Samantha and I have an 8:00 a.m. Italian class Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Our classroom is about a 20 to 30-minute walk, which means we can sleep in a little, but waking up early enough to prepare a simple breakfast is difficult. To congratulate ourselves for attending class, we agreed to go to Fedora “dopo la lezione per colazione” (after class for breakfast).

Fedora is one of Florence University of the Arts’ facilities. Baking and Pastry Department students at Apicius International School of Hospitality operate the pastry shop and decide and prepare the products sold. The program fees Samantha and I paid included a meal plan, and our breakfasts (one or two pastries and a drink) so far have been one unit each. Even after going three times a week, every week, we’ll still have units left over.

The pastry shop is small and has three small tables decorated with a small watering can with artificial flowers. There are display cases on the right side. The last time I went, they were filled with cookies. Beautiful single portion cakes are displayed under a counter, some of which have beautiful butterfly designs on their chocolate toppings. There are trays of croissants, some with filling inside, on top of the counter behind a handy sign that suggests relevant Italian phrases to practice, such as “vorrei un dolce, per favore” (“I would like a sweet, please) or “posso avere un té caldo?” (Can I have a hot tea?). Behind the counter is a tall and friendly gentleman who prepares drinks, serves pastries, rings up your order, and sweeps the floor. Samantha and I often see him chat with the chef and other customers.

Food can be a great source of inspiration. Give these prompts a try:

• Taste: Consider visually representing various flavors. For example, what colors do you associate with spicy? Sweet? Sour? Bitter? Tangy? Savory?
• Texture: Think about how food looks and feels before and after you prepare it. How does it feel in your mouth? Try to mimic spikes, bumps, and creases in your work.
• Color: Create a color palette from a dish. If you’re eating a cake, look at the layers.

Food looks beautiful. I hope you can find inspiration in your daily life. If you try these prompts, I would love to see what you created!

Crafting into the sunset,
Virginia

Note: Samantha will be updating her Instagram more frequently than her blog. Her Instagram is samtheplogger.

To learn more about Fedora, visit its website.
Address: Via Guelfa 116, 50129 Firenze Italia
Opening hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM
If you’re interested in studying abroad, check out the Queens College Education Abroad office website.
To learn more about FUA, visit its website.