Verona, Italy

Verona was a quaint town to wander down side streets filled with little boutiques and cafes.

Pasticceria De Rossi

Baked apple en croute

PESCHERIA I MASENINI

Trattoria

The meal that I had at this spot was unexpectedly impressive. I had researched where to eat and selected this spot, but somehow it still exceeded my expectations. The trattoria was quiet in the midday when I ate there. The ambiance was sophisticated and the food was outstanding. 

Roasted Octopus with Chanterelles, Burrata, and Rosemary

I never would have imagined that these flavors would be complimentary, but they most certainly were. The octopus was perfectly tender with complex flavors in each bite.

King Crab with Lime and Hazelnut 

This dish was also addicting and certainly also enticed me due to the unusual combination of items in the dish.

Gelateria Biologica Fattoria casa mia

While I was wandering through little boutiques and trying to convince myself that I didn't need Italian leather and hand stitched clothing, I found this hole in the wall shop serving fantastic organic Gelato! I did not refuse this purchase and enjoyed each lick immensely! 

To finish the story of my time in Verona, I recall one of my favorite memories from Italy. The city was unforgettable to me because of an impromptu meeting. My favorite moments in the city came from an interaction that I had with the man working behind the deli counter at a local grocery store, NaturaSi. This store was located on via Carlo Pisacane. I wandered past Porta Nuovo, a stone gate that has the look of a castle, on my route to the store. I found that the staff did not speak any English at all and instead looking at me perplexed even when I tried words in Italian. However, I was determined to taste the cheese!! It looked so enticing, but had to be cut to order. This meant that I unabashedly resorted to making animal sounds in order to show which type of cheese I was trying to select from behind the glass case! I learned that the Italian animal sounds differ from those I made, but nonetheless were understood! I walked away with a number of cheeses satisfactorily in my possession. It was such fun that the man at the cheese counter ended up showing me pictures of his wife and even taking a picture with me! I will never forget him!