02 | August | 2012 | schwingeninswitzerland

Although we saw some cool stuff in Milan, one of the main reasons to go to Italy is for the food and drink. They are an attraction in and of themselves and did not disappoint.

We had at least two cappuccino for breakfast every day. Italians only order cappuchinos until 10:00. Although italians only drink cappuccino until 10:00 a.m., they pop in for expressos all day long. If you run into a friend in the street, it is customary to pop into a café for a quick espresso at the bar while you catch up. Ten minutes later, you’re back on your way. Perfect for caffeine addicts like us who don’t always like to linger at a table.

Before dinner, Italian tradition is to have an aperitivo. It is a pre-meal drink meant to stimulate appetite, but seems to be an excuse to go out for a drink, relax and chat with friends. When in Rome, or Milan…

I loved the Antipasti, the appetizer course, because I usually hadn’t gorged myself yet so I could eat while I was actually hungry. The food was so good that I did a good amount of eating when I wasn’t actually hungry. It was so tasty that I just had to eat it. Who knows when I’d have another chance to taste something like that?

One of his favorites was a cheese plate that included burrata, a fresh artisanal cheese made from mozzarella and cream. Although people eat cheeses that are older than some of our nieces and nephews, you are supposed to eat burrata within 24 hours after it is made. Ours came on a plate with fresh buffalo mozzarella and ricotta. De-lish-us!

In Italy, pasta is usually the next course, known as Primo Patti. Although they sometimes serve soup, rice, polenta, etc., it’s usually a rich pasta dish. Carbalicious.

Secondo, the main course, usually consists of chicken, meat, or fish. With so many courses, thankfully the portions aren’t too large. Most Italians don’t eat an antipasto, primo, secondo and dolce at every meal, but the selections are always on the menu. Just because we pigged out doesn’t mean you are required to.

The dolce (Italian for sweet), dessert, ends the meal. People often order an espresso to help digestion and to finish off a meal. Plus it gives them more time to sit and talk over food and drink.

Sorry, we couldn’t wait to take a picture before taking a bite out of our daily gelato. We weren’t the only ones who liked gelato, just check out this cute little guy. He was going to town on his gelato. Notice how he is inside the restaurant.