Work trip to Italy

I was sent to Livorno, Italy for an aging workshop on horse mackerel. The goal of the workshop is to calibrate between countries and make sure we are all aging the fish the same way and express any difficulties. We are a total of nine countries: Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and Norway (me).

I arrived on Sunday afternoon after a 12 hour trip from Bergen, via Amsterdam and Florence, that started at 4:30AM using planes, trains and automobiles. The weather was a bit warmer and sunnier than in Bergen, so I was glad I had some time to walk around the city and enjoy the sun before the course started. The other participants said I must have been the one from Norway because I was wearing a t-shirt and sandals, but my name and skin tone confused them as well.

The first night I had gnocchi with scampi at my hotel restaurant. It was delicious!! Last night I decide to try the risotto "with cuttlefish ink". It was very rich and I couldn't finish the dish...not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either. I should have taken pictures of my meals. I'll get better at it later this week.

We have had two long days so far discussing horse mackerel aging and I am learning a lot, as I will soon be the only person in Norway reading the age of this stock. No pressure.

Can easily tell this is a seafood city

Livorno's "Venice"

Exploring the harbor on Sunday

The building where the workshop is held this week.

Pretty sunset on Sunday night



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