Ah, Roma, the eternal city. They say all roads lead to Rome. For us, when we are here, all roads lead to cappuccini and brioches.
We arrived from Palermo without incident, but then had a slight glitch when the car we booked didn't show up and the apartment we had booked wasn't available and the substitute didn't exactly meet our expectations. But a few phone calls to the apartment agency and a day later they had moved us to a fantastic apartment right on the Piazza Navona. I have to take some proper pictures of it later to post because it really is quite something….so thanks to the people at Rome Sweet Home for making it right.
Some of our friends are here to help us celebrate our wedding anniversary, they were all at the original ceremony five years ago. Amanda Goldrick-Jones, my comrade in obscure pop culture references, was sitting enjoying a lovely cappuccino in a piazza near Campo di Fiori the other day and upon seeing a trio of nuns parade by us, asked, "Is there a convent nearby?" I stifled a snort when Ramona said, "No, this is Rome!" Yes, this is the city where on every corner you can buy photos of the Pope, chalices, gold-embroidered vestments and probably special Papal dispensations. We're sending Amanda and her husband Herbert to St. Peter's Square tomorrow.
Okay, not too many of you will get excited by a picture of a dish of peas. But I have always had a soft spot for these delicate green pearls of flavour, especially since as a kid I spent hours and hours shelling them for my mother after she had picked them in our garden. A Roman specialty is peas with pancetta, or prosciutto, or guanciale, something porky and fat and flavourful. These peas didn't disappoint. They were part of our first full meal in Rome at a trattoria near Campo di Fiori. I also had an excellent osso bucco, with bones loaded with marrow to dig out after savouring the fork-tender veal attached to them.
In Sicily Ramona explored the world of the eggplant, in caponato, parmigiana, grilled, baked, fried, alla Norma, and so on. In Rome she will examine the heart of the artichoke. This salad featured an artichoke alla Romana, braised until so tender, gently flavoured with mint leaves and garnished with basil here. Next up, carciofi alla giudea, a deep-fried artichoke!
Pic of the day: Ramona is happy…blissful, you could say. Walking through Campo di Fiori, full of cappuccino and brioche, viewing wonderful flowers, wonderful people, wonderful buildings…wonderful husband. (she told me to write that!) Ciao for now!
