When it came time to decide where I was going to study abroad, it would be a lie to say that food wasn’t a factor that I considered. While I obviously chose Florence, Italy, for more reasons than Italian fare, the food has certainly become an aspect of life I’ll miss the most for reasons expected and unexpected.
Pasta has always been a favorite food of mine, and the thought of tasting the timeless grain in Italy had me extremely excited, but it wasn’t how I had always assumed it would be served.
First, spaghetti with meatballs does not exist in Italy. If you ask for it at nearly any restaurant you’re guaranteed an eye roll and a small laugh as the waiter states they don’t make that here.
In addition to this American favorite, there is another classic dish we all assume is a specialty found in Italy from the our experiences at Olive Garden. However, no matter how Italian fettuccine alfredo sounds, this sauce does not exist in Italy.
It was after embarrassing myself a couple times trying to find these American classics that I realized I needed to stop ordering foods I could find in any restaurant in the U.S. and branch out for an authentic dining experience.
When I visited Bologna, Italy, I tried its famous specialty of tortellini drowned in broth, like a soup filled to brim with nothing but cheese-enveloped pasta. Between the saltiness and the al dente texture, it was a pure bliss of cuisine I never knew existed.
Outside of delicacies, Italians simply know how to take something ordinary but be adventurous with the taste of it. To some, the mixture of pasta and potatoes could be a carbohydrate overload, but to Italians it’s a dynamic duo like peanut butter and jelly.
I understood the madness when I tried a potato-stuffed ravioli coated in truffle sauce and topped with porcini mushrooms.
Beyond their never-disappointing pasta dishes found in quite literally any trattoria, or restaurant, in Italy, there are also foods worth trying that one wouldn’t expect to be delicacies in Italy.
Steak, for example, may seem to be an American staple, but Florence takes it to the next level in Tuscany with its Florentine beef that, served at a medium rare preparation, gives any hamburger or T-bone found in the U.S. stiff competition.
Beyond Italy’s specialties, I’ve found the key to why Italians have been known for their food is because of their commitment to freshness. This proved to be true after exploring the Florence local market.
Every day the market is filled with your usual fruits and vegetables, but the Italian food market takes it to another level.
The fish selection could be a market of its own, whole chickens with their head still on are for sale, and freshly made spaghetti that takes three minutes to boil is ready on hand. It’s unlike any type of food shopping I have ever seen.
Italy has a great deal to offer from gigantic cathedrals to countless fresco masterpieces; however, the food found in Italy might just beat all the other forms of art.
apoudrie@indiana.edu
