Aviva's Curry

Aviva and her Curry

          Having the opportunity to have the best Italian food at my fingertips whenever I want has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing it with friends through dinners, pot-lucks, and restaurants. However, there comes a time when one wants a little something different. In New York, I am used to having a variety of different cuisines at my fingertips. Some of my favorites are Thai and Indian. Although Florence certainly has other cuisines, I have been hesitant to try them out in fear of them being mediocre and pricey. However,  I suddenly realized that I had a craving for the strong, spicy, robust flavors of a good curry. That’s when my friend, Aviva stepped in with a Thai curry recipe she learned from her brother.  It was exactly what I needed: a simple, slow-cooked, spicy, creamy, fragrant curry sauce served over chicken and a plethora of good vegetables from the market. It left my mouth buzzing, my sinuses cleared, and my stomach feeling warm and satisfied. My contribution to the meal was a bottle of wine and some coconut rice (I highly recommend this side dish- you simply replace half of the water you would normally use in cooking rice with coconut milk), a creamy, nutty, flavorful addition to any good curry. It was yet another evening of good friends and good food. 
        Aviva’s curry not only brought our immediate friends around the table, but it also attracted some newcomers. My friend, Buddy has been playing piano at a local thrift store and has gotten to know the owner, Valentina very well. So, he invited her and her girlfriend, Cristina over for dinner. Surprisingly they actually came and I am beyond glad that they did. They were so kind, charming, intelligent, outgoing, and fun and it was so great to talk to real Italian people who did not see us as stupid, young, naïve, American, tourists. I don’t want to sound like a twelve-year-old but I was definitely squealing with excitement because we had found new, cool, Italian friends.  After dinner, we went out for drinks with Cristina and Valentina at a bar called Mayday. It has become one of our favorite spots because it is chill, very artsy, plays great jazz, and has a delicious selection of organic cocktails that are out of this world. That evening was exactly the type of evening I hoped I would have in Florence and I will never forget it. The next day I went to the thrift store to listen to my friend play piano, draw, try on some clothes, and just hang out. As I listened to the soulful jazz and blues songs Buddy was playing, I couldn’t help but think of how lucky I am to be here in this amazing city. I got nothing done all day, but it was my first lazy day in Florence and for once, it didn’t involve me sitting on a couch, watching episodes of Sex and the City and feeling guilty because of all the work I was not doing. Instead, it was just really nice. 

Thai Curry