Been having some trouble digesting cheese and milk lately. Not great timing with trip coming up next week. Practing "senza formaggio" and "senza latte." Will waiting staff in Venice and Florence think I'm crazy? What else do I need to know? any advice on handling dietary restrictions?
Posted by
Salt Lake City
59 posts
Italians have the same digestion problems that Americans have, celiac disease is becoming common there. Imagine no pasta in the land of pasta. Lactose intolerance should be no problem. You could get a translation of "I am lactose intolerant, are there any milk products in this dish?" Type it up on a card and laminate it. Then you can show it the your server. Or depending on your Italian skills memorize the phrase.
Pharmacies should sell lactaid products or bring some with you just in case something slips by.
Eat sorbetto instead of gelato.
TAB
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Actually, cheese is not present in most dishes. I mean, there are obvious things like ravioli, etc, but there are plenty of meats, pasta and sauces that don't have cheese.
Posted by
Monroe, WA, USA
151 posts
We have a fairly narrow view of Italian food. We think of pizza and lasagna, but much of the good stuff is seafood and steaks. You will have no problem. Enjoy getting to know some different foods.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
I would agree that it is easy to find no cheese items on menus around Italy. While my kids limited their Italian diets to pizza and gillati, my wife and I selected a variety of dishes based on regional specialties.
The only time they'll think you're crazy is if you don't have wine with your dinner. House wines are always cheap and sometimes great.