I cannot believe it is already October! The semester is flying by way too quickly! Since it is now officially fall in Italy, this week I decided to attend some of the fall- related activities occurring in and near Florence such as this year’s Festival Di Gelato at the Piazzale Michelangelo and even went on a tour of the ‘Castelnuovo Berardenga’ wine and olive oil vineyard in Chianti, Italy with classmates.
Learning about the detailed science behind the process of wine and olive oil making such the double fermentation of the grapes and the fact that cold pressed olive oil is called ‘cold-press’ because it is oxidized in a container that must be stored at 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit was very interesting. Following the vineyard tour was a wine tasting that included a sampling of well-known Chianti region wines and lastly a fabulous brunch at ‘Ristoro di Lamole’, a great restaurant in the Greve section of Chianti. All of the food was delicious, but I must say that my favorite dish was the antipasti (appetizer); ricotta stuffed ravioli.
Going to the gelato festival with friends was also a lot of fun. The Festival featured gelato companies from throughout Italy including ‘Baldiani’s’ and even distributed Nutella flavored ice cream. Throughout the day, the public was allowed to electronically vote for their favorite gelato flavor at the festival (I picked the Buontalenti from Baldiani’s! It was DELICIOUS!)
After stuffing my face with gelato, my friends and I took a stroll through Santa Croce, the Ponte Vecchio, and finally Santo Spirito where I finally was able to enjoy some fantastic pizza at ‘Gusta Pizza’ a well-known pizzeria in downtown Florence and hear some music from a live band playing in front of the steps of the Duomo.
Well, needless to say I have done WAY too much eating this week, but I am enjoying every bite. I have learned that enjoying meals with friends and family is a respected cultural custom in Italy and I feel so lucky to be able to take advantage of immersing myself in new tastes, sounds, and sights in Florence every day.
That’s all for now. A dopo! (See you later!)