that was delicious, thank you

During my time at language school in Firenze, I did not get to take full advantage of the restaurants dotted in and around the city, only once summoning up the courage to try a bit of lampredotto and pasta. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Fiorentinan-to-the-core 'lampredotto' I urge you now to never look at a picture of it uncooked... The image still haunts me and I still can't believe that, whilst eating it, I was savouring every satisfactory mouthful.

I was however a big fan of exploring the Mercato Centrale - the central market in the city of Firenze open every morning and lunchtime selling fruits, vegetables, cheeses, herbs, meats and nuts, as well as housing the odd restaurant.

But I always enjoyed our almost daily visits to this place, taking in the sights and smells of such wonderful displays - the likes of which are much less common in England. I loved spending time in amongst the different stalls, searching for the ripest, most perfect tomato that would later that evening be turned into a simple pasta sauce.

And then when I came here, nothing changed. If anything, this wonderful food-choosing experience just got better. 

Emilia-Romagna is famed for its food, Parma especially for its (take a wild guess) parmigiano and prosciutto di Parma, otherwise known as Parma ham. When my father came to visit me last week, he insisted we get stuck into the finest that my new city had to offer, and encouragingly pushed me towards the three ladies sat behind the desk in the Conservatorio and sat and listened whilst I spoke eager yet timid Italian and asked them where the most typically Parmigiano food could be found.

The three ladies (now my idols for so many reasons), being Italian ladies, immediately started talking excitedly about all the things we must try, insisting we go immediately to a restaurant (which one of the women had just called to make sure they would definitely take us right away without the need for a reservation), and try all the things written down for me by one of the three:

Torta Fritta con Salumi

Tortelli con l'erbetta

Punta di Vitello ripiena alla parmigiana

I never recommend eating all of that for lunch as we attempted to do. But it was one of the most astonishingly delicious meals of my life. And my Dad's too judging by the perseverance on his face as he mopped up the last drop of sauce.

Here's what we spied on the way out the door, after having digested.

I feel incredibly lucky to have chosen to live in a city with such a gastronomically-rich culture; where food is how you judge people, how you meet new people and greet old friends. And I also feel lucky that the people of the city are willing to share it with me. Nobody here would ever think of eating a bad meal. Food is just too important. As is the coffee that follows it.

I think here's a perfect moment to say that I've got myself a bike and plan on using it every day... Otherwise the outcome is inevitable!