Additionally, grocery shopping has been interesting because the selection can look quite different from at home. One of the bigger grocery stores near me has an entire wall of olive oil, but not many other condiments. As a college student, frozen foods make things so easy, but if you want any kind of produce or protein, you have to cook it from scratch. But I have loved the simplicity of little goods at the store, and my go-to item right now at the local Carrefour (my grocery store) is lemon yogurt!
It has been very fun and exciting to try new places and new foods. To be honest, as someone who is just settling in and selecting restaurants based on convenience, I have been eating a lot of foods that taste familiar. I live in NYC, so I have been able to access good Italian food whenever I want it! However, I want to stress my satisfaction with the coffee because not only is it cheap, but it is smooth and delicious. It is quite chilly in Florence at the moment, so it has been easy enough to order un caffe latte (a latte) anywhere that I go. I order a large and add some brown sugar, and it's excellent! In terms of what's to come, I feel ambitious because I want to explore places that best represent the local cuisine and are recognized for it. For now, my next food goal is authentic gelato!
It is pleasant knowing that even the most random places prioritize the quality of food, as standards are a lot higher than they are in America. The cafes that I have stopped into often have sandwiches made and presented on a glass counter, and sometimes they will heat them up (though sometimes I believe they are meant to be eaten lukewarm).
