Eventually you will lose the ability to eat two full Italian meals in a day. It happens to all of us. Italy has an answer for this. What if, as the sun sets and temperatures drop, you sauntered over to a nearby bar and ordered an Apericena instead?
The word apericena is the splicing of aperitivo, meaning the drink, and cena, the dinner. You order a drink, like a spritz or glass of wine or something soft, analcoholico, like a Crodino, a non-alcoholic bitter aperitif made by the Campari people. Ask for some food, and a plate of local specialties will arrive as well.
You have a say in the composition of this plate. Martha told the waiter she didn’t eat red meat, pointed to me and said, “and he eats anything.” A plate was brought out just right for the both of us.
My Campari Spritz, being made by the barista, who wears a tee-shirt declaring, “Just kiss me, we can talk later.”
This is the kind of thing we get in the Lunigiana, the craggy northern nipple close to the marble mountains of Tuscany. Go elsewhere are you’ll find other nimbly things on your plate.
Tuscany, you see, is one of the regions that is big on the antipasto course, which can become a major consideration when eating.
And remeber, taco chips are everywhere…
When you want a meat overload for lunch, we actually recommend the Dante quoting butcher of Panzano’s place where Dario will feed and entertain you: Feasting at the Officina della Bistecca. It will set you up for a fine Apericena at night.
What’s the way to get the best food you can in an Italian restaurant? See: How to order good food in Italy
I leave you with yet another food picture from the region of puglia, where we asked for “just a little seafood”:
Ciao for now, as they say.
Dining and Cooking