Florence and its Food Culture

Florence and its Food Culture:

Food is very important for Italians. So much so that it has its own culture so to speak. Let's start with breakfast. Most Italians start the day with breakfast, usually something sweet like a pastry with coffee at a bar or café. For lunch Italians go to places like Osterias or Trattorias which are like restaurants but more casual. Lunch hour for Italians is around 1-2 pm after which is relaxation. Most shops and eateries are closed from 2-4 pm. Dinner is a very interesting experience in Italy. I'm just going to explain my typical night. So sometimes my friends and I will arrive at the restaurant at like 5 or 6 pm for apperitivo, which is like hors d'oeuvres where you pay for wine or a cocktail and the food is all you can eat. We didn't always do this, only really for special occasions. Another option is apperichiena, which is the same thing but the food is less finger food and more filling in nature. We would often substitute this for an actual meal. But if we were eating an actual meal we would eat more than one course over time. This is how the Italians do it. It's very typical for an Italian family or group of friends to stay for hours at dinner.