Italian food (and wine!) Part 2

And so it continues... Gelato chocolate chip with fabulous vanilla in Rome

Smoked pork and greens in a fishing village on an island in Lake Maggiore

Fresh apricots and gorgeous local wine in Grosseto (Southern Tuscany)

An antipasto spread; cured meats, cheese tomato salad and roast potatoes in a wine bar in Florence (Mum being very Italian!)

Tomato pizza in Rome!!

One of my favourite dishes Spaghetti Amatriciana in the market in Florence

Chianti in Fuori Porta one of the oldest wine bars in Florence (just below Piazza Michaelangelo)

Local white wine in the market in Florence -supplied by the vat and you are charged for how much you drink

Some actually average gelato in Rome very disappointing-they weren't smiling like that after

My first beer in Italy in a cafe in Florence (mum trying to steal it) and the bruchetta of the trip so far!

Linda and her cold pasta with tomatoes (kinda like a pasta salad) extremely welcome on a hot day

Italian beer Morretti in Grosseto -a nice drop

Antipasto buffet in Lake Maggiore (there were a few things that we guessed at but mostly all good)

Sitting in wine bar in Grosseto

Apple tart with vanilla ice cream -nothing to write home about (although I am)

Fish entree on the fishing island in Lake Maggiore octopus, salmon and swordfish and tuna -mixed response from the others I liked it all!

An excellent Italian tradition, majority of restaurants supply you with bread, oil and balsamic vinegar for you to mix on your plate and dip your bread in, so so good!! (Like I need more carbs though)

Whisky in Grosseto

Rigatoni in tomato sauce in Rome an exciting start but nothing compared to the pasta dishes that would come

My hot chocolate in the Cafe in Padua (because I don't drink coffee), hugely disappointing, served cold!! Have tried hot chocolate a few times in Italy and it's all been lousy

Picnic lunch on Grosseto

Dinner at restaurant number 9 in Grosseto, eggplant parma, spaghetti with tomatoes and ravioli with sage and butter-all amazing!!

Having Italian wine and beer in lake Maggiore

The best best risotto of the trip shrimp with a cheese baked thing in lake Maggiore in the fishing island

Dessert in Florence, souffle for mum semifreddo for me and Linda had a lemon breast shaped dessert, all incredible!

Fresh rolls, home grown tomatoes in Grosseto, picnic lunch on mediaeval walls

Fried artichokes, a speciality of Rome-looks a bit scary but was great

A spritz, speciality of Italy in Grosseto, second time trying but I'm still not a fan

The antipasto spread in Florence up close

Tortellini with cheese for lunch in Grosseto!

Our first Italian wine in Rome, sublime!!

Overall we have throughly enjoyed the food and drink of Italy and all will come home a few kilos heavier! Thank goodness we're going hiking in Cinque Terre, might slow the weight gain!!! Worth it though!!