How is food alike or different in Italy??

Hello!

Many of you may be wondering: what is the food like in Italy? Besides being DELICIOUS, Italian food is very different from food in America. 

First, the portion size of Italian meals are smaller than American meals. Instead of having a big bowl of pasta, restaurants will serve your pasta in a small bowl. Instead of eating large meals 3 times a day, Italians will eat small meals throughout the day. For example, breakfast would be a cappuccino and a croissant, lunch would be a small bowl of pasta, mid-day snack would be gelato, and dinner would be some bread and pasta, followed by a desert. The picture below is an image of some spaghetti I got in Florence! As you can see it is not a large plate covered in pasta. Even though it was a small amount it was very filling! I even got some gelato later in the day! 

In America, dinner usually includes: a meat, a bread, and a vegetable of some kind. Again, the portions in America are A LOT bigger. However, Italians eat 4 to 5 course meals for dinner! This is a link to explain the meal structure of a formal Italian dinner and what is included in each course: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_meal_structure)

(link to this image: http://goo.gl/MbXqsw) 

^^ This image is an example of the first three courses. The first dish is called the Antipasto, which translates into "before the meal."  It usually consists of prosciutto(a thin, dry ham), Mozzarella, olives, other meats, bread, etc. The second dish is called the Primo, which translates into "first" course meal. Usually this is a type of pasta. The third dish is called the Secondo, which translates into "second" course meal. Typically this is a type of meat. It could be beef, turkey, steak, chicken, etc.  

.......Onto the breakfast! Italian breakfast is not like American breakfast. It isn't some bacon, a stack of pancakes and some hash browns. Instead, it is usually something sweet and something with bread. Also, Italians will drink cappuccinos with their breakfast pastry. Cappuccinos are made with espresso, hot milk, steamed milk foam, and can include cream. When Italians drink their coffee they do not take it to go. Instead they will sit for awhile and sip on their Cappuccinos. 

(This is a video on how to make a cappuccino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ao5b6uqI40) 

^^This is an image of a chocolate croissant I got in Florence! It has a chocolate pudding in the middle of the croissant and powdered sugar on top. This is an example of a type of pastry that could be served for breakfast.

^^This is an image of the breakfast served at our hotel in Arezzo. There is an assortment of croissants and a pie with jelly. Also, there was some cereal available that is not in this picture. The cereal was very similar to American cereal like: coco puffs and frosted flakes. 

Lastly (and most delicious) is the deserts!! 

One of the most famous deserts in Italy is Gelato. Ice cream and Gelato are very similar but still different. Usually deserts are eaten after dinner or later in the evening in America. In Italy, gelato is eaten at anytime of the day.

(Here is a link to explain the differences: http://goo.gl/MJ9nkf) 

^^This image shows me getting Gelato in Arezzo around 10pm. The flavor of this gelato is called "stracciatella" which is basically like chocolate chip ice cream. 

..But the most important and final words on Italian food is: IT IS DELIZIOSO!