iced tea anyone?

I tend to go on (and on) about how fantastic the fresh fruit and veg is here, and I'm sure I will continue going on (and on) about it in the future. But there's also some not so 'fresh', (yet still super tasty) food and drink that I have discovered here in Italy. I thought I'd share some of my finds with you.

Paprika crisps. OK, everyone loves crisps, but a flavour that Europeans seem to go mad over is paprika, and I have done the same. (These are probably also available in the UK but unfortunately I'm definitely not clued up on anything currently going on at home, particularly the savoury snack market.) Paprika flavour of any potato snack is a winner with me.

Water. Boring? Absolutely not. During these ridiculously hot days, lots of water is a must. The mineral water that is most raved about in these parts is Levissima. Everyone drinks mineral water here, and although tap water is safe, people prefer the bottled stuff. Lots of people prefer sparkling water but if you're like me and aren't really a fan of fizzy, don't worry because still is always available. And Levissima is the best. Because of this however, it's a little pricey. In my opinion, totally worth it though.

beverfood.com

Almost anything from Lidl. I've gone on about Lidl before- I loved it when I was in Germany and I love it here too. Supporting local shops is important, but when some specific things (for example cereal) are quite overpriced in these Italian supermarkets, you can always depend on Lidl. My Lidl favourites are croissants, chocolate spread, juice and sausages. There are often lots of offers on too.

All hail Lidl!

Estathe'. Italians 'do' coffee. As you know, they are extremely good at it (more about this in the future). They don't really do tea however. Hot tea that is. Cold on the other hand, they are pretty clued up on. This is a fantastic iced tea that's sold everywhere. My favourite is the peach one (see a pic here!), although they do lemon and green tea too. It's more refreshing than juice and it hasn't got many calories- definitely a plus! Tip- don't drink it with ice, as it gets far too watery and loses its taste somewhat.

Taralli. Like crackers, but so much better. You can get these in all food shops (including Lidl!) and they are incredibly good (especially the pizza ones, but give fennel a go to). I like to dip them in fresh pesto (or mayonnaise when I'm feeling particularly gluttonous..)

l

sbs.com.au

Biscuits. Ringo, Grisbi and anything from Mulino Bianco. The Ringo ice cream is also terrific (but can be a little messy.Or maybe it's just me who spills it all down my chin...?)

pregel.com

Watch out for more of my finds in the future! :D