Food glorious food!

I used to think of myself as unfussy when it comes to food.  Ask me and I'll tell you there's only one food I don't go near - mushrooms - but I'll give most things a try and will happily dig in whether it's Chinese, Thai, Indian, Mexican... you get the picture.  Then I came to Puglia!  

I'm still trying to give most food offered to me a go, but some I do not plan to revisit for a while.  For example, fennel!  I have never knowingly had this in any form in UK.  It's one of those mysterious ingredients in a recipe that will stop me making the dish.  Does anyone in UK eat raw fennel?  I was surprised to see kids chomping away at what looks like a type of onion but was told it was dolce (sweet) so thought I'd try some!  Sweet?!  It's aniseed overload in vegetable form!  Not convinced!

For the first time in my life I feel awkward if asked about my food preferences.  A friend offered vegetable soup, and I declined as I only like chicken soup/broth.  I always ask for just a taste of pasta dishes rather than take the bowlful offered as the first course of any meal, as it's too heavy for me.  I now know fennel is out!  So no soup, no pasta and truth be told <whispers> I don't actually like tomatoes!  How on earth am I going to survive in Italy?

Well, I'll tell you how - check out breakfast:

croissants and nutella-filled pastries 

"chocolate salami"
 

I mean, obviously, there's more than just pastry and chocolate on offer, but you could get by on just this and a few veggies for lunch and dinner right?!

I am probably more obsessed with chocolate and dessert then the average brit, but I think it's fair to say dessert is a less important part of the meal here than it is in UK.  Often fresh fruit will precede or sometimes replace dessert (although it's so ripe and delicious I forgive them!) and many restaurants offer a simple choice of lemon sorbet or lemon gelato (ice cream) after a meal as opposed to a full "dessert menu" as you might get in UK.  Truth is, when it's so warm, the appeal of a full-on melt-in-the-middle chocolate fondant or sticky toffee pudding is diminished somewhat  - but just somewhat!  I can't see that I'll be losing my sweet tooth anytime soon!

One dessert that's popular here that doesn't have a real comparison in UK is the ice cream cake.  It is the most incredible mix of, as an example, chocolate trufflle, vanilla and hazelnut ice creams plus all sorts of additions like biscuit pieces and swirls of chocolate sauce through it.  You buy it whole in a bombe-shape and serve in slices.  So delicious and a definite step up from Viennetta!  Reckon I'll be okay here!