So I just experienced the 2 hottest weeks of Italy’s summer, the first 2 weeks of August we went to visit some of my fiancée’s family, and of course explore a little bit of what Italy has to offer. I heard a lot of good things about the food, and I have to say I was a little bit disappointed. The one positive note that I can say is that their pasta and pizza definitely does not disappoint. I had the most amazing gluten free pizza in Naples, and yes Naples really does live up to its reputation for having the best/cheapest pizzas! Another highlight, their pastries and gelato was excellent. I ate gelato every day and some days probably twice a day. I even had pastries for supper one night that’s how good it was. I’m sorry I didn’t take pictures of the food that were a fail, but basically the fish that I had on the island of Ischia was a small whole sole grilled with absolutely no taste. Not even a grain of salt. Salad’s and vegetables were definitely not their forte. We paid 3 euros for a small bowl of boston lettuce leaves, only the lettuce nothing else. That was their salad. I really missed eating vegetables when I was there, the only options with vegetables are eggplants, and zucchini dishes. When we went to one of the best restaurants that we found and I wanted to order salad, he told me that they don’t specialize in salads and that I shouldn’t even order it.
I would suggest that if you had the choice, do not visit Italy in the month of August. It is too hot to really enjoy every moment of it, and because everyone is on vacation there are many shops closed, and tons of tourists pushing and shoving. Overall the food with the family was the best, it really helps having someone you know there that can recommend good restaurants or even better, make delicious food for you. Out last two days we stayed in and made supper because of the disappointments!
The not-so-fried calamari