The summer after my junior year of college, I studied abroad in London. While there, my friends and I were pretty wary of some of the traditional British fare (bangers and mash, anyone?), so we often sought out Italian restaurants when dinner-time approached. We knew we could count on a big plate of pasta to satisfy our American hunger. That was the summer I discovered my love for pasta carbonara. Bacon, eggs,  cheese, and pasta? Yes, please.