What can I say? Rome is one of the most remarkable cities in the world I’ve ever been to. There’s always something fascinating to look at around the next corner, and something else to eat! I could go on and on and on, but I have already posted an idea of what I ate in Rome at Christmas in this entry.
Another hit at our dinner table was the veal saltimbocca I made, with a Marsala twist. Pound some veal scallopini thin. Lay on a slice of prosciutto and a few fresh sage leaves. Fold over and pound together again. Dredge in seasoned flour. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side in a hot frypan with butter and olive oil. Remove the veal from the pan, pour in some Marsala wine, (careful, if you’re cooking with gas you will flambe for sure!) and boil until the sauce has thickened, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pan. Pour the sauce on your veal…enjoy!
Just a couple of more food highlights. Ramona and I went to a wine bar named Roscioli twice, so you know it has to be good. The first time we decided to splurge a bit. I think it was Ramona thought the waiter was cute, but it also could have been the fact that I was missing out on a truffle hunt with my classmates up north…anyway we ordered our pastas to be covered with thin slices of white truffle and did not regret for a moment the 30 Euro surcharge added to each plate. Sometimes you just have to do it.
At the other end of the scale Ramona and her friend Ann hauled me down to a restaurant they had eaten at before I arrived in Rome called Sora Margherita. Actually, it’s not a restaurant, it’s a ‘Cultural Association’. Something to do with being closed down by health inspectors as a restaurant and reopening under the auspices of an association for which you have to sign a membership card before you can eat there. Here is a shot of the front door, which you don’t get through unless you have a reservation or there is actually a seat there. Just finding the place could be hard, as there is no sign above the door! The food was excellent though, polenta on a wooden board with tomato sauce like my mother made and a savoury sausage, agnolotti with meat sauce, a carciofi alla guidia, and for dessert? A mound of ricotta cheese slathered with Nutella and doused with Grand Marnier. Three of my favourite things in the world!
To see a photo album of my Top Twenty Photos from Rome, (okay, there are actually 24 posted) click here. Sigh. Back to school next week. But we get to go and see how Parma Ham and Culatello di Zibello are made this month, and start courses in olive oil, wine and semiotics.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the podcast! Go to allyoucaneat.podshow.com and listen to Christmas in Rome and ‘things you should be cooking(and drinking) in 2007.’
Ciao for now…
Don and Ramona: Great that you are sharing your latest adventure with us. Thank you.
I am pondering recipes on the web for inspiration for tiramisu for dessert tomorrow. Fingers crossed. In the future,if you should come across a great one, please also share this. Have fun and cheers, Ardyth on Gabriola.