When most people travel to new and exciting places, like Italy for instance, they sample the local food as a part of their overall holiday experience. Others see the food as a means to grind through a long day of sightseeing. By the time we arrived in Florence it was quite clear that as far as my travel companion was concerned, eating is the reason that he came to Italy.

Perhaps that fact that Nate had budgeted more Euros for food than for lodging should have been a clue.

If Cinque Terre was the Primi Piatti (first course) than Florence was the Secondi.

Situated on the edge of Tuscany, the food in Florence is of another world. It was if the curtain was lifted and we were able to sneak of sample from back pantry of paradise. I am convinced that the Firenze chefs will be preparing the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. And directing the culinary creations will be the talented chefs of Quattro Leoni, a gem of a restaurant hidden away in a sleepy corner on the quiet side of the Arno River.

Unfortunately these pictures are not scratch and sniff, or scratch and taste for that matter.

Verdure fritte (this included rabbit, which I respectfully declined)

Not pictured, but fully consumed, was this indescribably amazing pasta dumpling thing stuffed with pears and chicken and smothered with this creamy asparagus sauce. Oh it was incredible! And now, I’m starving and tired and need to go to bed before I start banging sauce pans together in attempt to recreate this savory memory.