Well, Italy is just as gorgeous as I thought it would be. Today was my first time overseas and although I’m delirious from a 32+ hour day, it was pure magic. Everything is so picturesque it almost seems fake. Around every cobblestone corner is a brightly colored, aging building, with new sights to swoon over. The city of Rome is so bright, rich with history, and lively it feels like as though I’ve stepped into a dreamland. It could just be the gelato, but I think things are sweeter here. The plants grow a little more wild, the children laugh and play with each other instead of losing themselves in a screen, the people are fashionable and unapologetically sassy, and don’t even get me started on the food.
Actually, let’s get started on the food. Everyone knows Italy is the place to go for delicious food that’s been perfected by it’s past generations; but perhaps what people first think of when they hear Italian and food in the same sentence is pizza. So naturally, pizza was my first stop.
After touring the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, I stopped by a local restaurant that seemed to have the longest pizza selection to sit down for my first Italian meal.
I was rushed in by an eager waiter who didn’t really let me see if they had a meat-free options so I had to trust that they would modify for me. And they most certainly did with no questions! Being a vegan, I’ve made it a point to memorize “Hai qualche opzione vegana” and “Senza latticini” which translates to “Do you have any vegan options” and “without dairy”. These phrases helped me out enormously when I ordered the one pizza option with the most vegetables on it.
When it came, I was taken back by how big it really was. I’ve heard time and time again how moderate the portions were in Italy compared to those in America. Yet, the crust was so thin on this pizza, it hit the spot and nothing more. The pizza was almost like one big cracker with deliciously roasted vegetables and a slight amount of sauce. It’s safe to say after that, I was hooked.
Following the delicious pizza, I decided to try out another first and get gelato at Della Palma. A gelato shop with 150 flavor options – some of them were even vegan. Out of the choices I had, I went with the most AMAZING pistachio and hazelnut gelato combo in a small cup. This dessert brought me right back to my childhood and slapped a big dopey smile on my face that I couldn’t wipe off.
After this, the class and I went to dinner and I was served a delicious vegan meal starting off with an artichoke rice dish, followed by roasted vegetables, a light salad, and ending with some fresh pineapple. This meal was amazing, but again had enormous portions. I also tried kelp for the first time and to my surprise, I enjoyed it.
I can’t wait to see what other vegan food surprises Italy has to offer me.
For now, ciao!
Kimmie Prokurat