Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

Pasta con le fave ~ Pasta with fava beans

2013-04-27T09:26:00.000+02:00

I love this season, it brings with it sunshine, allergies and all my favorite vegetables. Every Wednesday, my CSA delivers a box with bushels of asparagus, artichokes, crisp heads of lollo lettuce, romanesco broccoli, striped zucchini topped with precious blossoms, free range chicken and eggs, cheese and fruit all hailing from nearby organic Lazio farms. In each box also comes a handful of

Abruzzo, 4 years later

2013-04-06T03:00:00.000+02:00

My prayers and heartfelt compassion go out to the population of Abruzzo, both victims and survivors of the April 6th 2009 earthquake, on this third anniversary of the disaster that ravaged the region. The brave, frustrated, strong and noble Abruzzesi are not forgotten. Not forgotten.

Italian Easter menu

2013-03-30T19:44:00.000+01:00

Will you be traveling during the Easter/Passover holidays? I will not. I'll be spending the two-day Spring festivity stuffing my face with traditional Pasqua foods. I say two days, because the day after Easter – Pasquetta – is as much of a holiday as Pasqua is. It's all about eating oneself into a stupor, as a celebratory ritual, which in some southern Italian homes may begin with the head of

Popular Italian Desserts

2013-03-17T18:53:00.000+01:00

Many Italian desserts sound delicious, but few know all of them by name. So, here's a handy guide to some of the more common Italian meal-ending treats, with a few tips on where to find them at their best in Rome. CONTINUE READING ➔

Spaghetti Cozze e Gamberetti | Prawn and Mussel Magic

2013-03-11T09:32:00.003+01:00

Eating pasta dressed with an opulent tomato sauce that's been simmering with good olive oil, garlic and fresh seafood is my prize. Rome these days is damp with rain, and burdened with a confused, muggy climate that's trying as hell to believe it's spring, but is not quite there yet. On days like these, and especially on weekends, when I'm supposed to relax, sleep in late and spend time with

Stracciatella

2013-02-27T19:33:00.003+01:00

Such a funny word, stracciatella. A noun that means 'torn to little shreds' [strah·tcha·tell·ah] can be one of three things: a variety of egg-drop soup, a gelato flavor and a type of cheese. The stracciatella gelato is a delicious and exotic version of chocolate chip ice cream, but this is gelato we're talking about, so creamy and not chunky and made with a white fior di latte (milk) base and

Japanese food in Rome

2013-02-24T21:00:00.001+01:00

Though sushi is now available at most neighborhood supermarket — usually displayed between the pre-boiled spinach and the vacuum packed slices of pink Parma ham, and maki and wasabi have become highly popular — there's still no telling just what you're getting. I recently had an informal chat with a Rome sushi chef, who gave me a better idea what to look out for. As I nibbled on perfectly

On the Radio

2013-02-19T15:31:00.000+01:00

If you'd like to hear me interviewed live on public Italian radio in a live episode of the intelligent food and wine appreciation show called Decanter, hosted by two very hot Italian men who love eating, drinking and rock music, you can download the podcast recorded live on January 29th.

Wine bars and enoteche in Rome

2013-02-13T15:32:00.001+01:00

After publishing my comprehensive lists of where to eat in Rome a reader commented asking for an index of restaurants that focus on great wine, or ones that own a quality wine list. Enotecas, which are wine bars and sometimes only wine sellers, often serve cold and hot food to go with their mescita of wine by the glass. Some of these have turned into veritable restaurants, which tend to design

Tutti De Sica

2013-02-11T14:50:00.001+01:00

If you're in Rome between February 8 and April 28, I suggest you take a walk to the Ara Pacis Museum and spend a few hours at the Tutti De Sica exhibit. It's an affectionate collection of photos, personal belongings, clippings, film posters, objects, costumes, movie clips and television appearances of the life of one of Italy's film icons: Vittorio De Sica. The show is the fruit of the work

World Nutella Day 2013!

2013-02-05T18:00:00.000+01:00

If I had to choose between a piece of warm focaccia stuffed with homestyle salami, and a slice of cake, I'd probably go for the pork. That is if Nutella isn't part of the equation, because otherwise I'd seriously have a hard time deciding. Today I'll be keeping my savory preferences to myself, and instead be a part of the celebrations in honor of the world-known hazelnut-chocolate spread

Where to eat: an updated list

2013-02-04T15:01:00.003+01:00

Many of you like to stop by here at Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino for recipes, or to hear the latest news on the sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) life in Italy. Some like to keep up with my freelance writing, and therefore are familiar with my column "In Cucina" I pen for The American Magazine in Italia, or my lifestyle correspondent-work for The Travel Belles, or the pieces I've done for other

4 years of blogging

2013-01-22T16:00:00.000+01:00

This blog's birthday is coming up. Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino turns 4 years old on January 24th! Thanks to blogging, and all that has happened since – and perhaps thanks to – that fortunate night when I wrote my first post, a lot has changed in my life. Through blogging and my activity on the social media, I have changed careers, transforming my graphic design and showbiz past into a sweet

Vegetarian restaurants in Rome

2013-01-15T15:00:00.000+01:00

Rome is a city of meat-eaters. But some top-notch vegetarian spots are beginning to make a mark. Photo © Andrea Di Lorenzo The average Italian is a carnivore, Romans in particular. Veal and beef are the norm as main courses and in pasta sauces. But the city also has plenty of vegetarian options, mainly because mainstream Italian cuisine, which hasn't changed much since the 19th century, leans

Lardo di Colonnata | Pork fat nirvana

2013-01-08T18:00:00.000+01:00

Belonging to the municipality of Carrara, considered the world's white marble capital, and the place where Michelangelo used to shop the raw material for his sculptures, Colonnata is a small village perched on a ridge between two marble quarries in the Tuscan Apennine Apuane Mountains, which is mostly known for another kind of white marbling, the one in the lardo. Lardo di Colonnata © Massimo

Pasta butter and anchovies, or I take it all back, Baccano.

2013-01-03T17:30:00.000+01:00

Summer. It's hot and muggy in Rome. The baby sitter is late and I have limited cab fare in my wallet, but I have to attend a new restaurant opening in Trevi for a story. The horde crowding both entrances is ridiculous. We make it inside, pushing through throngs of puffy lipped wannabe tv presenter girls and UVA tanned blokes with plucked lady eyebrows. It's 9 pm and it's hot, too damn hot to be

Pizza with potatoes

2012-12-30T14:55:00.000+01:00

Yes, exactly what the title says: a true carb fest. I can hear you moaning, "overkill!" – but no, this is a simple and delicious combination. As far as pizza sold by the slice goes, Rome is unbeatable, and in matter of toppings a classic is pizza con le patate, pizza with potatoes. Unlike the round pies normally served in pizzerias, pizza al taglio is baked in electric ovens in large rectangular

Food Trucks in Rome

2012-11-20T12:35:00.002+01:00

I first started hearing of construction site–meets–Hollywood film set roach coaches turned into gourmet gatherings in L.A., by friends and family who raved about top chefs going mobile, and mouthwatering tweets that informed hungry patrons at which corner the best Asian taco truck would park that day. The food truck buzz was too loud to ignore, so taking advantage of my nephew's wedding in Texas

Dinner with Alice Waters

2012-11-04T00:53:00.000+01:00

I received and invitation by my darling friend and dining guru Katie Parla a few weeks ago that I could not turn down, simply because it involved good food and the promise of an intimate conversation with Alice Waters. The founder and mastermind behind the Berkeley cradle of food revolution Chez Panisse Restaurant, activist of the locavore movement that has been shifting food education and

Sorry...

2012-10-13T09:00:00.001+02:00

I apologize. This blog has been inactive for a ridiculous amount of time. I found 25 unmoderated comments and have been receiving emails form friends who complain the lack of updates. That is unacceptable! Work and my life have really taken a toll on my blog time, but that's no excuse, especially when on the reading end are folks like you who are so affectionate, loyal and actually

100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go - 2nd Edition!

2012-08-03T10:15:00.000+02:00

I am so proud to announce that Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino is in the new edition of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, in the new Online Resources section, in great company among author Susan Van Allen's favorites! Time ago I shared a chapter from the previous edition which focused on women–owned wineries in Italy. This coming fall, why not indulge in a true Tuscan vineyard experience,

How to make coffee with a Napoletana pot

2012-07-29T12:59:00.005+02:00

Sure, the piping hot demitasse you get at any cafe in Italy is unbeatable, with its trademark froth and energetic kick. But as far as homemade coffee, the Napoletana stovetop espresso pot historically delivers the best. The flavor of the caffè is "round," longer and more complex than regular coffee made with a Moka. Naples is a city often associated with pizza and spaghetti. But if you've ever

Eating in Rome's outskirts: a smart choice

2012-07-14T18:54:00.000+02:00

I often find myself escaping the usual culinary itineraries, and seeking delectable refuge in out-of-the-way spots you can frequently get to with public transport that is oddly abundant and quite dependable. Most of these periferia places will give you a far warmer welcome than any Rome city restaurant, and surprisingly good food. Continue reading ➔

My Edible City!

2012-07-06T22:39:00.000+02:00

Lovely Marie Asselin of Food Nouveau kindly asked me to contribute to her series Edible Cities. Every week, the popular blog features one of Marie's favorite bloggers, who tell readers about a city that left a big impression on them, and which dish they loved the best when they visited. Thank you Marie for asking me to participate in this fabulous series! Read my contribution in which I

Sightseeing and Snacking in Rome

2012-06-11T09:46:00.000+02:00

If you're sightseeing in Rome, make sure you know where the good wine, gelato and pizza are first! History, archeology, art, food and wine — Rome is generous with its variegated goods. The only real risk is overkill. The wise thing is to alternate sightseeing with food breaks. But where to pause the cultural spree with some well-chosen snack nosh? Here's my shortlist of favorite places