one-thought-at-a-time-clear-articulate-and-above/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Pound had argued - and Eliot had helped him prove - that a poem could be sustained by memorable moments. Olson proved that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/pound-had-argued-and-eliot-had-helped-him-prove-that-a-poem-could-be/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [A luxury liner is really just a bad play surrounded by water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-luxury-liner-is-really-just-a-bad-play-surrounded-by-water/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [One way or another, all the poets of the thirties and forties reacted to Auden, either by rejecting him or trying to absorb him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/one-way-or-another-all-the-poets-of-the-thirties-and-forties-reacted/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Little books are the things to write at my age, I've decided. Avoid the big ones, go for the little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/little-books-are-the-things-to-write-at-my-age-i-ve-decided-avoid-the/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Too many of my friends are dead, and others wrecked By various diseases of the intellect Or failing body. How am I still upright?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/too-many-of-my-friends-are-dead-and-others-wrecked-by-various/) [clive james](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [A sceptic finds Dallas absurd. A cynic thinks the public doesn't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-sceptic-finds-dallas-absurd-a-cynic-thinks-the-public-doesn-t/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The Canadian version of Julius Caesar's memoirs? I came, I saw, I coped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-canadian-version-of-julius-caesar-s-memoirs-i-came-i-saw-i-coped/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Rilke used to say that no poet would mind going to gaol, since he would at least have time to explore the treasure house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/rilke-used-to-say-that-no-poet-would-mind-going-to-gaol-since-he/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [The thing about making a documentary in Las Vegas is there isn't much to film apart from other people making documentaries about Las Vegas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/the-thing-about-making-a-documentary-in-las-vegas-is-there-isn-t-much/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) [Explore all 151 Clive James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) ## More British quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/) [Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/) > [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) [Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could eat like a king - rather better in fact, because pasta dishes gain from being kept simple.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clive James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical-british-hamburger-meal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "British" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical-british-hamburger-meal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd6/clive-james-2750_british_in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical_1679748.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Italy, for the same price as a typical British hamburger meal including sweet, a builder's labourer could…” — Clive James", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clive James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In Italy, for the same price...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical-british-hamburger-meal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/in-italy-for-the-same-price-as-a-typical-british-hamburger-meal/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```