Vacation Eats: Italian Coffee

This is a post in my "Vacation Eats" series. I'm posting about various eating and drinking experiences I had on our 2011 Vacation Extravaganza -- Pittsburgh, Boston, Italy, Paris, Pittsburgh. A link to all posts so far is available here. The idea is to lose all the pounds I gained by the time I'm finished with this posting series!

This is under-photographed, but coffee means only one thing in Italy:  espresso.  You can add milk to it, but the base is always espresso.  And you'd best not add milk if it's after 10 a.m.!

Pictured above is a typical Italian bar, with people there in the morning getting coffee.  But note there is also a full wall displaying hard liquor.  We were walking around the area and eventually went back to this bar for coffee (the picture below).  While we were in there, this woman walked in.  Looked to be mid-40s, fairly well dressed, seemed perfectly normal, possibly on her way to work.  She ordered a shot of vodka, pounded it, paid her tab, and left.  Crazy!  We cracked up.  Guess it was going to be a tough day at the office! 

Vacation Eats: Pizza in Lecce

This is a post in my "Vacation Eats" series. I'm posting about various eating and drinking experiences I had on our 2011 Vacation Extravaganza -- Pittsburgh, Boston, Italy, Paris, Pittsburgh. A link to all posts so far is available here. The idea is to lose all the pounds I gained by the time I'm finished with this posting series!

Appalling our neighbor's family, one night in Lecce, hubby was hungry.  For the most part, they seem to usually skip dinner.  But with our expanded stomachs, I was also ready for more food.  I really just wanted a crepe, but I agreed to go with him for pizza.  Our neighbors and their family continued their evening stroll while we ate.  And yeah, I decided to go ahead and get my own pizza -- which I proceeded to eat in full!

Mine (on the right) was called Pugliese -- basically just onions.  Tasty!

Vacation Eats: Dessert in Lecce

This is a post in my "Vacation Eats" series. I'm posting about various eating and drinking experiences I had on our 2011 Vacation Extravaganza -- Pittsburgh, Boston, Italy, Paris, Pittsburgh. A link to all posts so far is available here. The idea is to lose all the pounds I gained by the time I'm finished with this posting series!

Aside from fruit (and cake) at our neighbors' sister's house, when we ate dessert out in the city, we only ate at one place.  There is a gelateria widely considered to be the best, and we went there several times while we were in Lecce.

I thought the Kinder cereal flavored gelato was unusual! 

Also, here are a few pictures from La Pasquetta, Easter Monday.  In Lecce, they have a large festival in the city.  While most Italians usually spend la Pasquetta in the country, there are enough people in the city that many cities organize celebrations.  In Lecce, there were tons of bands playing in the center of town.  Lots of fun to listen.



Vacation Eats: Vegetarian Lunch Extravaganza in Lecce

This is a post in my "Vacation Eats" series. I'm posting about various eating and drinking experiences I had on our 2011 Vacation Extravaganza -- Pittsburgh, Boston, Italy, Paris, Pittsburgh. A link to all posts so far is available here. The idea is to lose all the pounds I gained by the time I'm finished with this posting series!

As we were going to visit our neighbors in Lecce, and they know all about my dietary preferences and restrictions, there was a special meal waiting for us when we arrived on Easter Monday, la Pasquetta, all made especially for me!

The meal started with this huge serving of eggplant.  Yes, I ate it all...  Another one of my favorite foods of the trip.

I failed to photograph most of my secondo plate (and don't know how to rotate pictures).  It included these things that resembled cheese sticks, and that fresh mozzarella seen in the background, olives, fresh ricotta and bread. 

Dessert was fruit, pictured above, and a big bowl of strawberries, and whipped cream.

We also had these cream-filled Easter cakes, and dessert wine.