#2946 three things: my favorite meals - Italy edition

Maybe since I am not eating many carbs lately, I was thinking about the beautiful, carby meals I had on my last trip to Italy. I'm pretty sure I mentioned that I 'd do a food post from that trip, so why not now? Here are the three meals I most enjoyed while in Italy in October.

breakfast in Rapallo

 Breakfast. Every day except one that I can think of,  Lizzie and I started our day with cornettos and cappuccinos. In Rapallo, we always went to the same place, Tossini. I always had the cornetto di crema with the powdered sugar and some cream inside. Lizzie preferred the cornetto regulare. A cornetto is basically like a croissant. It is a normal thing to dip the cornetto into the coffee. It may seem strange to us Americans who are used to big breakfasts with protein, but this meal was very satisfying to me. I wish I could have it tomorrow! 

Not only was the coffee and pastry very good, but the cafe itself was pleasant. We always sat on the back terrace. It was enclosed, and on days when it wasn't raining, the windows were open. The view was a car park with lots of motorcycles, but beyond that was a pretty church tower and trees. The people were nice - they got used to seeing us and were pretty friendly on our last couple of days there. 

lunch in Milan

Lunch. My favorite lunch was eaten in Milan at a little neighborhood restaurant called La Fettunta. My main dish was this plate of pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar.) The pasta was tender and just the right amount of chewy. The ragu was flavorful and rich. The boar meat was the perfect mix of porky and beefy tasting. It was devastatingly delicious. I have often thought back on this meal as one of the true highlights of the trip. 

Lizzie found the restaurant in a Google search. It was good luck that we got there a bit early before the locals came in for Sunday lunch. The service was excellent and I could not have been more pleased with this experience.

If I ever get back to Milan and have the time, I'd certainly try to find this place again.

dinner in Rome

 Dinner. Other than Tossini and the gelato place in Rapallo, we only ate at one restaurant twice, and that was Capranica Enoteca and Taverna in Rome. It was very close to our hotel, and we lucked into it our first night in the city. It was so wonderful that we decided to go back our last night in the city as well. That last night, Lizzie and I shared this incredible plate of pasta carbonara. Let's be clear: we could have ordered our own plates, as we did in Milan. We just learned that the food is rich and plentiful and we were happy to share. This plate of pasta was perfection. The sauce was creamy, the guanciale (the meat) was just the right amount of salty and crispy, the pasta had the perfect bite - no mushy noodles in Italy!

The service at Capranica was superb, especially our first night. The servers were attentive and kind. I know I will be back in Rome someday, and I will definitely eat at this restaurant again. 

HONORABLE MENTION

antipasto in Rapallo

Antipasto. I am a big, big fan of the tagliere, a plate of meats and cheeses. We probably had at least one every day. I'm calling this one out in particular because the burrata alone is worth mentioning. This plate of prosciutto and burrata is from Elisir in Rapallo. Burrata is the creamiest mozzarella you will ever eat. It is a mixture of mozzarella and cream. The outer layer is the traditional mozzarella, then you open it to get this decadent, creamy deliciousness. Lizzie and I spread the cheese on some fresh crusty bread, then layered some wispy prosciutto slices on it. I could have just had this appetizer and some wine and been perfectly content. The meal I had there was very good (trofie pasta with pesto, a Ligurian specialty,) but this antipasto was phenomenal.  

gelato in Rome

Dessert. How could I write a post about food in Italy without including gelato? I am not much of an ice cream eater, but I love gelato. Gelato is made with higher milk content and less air, so the texture is silky and more dense than ice cream. The flavors in Italy seem concentrated. At this particular shop, I had a scoop of coffee and a scoop of salted caramel and OMG it was fantastic. Lizzie and I did not have gelato every day, which is a shame. I will do better the next time I am in Italy. 

Didn't you have anything good in Florence, you may be asking? The answer is yes, the food in Florence was good too, but I think my favorite thing from Florence was the wine!

wine in Florence!