McDonald’s has teamed up with the Italian government to promote a new burger in Italy.

Can you imagine Italy with its culinary traditions joining forces to promote McDonald’s, a much-maligned American icon in Europe? Food critics in Italy are outraged at the very idea of promoting McDonald’s in Europe. The “McItaly” sandwich is an Italian beef burger with local toppings such as Asiago cheese and artichoke spread. Italy’s Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia promoted the sandwich wearing a Mc Donald’s apron.

Italy hopes the sandwich will be successful during its 7 week promotional run so that McDonald’s will make the sandwich a standard item on Italy’s McDonald’s outlets and, subsequently, in other European countries.

Italy’s interest in the product is that McDonald’s is using Italian agricultural products. The food writer, Matthew Fort of The Guardian, called the McItaly a “monstrous act of national betrayal.” Mr. Zaia responded to The Guardian’s piece with a letter to the Editor. In the letter, he said he will “try to ‘convert the infidels’ of the left, who have never dirtied their hands by working in the fields.

They are the same people who, after preaching against those who - like me - work to ensure quality as a right for everybody instead of a luxury for élite consumers, run towards the ‘Organic Food’ aisles of supermarkets with their heavy wallets and light consciences.” Wow, who knew that McItaly burgers would be such an important national and economic topic?