We set off to Bologna but stopped in San Miniato to go to a local butcher shop. I was extremely fearful to go to the butcher shop because I was afraid that it would be traumatic and that I wouldn't like meat the same anymore. Much to my surprise, it wasn't that scary and the view of the Italian countryside was so beautiful. We ate prosciutto and spicy salami while enjoying the view and although this moment was so simple, I really enjoyed it. After we left the butcher shop, everyone bought souvenirs and I found myself at a gelato shop.
We drove for a little while longer before we stopped for lunch at a Slow Foods restaurant. Before we ate lunch, an olive oil connoisseur told us about how to spot good olive oil from bad olive oil. A famous Italian saying is "young oil, old wine", which means that you want to buy an oil that is fairly young or else it will be bad. A good oil is green, young, bitter, spicy, and made of the best vegetables that area has to offer. The oil has to be used within the first year, or else it will be bad. Bad oil is made when it's stored in a high temperature, not conserved properly, and very exposed to light.
After our olive oil tasting, we were served lunch. Our first course was a flan made of artichokes and topped with homemade potato crisps. Once again, I loved the taste but I couldn't really appreciate the texture. The following course was a pasta mixed with a meat sauce. I love pasta and everything pasta related, so I definitely loved it. The third course consisted of a fresh green salad and braised beef in a wine sauce. I was so excited to see vegetables again that most of my plate consisted of salad, which would've made my parents so proud. Our dessert was a fresh vanilla ice cream and who doesn't like ice cream?
An hour later, we arrived in Bologna. We had a few hours of free time and I went to drinks with my roommate. I ordered a Cosmo, which was not good. As a Sex and The City super fan, I love a good Cosmo but it tasted like pure flowers and Carrie Bradshaw would be ashamed. With our drinks, we were given prosciutto sandwiches, potato chips, and fresh vegetables in balsamic vinegar for our tapas. Although Italian pubs are very different from our American bars, I think we all can agree that Italian pub snacks are better than our average bar peanuts. We then went to a beer bar and although my roommate and I both don't really like beer, Italian beer is extremely popular so we tried it. I had a strawberry kiwi beer and it tasted like juice. Italy definitely didn't disappoint me with this drink. After a few rounds, we went back to the hotel and turned in for the night.
