Hunting Souvenir and Food in Florence
Last day in Florence! Time for the free tour. How free is our tour, looking for souvenirs, sample a variety of traditional foods which have not been stopped by the tongue and shopping various pastas and Italian coffee is super delicious!
To be able to get a souvenir to the typical Italian products to the market we selected goals, namely the San Lorenzo market. San Lorenzo Market is a market in the old building but it is very modern. But heading into this market, before we pass vendor Indonesian term. It was here for those who are happy with the product from the skin, can bargain to get low prices.
Italy is famous for leather products, according to the Italian people, their artificial skin product quality number one in the world. But what caught my attention precisely, the cloister is famous for selling fake branded goods. Since the start of bags, clothes, shoes up to other accessories we can get. Eh, it turns out that he said Japanese tourists were thick purse, follow-up busy asphalt select items (real or fake) ...he-he-he ...
But the moment so our goal is to hunt the typical Italian products instead of asphalt. And according to the news in this market sells a variety of typical Italian products, such as pasta, a variety of sauces and spices, sweets, until a variety of unique drinks such as wine. It is true, as enter the first impression is of color vision that came out of each stall. Pasta course, rame right, like a decoration became. I was so colorful and strange shape, I got confused! If it were so I'm not too concerned with taste. What is important, funny!
Only the price is offered, how ya rada-rada throat? But if you keep thinking about the price when finished shopping. Be the four packs of pasta I chose. There is a very long spaghetti shaped to size almost sebadan my youngest child. There also are like a butterfly with the Italian flag colors but also with a sense of truffe fungus (mushrooms are very popular because it is expensive and hard to find).
During the market, I look around me, why is it mostly a tourist? So start thinking, lest indeed the traditional market in Florence, is indeed intended for tourists. We also went around the market, who knows rediscover Italian products that attract attention. Kejuhan visible from a long line, as we approached it turns out, a stall selling local specialty foods here. And indeed most of the tourists who ngantre, because the sound coming out of the language line is really from all over the world!
Then, the ngantre aja until so long, it means the food is also very delicious. Quickly, we were looking at our guide, probably contained the name of the stall. No indeed, only in our guide book recommended typical regional food tasting at the San Lorenzo market this. Unfortunately we could not taste for a reason. Only for readers who can taste the Florentine cuisine prepared from pig innards of this tripe, reportedly very good. At the ripe eaten with bread, like a sandwich.
A French tourist, who eavesdrop conversations we approached. He had been eating, the food was typical of the region. The result is a chat if you want to buy the paste should not be in this market, because here where tourists and the price offered is certainly more expensive price aka tourists.Suggestions him, just buy typical Italian products in small shops.
In Florence there are a lot of small shops selling various foods and beverages. Its products together with products in this market but the price is cheaper. I asked, Are you sure? You see it all the way in the city of Florence we often pass through the stores like that, just never peek price. Until nodded hard, the people that convinced us, "Ben oui je suis sur .. .. crois moi, à Florence depuis j'habite Cinq ans!" (iya bener .., I'm sure .., believe me as I am, my had lived in Florence for five years).
Finally there, we were asked about the kinds of souvenirs at the new acquaintances we were. Call us for lunch with my refusal to be smooth, because he must get back to work. Made in Firenze is working as an artist, namely the repair of antique paintings.
It was at 11 am, there are still about two hours before eating lunch. Go to our favorite restaurant which was highly recommended in several guide books French guide, we decided to stop by the few shops that sell typical Italian food products, such as that proposed by our new acquaintances before, Herve.
Drogheria or alimentari, so the Italians called it to a shop selling food, pretty much we've encountered along the way town. True, many products sold in the markets exactly the same as before and the price is slightly cheaper. But there also to vary up to half price. Since we just bought four kinds of pasta, while my husband and my children fans of pasta, be the amount of pasta that we buy is increasing. But this time, I actually asked the salesman about the flavor. Most sellers in alimentari this is often already old, so not all of them fluent in English. But given human right sense, be a sign language can make communication a little too smoothly ....
If I am busy, buy pasta, olive oils and various vegetables are preserved in olive oil. My husband was busy with the surrogate of the father is a typical Italian wine, 'Chianti'. For those readers who drank wine, selling wine here in typical cianti who often served in every restaurant. But for the tourists usually, wine cianti which became a souvenir of berbotol fat with woven around it. Very interesting. I myself do not drink wine or alcohol, but the surrogate wine from the family and relatives, still we keep. Calculated to please them.
Earlier I talked about vegetables preserved in olive oil, well in Florence it is a characteristic, namely white beans are preserved in olive oil with spices. In the dining later with grilled meats or can be eaten with salad. Can also be cooked with a little butter and chopped garlic ... hemmm delicious.
But which until now is a favorite of children is 'gnocchi or gnocco italia'. Namely in the form of small spheres as seeds marbles made of wheat flour and potatoes. Actually in France was there, only it is from Italy, more cute and very nice to eat with a mixture of various cheeses.
Mushroom truffe very famous, in food stores are also a lot to offer, in the form of small pieces until cream her. The price is not cheap. My advice, do not buy in the form of cream, a little disappointing it feels a little bland on the tongue.
And of course I am a big fan of coffee do not forget to stop buying ground coffee to take home. I do not buy coffee at the shop but directly in the cafes. Early cafe, I went to, because the coffee was for me the best match I gulp during his stay in Florence. Moreover, the name the same as purchasing coffee, clop dong!
After these two hands could no longer carry goods belanjaa, it's time to take the children to find souvenirs for them. So Mercanto Nuovo (new market) we choose, because there the various kinds of souvenirs can be obtained.
This open-air market, offering all sorts! Various articles of silk fabrics, scarves, pillowcases komplitlah anyway. Then the typical Italian mask used for the carnival event, but is suitable also as a home decoration, crafts from gold thread, dishes, household items, is really here we call it will not run out of ideas to get by-by. About the price is almost the same as in other places.
Children are usually excited when it comes to souvenir shopping, it just stunned to see the goods. I asked why, the answer is, "Out by-Ma-Ma by it for all ..! All-round gold merely ...!" Walahhhhh no nonsense! After I take it to one whose contents Pinocchio stall with various shapes and new model deh it two on the grinning child ... ahhh basis, children are not far from the toy. And Pinocchio was their choice as the memories of Italy.
Actually there is one market that can make women feel at home for long. Maybe not exactly the market, rather the one way in which the sides have only jewelry store. The street which is a famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, dense with boutiques bling-bling! Alias shine, because perhisan gold, diamonds and other precious stones, so pretty on display. Readers who liked the jewelry would have one day out of the store just over this bridge!
Most popular steak in Florence
There was, time has shown almost 14.00. We immediately headed to our favorite restaurant is Ristorante Pizzeria I Ghibellini located in Piazza San Pier Maggiore. This Italian restaurant serves cuisine is very delicious with honest price! So it's no wonder not only from foreign tourists who come, but the locals also seem to choose this restaurant as their favorite place.
What food we've tasted? Here, it suggests the bistecca Fiorentina (Tuscan steak). Said the local people, yet Shah came to Florence if not tasted meat cooked ala firorentina. The problem is huge and thick meat once, if not used to eating meat are certainly seemed like the stomach will explode. But because I'm this, heavyweight carnivore husband said, it was up my thick meat gusto ... understand, the contents of small he-he-he ...
So what else can we taste? Fish soup is also recommended, Kang Dada who tasted the fish soup in this restaurant, I do not like it very much, but he is very tasty. The youngest and the eldest, every time you come to this place never changes, pizza choice. It is true, the pizza at this restaurant, very dry skin ...tomato sauce and cheese also hemmm delicious. But as my favorite and my husband is, pasta with mushrooms and risoto cepes! The term maknyus! So do people of Indonesia call it?
Then dessert to finish off what a delicious meal we? In my opinion, only one of tiramisu while the children, which is vanilla and chocolate gelato flavor! Gelato is Italian ice cream is very popular. For them gelato ice cream is not the same as most. But if you ask me shape it like ice cream, only it felt softer on the tongue.
That was the last day we visited our favorite restaurant. Tomorrow we've got to go leave the beautiful city of Florence to Pisa, to see the leaning tower that became the talk of the world.
Time for a leisurely stroll, enjoying the old town of Florence put it back in the eyes and stores it closely in the liver. Always be hard leaving a place that has given pleasure and memories. Adieu Firenze ... (To be continued) (Early Kusmana Massabuau) kompas.com.