European Eating

From Rome to Barcelona, the foods I have enjoyed in Europe were amazing. From the day I got here to the day I am leaving, I will have enjoyed everything I chose to nourish myself with. This past weekend I went on a small jaunt to Barcelona, Spain, to get a quick taste of another city in Europe. Tapas are the most popular way of eating in Spain. Tapas are small dishes at reasonable prices that allow you to order a variety and try an array of foods. When I was at a tapas restaurant in Spain, we ordered everything from mussels to potatoes to sausage then topped it off with a sweet sangria to make the best Spanish dining experience.When I got back to Rome this week, my class joined at our professors apartment for a wine and cheese tasting put on by an Italian native, named Lorenzo. It was the perfect end to a perfect trip. We got to try all different types of cheeses and jams with Italian breads. We also had Italian meats with different wines. As the main event, Lorenzo prepared us a fantastic pasta dish, an authentic Italian red sauce on rigatoni. I will miss everything about eating in Italy - the freshness, quality, and taste.

Summertime on the Tiber: Food & Drink

Every summer in Rome, when the city gets too hot for nighttime eating, drinking, and dancing in the center of the city, the fun is moved down to the banks of the Tiber River. I was walking along the river last night and enjoying all the sights, sounds, and surprisingly the smells. From the Trastevere side of the river, just simply walk down the steep stairs and you will find yourself face-to-face with some unique Roman nightlife that almost any tourist would appreciate. Each bar and restaurant has a really cool set up along the river. They designed mini restaurants and bars specifically for their location on the river. Most of them have relaxing lounge style seating that is very inviting. When you are out at night after a scorching day in the Roman sun a cocktail, some light foods and a comfortable seat in the breeze of the river is all you need.

When I was walking along with some of the girls from the PSU nutrition program, we saw people eating french fries and immediately had a craving. When we found the stand we had a great surprise, they were also selling fried calamari in the same fashion. All they did was fill a cone shaped paper holder with your choice and throw in a skewer to eat it with as you walked the bank. I have yet to come across somewhere in the United States that sells calamari along side of french fries on a river bank at 11p.m. We also came across a lovely fruit stand with a watermelon carved to resemble the Colosseo (which is pictured above). Everyday I am in Italy, I find something better and better about the foods available in this wonderful country.

Spremute, I love you.

Beyond all the delicious wines and cocktails in Italy, spremuta is my favorite drink here. This delicious drink is the freshly squeezed juice of either oranges, lemons, or grapefruits. I have found this lovely drink at most bars around the city. In some of the supermercati, you can find some in a jug, but obviously this will not be as fresh as the juice you watch the barrista squeeze or make in the juicer at a bar.

I have tried the freshly squeezed orange juice from Rome to Florence and I decided that my favorite juice so far was squeezed at Caffe' Delle Arance. This cafe was my favorite for a number of reasons. Located in the Piazza of Santa Maria in Trastevere, it was beautifully decorated on the exterior with large hanging mirrors and a vibrant display of citrus fruits in baskets and hanging on the walls. For 7 euro I ordered a spremute and enjoyed every drop. To the left is a picture of myself at the cafe.

The Open-Air Market @ Campo de' Fiori

After the drunken mess left by the boozers that were out drinking late in the piazza is all cleaned up, Campo de' Fiori turns into a gourmet chef's dream. Early in the morning, many vendors set up there tents and stalls and get ready to sell the residents and tourists of Rome the freshest ingredients around. I always found the State College, Pennsylvania, farmers market to be a great treat once or twice a week, but, obviously, the Campo market blows that out of the water.

When you get to the open-air market, all you can see ahead of you is endless tables of produce in an array of vivid colors. Many people are out on their break from work or just spending their morning gathering the fresh goods. I like to watch the sellers themselves and think about their lives on their farms or wherever they came from before the market. They are always so helpful when you are browsing and also thankful when you actually purchase.

This market is nothing like any produce section you will find in a grocery store. It is probably the best one I have ever seen. Not only are does it offer ripe fruits and vegetables, but it also has fresh herbs (to the left), meats, cheeses, and flowers. To the north end of the market you can also find clothing and gifts as well as a stand with all the kitchen gadgets you need to cook your fresh purchases.

"The life is too short to eat mediocre food."

Before my three-day jaunt to Firenze (Florence), many people told me that I should definitely order a steak when going out at dinner. Apparently the Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine-style steak) is one of the most popular and delicious meat plates in the area. Naturally, I had to try it, so Nicole and I split a steak because they are a healthy portion for two people (and the cost is much better when you only pay half - about 18 euro each).

On Saturday night we found a cozy, little Italian restaurant called Trattoria Il Bargello. (We are pictured above with the owner who I quoted in the title.) We picked it because it looked small and personal; it was nothing like the tourist trap near the market that we picked the night before. We ordered the Bistecca alla Fiorentina and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked, seasoned to perfection, and more than enough to fill us up.

When I got back to Rome I decided to research this recipe a little bit more to see what all the fuss was about and why it was so damn good! I later learned that this delectable T-bone steak comes from a breed of "Chianina" cattle. Apparently, these were the huge white oxen I saw from the train near Arezzo on the way to Firenze. I remember thinking how pretty the countryside was and how unusual the off-white color of these oxen were. I wonder if I would have ordered the steak if I knew it was from those peaceful animals on the Italian hillside. (Yes, I would have.)

TUNA

The Via Veneto is a street known in the past for hosting many celebrities and socialites taking a holiday in Roma. This magnolia tree-lined street has many lavish four and five star hotels and extravagant restaurants that can cost over 100 euro for two. I tried out a trendy place called TUNA with my cousin Jeana, in celebration of her birthday.

The setting was a completely white ristorante. The chairs, table clothes, decorations, and flowers were stark white. The most colorful thing inside was the gigantic cooler of fresh seafood resting atop chipped ice. Seafood is Tuna's specialty as they boast that they have the best fresh selection around. We ordered the Chef's Fantasy to start; this plate was mixed raw fish and crustaceans and it was delicious. Next, I had a huge red lobster that was simply steamed and plated. The presentation was simple yet elegant.

The whole dining experience as a whole was spectacular. To top it off, we enjoyed to bubbling glasses of Champagne to celebrate how lucky we were to be spending time together in Rome. Shortly after, the 134 euro check came as the grand finale to this dining event.
Click here to visit TUNA on the Web

Delizioso Gelato!

There must be hundreds of gelaterie in Rome. I do not go down many streets (especially in touristy areas) that do not have at least one place serving gelato. If you didn't know, gelato is an extremely popular Italian ice cream. There are many flavors to choose from. My favorite thing to do is mix two flavors together when I cannot choose (chocolate and strawberry work perfectly together).

It appears that not only tourists flock to gelateries but also the Romans go there to socialize or have a cool treat during their busy workday. I stopped at a gelaterie named San Crispino only to discover later on in my Eyewitness Travel guide that it is gourmet gelato fans' favorite gelaterie. All of there gelato is kept inside covered containers which keep the flavor at its finest. For some people this is a turn-off because many like to visually shop for their gelato. However, all you have to do is learn what the flavors mean in Italian and you can order from the menu board. For the last three weeks of my stay in Roma I will be trying as many gelateries as I can in and around the city.

Vino, Vino, Vino

A delicious Italian wine is perfect to complete any meal when in Rome. In Italy, vino (wine) is rosso (red) or bianco (white). Most restaurants will have a house wine (vino della casa) available for you to order in a carafe (un litro) or half-carafe (mezzo-litro). I love trying new wines in Rome as the lists are extensive in most restaurants. I have noticed that Chianti is one of the most popular wines since you can find it almost anywhere. One of my favorites, Chianti is a red wine bottled on the border of Tuscany. The majority of other bottled-reds are from this region.

DK Eyewitness Travel: Rome

Coastal Cocktails

Take a trip to coastal southern Italy and you will find some tasty delights. Throughout southern Italy (Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Capri, etc.) you will find a lemon tree just about anywhere you look. One of the local specialty drinks you can have there is Limoncello, a tart, lemon liqueur. You can find it at just about any eatery, bar, or gift shop in southern Italy as well as many other places. It is best to enjoy Limoncello after dinner, but that's up to you! If you are not into alcoholic drinks, try a Lemone Ice (pictured above). I enjoyed one while sunning myself on the coast of Capri. You can indulge in this semi-sour ice with a spoon or straw.

Roma Eating: Avoid hidden charges

It is easy to get enticed by the friendly, persuasive nature of the Italian server. They know all the tricks to charm you into eating at their ristorante or pizzeria. Even when trying to avoid "tourist trap" eateries it is sometimes a challenge when you are tired and hungry. One good thing to know is that by choosing something like a panini or slice of pizza and not eating at the establishment can save you the "bread charge" of about 1-4 euro. Sometimes the charge is just for sitting and you do not even get bread! Today, I went to lunch and paid 17 euro for a slice of pizza and a Fanta orange soda just because my friends and I wanted to sit and relax. I much prefer grabbing a fresh panini or sandwhich (like the one pictured above) and relaxing in a piazza or shaded area. Buon appetito!

The food in Italy is definitely some of the best in the world. When in Rome, however, it is quite expensive to dine out all the time. The prices will catch up with you just like they would at home. Perhaps they might faster than home because of the value of the Euro. It is easy to prepare delicious meals for yourself. Some of them can be as simple as a ripe tomato with fresh mozzarella cheese and a chunk of rosemary bread. Once you can navigate the open air market or the supermercado you can begin cooking authentic meals in the heart of a culinary center of the world.

Vuole qualcosa da mangiare?

"Would you like something to eat?" Then come to Rome, where some of the best food and drink in the world is prepared daily. Since my family has owned an Italian restaurant for over 70 years, Italian cuisine is an important part of my life. In Rome, there are many fantasic places to eat. A ristorante is the most formal and expensive eatery; a trattoria is a family-run, moderately priced place; an osteria is anything from a simple trattoria to the equivalent of a pub with a few small dishes. I had the privelege to eat at the beautiful Cafe Veneto two years ago. This pricey ristorante, which is right in the heart of the famous Via Veneto, specializes in Argentine beef, game, and truffles.

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Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guides: Rome