BREAD: I went 3 metro subway stops north and took off walking east trying to find a bakery that Viola Restaurant had told me about. I don’t think I found it, but I did find a small loaf of dark, multi-grain bread and some green-olive-bread-sticks.

HEALTH FOOD STORE:  Continuing my quest for bread, I asked at a little produce shop. The guy pointed across and down the street to quite a large place that sells organic foods, produce, packaged goods, clothing, yoga items, books, etc. They had a fantastic display of breads!!! It was hard to choose one, but I selected a large round loaf that turned out to be kind of a sourdough whole wheat. Great! I also bought some organic orange marmalade to go on top of it for my breakfast.

SMOKED TOFU: The health food store sells smoked tofu: “tofu affumicato“. Hmm. Do you think it’ll satisfy my yen for my new favorite cheese, scamorza affumicato? Not likely! But, I thought I’d give it a whirl.

PORTA TICINESE: I had always stopped, when walking north, where Corso San Gottardo becomes Corso di Porta Ticinese. Today, I walked home southward, all the way from the 3 metro stops north. Wow. I had no idea what awaited me along that strip!

CILANTRO: Damnit. I wanted some “Mexican-style” beans and rice! But I haven’t been able to find cilantro, either dried or fresh. So I stopped in at a little cluster of street-side stalls today, heard music in Spanish, and stepped into the 8×8′ stall. Yes! I saw the familiar Goya brand and asked the woman where she’s from: Peru. I said, “great, we can speak in Spanish instead of Italian!” She’s been here for two years. Her coworker is from Guatemala. Funny how I felt at home. I bought black beans and fresh cilantro and will cook up something that answers my flavor craving. And I’ll be back at her stall when I need the Spanish side answered while here in Italy.

(That’s a long way to go for bread! There’s GOT to be something close to home!)