Linda

If you are anywhere in the Naples area try the Insalata Caprese, a tomato/mozarella salad. It's on almost every menu and good everywhere. Never met an American who didn't love it.

Samantha

The Italian Men!!!!!!

Lucy

Gelato is delicious! It IS ice cream, but not like American ice cream. It doesn't have so much air whipped into it -it's thicker and richer and gooeyer (sp?) and more strongly flavored. Dark chocolate gelato is almost black & so delectable and you just want to smear it all over youself! Oh, sorry, forgot myself there for a minute!

Molti sapori

Gelato is less fat than ice cream. I think it has less butterfat. It may also have less egg or no egg, since I don't have trouble digesting it as I do American ice cream. But it is much much better than American ice milk. It is not gooey at all, but it is dense and smooth. Its richness comes from the intense flavor from fresh ingredients like good dark chocolate and high quality fresh nuts.

dina

It looks like i'm wasting my time in trying to loose weight for this trip - I'll just pile it all back on !!

Lori

Castello Banfi near Montalcino. The winery will do a five course luncheon and match each course to one of their wines. The food is all simple fare--country soups, simply grilled meats, cheeses, etc. But the combination with their own wines is outstanding.

Pat

I will speak for my then 15 year old son. We were in Rome on top of the Castel Sant Angelo (forgive my spelling)and this snack bar kept opening and closing (very Italian). He was a terrible eater and I persuaded him to try a plain foccacia sandwich with ham. I think he went back about five times. From then on, my ravenous teenager stopped at every small bar/restaurant for a snack. I even became addicted. Haven't tasted foccacia like that since.

Dean Gold

Eating in Italy is a regional affair. Each region has its own specialties and its own tradition. <BR>In Venice, you should eat at local wine bars known as Bacari- Achiugete (the Anchovy) and Il Moro are our two favorites. For upscale dining with spectacular fish, great wine and unbelievable cheese course, Fiaschetteria Toscana is superb. Da Pinto in the fish market is fun with super wines and good prices. <BR>In Toscanna, tey Cibreo in Florence, Il Pestello just outside Castellina, and for an no holes barred blowout meal, La Ciusa in Montefollonico. Drink the local Montepulciano from Innocenti and let the owner make up a menu. It will cost a lot but it was the best meal we have ever had in a restaurant ($500 for two with 7 courses plus 2 desserts each, champagne, wine, after dinner drinks). <BR>In Rome, go to Campo di Fiori for the best fruit and veg market. Go to the Forno di Campo di Fiori for ricotta tart and fresh pizza bianca or rossa. Also try Volpetti, the best cheese shop I have ever been to where you can get teh makings of a wonderful picnic. <BR>

Lew R.

Dina - Anything - anywhere - We didn't have a bad meal in the entire country - AND - cheap - at least by my standards - a great meal is $50-75 with everything - including several bottles of wine! - Where r u going - in Italy - and I'll e-mail u a list of restaurants that we went to - we were in Milan - Rome - Venice and Florence - Florence being the best - I thought - <BR> <BR>Also make sure you get Lemoncello - we met an Italian couple there - and drank that stuff till 3am!

Pat

About Italian bread. Don't mean to be negative but was very dissapointed. Except for the foccacia. NOthing beats French bread, which was quite a shock when I visted both countries as the italian bread in the USA is great. Any other observations with the same experience?

Dean Gold

On my response about La Chiusa, I meant 500,000 lira or about $250 US. <BR> <BR>Also, a special treat in Rome is a salad of Puntarelle with anchovy dressing. Also, salami and prosciutto are very different in Itlay compared to what is mainly available in the States. <BR> <BR>In Rome, try seafood at La Rosetta. You will eat the freshest seafood you have ever tried. Its also expensive but worth it.

edie

pat, i think i have the answer to your bad bread experiences in italy. <BR>were you specifically in florence/tuscany when you noticed this yucky bread? <BR> <BR>if so, it is b/c they do not put salt in their bread in florence. I fiorentini are convinced of their superiority over all other italians in every way, including food. they think that their bread is SOOO delectable it doesn't need to be "helped" by salt, as inferior bread needs to be! <BR>however, to american palates, no salt means bland bread. <BR>and yet it looks so good!! <BR>

Pat

Thanks Edie but..... <BR>The bread tasted the same from Rome to Venice and it didn't compare to France. If it was just the lack of salt, I could understand. Italian bread that I came in contact with was not only bland, but dry, without that cruchy crust and soft inside that french bread has. Forgive me.....one of my criteria is that I judge restaurants by the bread they serve. Pretty basic I admit.

xxx

I found that the quality of bread varied in both France and Italy. Recently, I found wonderful, fragrant, hard crusted "peasant" bread in the country in the Dordogne, but only mediocre bread in Paris. I had some great bread, very crusty and tasting of wheat, from some little bakery in the province of Messina. I also had good bread in Tuscany. Generally I did not have "real" bread in the big cities, though. I think much of the bread was commercial in the cities, not terrible, but nothing special.

DINA

MESSAGE: - LEW. R <BR> <BR>I'LL BE STAYING IN ROME AND SORRENTO. I LOVE SEAFOOD ESP FISH LIKE MAHI MAHI AND SWORDFISH. <BR>HOWEVER - MOST OF THE FOOD THAT PEOPLE HAVE MENIONED CONSIST OF HAM/PORK - WE DON'T EAT PORK ! DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE A PROBLEM IN GETTING FOOD WITHOUT PORK (E.G. PIZZA, SUBS AND SALADS)?

xxx

You must be reading the wrong posts. Most of the answers have nothing to do with pork! Lots of mention of fish, vegetable, fruit, ice cream. I know I mentioned lots of non-pork food myself. Look again.

Paige

I love anything with funghi porcini (wild mushrooms). On our last trip to Rome we had linguine with porcinis, garlic and olive oil. Yum!! We also had divine spinach and mozzarella sandwiches. I also love chocolate tartufo ice cream.

Judy

Hi Dina, I agree with xxx, except fpr the prosciutto(wonderful) I did not have pork the whole time there. I do not think you should be worried. But fish in Rome is expensive, and you will probably have to pay a bit more for fish. Italians make great veggie dishes and cheeses....I love pasta puttanesca...no meat(maybe a little anchovy)....(I think). As I said before I could literally eat my way thru Italy and be very, very happy(and a lttle rounder too)! Judy ;-)

tinarose

I found this while searching zabaglione. any adds?

Peggy_D

So many great suggestions, I can only second a few of them: gelato (Italian for &quot;heaven&quot; I think), limoncello, the most wonderful prociutto in the world. And promise me you will get a mozzerella, tomato, and basil panini and eat it on the steps of any fabulous building and just SIGH at the incredible scenery (and the very cheap price you just paid for this incredible ambiance). Buon appetito!