Being a temporary resident of a foreign country exposes you to so many different aspects of their culture: language, lifestyle and cuisine. Obviously, the latter is my favorite of all even though the others are still on my shortlist.
When mi studiare a Firenze, I made sure that no meal was left uneaten, no vino left uncorked, no cappuccino unsipped, no cured meat untouched, and no gelato unenjoyed. And here's proof!
Gelato craze
Pizza from Napoli
Fave meat shop for some Prosciutto
Ristorante Ciak for some Pasta Ciak
Cafe Liberta's signature cappuccino
Trattoria Za Za's mouthwatering Bistecca Fiorentina
Limoncello shots at Spleen
Acqua Al Due's Trio Di Bistecca Fiorentina: Balsamic, Blueberry and Filetto
The crap part about being exposed to such authenticity is the sheer frustration and withdrawal syndrome that follows suit when, upon returning to the motherland, one finds herself faced with faux-talian food that is reminiscent of 3M pizza or kiddie spaghetti with ketchup as base. I like them and still crave for them when I'm on children's party mode. But still... you can't mess with Italian!
