It’s non-stop eating.

From local mom-and-pop restaurants to the fast food at historic sites to the sandwiches in mobile trucks, the food is awesome.

I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but the Italians – and Europeans in general – respect food.  So unlike their American counterparts.

Yes, there is packaged sliced bread in the grocery store, but the folks are lined up buying the fresh-baked bread in back.

Lots of Coca-Cola – but it’s made with sugar – and tastes so much better.  Even crappy McDonald’s has what could be referred to as real food – not that we’ve been in one to prove it – but the outside menus show so many offerings other than the chemical-laden crap sold in the US.

Respect for food.

We were in Ostia Antica yesterday and had sandwiches at the small cafeteria at the site.  Simple salami and cheese on fresh rolls.  Yes, they were made in advance, but they were made in advance on-premise.  They were delicious.

I had a Saltimbocca alla Roma night before last.  Simple, yet so much flavor.  Fresh ingredients…

One of our real treats is having a pasticceria around the corner… One Euro pastries to die for!  Those, along with fresh melon, have been our standard breakfast.  Maybe some Italian yogurt… I should eat like this all the time.

Only thing I’m missing?  My American-brewed coffee.  I like my mug-o-coffee – sans milk.  We do have a coffee maker in the apartment, but the coffee has all been espresso-ground.  It makes for a bit of a murky brew.

But I think I’ll survive…