An old rusty bicycle becomes a perfect prop for baskets of flowers. I saw this at a restaurant in Ponte Milvio, in north Rome and was charmed by it. Often what is old and rusty and no longer of utilitarian value takes on a new function of beauty. Old wheelbarrows, old shutters and doors, and...
Food in Rome
Day Trip to Lake Bolsena for a fish lunch
Last weekend we were at Lake Bolsena, an under two hours drive from us. We were there with friends: and others who vacation at the lake regularly; sailing, canoeing, swimming. Fish is my favorite food and it's a pleasure to occasionally indulge in lake fish. The best that Lake Bolsena has to offer is coregone,...
Ristorante Il Grecale, Anzio (Southern Lazio)
I'd been to Il Grecale with friends in the past and also taken a stroll around the charming port area of this small seaside town in southern Lazio. That was in the summer and today was quite a different atmosphere. It was a blustery February day and we chose Anzio as we were searching for...
Lunch at Roscioli, Dessert at Roscioli Bakery
Lunch at Roscioli, Dessert at Roscioli Bakery Thelma returned last night from Turkey and Annie from Washington, so my lunch buddies and I convened once again for a plunge into Roman cuisine at its best: Roscioli. We were four so we split an assortment of classic Roman pasta dishes: cacio e pepe, spaghetti alla carbonara...
Sunday lunch at L'Ovile Restaurant
The plan when we went out this morning to run a few errands was to come right back home to make a light lunch. Our errands took us right past the Ovile Restaurant and it immediately triggered an almost primal desire for some hearty Roman comfort food. For me that spells pasta all'amatriciana. Errands finished...
Polenta and Pangiallo festival in Riano
A beautiful and brisk, and very windy 7C Sunday is the perfect kind of a day for the heartiest of Italian comfort foods: polenta. We're one of the smaller towns immediately north of Rome; our tiny historic center is composed of two streets that meet at a small piazza where the polenta festival took place....
Rome's best gelato, artisanally made by master gelataio Claudio Torcé
There's gelato, and there's gelato....and then there's Claudio Torcé's gelato. Everyone who visits Rome wants to try a great gelato, and there are so many gelaterie out there (hundreds) that the unknowing traveler can easily stumble upon bad gelato. It's easy to weed out the gelaterie displaying puffy, whipped products in unnatural colors. Claudio Torcé's...
Crema di Caffè
Crema di Caffè. Served in a small cup, not much larger than an espresso cup. It's almost like a soft ice cream, and each coffee bar makes its own. This one, in Sacrofano north of Rome, was delightful. A blend of espresso, milk, cream and sugar freshly made and constantly churning to maintain its delicious...
Osteria
This centro storico restaurant's simple and spartan ambiance is what makes it elegant. For example, the lighting: bulbs on wires hanging in staggered arrangement from the ceiling.
Christmas Panettone packages
One of the signs that Christmas is around the corner is that panettone sales start popping up everywhere. I love them and I love looking at the vast array of packages, each one more beautiful than the next. It's true that Italians don't go in for a lot of holiday decor, but they do love...
Aromaticus
Aromaticus in the Monti area, Via Urbana 134, is quite a few things to its clientele: purveyor of specialty fresh herbs & greens, sales of garden supplies ranging from organic fertilizer to seeds to gardening tools, Monti area rooftop and garden consultants and last but not least restaurant service for light lunches showcasing the greens...
Puntarelle salad
Every time I go to the market I find something new and fascinating. Usually it's the food; some prepped and ready to cook vegetable dish or a new seasonal arrival at the market that merits being photographed and then eaten. I also love to chat with the vendors and see what they're up to....