Aaaaaah..........the food!

As we approach our last few days in Italy I feel it would be very remiss of me to not mention the food as it has truly been a highlight of the trip.

There are endless possibilities for places to eat, even in the tiniest towns. Trattorias and ristourantes are the formal restauranst , but there are also Osterrias where local simpler food is served, or enotecas for snacks, or bars for coffee and pastries for breakfast, or Spritzs later in the day. And so many other options as well. Unfortunately MacDonalds are everywhere... but here they have the title 'bar pizzeria'.

All of the locals disappears at lunchtime for a full dinner at home. In some small towns everything including shops and eateries close down completely and the choices are very limited. You know if you are in a tourist town when more eateries stay open for the 2-3 hours in the middle of the day.

Coffee rules,  and everyone drinks lots of it. Usually standing up in a local Bar. Yeterday we went into a tiny Bar at about 8.30am and ordered coffee. A local elderly mama came in , ordered an espresso , drank it in one gulp and left - her daily ritual. Ewan has been drinking espresso macciatos: a shot of hot espresso sometimes with a slug of cold milk and sometimes hot. I started drinking caffe lattes but they were sometimes so much milk and so little coffee that they were tasteless, so I swapped to cappucinos which have more coffee and less milk. Here in Venice the lattes are not so milky so I've changed back again. It's a fine art getting the coffee you want, but the locals drink a lot of it and all day long.

Breakfast is usually a coffee and a cornetto - an italian version of a croissant - or some type of pastry. Often eaten standng up at the Bar.

Late in the afternoon is apertivos time : beer or wine or campari, or in Venice a Spritz. Often served with hot snacks or bruschettas, olives etc.

We have sampled lots of local delicacies, especially where they involved desserts (there's a surprise!). The sicilian ricotta cannoli was delicious and they go for very lurid bright coloured cakes there. The polenta cakes, fig bread and tortes in Bergamo were great and the almond tarts here in Venice superb. And tiramisu everywhere! The tripe in Florence we could live without, but the genoese basil pesto and pasta was great.

The pizzas here are made on a very thin crunchy base with a simple range of toppings. Much lighter than the Australian version.

And the pasta: salmon ravioli and gnocchi with scallops, green basol pasta with genoese sauce, trotellini and porcini lasagne....all fantastic. As was the risottos, often made with few ingredients. Pear walnut and gorgonzola was the favourite.

And the gelati - you will see from the blog we have tried lots of flavours, and when we are exhausted from sightseeing it has been a great pick-me-up. Nociella, baci and pistachio were the favourites. Very creamy and fresh.

The tomatoes here are small ripe and have so much flavour. The peaches and nectarines are huge , juicy and sweet.

As for the salami and proscuitto it's soft and delicious and cheap! We've had lots in piadinas, panzorettis, calzones and lots of other  hot pastries with fillings inside. Often with porcini mushrooms and buffalo mozzarella - all fresh and flavourful.

Ewan considers me a poor travelling companion as I won't help hm drink a bottle of red wine, but he's sampled some great reds and has even managed to get me to drink - and enjoy! - some Valpolleco red wine.

Enough raving : here's some photos , some of which are a bit odd as I was trying to take them quickly in restaurants!

Weight watchers here we come!

Dianne