A Spontaneous Dinner

I love knowing I'm going to eat out ahead of time. I love the anticipation and the excitement. I love reading up on the menu and debating what I should order. But there is also something so pleasurable about a spontaneous evening out. Tonight, for example, was just going to be my usual Tuesday night, maybe some pasta for dinner and a load of laundry. But then, there was a knock on the door, Tobey was there and invited me to go to the store with her, Michael, and Tobey's mom (who's visiting for a couple weeks). I said yes, of course, and hopped into the car. It turns out we weren't going to the store but out for dinner, I had been kidnapped, but the good kind of kidnapping...the kind involving delicious tastes!

We were off to Arezzo, a town about 30 minutes away. Like most towns here it was old and gorgeous. The restaurant we went to is one of Tobey and Michael's favorites. It's tiny and adorable (it had gingham nappies as light fixtures!!). The waitress was still writing the evening's menu up on thick pieces of paper when we were seated, and she brought them to our table as soon as they were done.

I ordered two primis (first courses) a farro and cannellini bean soup and papardelle with rabbit ragu. Both were amazing.

(Check out that pasta!!)

I was so full by the end of the two dishes, to the point of uncomfortableness, but we sat and talked, and my food digested. Then after we got the bill the server brought out 4 shot glasses of a bitter herb digestive. It knocked my socks off and made my lips feel tingly for at least 20 minutes, but by the time we got up to leave I was ready to eat some more. I can not think of a better way to spend a Tuesday night, can you?