Ok, so my “First Impressions” blog post neglected to mention food – you might ask how one can visit Florence and not mention food!  Well, after reading this post you will quickly come to understand that “food” deserves a blog all its own.

Every block surrounding the Duomo, not a word of a lie, has at least two different bars/coffee/pastry shops, a gelato stop, several trattorias or bistros, and a restaurant or two.  Just deciding where to eat, never mind what to eat, becomes an almost unsurmountable challenge.I love that bars here are coffee stops during the morning and switch to serving liquor at night – makes perfect sense to me!  And I say coffee stops rather than shops because coffee here is usually consumed standing at the bar  – where you pay less money, down your shot of espresso and continue on your way in a matter of minutes. If you choose to sit and sip you often pay more for the luxury of a seat.I’ve also learned that you order your coffee at the till, move down the bar to wait for it, then drink it before returning to the till to pay for it.  I looked very much the foreigner the first time let me tell ya – ah, the nuances of protocol in a new country!

Food everywhere in Florence is so exceptionally delicious it’s dangerous to leave the apartment.  My daily gelato is to die for, the Cafe Americano knocks my socks off, the pastry makes me want to weep and this all before noon – Mamma Mia!

Pizza here is an explosion of flavours! The ingredients are so fresh and the crust fat-edged to hold everything in yet thin in the centre. When drizzled with olive oil infused with herbs it reaches the ultimate in perfection – an experience not to be missed. What’s the bet this guy eats the whole thing?!

Paninis and baquette sandwiches are made with mouth-watering cheeses (often  bufala which is my favourite), salami, sun ripened tomatoes, a bit of lettuce if you’re lucky and not a lot of sauces or mayonnaise because they aren’t needed.  Artichokes and roasted eggplant are common ingredients as well. These open-faced options below are frequently my dinner.

A fabulous sandwich at my favourite stop, Accademia Cafe, is 4 euros while coffee and a scrumptious pastry is 2.50 euros.  Can’t beat that!  Needless to say they know my name now. Aldo, the owner, and I cobble together conversations in “Englitaliano” which is great fun and although I tell him I’m Canadian he still thinks I’m Swedish.But better than street food is visiting the local markets to stock up on items to cook at home. Two favourites here are the Sant Ambrogio Market, predominantly visited by locals, and the more up-scale tourist market of San Lorenzo.  Very different but each has its own delights.Sant Ambrogio Market, a few blocks from the apartment I’m renting is one of the main reasons I choose this location. Wishing to live like a local and experience the local colour was a major criteria for my stay in Florence and this market doesn’t disappoint!

The market vendors are a friendly bunch who love their jobs and it shows.  They chat away, joke with the locals, smile warmly and try to speak English or some other language with those who aren’t Italian.  Their laughter pierces the din like a xylophone riff – it’s so infectious.  They take time to make recommendations and ask questions. Buying a roast beef was a bit difficult since I non parlo Italiano and the butcher thought I wanted steak. So even with hand gestures and much pointing I still headed home with the fattest steak ever tucked under my arm.  Ha – such fun!

I’ve learned most produce here is organic so they don’t bother advertising it as such.  Tomatoes are plump, perfectly ripe and marvellously juicy.  I can attest to strawberries, nectarines, oranges and apricots being so full of flavour it makes me wonder what we are eating back home.

The selection of cheeses, breads, salamis, pastries,  and fresh pastas is almost overwhelming and choosing one over the other presents a major challenge and is the reason I always head home laden with more than I need.  Everything is just too damn tempting and so ridiculously delicious it’s insane!By contrast the scene at the San Lorenzo market is more up-scale and geared toward tourists – it has many delectable delights.Huge truffles worth 300,000 euros come to mind and no, I did not misplace a zero.

A world famous Lombardi salami sausage can set you back $35, and that’s the low end of the scale – but it was delicious!  The produce vendors don’t let you buy small portions which is hugely annoying so I bypass their stalls.  But I can’t leave the market without dropping by the Cannoli cart to satiate my desire for something unforgettable.The second  floor of the San Lorenzo is strictly a fresh fast-food market with many quality choices and the opportunity to sit and sip a prosecco or glass of wine while watching the crazy throngs of tourists – entertainment in itself. My afternoon delight – one of many – love the place!