Italy
Soo…I’ve been a bit behind on the blog, but I guess we are just embracing the Italian way of life. Taking your time, moving slowly and enjoying the simple things. That has probably been one of the biggest take aways for me so far…why rush?
Food tips from Italy
Don’t underestimate the power of good olive oil, tomatoes and salt
Sardines are the ocean’s gift for a perfectly balanced meal
Cheese is everything
Barrata is the ‘in’ cheese at the moment
You can really do a lot with flour and water
Embrace the espresso
The beauty in having fresh bread and jam for breakfast.. simplicity
Milano
We were lucky enough to have one of Tom’s close friends Eugenio, who is a Milan native, host us for a couple of weekends in his city. We broke up our stay by checking out some of the nearby areas, specifically Lake Como. We definitely got a taste of the full Italian experience with late nights, long meals, dance parties, plenty of wine and sleeping in.
Flavours of Milan
Three cheese melt, risotto and pistachio
Favourite ingredient
Olive oil
Favourite Restaurant
Trattoria aurora
Eugino and his house mate Sara took us out to a traditional Milano restaurant at 10:30pm at night (apparently that’s a normal time to have dinner). Tom enjoyed risotto and osobuco while I had the gnocchi. Filled with rich flavours and lots of laughs, it was definitely a highlight of the trip so far.
Recommendations
Gelato - Gusto17
So Tom and I have decided that it’s very acceptable to eat gelato every day all day in Italy for research purposes… And I must say this one is up there! I sometimes find gelato more on the sweet side for my liking but this was just perfect!. We chose Melon and pistachio which was a perfect combination and it has solidified itself has one of my most memorable food experiences of the trip so far.
Pizza - Capuano’s
Our Italian friends spent quite a bit of time discussing (in quite a heated manner) what would be the best pizza place to take us. They came to the conclusion to of Capuano’s. I can highly recommend the 3 cheese pizza. It’s decedent but it’s seriously delicious. Ive decided now all pizzas should have 3 types of cheese. Because…cheese is life.
Events
We were lucky enough to be in Milan when there was a dance party on at Le Cannibale. It is an old meat abattoir that’s been turned into an epic events space. If you are there when one is on we would highly recommend.
Lake Como
Lake Como was our time to rest. We realised that up until this point we had been filling our days with lots of activities and when we reached the lake we knew it was time to chill. We spent our days reading, lake swimming, playing music, drinking coffee and of course eating.
Flavours of Lake Como
Sparkling wine, salsa verde and squid ink
Favourite ingredient
Cherries Tomatoes
Favourite Restaurant
Recommended by a friend, Figli Dei Fiori is an Italian restaurant with a modern twist. Delicious wine, home made pasta, rainbow salads, lots of herbs, perfectly cooked meat all topped with edible flowers. Not to mention the beautiful setting. This place was definitely our vibe.
Recommendations
Car Hire
We hired a car to cruise around the lake. WARNING the roads are tight but if you want to find secluded swimming spots you will need a car as there is not a lot of public transport to some of them.
