Want to dive deeper into the next destination you visit? Stanley Tucci recommends going to a local market. “A market tells you how important food is or isn’t to the people there. It exposes the soul of a place,” Tucci said in a recent interview with Travel + Leisure. “Farmers markets in particular are a way of understanding the people who live in any given place. Not only the produce or products that are sold, but how fresh are they, and where are those products from? Are the majority locally sourced or imported? What are the vendors like that are selling them? Who is shopping there?”
Matt Holyoak/Apple
Stanley and a group of Italian nonnas cooking together in upcoming collaboration with Apple.
Whether you’re scrolling through his Instagram, where Tucci posts cooking videos and farmers market hauls, or watching his culinary-focused travel shows, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy and Tucci in Italy, it’s clear that he is passionate about food and its ability to build community. And that’s exactly the premise of a video the actor shared today on social media in collaboration with Apple Pay.
The post shows Tucci bringing a group of Italian nonnas together for a meal he sourced the ingredients for from local shops, using Apple Pay along the way. “I use Apple Pay constantly. It has made my life so much simpler, and I rely on Apple Pay when I shop at so many vendors when traveling and at home,” said Tucci.
Apple
Stanley using his Apple Pay to buy parmesan cheese.
Best tip for avoiding jet lag?
Exercise before and after a flight.
Most unusual thing you always pack?
None of your business.
A place that you haven’t been to yet that you really want to visit?
Japan.
Favorite romantic getaway?
Paris and Lake Como.
Favorite food city in the world?
Impossible to answer. But Paris, London, and Milan. I have not traveled extensively in Asia or been to South America or Africa, so my knowledge is only of Europe for the most part.
One dish worth traveling for?
The pasta with butter and cheese at Trippa in Milan.
The “Devil Wears Prada” and “Conclave” actor is certainly at home in Italy, having explored so much of the European nation in an effort to understand its distinct regional cuisines. “Italy is an incredibly complex country historically, politically, ethnically, and geographically, which makes it the perfect culinary melting pot. Spending so much time there over the years has allowed me to better understand who I am and who my relatives were and are,” Tucci shared.
Having spent so much time traveling through Italy’s buzzy metropolises and charming small towns, Tucci has a few recommendations for first-time visitors to the country, starting with where to go. For travelers hoping to get a true taste of Italian cuisine and culture, Tucci recommends Milan “for its progressiveness and elegance and proximity to the lakes and mountains, as well as its risotto, osso buco, polenta, and the like. Rome without question for its grandeur and for the four ubiquitous pastas—alla matriciana, cacio pepe, carbonara, and alla gricia—not to mention the artichokes.” He also suggests “Palermo and Naples for the madness of them both, the pizza, eggplant parmigiana, and the seafood. [And] Florence for the cultural richness of the city and the simplicity of the food, like the bistecca fiorentina and ribollita.”
Of course, these must-visit destinations can get very busy, so Tucci suggests, “Do your best to go off-season to avoid the crowds, especially in Venice, Florence, and Rome. And eat where the locals eat!”
Ratnakorn Piyasirisorost/Getty Images
Scenic view of Val Gardena, a famous Dolomite valley in the Alto Adige part of the Trentino-Alto Adige region.
And while Italy is packed with incredible food destinations—Tucci also loves the northern Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige for its “stunning landscapes and amazing food, an amalgam of Italian, Austrian, with a hint of Hungarian”—there are a handful of other standout destinations in Europe that combine delicious eats with great views. When asked about other top food destinations, Tucci mentioned “Paris and the South of France for their beauty and food. [And] Iceland for its stunning topography and its food (which is great by the way) and the openness of the people.”
Read the original article on Travel & Leisure