Food- Secret Bakeries pt1

Unfortunately, I have yet to find the time to visit the secret bakeries, but allow me to explain to you what they are.  Every morning, Florentines run quickly through their favorite caffè and grab a coffee and a freshly baked pastry.  But where do those pastries come from?  They come from a local bakery that begins making them in the early hours of the morning while most of the city is still in bed.  These bakeries are not stores, they only make their pastries to distribute to the caffès that have commissioned them to do so.  Because of this, they are not marked on the maps; you have to follow your ears or your nose in order find them.  However, it’s well worth the effort.  If you are quiet and respectful- and very, very patient- you are welcome to look in on the artisans crafting their art.  Wait a little longer, and they may usher you in or slide you a pastry in exchange for a euro.  This is completely under the table business, however, and not necessarily legal.  But eating fresh, homemade pastries in the before the sun comes up is a pleasure that you cannot find readily in the United States.  I will try again soon to visit these bakeries after a night out, but right now, homework is my main concern.