22/50.- Umbria, Antipasti

While we are talking about food and wine, here is a picture of a mid-day lunch. While Spain has its tapas, Italy has its antipasti, tasty salads and vegetables of which one may order a choice from the glass-topped counter. The caprese salad has become a bit of a classic : mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes and chopped basil leaves, with a dash of olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar, and a twist from the pepper mill. More typical of the region are the grilled zucchini and melanzane stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs and tuna, or the tepid spinach ravioli with sliced mushrooms. Do not go to Italy if and when on a diet. It would be a shame to have to renounce all those delicacies.

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