OMG...What a great trip. We recently went to Italy to find some inspiration for this years holiday menus and did we ever bring some back for those of you that have already booked! We cant wait to share some of the experiences...but until then here are some tidbits to say the least...
ROME!....Landed here and realized how popular the city or Rome actually is. A tremendous amount of history located in this city. We toured the colosseum, palatine hill and the forum all int he same day. We sure got in our steps this day hahaha.
We learned allot about the history of not only the city and culture...but the actual uses of some of these places. Did you know the Colosseum was not only used as a entertainment arena but it was also used as urban housing at one point...a stable and a market place.
What i love about European culture is how they preserve...not just their ingredients. But their history...their monuments...their buildings...We are so quick here in North America to tare down and build new....We are a newer civilization, but we can learn to preserve. (just my personal opinion)
MODENA!...A city definitely worth checking out...If you are a lover of all things balsamic, they take the day and head out to one of the actual balsamic producers and see how its been done over centuries. You will definitely want to begin looking for real balsamic once you've tasted quality. We tripped over to Leonardi, one of Modena's true producers since 1871. Here we took a tour and had the privilege of tasting a 20 year old, two 30 year old's (each aged in different woods)and their 100 year old! ( I asked about their 150 year old. But not for sampling...another day perhaps) We did purchase a good amount of their product and we are excited to share them with you! Our real reason for the entire Italy trip was Osteria Francescana...A true pleasure in every way.
BOLOGNA!...This place hits all the marks...Its like all of Italy in one place...Culture, great food...markets...many walk of life and amazing history. I will keep Bologna on my list for when I return. Great quick bite places with homemade breads, cured meats and of course, aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Also having its daily market right around the corner from where we stayed where many locals could be seen flocking into daily to get their ingredients.
FLORENCE!...Our final stop for a few days before heading back to Rome and returning home. With so much art (two David's - Michelangelo's and Donatello's) its no wonder people have Florence on the top of their bucket list. Here we also found probably the best dining establishments throughout our trip. You could tell the local Chefs really enjoy their passions.
Check out the pics below and we are looking forward to sharing more with you!
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