In Praise of Food … Italy

The Italians love to eat - no shock there - and this love permeates the food from street vendors, sandwich shops, and local lunch places as well as fancy restaurants with Michelin stars. Notice, for instance, the gorgeous roll at left. A little smaller than a softball with a crunchy outside and soft center, these were presented for breakfast at the (decidedly NOT upscale!) hostel my friend and I stayed in Rome. A far cry from the usual loaf of grocery white bread and a toaster!

Here is wonderful tomato and bread concoction in Rome. This came from a Rick Steves recommendation – the owner is apparently big on providing cheap food for local students. The restaurant was only a short walk from the Pantheon, nestled among literally dozens of other eating places. It only cost about €3.95 and was so good I wanted to lick the plate afterward. (Don’t worry, my friend Kelley restrained me!) Her meat and cheese sandwich is at right. Because we had Rick’s book on the table – we got free glasses of homemade strawberry wine afterward! (So of course, we had to take pictures of that too.)

This was a simple but delectable sandwich eaten on the hoof as I walked around Florence.

If you’re like me and love to cook as well as eat – don’t miss out on a chance to experiment with local ingredients! Buying groceries can be a fascinating experience – especially if there’s a language barrier. =] Here’s a shot of a dinner I made in a Rome hostel. After a long day of sightseeing, it was great to relax and do some cooking. And to eat afterward!

This is one of my very favorite food pictures. It was taken at Acqua AL 2 (www.acquaaal2.it) in Florence. I got a ‘mixed plate’ which was basically tastes of several of that day’s dishes. This one was ravioli stuffed with cheese and dark grapes. Sounds weird – tasted divine! If I’d have known how amazing it was, I’d have forgotten about trying the other dishes and concentrated on it. For those of you in the southern California area, Acqua AL 2 has a sister restaurant (oddly) in San Diego (www.acquaal2.com).. I’ve not been there (yet) but if you go, I’d love to hear about it!