Italy was of course, the FOOD. Since I've been in Florence, I have
eaten so many incredible foods that have almost made up for the fact
that I can't have the frozen yogurt I love so much back home.
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| Gnocchi with prawns & pink sauc |
Although the service is typically not very good and the bread isn't
very tasty, the main dish is always delicious and not overly
expensive.. Every time I have gotten a pasta & seafood dish, it
definitely did not cost as much as it would in America. You would
think that pizza is just pizza BUT there is something about pizza in
Italy that puts me under a spell, telling me that I must eat the
entire thing. There are some very well known panini shops right near
campus that are the perfect stop between classes... There's nothing
better than an eggplant, marinara, and mozzarella panini before
heading to Ethics of Globalization! One restaurant, Il Principe, has
become a personal favorite of our's. The owner is an awesome Italian
guy who speaks to us in English but always encourages us to practice
speaking Italian. The place is a little reminiscent of an American
sandwich shop.. You can get any meat, on any bread, with any cheese
and veggies you want, and it comes with a generous serving of fries.
Or you can get a pizza or a massive salad. The first time we went, I
was offered bread with my salad and of course I said yes, expecting a
slice or two. But, much to my surprise and excitement, I was given a
big, delicious roll to enjoy. (I just went about two hours ago and our owner-friend was very happy to see us)
Then.... There's the gelato. While I miss my fro yo dearly, this
Italian staple is serving as an excellent substitute. The flavors are
endless and all equally delicious.. My favorite combination though
comes from the gelateria near school that gives A STUDENT DISCOUNT.
That favorite combination is white chocolate, cranberry, and regular
(or dark) chocolate.. You can always find me there on Tuesday
afternoons in between my Michelangelo, Caravaggio, & Bernini art
history class and International Terrorism.. It's the perfect half-way
snack between 5 hours of class. From the classics like Mint and
Fragola (Strawberry) to exciting flavors like Nutella and Tiramisu.. Every cup or
cone of gelato is de-li-cious!
One really cool thing about the school we attend is that is has
several different branches including a culinary arts program. The
classes would cost extra for us to take and don't give us any USD
credit, but we still benefit from what the culinary arts students are
learning. GANZO is the name of the student-run restaurant that we get
30 vouchers to through our program. Each day the menu is a little
different and all the dishes venture a little out of the norm. From
octopus salad to seabass to chocolate mousse, every thing is yummy and
its fun to run into classmates and recognize the faces of the waiters
and staff, as they are all students.
Talking about GANZO brings me to my next point... The Italian cultural
experience called Apertivo. It is something put on by many of the
restaurants here as a way for friends to meet up and eat a little
something after work and before heading home for dinner. "Apertivo"
comes from the word "aprire" which means "to open". So, this
in-between meal serves to open up the stomach and taste buds before
dinner time. It typically costs between 4 and 8 euro and includes a
drink and a small buffet of several dishes. Ganzo has an apertivo
every Wednesday and this past wednesday was my first time going. For 4
euros we were given a drink of choice and were then unleashed upon a
buffet of never-ending options. While apertivo isn't supposed to take
the place of dinner, it did in our case because the food was too good
to turn down.
Here's what they offered:
Couscous with vegetables
Rice balls
Bread with melted brie and walnuts
Fresh vegetables
Tempure fried vegetables
Mozzarella balls
Tortilla chips
Quesadillas with GUACAMOLE
Green beans
Proscuitto
Curry rice
Fruit skewers
A rice and caprese dish
Baby hashbrowns
... And probably some more dishes that I can't remember!
Needless to say, there was something for everyone and plenty to fill-up on.
Shopping at the grocery store, however, has been a little more of an
adventure. There are so many things in America that I'm used to eating
that just don't exist here. Skim milk and apple juice are
non-existent, cookie dough is no where to be found, and our cereal
options are very limited. It isn't surprising for the store to run out
Cherrios.... That is a problem that would probably never happen at
home. It is fun, though, to go to the farmer's market every weekend to
pick up fresh fruit and vegetables and stare at the endless supplies
and varieties of pasta, balsamic vinegar, and cheese. I now fully
understand why the Italians eat so well.
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| Attempting to cook with limited supplies & skills |
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| After 2 trips to the grocery store & some risky experimentation, we finally had some delicious home-made Nutella-Marshmallow Brownies to enjoy! |
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| Good ol' American Menu |
Whenever we have a craving for American food, there are a few places to go for our fix. Mama's Bakery on the other side of the river serves
BAGELS with cream cheese, peanut butter, or nutella (I get the
everything bagel w/ sun-dried tomato cream chesse), sandwiches,
brownies, cupcakes, cookies, AMERICAN COFFEE, and more. "The Diner" serves omelettes, pancakes, hot chocolate, burgers, shakes, and other typical American dishes. The food isn't anything too special but it is a nice reminder of home!
Well, I guess if there's one thing I can talk about, it's food! I'm
sure that right about now you are saying "OK OK we get it! The food is
amazing!". I hope I haven't made you too hungry or jealous. If you are
jealous, go to Starbucks and drink a vanilla latte or go to
Yogurtland, and then I will be jealous of you!! If I figure out a way
to bring gelato home in my suitcase, I will bring enough for all of
you!
