Espresso After 11
Short breaks to European cities are becoming increasing popular. With a number of travel options ranging from flights to Amsterdam to ferries to France, now is the time to make the most of this opportunity. You may be all packed for your break, however, how much do you know about the local customs of our European neighbours? Here is a rough guide on what you will see in the continent.
Let’s take a look at Italian customs. Italians begin the day with an espresso and brioche. They don’t usually eat breakfast at the table. Instead, they have it standing up at the bar. Also, unlike in the UK, where tea and coffee drinking is considered normal throughout the day, it is frowned upon to have any hot drink with milk after 11am. This includes caffe latte. For the rest of the day, people usually tend to drink espressos.
One of the biggest faux pas carried out by tourists, is to know what to drink and how much to drink with meals. For example do not drink wine with pizza as traditionally, beer and fizzy pop accompanies it. Also, bread at the table is meant for soaking up pasta sauce after you have finished eating the pasta. There is a misconception that the bread is to be eaten with pasta.
Finally after your meal, you may be offered a digestif like limoncello or amaro. Help yourself to only a small amount like the size of a thimble. These liqueurs are strong therefore it is advised to drink them slowly. You are now ready to catch your flights to Rome.
Some French traditions are very similar to Italian ones. One of the biggest similarities is the attitude to drinking wine. They take pride in appreciating the taste of wine and it shouldn’t be consumed to make one inebriated. One of the lesser known customs is not to cut lettuce with a knife, but to tear it instead. If the lettuce leaf is too big, you will be expected to fold it into a smaller size with a fork. Organise your flights to Paris if you are feeling more confident and you will be bound to notice more local traditions during your travels.
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