Italy...My favorite Place...
Ive always known where I would travel to once I crossed the pond aptly named the Atlantic Ocean, and that place is Italy. For some the drive to visit Italy would be the history, the culture and/or the art. While all of these are worthy of a visit to Italy, for me, it was the cuisine. History, culture, and art were important to me as well, but the food was my drive to get there, my constant companion while there, and it was the cause of my sorrow when I left Italy.
<-----Gnocchi Seafood Pasta----->
<------Spaghetti Carbonara------>
(It was so good, I ordered it twice)
Sometimes we would only buy some sliced meat, cheeses and bread. We would walk around, and then have a picnic of a simple, yet delicious lunch. Including wine, a course :)
Here was a meal we enjoyed on the rooftop of the cottages we stayed in while in Anacapri. It was an intimate residence toward the top of the island, and the mother of the host would prepare dishes fresh, homemade, and with tomatoes from their own garden.
While we visited many places all over Italy, I would always find small, windy roads and side streets, with a restaurant hidden along the way.
Many restaurants are very small compared to American restaurants. There would only be a few two-person tables, most often less than 10 in total. Although the tables would be very close together, somehow you were never left feeling cramped. Italians tend to eat dinner later than we did, typically towards 8pm or later. Since we were on a much earlier schedule we were able to get a table easily most nights by arriving as soon as they opened their doors after their siesta (many restaurants close between the lunch and dinner hours), but before they got busy with their reservations.
And, so, when I dream of Italy......
Worth Mentioning....
Capri has much to offer if you visit. Taking a boat ride around the island, to all the different grottos is a pleasurable way to spend the day.
The Grotta Azzurra, blue grotto, is particularly beautiful, and favored by many.
<-----Gnocchi Seafood Pasta----->
<------Spaghetti Carbonara------>
(It was so good, I ordered it twice)
Sometimes we would only buy some sliced meat, cheeses and bread. We would walk around, and then have a picnic of a simple, yet delicious lunch. Including wine, a course :)
Here was a meal we enjoyed on the rooftop of the cottages we stayed in while in Anacapri. It was an intimate residence toward the top of the island, and the mother of the host would prepare dishes fresh, homemade, and with tomatoes from their own garden.
While we visited many places all over Italy, I would always find small, windy roads and side streets, with a restaurant hidden along the way.
And, so, when I dream of Italy......
Worth Mentioning....
The Grotta Azzurra, blue grotto, is particularly beautiful, and favored by many.
#/media/File:Grotta_azzurra.jpg){kind=link}
Ohhhhh, I am with you there on Italian food, Meranda! I spent a lot of my grad school time at the University of Siena, and the food was blissful. My favorite was pizza with fiori di zucca (zucchini flowers, which you can sometimes find in American stories, but not often... my friend who grows zucchini gives me fiori di zucca from her garden!). And one of the great features of Indian culture is the food, so maybe this class can be a chance for you to have some Indian food adventures. You can call it homework! Food research! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing! I have never had Indian food actually, and a friend and I are supposed to go soon. I am looking forward to it.
DeleteI got to travel to Italy a few years ago and I loved it! The food is so delicious and Italian food here really can't compare to it. Capri sounds beautiful and I hope to go there someday! When I went to Italy I got to go to Rome, Florence, and Venice. I loved how each one had there own unique culture to them but Rome has to be my favorite! There's nothing like walking down a street in Rome, eating gelato. I'm not sure if you're an Audrey Hepburn fan but one of my all time favorite movies is Roman Holiday. This movie is part of what started my obsession with Italy. If you're haven't seen it I definitely recommend watching it!
ReplyDeleteHey Meranda! It is so cool that you were able to travel to Italy! I have never been far outside of the United States but I would certainly love to visit Italy. I like the Italian food I eat here, so I assume that I would like Italian food there, but it's probably not the same at all! The blue grotto looks insane! I would love to see that!
ReplyDelete