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twit(s) of the day

• 14:45 WTF, it's snowing, WTF!? It's not even December yet!
• 15:09 Noteworthy accomplishment, of sorts: I neither got sick nor broke out while on vacation. Let's see if these hold...

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Florence: food and food culture

This is the first of what will hopefully be many posts about the Italy trip :)

I thought about going chronologically but that could be a trying write (and possibly read), so I'm posting by subject. And let me tell you what, the food and wine of Florence is worth writing reams about!

I'm not a foodie but I've always listened to those who are, figuring they know more than I do. I'd heard only good things about Italian food, wine, and gelato and was looking forward to good cooking, but I had no idea it would be in such delicacy and abundance. With one exception (overdry grilled rabbit) the food everywhere was *spectacular* - fresh ingredients, well combined and handled, prepared excellently!

( oil and vinegar )

Though we prepared some things at "home" (ravioli, hand made that morning!), we did eat out a lot and it was worth every penny. Cute animals are tasty! Rabbit, lamb, and some of the uglier ones too (boar). I had spaghetti carbonara that didn't hit me over the head with "bacon bacon bacon!", and that was true of almost everything we ate - always subtle in flavor, never too much, and I only felt really stuffed once even though 2 courses preceded by antipasti is the norm (we were walking everywhere, and that helped, but is another post).

( chocolate, including gelato! )

( espresso and other caffeines )

A couple of notes on the social aspects of eating: it seems to me that food is a social occasion in Florence in a way that it isn't here. Waiters are paid a reasonable wage and tipping is rare, so there's no reason to rush you out the door. Dinner is late and lingering, with several (moderately sized) courses followed by coffee. Breakfast is small (coffee + bun or other bready thing) but after a late, huge dinner I didn't really want anything in the morning.

( a nice chianti and demon Limoncello )

Bringin' it home - like I said, we shipped the olive oil and vinegar, but I don't know how I'm going to translate the gastronomic ecstacies back home. I'm not a bad cook but not a joyous or experimental one either - mostly I just want to eat something filling and healthy in the evenings. However, that was before I realized just how much there is to savor and appreciate. I've definitely learned the value of fresh/complementary ingredients and eating slowly.

Suggestions for future visitors to Florence: eat without hinderance - it will always be good, frequently spectacular, worth the $ and leisure, and you WILL walk it off. And go here and have the rabbit - it falls off the bone! Extra cup of Vestri hot chocolate in it for ya if you bring me their cook! :P

(no subject)

A very happy (and hopefully not too belated) birthday to buz1!