Italian food is many people’s favorite cuisine: truffles, tomato sauce, pasta, cured meats.
In the words of Chef Pepe, everybody and their grandmother has an opinion on the juuust right way to make a certain Italian dish.
What I’ve been disappointed with in Italy is the breakfast culture. Sure, every guide book stresses the bar cafe culture. I’ve experienced a similar cappuccino culture in Spain. Most Italians skip breakfast, or just have a pastry with their cafe.
However, what they lack in the breakfast department they make up for in the lunch department. Our sandwiches at Osteria Antico Vinaio were a straight dive into truffle heaven. 5€ sandwiches for artisanal meats, salamis, vegetarian spreads like truffle, burrata, eggplant.
There’s actually a small town outside of Florence is known for 90% of the world’s truffle production…says google.
Thank you Florence for your paninis. I just wish paninis weren’t the only affordable lunh/dinner option.
We ate gelato every night at Perche No, because Perche why NOT?
Much more than in Venice or Rome, we experienced the “Servizio / Coperto” charge on every bill. Per person. Although guide books usually recommend Americans think of the charge as similar to our tip, it was much more. At one pizza place, our €17 meal total went up €9 due to the coperto charge!
No grazie.