It has been about a week since I returned from studying abroad and I am already missing Florence so much! I was worried about adjusting back to normal life when I returned home but it hasn’t been bad at all so far. I have been reminiscing on my trip recently as I have been going back through all of the pictures I took. I miss the people I met while on the trip, the excitement of the city, and most importantly… the food! Nothing will ever compare to the food I had while I was in Italy.
I was able to take multiple cooking classes while I was in Florence and they were so much fun! I took a non-credit cooking class through the school I was attending, Lorenzo De Medici, once a week. It was a small class that was led by a professional chef. The best part was that we got to eat what we cooked at the end of it! In my first class, I learned how to make bruschetta which quickly became one of my favorite Italian dishes. Another one of my favorite Italian dishes was gnocchi. It is very similar to dumplings but much better in my opinion. We learned how to make a couple of different desserts too. One dessert that surprised me was apple pie! I thought apple pie was strictly an American dish, especially in the south, but it is popular in certain parts of Italy.
I have a big sweet tooth and there is no doubt I ate gelato almost every single day while I was in Italy! There was an amazing gelato place near our apartment that was authentic and absolutely delicious! It was called La Carraia and I highly recommend trying it if you are in Florence. Another dessert that I loved was cannolis. A ton of bakeries sell them but make sure to find the authentic Italian bakeries in order to find the best ones!
My top three recommendations for food in Florence starts with Gustapizza for the absolute BEST pizza. Second, All’Antico Vinaio is a famous sandwich shop that will have a line stretched down the street but the wait is worth every second. Last but not least, Osteria Pastella for pasta made from a cheese wheel right in front of you!
