Ciao! Mi chiamo Alessandra…
. . . and this is the gastronomic experience of an American cooking and living in Italy. Learn with me as I tackle recipes in a language I don’t understand and shop for ingredients I’ve never seen before.
In November 2021, a worldwide pandemic had completely shaken up the path my life was on and I took that as a sign to make a drastic change. Along with my two cousins, who were also in a similar state of life limbo, we decided to move to a small town in the Veneto region of Italy. It didn’t take us long to visit all of the local museums, drown ourselves in espresso, and try every pizzeria. Winter quickly fell upon us and in a region known for its dense, icy fog, we felt less compelled to journey out and explore the cold streets.
So I decided to turn to my love of cooking and see what the local supermarket had to offer. What I found truly was a feast for the eyes! There were colorful varieties of Italian produce, beans, grains, flours, meat and fish. I wandered down aisles of canned tomatoes, endless shapes of pasta, jarred olives and artichoke hearts, and so many types of breakfast cookies – sign me up!
Armed with a food knowledge garnered through years under my mother’s tutelage and a few kitchen basics found in our furnished apartment, I set off to see if my skills in America would translate to my new surroundings and if I could learn to cook like a true Italian.
