She wants to show you what Italians eat

An American with Italian grandparents, Mazzaglia moved to Italy about a decade ago, and while working a variety of jobs found herself returning again and again to her love of food. She took classes in Italian food history and cooking, learned from the parents of friends, and began sommelier classes. She started the tour company two years ago.

“I realized that visitors are walking around, they’re starving, and they think that these scary pieces of pizza and dried sandwiches are what Italians eat,’’ says Mazzaglia. “That’s just a sin for someone who visits Italy, when one of the greatest masterpieces here is the food.’’

The four-hour walking tour begins at a 100-year-old bakery, where we taste a Tuscan focaccia called schiacciata, a savory bread snack with toppings such as artichokes. Next stop: a 101-year-old pastry shop. Then, despite the morning hour, we follow Mazzaglia into Casa del Vino, a shop whose owner offers glasses of Italian wine along with exceptional crostini and sandwiches.

Each stop involves lessons on Italian food, its history, and the customs involved in eating it. In the wine shop, Mazzaglia explains the correct way to toast — meeting the eyes of every person in your party — and tells the group that it’s considered bad luck to have 13 people at a dinner (superstitious diners everywhere believe this). If that should occur, she says, a seat is always set for a potential 14th guest.

Next, Mazzaglia whisks us to the San Lorenzo food market, replete with fruit and vegetable shops, cheese vendors, butchers, and all manner of food shops. Then a quick stop for boiled and spiced meat with a side of cannellini beans, and we park ourselves at a table by the Conti family shop. We are here to taste olive oils and discuss Italian food and its preparation.