satiation

No matter where I travel, there stands a McDonald’s! While it does provide a symbol of home and familiarity, it was not the place for me in a place known for its cuisine.

I had to remember that eating takes time in Italy and is done over several courses. The first night in Sorrento I was full after the bread and pasta…



...there just was no room in my tummy for the meat course, salad and dessert that followed!

I tasted almost everything served when we sat down to eat and though I rarely finished a full meal was quite satisfied each time I left a table. Interestingly enough, a simple plate served at the wine tasting was most satisfying mainly because the colors and textures were so appealing (ok, and we hadn’t had lunch yet, it was 3:15 in the afternoon and I was a tad on the famished side, but this small plate left me satiated).

This delicious sampling was followed by just picked from the tree tangerines…not sure I will ever forget the bright fragrance and succulent taste of FRESH ORANGE…

 

…of course there was wine…

…and a table with gorgeous chestnuts and tempting pomegranates…

I relished seeing fruit and olives on the vine and trees around any corner, in various state of ripeness, which always reminded me of the country I was visiting…

...and I don’t remember seeing a grocery store anywhere, but there were many local shops,

open air stands in town and at roadside,

that had an orgy of lusciousness to choose from,

  

much like the plentiful bounties of fresh fish with eyes for the fashions in the clothing boutique just next door,

and windows with yummy looking treats and other good things to be found.

I have to say that because I had changed my way of eating before I left for my trip, everything seemed more intense in flavor, rich and it only took a small amount of anything for me to feel indulged. The pistachio gelato I grabbed before I boarded the bus made me forget that I had skipped lunch opting to take photographs rather than stop to eat. A sip of the “you must try” limoncello left me with some hair on my chest! But the simplest thing I had left the most impact on my palette and that was a small bag of salty potato chips consumed very slowly while I sat on a green bench in town as I paused from a long walk on the most gloriously sunny day in Sorrento. My mouth still waters remembering their satiating crunch, a perfect end to a stellar venture as it was the last full day before we would leave for home.

On this Thanksgiving holiday, take a moment to use all of your senses to savor the flavors…and each other.

keep your peepers open!®