Well, I thought that would be a humorous title, especially since every day is Friday here in Italy (and come to think of it, back in Florida too). The week flew by. On Monday we toured Santa Croce (a veritable “Who’s Who” of dead Italians), Tuesday found us having drinks in Piazza della Repubblica, Wednesday had us at the Mercato Centrale shopping for porchini to make risotto, Thursday we hit the gelaterias hard, and today we had a wonderful lunch at Zeb Gastronomia in the Oltre Arno section of Florence.
So, back to Monday and our day at Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross). The Basilica is the largest Franciscan church in the world. Its most notable features are its sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils, and its tombs. Legend says that Santa Croce was founded by St. Francis himself. The construction of the current church, to replace an older building, was begun on 12 May 1294. The major figures whose final resting place is within Santa Croce include: Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli. Hundreds more are buried beneath floor of the basilica and on the grounds. You’ll see the four major churches of Florence represented in frescos and paintings throughout Florence by their symbols: a “Cross” for Santa Croce, a “Sun” for Santa Maria Novella, a “Dove” for Santo Spirito, and a “Fleur-de-Lis” for Santa Maria del Fiore. The fleur-de-lis is also the coat-of-arms of Florence and is seen throughout the city.
You can click on the photos in this blog to either flip to the next photo or play the slideshow.
You can click on the photos in this blog to either flip to the next photo or play the slideshow.
On Tuesday we first stopped by DiVino to refill 5 wine bottles (a priority, I was told). That day’s gelato stop brought us to Il Procopio which had won the voter’s choice in this year’s Florence Gelato Festival with its mandorla submission. After quite a bit of walking around the city we stopped by Piazza della Repubblica just before sunset, sat at one of those pricey outdoor tables, and relaxed with a drink – me with a 7-Up (€5,90) and Cinzia with an Aperol Spritz (€11,90). I think the chips and nuts were free.
I just love the Mercato Centrale and could shop there every morning. The types of meats, cheeses, and produce they carry are amazing – many things you can’t find (or wouldn’t want to find) in the U.S. mega-marts or specialty shops. One day I’ll have to write a separate blog just on the Mercato Centrale. The main objective of today’s trip was porcini. Cinzia wanted to try her hand at making porcini risotto. We picked up some arugula for a salad too. Back in the apartment she soaked half of the 60 grams of our dried porcini in hot water and used the liquid to cook the risotto. She added plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano and the porcini, then dinner was served. We have enough dried porcini left over for another meal too.
Thursday was gelato day. After returning to Enoteca Verdi for lunch (a great panini shop) we hit La Carraia 2, Gelateria die Neri, and La Carraia (their original location). I think La Carraia 2 has moved into our #1 spot as our favorite gelateria ahead of Neri. They only have 22 flavors, but they’re all amazing. I had Pistacchio & Crem Caramel (Pistachio & Crème Caramel). Then it was over to Gelateria die Neri where it was Cinzia's turn. She ordered Cioccolato Amaro & Crostata e Fragoline di Bosco (Bitter Chocolate & Strawberry Tart). Afterward I was led on one of my many long strolls by Cinzia. We ended up in the Oltre Arno section of town (other side of the Arno River) at La Carraia. This shop was larger and offered more flavors. Here I tried the Zabaione e Fichi & Ricotta e Pera (Zabaione and Fig & Ricotta and Pear) while Cinzia went with the Torta della Nonna & Fondente (Grandmother's Cake and Chocolate Fudge) combination.
A walk through the Oltre Arno brought us to a paper shop. Handmade Florentine paper is world famous. Here, we got to watch as the artist made the classic swirly design. She splatters paint droplets into a square tub containing a mixture of water and glue then drags wires through the liquid to produce the desired pattern. She carefully lays a sheet of paper on top of the pool of liquid and slides it out after a few seconds where she lays it to dry. Pretty cool stuff.
A walk through the Oltre Arno brought us to a paper shop. Handmade Florentine paper is world famous. Here, we got to watch as the artist made the classic swirly design. She splatters paint droplets into a square tub containing a mixture of water and glue then drags wires through the liquid to produce the desired pattern. She carefully lays a sheet of paper on top of the pool of liquid and slides it out after a few seconds where she lays it to dry. Pretty cool stuff.
So that leaves us with T.G.I.F. Today we decided to try Zeb Gastronomia. It’s ranked as the #1 eatery in Florence by TripAdvisor (rankings change all the time, so it may not be #1 any longer). We headed to the Oltre Arno area once again and arrived at noon as they were opening. They only seat 15 and we were the first ones seated. The chef was writing out the lunch menu on the chalkboard as we waited. The long counter contained dried meats, 4 types of prosciutto, cheeses, and other deli items on one side. On the other were placed today’s grilled and sautéed sides as well as eggplant parm, roast beef and roast pork, and potato croquettes. We opted for one of the cooked-to-order items from the chalkboard. I chose the Cappellacci di Pera e Pecorino in Salsa di Pera. Cinzia chose the Cappellacci di Fiori di Zucca in Salsa di Burrata. So, now you’re asking, “What is it that you two ordered?” Well, we learned that cappellacci are stuffed pasta, like ravioli. Mine had a pear and pecorino (sheep’s milk cheese) stuffing with a pear sauce. Cinzia’s had a zucchini flower and pecorino stuffing with a sauce made from burrata. Burrata is “mozzarella’s creamy cousin” – it looks like fresh mozzarella with a top knot on the outside, but inside is a mixture of heavy cream and stracciatella, or "little rags", of mozzarella curds. This was used to make the sauce, but we’ve seen burrata on the menu at several restaurants. The “ball” is usually served with greens or vegetables. We’ll have to try some before we leave Florence. What do you think?