Enzo is going to help us understand what to expect at an Italian table because many people are often surprised to discover how the Italians actually eat. 

First of all the biggest surprise to me is their love of ice cream, but not any ice cream, we're talking about gelato.  Gelato is made with fresh eggs and cream or yogurt all of which is made into a custard.  At many good gelaterias you will find a staggering array of assorted flavours which you can often combine onto one cone. 

It was in Milan that I first noticed the Italian love of an afternoon gelato as I witnessed a very tiny, beautifully dressed, elderly lady alighting from a gelateria onto the main shopping street.  She was carrying her Gucci handbag in one hand and the largest, multicoloured ice cream I had ever seen in the other. It was so big that it covered nearly all of her face. So now we know what Italians do at around 3 - 4 pm in the afternoon.

Gelato in Florence

Enzo has been in search of the best gelateria for many years now, but I am beginning to understand that it is less about the search and more about simply having an ice cream - whoops sorry - a gelato.  However, so far we can tell you that at the top of the list is the one that you will find on the street opposite the Vatican walls called The Old Bridge.  It's a very busy place which seems to provide its customers with the largest and best quality gelato in Rome - according to Enzo.

Grabbing a gelato in the shadow of the Vatican wall: The Old Bridge Gelateria

I was chatting with an American lady one afternoon at The Depot Café and she was telling me how she had taken a Mediterranean cruise, part of which included a landing in Civitavecchia just outside of Rome.  Her group had elected to go ashore to spend part of their time taking in some of the local atmosphere and to this end found themselves sat in a family restaurant. 

I waited expectantly for her to tell me what she had eaten and what she thought of the food, so it came as a surprise to find that she was disappointed.  She had expected to have a huge plate of pasta covered with meatballs, or a seafood selection in alfredo sauce and instead was horrified to receive small plate after small plate of assorted items. 

"The food was good," she said "but it took so long to eat it, we were there for most of the day just eating." 

I explained to her that in fact, they had been lucky enough to experience a slice of the true Italy. 

It doesn't matter where you eat, whether at the family table or the local restaurant, Enzo has put together a list of courses you can expect when eating in Italy.

Antipasti Meaning 'before the meal'' antipasti are normally an assortment of nibbles. Antipasto misto all'italiana for example is a selection of Italian meats and pickles or roasted vegetables. You could also find bruschetta which is a simple grilled bread topped with various ingredients. At many restaurants small plates like tapas are made up with marinated sardines, cheese, octopus or vegetables and they certainly keep you occupied until the next course arrives.	Parmesan Cheese Basket with Caramelised Endive
Primo Piatto Means 'first plate' and in our experience is often a pasta dish, but could also be a risotto,soup or even pizza. These primo piatto are small servings and can often include salads.	Asparagus wraps with Proscuito
Secondo Piatto Which means 'second plate' and is the main course which will be a fish or a meat. Feel free to serve your roast meats, steamed fish or grills, but again the plates are small and often arranged with servings of vegetables, gnocci or salads known as contorni
Contorni These side dishes are made up of vegetables or salads and the word contorni means contours which suggests that each contorni will reflect how they complement the secondo piatto.  You will often find simple vegetables sautéed with garlic, pine nuts and served with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Some firm favourites for Enzo is a plate of rapini (broccoli rabe), escarole, fennel or fava beans when they are in season and we often collect them from the local market.	A mixed plate of vegetables and cheeses
Insalate This means salad and just like the French, the Italians use this course as a rest and a way of cleansing the palate.  Serve your salad with a vinaigrette and keep it simple, often these insalati are made up of delicate lettuce leaves alone.
Dolici e Formaggi It is usual for guests to bring this course with them often to the rhaptuous delight of the host.  For Enzo this means a trip to the local bakery to collect a huge box of assorted cream pastries or Dolici, and expect to be standing in a queue! This course will also have fruit and expect to have a huge bowl of fruit available.  At Enzo's family table everyone just helps themselves and there is always enough to go around.  You'll be surprised how much fruit a table of 8 can consume while talking. I have yet to see cheese (Formaggi) being served at this course, but we always have a selection of good local cheese available.  With an arrangement of savoury biscuits they go really well with any of the fresh fruits.	Three-chocolate Tiramisu
Espress or Limoncello Any meal in Italy does not seem to be complete without the perfect digestive (as the French would call it). Espresso not only avoids you falling asleep after such a large amount of food, but it helps you digest everything. The lemoncello seems to be a legal requirement, and Enzo and I have often not been able to leave a restaurant without first taking a tiny glass of the stuff - but it is good and Enzos cousin Antonio makes the best Lemoncello that I have ever tasted.  He was even kind enough to give me the recipe which we will of course pass to you as soon as we can find it.  If you see it, it's on a little piece of paper and written in pencil ...	Limoncello Cream