Just as you might have imagined, Italy is all about food and wine. And Italians know how to do them both incredibly well. The Zarcones have embraced the Italian way of life - easing into the day, taking a long mid-afternoon siesta (called a pausa pranzo), and indulging in a daily gelato.
Most Italians eat a very light breakfast that includes pastries, fruit and coffee (for the people over five feet tall). The pasticceria (pastry shop) a few doors down from our flat specializes in shortbread type pastries that are filled with either fruit or chocolate. They also have croissants, which we typically eat for breakfast. Bella has taken a liking to the chocolate filled croissants. We have noticed that the Italian version of a croissant is more dense than the French-type croissants of which we are more familiar. The fruit stand, which is next door to the pasticceria, provides us with out breakfast fruit - usually strawberries or peaches.
Coffee is also something that takes time and is not to be rushed in Italy. There is no Starbucks on every corner and you don't take your coffee to go. You are expected to sit or stand at a counter and sip your cup which has been made for you by a barista with mad skills.
As some of you know, Tom should not be conversed with until he has had at least two cups of espresso. I am not joking! I often have to send him text messages if I have told him something of relative importance before he has had his coffee. The coffee-maker in our flat is a traditional Italian coffee pot and I think Tom is in LOVE with it. It is basically a three-chambered vessel. You put water in the bottom chamber and your finely ground coffee in the middle chamber (not too tightly packed or the pot will explode). The pot is placed on the stove and as the water boils it travels through the coffee grounds and fountains into the top chamber. Tom says it makes the perfect cup of espresso.
Because we generally ease into the day and don't eat breakfast until later in the morning, we eat a late lunch/dinner that we affectionately call linner. Linner is an Italian feast that we eat between 2-3 pm. I have fallen in love with a grilled vegetable salad that is my "starter" course. It usually includes zucchini ribbons, thick tomato slices, a portion of a head of romaine lettuce, and eggplant slices that are char-grilled and topped with shaved parmigiano-reggiano. Now, as most of you know, I don't really like cheese. But, I think I would throw an elbow for the last bit of some parmigiano-reggiano. It has only taken me thirty-eight years to find a type of cheese that I can't live without.
The kids are experimenting with different types of pasta and sauces. Bella has discovered pesto and Scarlett could eat any ravioli placed in front of her. But, the girls are absolutely in LOVE with the lasagne that the trattoria at the end of our block serves. The owner knows to just bring two plates of it for the girls - she doesn't even ask their orders anymore. The lasagna doesn't really have ricotta cheese filling - it is pretty much just ribbons of pasta loaded with ragu (meat sauce). Scarlett covers hers in grated parmigiano so that it resembles a snow-covered mountain.
We usually share a classic margherita pizza - which is always cooked in a wood-fired oven. We have all noticed that the crust is usually very salty. The pizzas are much smaller than we are used to (the size of a large plate) and are not cut into slices when they are served. It is also good etiquette to eat your pizza with a fork and knife (but we still sometimes cut them into slices and eat them with our hands). No meal is complete without water frizzante - which is like seltzer. And seeing as how we are in the heart of the chianti wine region, all linners must include at least one healthy glass of the house chianti. There is really no point in ordering anything more extravagant than the house wine - it is inexpensive and better than most "great" wines we can get at home.
We don't usually eat a traditional "dinner." Dinner in Italy is the least important meal of the day. The Zarcones seem to have cut it out completely. But, we cap off our day with an evening stroll to the gelateria around the corner from our flat. The locals say that it is one of the best in Florence. We limit ourselves to the smallest serving size and we are trying new flavors almost daily. Scarlett happens to be on a lemon kick at the moment. Bella discovered dark chocolate the other day and it is almost like eating thick brownie batter - so that has become a staple in everyone's repertoire. You can get two flavors scooped onto a cone, so there is no need to limit yourself to just one choice. But, there is definitely an art to blending your flavors.
While Florence is a very cosmopolitan city, I have been struck by the lack of variety in eateries. Fortunately, we came here with traditional Tuscan fare in mind. So, the lack of other good ethnic restaurants isn't really breaking our hearts. We will continue to enjoy our breakfast pastries, traditional linner and gelato and hope that we still fit in our pants by the end of our trip.
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