Italy: The Food

The week leading up to our Italy trip, all we could talk about was the food that we were likely to consume. We have had serious pizza and pasta cravings while in Spain, and I am glad to say that Italy definitely did not let us down. I was expecting little authentic restaurants with fresh made pizzas and people in chef hats with twirly mustaches. I am happy to let you know that about 99% of what I expected was spot on.

Our first meal in Italy was technically in Milan, but it was definitely a bust compared to the amazing food we had on the rest of the trip. This is yet another reason why Milan didn't do much for me. The rest of our trip may as well have been planned around food. The first question we asked Jonathan upon arriving was where we should eat, and we took every food suggestion that he offered. I am happy to say that Florence did not let us down.

Panini with proscuitto, tomato, sauce, and melted brie

Florence began with the best panini that I have ever (and probably will ever) eat. This was Jonathan's suggestion when we asked him for a quick place that was open and he could not have made us happier. Maybe it was a full day of travelling and being really hungry, or maybe it was just the idea of eating cheese, but this sandwich was amazing. (Side note: my host mom doesn't care for cheese so I hadn't eaten it in almost 2 months before this sandwich. Therefore you can understand my obsession with some good old melted brie). The shop was a tiny hole in the wall bar that also happens to feature a panini press. The owners didn't speak a word of English and we had a fun time figuring out how to order. We knew from the moment we saw the sandwiches that it would be a repeat, and we were back within days.

The next day for lunch we were in town and stopped into a random restaurant. After realizing that we wanted to try a little of everything, we ordered a special sampler and some side pastas and split it among us. Our sampler started with an appetizer of bruschetta, and then moved on pizza, pasta, and dessert.

Bruschetta 

Gnocchi

Pizza with proscuitto and arugula

Profiteroles

The second night for dinner we met up with Abby and Miranda and went to an authentic restaurant suggested by Jonathan (you can tell why we love him by this point). The food was amazing and we knew it was pretty legitimate because we were the only Americans there. Jess and I ordered a salad and pasta and split it between the two of us so we could try both. 

Ravioli with meat sauce

The next day we stopped by a little sandwich shop for lunch and got caprese sandwiches. The caprese salads in Florence are supposed to be some of the best around, and the sandwich did not disappoint.

Caprese sandwich

We met up for dinner with Jess' friend who has lived in Florence for the past year, and she led us to a restaurant called Il Gatto. They are supposed to offer a sampler where each person pays a set amount and gets different types of pasta, but they require that the entire table does the sampler. So since not everyone wanted to, some of us just created our own sampler. We got an appetizer of bruschetta and then 3 different kinds of pasta. They were all delicious, and of course were paired with wine (which is cheaper than ordering water at dinner in Italy). We didn't take pictures of the food because the waiter gave us a couple nasty glares the second we pulled out our cameras, but rest assured that it was delicious. 

Our table

Dinner the next night was the best food I have ever had in my life. Molly's brother studied abroad in Florence and recommended this restaurant to us. He said that it was a little pricey, but that it was worth every penny. I could not agree with him more (plus what would I rather spend money on than food?). Part of the appeal of the restaurant is the experience you have when you go there. They only take reservations for 7:30 and 9:30 and don't open the restaurant doors until the second the clock hits 7:30. We got there pretty early, knowing that there would be a line, and we were lucky enough to be the first ones in the restaurant when it opened. Molly's brother had told us that they don't give you menus, and that we shouldn't ask for them. Instead of a menu, the waiter is your resource for the whole meal. He suggests what he thinks we should eat for each course, and brings them out as you're ready. Our waiter was a lot of fun and understood that we needed to pace ourselves if we were going to finish this food race. The meal starts off with a huge bottle of house wine and appetizers, which for us was a meat tray. Another appetizer came that was bread with some meat on it. It was delicious, and I'm glad we ate it before we asked what it was...because I'm not sure I would have eaten it as readily had I known that it was chicken liver. 

Meat appetizer and chicken liver

After the appetizer, he told us that they suggest a pasta course. He suggested that we get three servings instead of four and that if we wanted more we could ask for more. The pasta was delicious and was followed by the meat platter. Seeing as we were already pretty full at this point, we told him to maybe give us two servings of the meat. He came back with enough meat to feed an entire family at Christmas and told us that the chef gave him enough for four anyway. Naturally, we ate it. Who are we to turn away a steaming hot plate of Italian meat? The meat plate was followed by two different kinds of cake, which were then followed by a dessert wine and biscotti. Just as we thought we were done, he comes back with limoncello. After dinner we sat in a food coma and all agreed that it was the best meal we had ever had. The tiny Italian boss man came around and wrote us our bill and the waiter told us that boss man had given us a big discount, which is always appreciated. 

Ravioli

Gnocchi in rabbit sauce (my favorite)

Penne in meat sauce

Plate of meat including roast beef, chicken, lamb, and veal

Our messy tablecloth afterwards (I thought you'd like this Mom)

Dessert wine and biscotti

The next day was our last day in Florence, and we ventured on to Milan. Sadly, our last meal in Italy consisted of McDonald's. But hey, Italian McDonald's does have a reputation for being a little classier than American McDonald's.

I hope you enjoyed eating your way through Italy, because I certainly did.