After hitting a couple of tourist speed bumps (and me getting very sick for a day), Christina and I promised ourselves that mediocre food would not happen to us again. Since becoming picker about where we eat, we have yet to be at all disappointed. This is exactly what I was looking forward to in Rome.
*Helpful hint for bread lovers: in Italy, the bread that they bring to you table is not free. If you’re starving, or want to pay a few euros extra for bread, then go for it. Sometimes it’s completely worth it, and sometimes it’s not. You be the judge.
The only time that I have cooked in the apartment, I made a simple pasta dish with ingredients from the supermarket close to our apartment. We bought a delicious jar of pesto (something you can’t buy very fresh in the states), ricotta salata, and a pasta shape that I have never seen at home. In fact, there are about 10 pasta shapes at a the grocery stores here in Rome that i have never seen before. We topped the pasta off with some grana padano (parmasean cheese). Don’t let the picture fool you, this pasta was delicious.
*A surprising, yet very satisfying fact for pasta lovers: in Italy, bags of fresh pasta cost about 60-90 euros. Super cheap!
Here are a few things we have been eating out while in Rome…
We picked up this delicious chocolate bar while at the market in Testaccio. Those who know me, know that the way to my heart is through chocolate and cheese, and I am on a mission to find the best chocolate in Italy. This milk chocolate bar did not disappoint, with a crema (cream) center. Plus, it was purchased from an old fashioned Italian open market, so what could feel cooler?
I know, I know, more pizza! But in our defense, this pizza with much different than the pizzas from my previous food post. With an almost cracker-like crust, this is the style of pizza one encounters when they order a pizza at a sit down restaurant rather than at a pizzeria. The first pizza is the one I ordered, and I couldn’t resist ordering the pizza with the longest description. It was called pizza caprisciosa, and included artichoke, hard boiled egg, mushrooms, olives, and ham. Although the the toppings were oddly placed, as you can see above, the the pizza was delicious. Just as I could not resist ordering the pizza with the longest description, Christina could not resist ordering the pizza with her favorite cheese: gorgonzola. Christina’s pizza was simple, mozzarella, gorgonzola, and radicchio (a bitter lettuce). She really enjoyed her pizza, although she was hoping for more, you guessed it…gorgonzola. We had these pizzas after a long visit to the colosseum.
After lunch, we ventured inside of the restaurant to pay, and found a wonderful display of pastries and chocolates. Us group of girls all decided we had to buy something.
This a what Christina opted for, a split open eclair with a lemony-cream.
This was my pick, the most amazing chocolate I’ve had in Italy. The chocolate is from the Piedmont region in Italy, the capitol of chocolate in Italy, and also where my ancestors are from. This amazing chocolate was filled with whole hazelnuts.
From Christina (with a glass of Pinot Grigio) and me with (with a glass of montepulcciano), buno appetitio! Look for our my next post about the food from our weekend trip to Florence. Hope I left you feeling hungry.
-Nikki
This is a video a view from the top of Mount Testaccio in Roma. The mountain is a manmade one from the ancient world and served as a dump during this era. Mount Testaccio is made up of broken pottery, and stacks of this pottery can be seen at the base of this mountain. For all of those interested in history, the mountain is in the neighborhood Eur, a section of Rome that Mussolini tired to build up during his reign. Ironically enough, this neighborhood is finally an up and coming in Rome. Sure took long enough.
Enjoy the view.
As someone who grew up around particularly good Italian food in the U.S., getting my hands on delicious food in Italy has pretty much been my number one goal in life. Now I am happy to share some of the delicioso (mama mia!) food that Christina and I have been enjoying for the past three days.
Upon arrival, we were pretty wiped out from the 13 hour flight, so a slice - or two - of margherita pizza sounded just right.
In Italy, pizza means square slices, and if you order two, the signore working behind the counter folds them on top of each other to make something that looks somewhat like a panini. Also, in Italy, pizza means the freshest mozzarella cheese you can imagine with an amazing red sauce and thin crispy sauce.
We had our second slice of pizza for lunch the second day with our entire class from a pizzeria near the university our study abroad program is through. Although the same flavors, this pizza looks and tastes slightly different.
This pizza had a wonderful crust with chunks of tomatoes (pomodori) rather than tomato sauce, and buffala mozzarella, a creamier and softer mozzarella cheese. This was my favorite pizza thus far.
Our first night included grocery shopping for staple food, which in Italy, of course, includes cheese. We opted for a medium-hard cheese wrapped in prosciutto.
And this is us excited to eat our cheese!
I think it’s safe to say that most people get excited when they hear the word “gelato,” and let me tell you, this is not the gelato you’ve had at the Bellagio. Although that Bellagio is pretty decent, it’s nothing like eating gelato outside the Vatican, which is what Christina and have done twice so far.
This picture is from our second gelato run. I’m on the left with stratiaccella (chocolate chip) and bacio (chocolate and hazelnut) in my cup, and Christina is on the right with crema (cream) and cioccolato (chocolate). Our first night Christina had crema and nicciola (hazelnut), and I had nicciola and bacio. I cannot wait to try a “ma and pa” gelato shop, as well as new flavors.
While exploring the Campo dei Fiori, the most amazing open market in Rome, two of friends that we have made on the trip, ordered this amazing donut looking thing…
Christina and I both took a bite of this, and it definitely puts American donuts to shame. I look forward to buying delicious treats from markets all over Italy.
Our second trip to the grocery was extremely successful
We bought prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese, ricotta salata (hard ricotta), really good bread, and sangiovese wine as well as a moscoto rose wine. We have a trip to Florence planned, and I’m really looking forward to trying Chianti wine in the Tuscany region.
Tonight we’re headed to the Jewish Ghetto, home of artichokes. Until next time, good eating!
-Nikki
Arrival!
*Photo Credit: Tanya LaMar
The last few days have been a whirlwind. After getting off a 13 hour plane ride exhausted and excited, Nikki and I made it to our apartment in Rome. Having lived in the dorms at Long Beach State I can honestly say this apartment while small, is incredible in comparison. The Italians really need to show Long Beach what proper housing arrangements look like.
After getting ourselves situated, Nikki and I decided we wanted to find a grocery store, or supermercato as the Italians say. We went on a pretty long trek but we managed to find one. I found it a bit odd that this grocery store was located underneath a department store. However, Nikki informed me this is pretty common in Europe. Our first groceries consisted of coffee, creamer, bananas, sugar, yogurt, and of course cheese!! We then decided it was time to find some dinner. The street we live on is full of gelato and pizza shops, so much so that it is a bit overwhelming. We found a pizza place and somehow managed to order two pieces each of margherita pizza. This pizza was square shaped, thin, and absolutely delicious! After dinner, we walked around our neighborhood and found that we basically live in the Vatican’s backyard. We roamed - no pun intended - around St. Peters and took pictures. After our visit to the Vatican, we found a gelato shop called Blue Ice and had our first experience with Italian gelato. It was very good however, we found out that Blue Ice is a chain and so we are now on the hunt for an authentic gelato shop.
Day 1
Our first full day in Rome was an adventure to say the least. It started off with our attempt to find the university we are taking our class through a school called John Cabot. We eventually managed to find it, though it was a bit difficult. After our orientation where we received instructions and cell phones, we headed to a pizza place near the school. This was where I can truly say we were served the best pizza I have ever had.
After lunch we went on an adventure with some of our classmates. Our first stop was Campo dei Fiori which is one of the largest street markets in Italy. During the day Campo dei Fiori is a market but at night it turns into a young hip place filled with bars and pubs. FUN FACT: in Italy, bars are shops where they serve coffee. Pubs are places where they serve alcohol. After Campo dei Fiori we headed to the Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, and finally the Spanish Steps.
For dinner, we experienced the Italian version of happy hour called Aperitivo. Aperitivo requires that a person purchase one drink and once this drink is purchased a whole slew of finger foods are available buffet style! Aperitivo is an excellent way for a college student or any money conscious traveler to maximize their budget.
Day 2
On our second full day in Rome, we were required to use the metro to meet our Professor in the Eur region of Rome. As someone who has lived in Southern California her whole life, I have rarely ever used public transportation. While the US on a whole has awful public transportation, Rome is exactly the opposite. I love navigating this city, walking as far as I can possibly go and then being able to hop on the metro or a bus and go back to our apartment. Regardless, the metro can be a bit complicated especially when changing from one line to another. Thanks to our friend Rachele, we managed to find our professor. After meeting our professor at the metro stop in Eur, we headed to a museum called the Museum of Roman Civilization. Everything in this museum was a replica, so it was not as interesting as I might have liked. We still learned a lot about the beginning of Rome.
After the museum, we went on a hunt for lunch. Our trek took us over to the Trastevere area of Rome where our school is located. We then crossed the Tiber and roamed around near Campo dei Fiori and then re-crossed the Tiber. We finally settled on a small slightly touristy restaurant. It was my mission when coming to Rome to avoid touristy eateries like this one, but it’s hard to beat a three course meal for only fourteen euro. We headed back to our apartment, relaxed, and then later got some gelato near St. Peter’s.
Though we have only been here a few days, it feels like a weeks. Rome is a very overwhelming city, but I feel as if Nikki and I are getting the hang of things. Hopefully we will have more great stories to tell soon until then, arrivederci!
-Christina
I am no where near as eloquent a writer as Nikki but I’m going to give this blog thing a try. It is December 27th, my birthday and I am 22 years old. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be about to embark on a three week journey in Italy with one of my best friends I would have said you were crazy. However, that is exactly the position I am in today. I am excited and nervous but most of all anxious. I have never been out of the country let alone on a 13 hour plane ride. But I am ready, ready to see a place I have studied, read about and obsessed over for so long. To me this trip is more than just a class or a vacation it is an experience, a lesson in life, a leap into the unknown. So sit back, relax and enjoy our ramblings :-)
-Christina
*photo courtesy of We Heart It
Buon Natale!
I am writing our first post on Christmas day, which, ironically enough, marks the one week countdown until Christina and I depart for Rome. I am completely overwhelmed with excitement, nerves, anxiousness, etc. As Christmas 2010 comes to a close, all I have on my mind is this beautiful city…
Of all the wonderful places I’ve been in the first 21 years of my life - and definitely feel lucky to have traveled a lot - traveling to Italy has always been my number one, dream destination vacation. Okay, so I guess it’s not totally a vacation, it is a three week study course we have to attend after all!
Words cannot describe how happy I am to have found Christina to take this crazy trip with. I never in a million years imagined that when I mentioned to her last semester that I really wanted to study in Italy, but could not find anyone to go with, that she would actually want to go. I am forever in her debt for agreeing to take on this adventure with me, despite the constraints of a college student’s bank account. I want to face this experience with my arms wide open, with Christina, one of my dearest friends in the world, as we take on Rome, Florence, and Venice.
The next week will be busy for both of us as we order Euros, figure out what to pack, and plan our weekend trips before we take off on January 1st and embark on the journey of a lifetime.
-Nikki
