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For most AFSers in Italy, the joy of eating Italian cuisine was an integral part of their experience. According to Riquel Gonzalez, who spent the summer of 2009 in Italy, "I ate three course meals three times a day. It was ridiculous. I had the best food there that I've ever had in my entire life." You may be surprised by the diversity of options. There's a lot more to offer than pizza, pasta, and gelato. Every city, every town has its own specialities. For instance, you can enjoy a panforte, a fruitcake served at Christmastime, in Siena. You won't find it in Florence though, a city only 30 minutes away.
But it's not just what you eat, but how. Like Mollie, many are struck by the fact that Italians take the time, in the middle of the day, to go home and eat with family or friends. This is not a place where you eat your salad for lunch, alone, in front of your computer. Though shorter work breaks are indeed becoming more common in the urban areas of the North, for the most part, Italians still take their time to prepare meals, use the freshest ingredients, then sit down and enjoy it with others. To quote an Italian proverb, "Chi mangia sulo s'affoga." In English? He who eats alone suffocates.
Want to know more? Try Life in Italy.com for more about the diversity of regional food, and to learn how not to cook pasta. (If you're still cutting your spaghetti, they'll show you the light!) La Cucina Italiana is an online magazine with yummy recipes. Finally Pizza.it lists everything you ever wanted to know about pizza (we know you want it). It is in Italian, but it's never too soon to start practicing!
