The Florence Fifteen

This could also be called: I've Got to Stop Eating Like This.

I just got back from lunch. I had gone out earlier to see the Brancacci Chapel on the advice of my friend John. Since I was out, I figured why not take a stroll through town to my favorite restaurant [the workplace of my favorite waiter :) ] for some lunch. My goal is to have lunch there once a week.

At any rate, the food was "fantastico," as it always is. How can one possibly complain about soft crusty bread, a glass of red wine, and the world's best lasagna? [Let me amend that: it's tied for world's best with my sister Katherine's.] Food is even better when it's brought by a really cute guy. Follow that with a little cup of gelato (I always get half coffee/half chocolate) and it's no wonder I'm feeling a bit soft around the middle.

I have alluded to the food here on more than one occasion. Unlike in the States, in Italy food is revered, celebrated, cherished. Small family-run shops specialize in certain types of food: you've got one for your meat, one for your sweets/pastries, one for your wine, still others for your gelato or bread or cheese.

At lunch everything closes down so people can go home for mama's cooking or out to meet friends for a leisurely meal. When you go out to eat you are not rushed through it, your server is not coming up to your table every other minute to see if you are done so they can turn the table over to the next person. On the contrary, you virtually have to jump your waiter when they go by just to get the check. It is not because they are ignoring you, it is because you have the God-given right to enjoy your meal, dammit!

And then the other night I was introduced to another really awesome Florentine tradition by my friend Paolo: the aperitivo. Quite a few of the bars offer this on a nightly basis. Between about 7 and 9pm, they put out a spread that is not to be believed. Multiple pasta dishes, roasted vegetables, bread, cheese, salami... all of it FREE. Yes that's right, FREE. This wouldn't last 5 minutes at a bar in the States.

I struggled to understand how this could be good business for the bar but Paolo pointed out that many of the dishes they offer are not expensive, they are not giving away fish or massive amounts of meat or anything. He also suggested that they might toss in some extra salt so that people will drink more. But it sure beats the oversalted popcorn you used to get at the Ground Round.

The upshot is that despite the constant walking (I think today's walk was between 3.5 and 4 miles) I think I'm making progress on the Florence Fifteen. It has been worth every delectable bite. And how perfect that I head home just before the holidays!!! That's the perfect time to go on a crash diet, isn't it?

Liz, I'm gonna need that personal trainer ass-kicking when I get back, just try not to enjoy it too much.

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