Viva Italia!

I've taken far too long a sabbatical from updating this blog so I figured that the only way I could triumphantly return would be with a whopper of a post.  Good thing I have about 800 pictures from a trip I took to Italy last year, which I think will do just the trick.  Since most of the food speaks for itself, I'll just post the photos here with some minor comments and let you enjoy.  Viva Italia!

VENICE, ITALY

Shortbread cookie with chocolate center - first taste of Italy gets an A+!

First dinner

First course - sauteed vegetables

Second course - pasta with herbs and butter

Third course - steak with salad

 Breakfast

Plain yogurt

 Lunch at an Italian style cafeteria, lots of options to choose from

Pasta with red sauce

Steamed brussel sprouts

Real caprese salad

Mid-afternoon snack

Hot chocolate made from real melted chocolate - divine!

 Second Dinner

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Fritto Misto and bruschetta

First taste of Italian pizza

First taste of Italian gelato - white chocolate (thanks to Dad for being the hand model...)

 Lunch on the bus drive to Florence - Autogrille (truck stop)

Cheese plate

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 FLORENCE, ITALY

 First dinner

First course - charcuterie, bruschetta and pate

Second course - pasta

Third course

Fourth course - meatballs

Fifth course - panna cotta

SIENA, ITALY

Siena was a stop on our way from Florence to Rome and is the famous site of the horse race (seen in the James Bond movie - Quantum of Solace).  Siena was a quaint little town but somewhat forgettable except for the lunch that we had at a place called Enzo.  It was one of my two favorite meals from my entire trip and is in my top three favorite meals of all time.  The place is owned by an Italian family with the father as chef, a daughter as pastry chef and the rest of the family (mom, brother) working the front of the house.  To say that the meal was made with love is an understatement.

First course - pecorino cheese and walnut flan with Montaicino honey

Second course - little dumplings of ricotta cheese and pumpkin with black cabbage, local ham and specially mature pecorino cheese

Third course - rare sliced beef with thinly sliced cured ham and salad

Fourth course - upside down apple cake with warm cream

Lunch on bus ride to Sorrento - another autogrille 

CAPRI, ITALY

We took a day trip to the Isle of Capri and had the most expensive meal of the trip, which was a lunch! 

Olive appetizer - I don't eat olives but was told these were good

Fulfilling a dream of mine to have proscuitto wrapped melon.  Little did I know that it was a full sandwich that is the size of a football.

Prosciutto and fresh mozzarella panini

SORRENTO, ITALY
  
Dinner in Sorrento

POMPEII, ITALY



Lunch after viewing the Pompeii ruins

 

First neopolitan pizza in Italy - amazing!

ROME, ITALY

First dinner - we wandered the streets near the hotel and found a place serving Italian comfort food 

Arancini - rice balls made of leftover risotto with cheese and sauce in the middle, deep fried to perfection

First gelato in rome near the Pantheon

 One of my goals while in Rome was to spend some time people watching in the Piazza Novona.  Thankfully, I got my wish and it lead to the second greatest meal I had while in Rome.  My parents and I had walked around the Piazza for an hour or so, enjoying the art, music and people who were gathered there.  After taking a survey of the various food options, we ended up at a place called Domiziano, which is centrally located in the Piazza and provided the best people-watching opportunities.  We were seated at a table just off the main thoroughfare and had an amazing meal.

Mussels cooked in white wine sauce

Pasta Carbonara

Ravioli

Saltimbocca alla Romana

After dinner, we walked around the Piazza some more, sad to leave what had been such a great host for the evening.

Famous Italian gelato chain - I had hot chocolate made from three different types of melted chocolate

Lunch in Rome - back to our favorite neighborhood comfort food place
 

Pastry filled with ham and cheese

Calzone

Last dinner in Italy

First course - bruschetta with sauteed zuchinni and eggplant

Second course - mushroom ravioli and fettucine with red sauce

Some sort of berry pie

I look forward to the day when I can return to Italy to some old favorites and some new adventures.  In the meantime, I have all these pictures to remind me of my amazing trip!