Eating in Italy, Where to Begin?
Eating in Italy a journey for all your senses, as we say in our blog “Mangia bene e redi spesso” ( Eat well and laugh often ).
One of the perks of having travelled around Italy so many times is experiencing the many varied dishes and meals that are loosely categorised as “Italian Food”. Italy as a country has so much to offer the foodies amongst us with many different regions providing differing food options just waiting to be discovered, from the humble trattoria to high end restaurants all tastes and budgets can be accommodated.
Some of our fondest food memories in Italy revolve around heading to the local butcher and grocer, sourcing some of the most magnificently fresh produce you could ever ask for and then heading back to our own apartment to prepare dinner. For Italians the meal comes only secondary to family, so when you’re in country make sure you take some time to look away from all the historical buildings and monuments, take note of where the locals are eating and enjoy some of the mouth-watering local delights.
It may be Italian food however you will find it will be different village to village town to town and region to region.
It doesn’t matter if your wandering the streets of Rome, Messina, Genova or Trieste you will find something that will catch your eye and tantalise your tastebuds. Artisan breads, cold cut meats, fresh field vegetables and local wines are all at your disposal. Be adventurous even if you don’t know what it is, if the locals are all over it the chances are you will discover a new gastronomic delight you had never heard of and never had any intention of trying.
If you’re not feeling up to cooking Italian street food is normally a very quick and inexpensive option. In Sicily Arancini are the go-to fast food, if you’re in Messina do not miss the opportunity to try this iconic triangular ball of joy, in Rome Suppli are your go to equivalent and once again you can’t leave Rome without having a few of these. Needles to say I am old school so don’t look for a pineapple pizza in Naples!
Overall your food experience in Italy should leave you well satisfied and wanting to come back for more. If all the monuments and historical sites are food for your soul, the least you can do is make sure that your tastebuds receive the same level of satisfaction.
