Italians know how to eat!

Now that I have been in Italy for just over nine weeks, I can say one thing for sure, Italy wins the food wars! The food here is unbelievable, yet everyone (and I mean most people) remain ridiculously thin! It is the most amazing thing! Everything is bread or meat or cheese or soaked in olive oil, but you can't seem to ever get enough. Plus, there are so many little open air markets, quite like the one that occurs six days a week just out side my front door, that there are fresh fruits and veggies every where. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Food, good food, a cook's paradise, just sitting here, waiting to be used.

Because of all of the wonderful food and amazing ingredients, I have been able to do my fair share of cooking. My new favorite thing to make is soup. I make all kinds of soups. I started out with just a little chicken noodle, but I have progressed up to a sausage soup (of course made with sausage from our favorite deli) and now I have been making tomato based vegetable soups (and of course I make my own tomato base.) They are delicious, I love having a nice hot bowl of soup for dinner. And top it off with a loaf of Forno's famous olive bread, mom you know what I am talking about, and you've got yourself a meal!

There are a few other staples that I have lived off of while in Rome. I basically always have cheery tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil laying around, makes for the perfect snack! Can't get enough of it. I also like getting focaccia sandwiches just around the corner from my place. My favorite is eggplant with cheese! Forno also has great pizza, thin crust of course! But my favorite pizza place thus far is over the Ponte Sisto in Trestevere. I'm not even positive what its called, I think it is La Renalla, but I might be wrong. They have thin and think crust pizza with everything on it you can imagine. My favorites are spinach with cheese or sausage. I took my mom there while she was here and she loved it. Its a great little place to sit and each and enjoy the locals. 

There are so many other amazing places to eat and I am getting rather tired. It's almost 2:30AM here and I have class in the morning. Plus I was us pretty late last night, we went to a bar called Big Hilda's Cafe. I have no idea why! Gelato will be my next food entry for sure, it is pretty amazing. But I will have to save time to write about the great restaurants, the coffee, and of course the wine!  Before I leave Rome I will have to write about all of the places I get my groceries and all of the interesting people I have met along the way doing so. And I also have to write a little more about all of the food I have been cooking and the recipes I have been inventing!

Until next time...

Cheers!