UConn Studio Arts in Florence: Buon Apetito!

Thus far my stay in Italy has allowed me to try some of the most savory, fresh and utterly delicious foods. It has been a tasteful experience trying specialty foods and dishes that originate in various parts of Italy and you really get to see how passionate Italians are about making the best meals and desserts. In addition, the cuisine here has been my inspiration for a couple of my drawing assignments; I used a coffee wash on tracing paper for my One Hundred Faces assignment, and for our typography project, I used the slogan, Food is Fashion, which was inspired by my weekend trip to Milano.

Since you will be eating a lot when you come to Italy, I have a few tips that will save you money, and will have you fitting in like an Italian! You will quickly learn that cooking for yourself will be the best way to manage your money during the week, so go to the Central Market, and the large grocery store such as Esselunga to buy your groceries. Another thing that you might not think about, is that here, they charge you for plastic bags to carry your groceries, so I suggest you either buy a reusable bag here, or pack one with you from home.

When you get your first cold here, you must try the freshly squeezed orange juice for a burst of Vitamin C, in Italian it is known as spremuta di arancia, you won't regret it! Also, when you first come here, as I have learned, espresso in the US is simply the coffee in Italy, so rather than saying you want an espresso when you go to order, just say Vorrei un caffe, per favore. In addition, don't make the mistake that I made the first night of getting here, don't tip your waiters/waitresses because it is already included in the price. In Florence you will find a variety of delicious places to eat and explore, but don't be fooled by the large mounds of gelato that are aimed to get tourists attention, you are not a tourist, but a student, so go explore your options (you shouldn't have to pay more than 1 to 2 euros for a small gelato), you won't be disappointed! Enjoy, and eat well, the pizza's are crunchy and mouthwatering, and you will be amazed at how many different types of pastas there are too! That reminds me, pasta in Italian actually means pastry- Arrivederci!