I have been here for about a month, and I can safely say there is no place like Florence Italy. Every street and building feel like a work of art. And half the time it is! One of the cool things I’ve learned from my time here is that this city is all about art, culture, and history.
When I was thinking about what to write originally, I kept going back and forth on art or maybe travel stuff. Back home I study art and live in the studio but that hasn’t been my experience here. Art really is all around me, which is breathtaking, and I am for sure gathering information and inspiration. However, the thing that has meant the most to me while I have been here is the food, specifically sandwiches. Which I will get back to in a minute
Cooking has been a meaningful way for me to still feel connected to home. Cooking was the love language I grew up with. The act of creating a dish or eating it soothes my soul. The markets have been a shift for me. The big supermarkets we have in the States are not super common. The city has a lot of smaller grocery stores which are convenient but can be limiting for certain cuisines. The produce here is something else, I came during orange season and Florida can’t beat this. Everything is super fresh and tastes amazing. Florence also has some cool outdoor markets. For anyone that visits or studies, I highly recommend the San Lorenzo Central Market. The bottom floor has local produce, fresh cuts of meat or fish, and goods such as olive oil, truffle spread and more. The top floor houses all kinds of traditional and non-traditional Florentine eats. There are countless options to try and if you aren’t hungry, it is still an interesting place to walk around.
For anyone that knows me, I am not a huge sandwich person. I love food with all my heart. There’s no hate, I just prefer to eat other things. However, the sandwiches here are next level. There’s this sandwich shop close to my house that I visit at least once a week. The place is called SandwiChic. It’s a tiny spot with three guys working inside. One taking orders, one is slicing meat, and another is putting the sandwich together. I was intimated when I first went because the board is fully in Italian but don’t let that stop you. The workers are super nice and love making suggestions. I have loved everything I have gotten there, and it fills you up. The price is also very reasonable, I pay 7.50 euro for a sandwich as big as my head. My favorite thing to order is spicy salami with pecorino, onion jam, and sundried tomatoes on fresh focaccia bread. They have countless meats, cheese, spreads and veggies you can pick from.
Italy has a wonderful deep culinary history and there are so many times to try. Or learn how to cook. I highly recommend taking a cooking workshop or a food and wine class. I took a three-week cuisine and culture class where I learned how to cook traditional dishes such as Ribollita (a vegetable and bread soup) or tried foods specific to Italy like Parma ham. I am so thankful for the opportunities and experiences Florence has given me so far. Until next time!
Jillian K. is studying studio art and studying abroad at Florence University of the Arts in Florence Italy.
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