Eat ALL The Food

If you couldn't tell from reading some of my blogs, I am seriously loving the food over here. There is such a different taste to everything. It's all so fresh! And not as processed as everything is at home. I've decided it's time to just dedicate a blog to food.

The Italians have such an appreciation of food. It's so sweet the emphasis they put on tasting everything we eat. I know I have an inclination to scarf down food without even tasting it, but that would be doing an disservice to the food. I find myself chewing slower and putting down my utensils so I don't rush through my meal. I was trying to savor the taste of some beef one night. My waiter thought I didn't like it because I was going so slow! 

The pasta and pizza are great, too. I'm not a big fan of red sauce, but I didn't want to ask every server I have to remove their signature sauce from my dishes, so I'm dealing with it. But it tastes pretty good here. I can't handle that if I order a pizza, I get a pretty big personal size. Most of the time I have to give in and take it home. 

I'm kind of in love with this whole "aperitivos" thing, too. Many restaurants or cafes, even the public library here, have a special where you buy a drink and then you get to eat this buffet of small finger foods. It's not quite dinner, but it tides you over since Italians eat so late. This picture isn't from aperitivos, but my roommates and I got some wine, cheese, and meat antipasto before dinner one night. 

The produce here tastes better to me, too. I was cutting some tomato the other day for a salad, and I could not help but note how firm it was. So crisp. Then yesterday, I just really wanted to make a salad. I bought some lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers, and more tomato. It was some of the best looking produce I've ever gotten. Not mass-produced either. I bought it at a market. 

 

Bread, cheese, pasta, proscuitto - you name it. It's just better.

And the coffee. Good lord I don't know how I'll ever survive again on the American watered down version. I treat myself to the glory of espresso every day. If I don't (and I've tried) I fall asleep.

This is a cappuccino though. 

Did you know you can still get gelato at midnight? That has been a great comfort to me. So creamy. Grom is the best place to go in Florence!