LOCAL FOOD SHOPPING Part 1: Demystifying the Roman Bakery

"Pane e formaggio è cibo per chi è sano" (Bread and cheese is food for the healthy)

 -Anonymous, Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, 12th century

Roscioli Forno, near Campo di Fiori

Il Forno, Campo di Fiori

Whether you're planning a picnic or just looking to pick up a quick snack, a FORNO (bakery) is a quick ticket to leavened happiness that won't break your budget.

But if the selection at your local bakery leaves you bewildered, here is a guide on where to start:

ROLLS (panini)

Rossetta

Rosetta the quintessential Roman sandwich roll in the shape of a rose with a hard button of crust on top. Almost tasteless and with a hollow pocket inside, these are best fresh out of the oven, becoming almost inedible by afternoon.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta or schiacciatina  another inexpensive sandwich roll with a denser crumb and mild flavor. 

Tartaruga

The Tartaruga (turtle) is something like a mix of a rosetta and a ciabatta.

Panino al latte

Panino al latte this is a soft bread suitable for sweet fillings such as Nutella or jam.

LOAVES

Filone

Pagnotta

Loaves are suitable for meals or tearing off in chunks and are sold either as FILONE (long loaf) or PAGNOTTA (round loaf). You can buy a half, quarter or even less, and it can be sliced on request.

Pane casareccio

Casareccio One of the most popular, go-to breads for everyday dining, Casareccio translates as as "homestyle", and can often differ considerably from bakery to bakery. It has a thick, hard outer crust that ranges from dusty brown to almost black and a chewy, flavorful crumb.

Pane di Lariano

Pane di Lariano Prized local speciality made only in the town of Lariano outside of Rome, from a partially whole wheat flour and baked in ovens fired with chestnut wood. Usually made into low loaves, brown in color, chewy and with a complex, nutty flavor that does not resemble most whole wheat breads.

Pane di grano duro

Pane di Grano Duro A bread with a fine yellow crumb made with durum wheat (the high protein wheat commonly used in pasta) and a longer shelf life. Altamura is a delicious regional speciality from Puglia also made from this flour.

PIZZA! 

Almost all bakeries sell "pizza rustica" for take-out. But does the addition of lots of savory toppings (olives, sausage, artichokes..) always mean a tastier pizza? 

Pizza bianca

Not according to many office-workers and high school students who line up for budget-friendly Pizza Bianca (plain, no toppings) or Pizza Rossa (tomato sauce topping). Then again, one of baby's first street snacks is a tiny strip of no-mess pizza bianca. 

SWEETS

Should you be eating this at breakfast? Don't think on it too long: the maritozzo con la panna, a sweet brioche roll stuffed with whipped cream, disappears in the afternoon.

* Disclaimer: Many names for baked goods differ not only from city to city (the beloved Roman rosetta, for example, is alleged to have been invented in Lombardy and is known in Milan as the michetta) but even within the same city! A schiacciatina can be a crisp cracker or a soft roll, and focaccia comes in so many guises it is practically undefinable.



COMING SOON: Cheese, salami and more...

Rites of Spring

Rome may be a bustling city of 3 million inhabitants, but for many Romans, the seasons are still marked by agricultural traditions that span millennia

FAVA BEANS: SYMBOLS OF FERTILITY AND DEATH

Fava beans signal the arrival of spring:  few Romans would think of celebrating the 1st of May (Labor Day) without sacks of fresh fava (also known as broad beans) accompanied by the sharp and salty Pecorino Romano sheep's milk cheese, chewy, dark-crusted casareccio bread and wine from the Castelli Romani, the Roman countryside to the south-east of the city.

Fave e Pecorino

Yet these beans have a dark and mysterious history: they were believed by the Greeks to contain the souls of the dead. It was said that the black spots on the blossoms formed the shape of the Greek letter Theta, used as an abbreviation for thanatos, death. Pythagoras expressly prohibited any contact with them, though for Aristophanes they were an aphrodisiac: in one of his comedies Hercules, after eating a plate of broad beans, deflowers 10,000 virgins. The ancient Romans offered them to divinities associated with the underworld and used them in funeral rites. Even today, fava beans are part of traditional dishes served on the Day of the Dead (1 November) in some parts of Italy.

Who's Afraid of Beans?

Starting from the last days of April, fava beans appear in open-air markets and groceries, often accompanied by a warning sign "FAVE SFUSE" (loose fava beans). Although rare, even skin contact with broad beans can be dangerous for people with favismo, a serious genetic enzyme deficiency particularly common in some isolated parts of southern Italy, where as much as 20% of the population is affected.

Favas in their Pod

Fresh fava beans are sold in their pods, which are split open and discarded. Most of those who snack on the fresh beans prefer to strip away the rather bitter, light green outer skin to get to the brighter, sweeter flavor of the bean encased inside. 

They "marry" well with olive oil, pancetta, onion and pecorino in soups, stews and pasta sauces. Most Italians would scoff at the addition of garlic or cream often seen in non-Italian recipes, as it covers up the taste of the fresh ingredients.

FRUITS OF EARLY SPRING

FRAGOLE (Strawberries)

fragola favetta - a variety from the town of Terracina, south of Rome

Spring wouldn't be Spring without strawberries. Forget elaborate desserts: one of the most sublime tastes of  spring is a cup of strawberries topped with dollops of whipped cream, now appearing on Roman menus everywhere. 

The town of Nemi

Tiny Wild Strawberries

NEMI
Once famed among the ancient Romans for its Temple of Diana, a center of worship from the early 5th century BC, today the tranquil town of Nemi is best known for its delicious wild strawberries (fragoline di bosco) that grow on the volcanic slopes of the lake. 

About 30 km from Rome, the town holds its annual strawberry festival on the first Sunday of June, preceded by the flower festival the day before.

NESPOLE (Loquats)

Oranges have gone out of season, and it's still too early for apricots and peaches. Luckily, area loquat trees are heavy with fruit.

Loquat Tree

Inside a Loquat

Originally from the far-east (China and Japan), loquats are very successfully cultivated in the Mediterranean. Due to the size of the seeds, you may not get much edible flesh from a single loquat, but it has a sweet and tangy taste that's refreshing, especially on a warm spring day or after a heavy meal.

25 APRIL 1945: The Start of a New Beginning for Italy

Liberation Day - La Festa della Liberazione

25 April - Streets in Rome will be closed for parades to celebrate the 68th anniversary of liberation from the Nazis and the end of the Fascist regime.

Women in the Italian Resistance

The date marks the liberation of Milan and Turin, where the partigiani, the Italian resistance movement, aided by a popular insurrection, forced the retreat of the German soldiers.

Just two days later, Italy's fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was captured while attempting to cross the border into Switzerland and executed along with his lover Clara Petacci.

Actress Anna Magnani in "Rome, Open City", 1945

Rome was liberated in June of that year, and in September the film "Rome, Open City" was released in Italian theatres. Filmed on meagre war-time resources, director Roberto Rossellini dramatized the plight of the capital under Nazi occupation.

The Voice of the Italian Resistance

The song "Bella Ciao", derived from a folk song from the 1800s, became a choral emblem of the Italian resistance during the social protests of the 1960s; it has been translated into over thirty languages and sung all over the world as a protest song. 

At this time of year, bright red poppies, a common weed in Italy, begin to sprout up around the ruins and the train tracks. 

A symbol of remembrance in many of the Commonwealth Nations, poppies have been associated with war since they were noted growing on the graves of soldiers and figure in anti-war songs around the world.

Urban Fauna: Birds and Beasts of Rome

In Rome, A World Hidden Beneath your Feet

University Researcher Fishing for the Freshwater Crab Potamon Fluviatile in Trajan's Forum

The Forum and Market of Emperor Trajan lie in the heart of Rome's centre, bustling with noise, traffic and thousands of visitors everyday. Yet somehow it is home to the city's most surprising animal population: a robust colony of freshwater crabs, potamon fluviatile, which live several meters below the ruins in subterranean tunnels that connect with the cloaca maxima, one of the world's first sewer systems that evolved from the drainage channels first built by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC.

 

AFP/File Christophe Simon

It is not yet clear how long this population has been thriving in Rome, but they seem to have adapted extraordinarily well to the hostile urban environment, feeding not only on insects but pieces of popcorn and even cigarette butts. The entire colony is affected by gigantism, growing up to twice as large as other members of the same species, which indicates isolation and a long, gradual process of adaptation. 

Potamon Fluviatile

Recent genetic studies link them to a Greek species introduced to Italy 3000 years ago, before the founding of Rome. Or perhaps they escaped from the nearby Forum Pisciarium, the ancient Roman fish market where vendors once hawked these crustaceans that are also known as "the poor man's lobster".

Look Up and Look Out: the Starlings are Coming

Rome at twilight, bathed in rosy, golden light, becomes the scenic backdrop for swarms of starlings that form pulsing, mutating shapes in the air in an enchanting aerial spectacle.

AFP Photo/ Gabriel Buoys

Arriving from Russia and the Baltic countries, the birds first started wintering in Rome around 80 years ago, and show no signs of wanting to leave their second home. Experts debate the exact number, but some estimate that there are 4 starlings for every human inhabitant in the city. 

Starling Murmuration seen from the Palatine Hill at Twilight

The swarming behaviour of a murmuration of starlings serves to distract predators: amazingly, each starling tracks the movements of seven of its neighbours simultaneously to be able to fly in formation with them and make an individual contribution to the swarm as a cohesive force. And all this happens 10 times faster than a human can think.

Don't Park under the Trees

They seem to adore the city lights,  noisy traffic, and smelly bus depots warmed by exhaust fumes.

The results can be devastating. Every night at roosting time, within just a few minutes, a rain of corrosive, malodorous guano covers everything from busy squares near the train station to tree-lined avenues in the outer boroughs. 

Terrorizing Starlings with Audio Devices along the Tiber River

City workers in hazmat suits patrol the targeted areas with special devices that emit a piercing distress call, a technique in use for several years that has met with some degree of success. 

But meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the show.

 

Easter Chocolate and Passover Amaretti

 A Very Chocolatey Easter

Italians, especially younger ones, will consume their fair share of chocolate in the coming days, mostly in the form of hollow chocolate eggs containing surprises inside. 

What's inside?

Adorned with ribbons and wrapped in brightly colored Mylar, chocolate eggs are an established rite of Easter-time consumption in Italy. Prices range from 32 to an astonishing 96 euro per kilo, depending on the quality of the chocolate and branding with trademarked gadgets and toys. 

Although big-name brands such as Kinder, Motta, Perugina and Nestlè may top sales, Italy's many artisanal chocolatiers keep up their end and compete on both quality and price. 

Vintage Easter

Presented at the Roman shopping center Euroma 2 in 2009, the Guinness World Record for the Largest Chocolate Egg in Europe was set with an egg 6 meters high made from 2,500 kilos of dark chocolate.

Sales of the chocolate went to earthquake relief for Aquila

Chocolate Trivia: Italians consume an average of 4 kilos of chocolate annually (Great Britain tops the list at 9.5 kilos per head). Dark chocolate is favored over milk chocolate and consumption varies greatly between North and South: 67% is consumed in northern Italy while only 9% in Southern Italy, according to the Association for Italian Chocolate Lovers.




Passover (Pesach) Foods in Italy

The special dietary restrictions observed by Jews during Passover are often inspiration for creativity in the kitchen: A vegetarian lasagna made with matzo instead of egg pasta?  

That is one of ideas suggested on the mouth-watering food blog www.labna.it (mostly in Italian). Their kosher-for-Passover recipe for amaretti (almond cookies), which we've translated to English, came from a treasured notebook handed down from nonna (grandmother).

Amaretti

 AMARETTI DELLA NONNA

• 300 g  almonds (1 and 1/2 cups ground)
• 200 g  (7/8 cup) sugar
• 2 egg whites

Beat egg whites until very stiff; refrigerate. Process almonds until finely ground; mix almonds with sugar. Stir together egg whites with almond mixture to obtain a thick batter. Form into small balls, pressing them down slightly as you set them on a baking sheet covered in baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 150° C (300° F)  for roughly 45 minutes, or until dry and crisp. Keep an eye on the oven! Though amaretti  take a long time to bake, they take no time at all to burn, especially on the bottoms.

Holy Week in Rome

24 March 2013 - Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday at St. Peter's Basilica

 
Newly enthroned Pope Francis I, riding in an open jeep, greeted an adoring crowd of 250,000 waving olive branches in St. Peter's Square this morning. 

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week in Rome, the most important holiday in the Christian calendar. 


There will be many opportunities for the faithful to see the new pope: consult the complete list of liturgical celebrations in the Vatican here.

A Centuries-old Tradition Interrupted then Restored in 20th Century

On Good Friday, 29 March, the pope will lead the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum. This tradition dates back over 250 years, when it was instituted by Pope Benedict XIV to celebrate the Jubilee Year of 1750. It was in this year that the Colosseum became consecrated as a holy site in memory of Christian martyrs, and the 14 stations of the cross were installed inside the Roman amphitheater. 

When Rome became the capital of a united Italy in 1870, the stations and cross installed in the center were removed, a sign of the surge of secular, anti-clerical nationalism sweeping Italy at that time. In 1926 during the conciliation between the state and the church, the cross was reintroduced in the position in which it stands today. The Good Friday rite of Way of the Cross at the Colosseum was restored by pope Paul IV in 1964.

Easter Vigil at Saint Praxedes

Pope Paschal I

 

Santa Prassede

One of the most beautiful churches in Rome to observe the Easter Vigil is commonly known as Santa Prassede,  located near St. Mary Major on the Esquiline Hill. Although the church that can be visited today dates back to 780, its origins are even older: according to tradition, one of the first Romans converted by the apostle Paul was the senator Pudens, who in turn converted his two daughters, Pudentiana e Praxedes. All three were matyred under the reign of Emporers Marcus and Antoninus II in 165. 

Here Pope Paschal I is depicted with a square halo, indicating that he was still alive at the time (870).

Pillar of the Flogging

The church contains some of the most stunning examples of medieval mosaics in Rome and a fragment of the alleged pillar upon which Jesus was flogged and tortured before his crucifixion. The pillar is one of relics brought to Rome in the early 4th century by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine.  


Via di Santa Prassede 9/a / Via San Martino ai Monti.  For more information, contact the church directly 06 48 82 456.

Which Walking Tour is Best...for me?

Q&A  - First Timers and Worldly Travelers

I’ve never been to Rome before, and I’m overwhelmed. Where do I start?

One of the best orientations to the city is a stroll through the historical center, with its narrow streets and breathtaking vistas of piazzas, fountains and ruins. But why not put your map away for two hours and let one of our expert, local guides lead the way? Their explanations, stories and helpful tips will make for a relaxing walk that will bring the city to life, taking in not only the major sites of the city center but also a few hidden gems easily missed by the casual tourist.

Campo di Fiori

Pantheon

Join our one of our Twilight Walks, which runs everyday except Mondays and Wednesdays at 5 or 6:00pm  Adults 30 euro, students 25 euro. For more details, visit our website www.romewalks.com.

I’ve seen the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Pantheon and I want to see something besides Rome’s biggest tourist attractions. Where should I go?

It is practically impossible to run out of fascinating things to do and see in the Eternal City. Rome Walks offers 10 group walks and 19 private walks so that you can continue to discover different facets of the city. You don’t have to be an art-buff to enjoy our For Art’s Sake Walk, but you may end up becoming one after visiting some of the finest works of Renaissance and Baroque art in the world with one of our art historians. These masterpieces are not behind ropes in crowded museums, but are hidden within the walls of quiet churches, each with its own unique and layered history of papal patronage, religious significance and artistic and architectural treasures.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Caravaggio - St. Matthew & the Angel

Piazza Sant Ignazio

For Art’s Sake Walk, available on request (minimum 2 people) 3 hours. Adults 65 euro, students 45 euro. For more details or to browse our other walks, visit our website     www.romewalks.com.

3 Things to eat in Rome in Winter

Can You Say TAROCCO?

Three Things to Eat in Winter in Italy

plus Carnival Treats that Come only Once a Year

Blood Oranges

Supposedly the orange first arrived on the Italian peninsula in the 17^th century, brought back from the East by a Jesuit priest. Today the Tarocco blood orange is the most popular orange in Italy for good reason. Grown in Sicily, it is juicy, seedless, easy to peel and usually sweeter than the more intensely red Moro and Sanguinello varieties. Mounds of brightly colored oranges are the highlight of fruit stalls during the dark winter months. Packed with nutrition, they have more Vitamin C than navel oranges (or “blonds” as the Italians call them), and the flavonoids that contribute their distinctive red hue also provide a sizable dose of the precious antioxidant anthocyanin. Enjoy as a snack, a dessert, freshly squeezed into a pulpy juice that can be ordered at any coffee bar, or try in a Sicilian salad of oranges, sliced bulb fennel, and black roasted olives.

Carciofi alla Giudia

Artichokes

Chilean poet Pablo Neruda once wrote an “Ode to Artichokes” comparing them to armed warriors with tender hearts. Both fall and spring varieties are cultivated in Italy, which boasts the largest production in the world. The Romanesco artichoke, harvested from February to April, is used for succulent, deep-fried “Carciofi alla Giudia”, a classic staple of restaurants in the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. While kitchen hands are busy shucking and cleaning the vegetables in the back,  perfectly stacked pyramids of artichokes set in front of the restaurants advertise the specialty to passers by. Equally delicious are the tender and flavorful “Carciofi alla Romana” braised in broth, olive oil, garlic, parsley and mint. A word of warning: the Italian word for artichoke, “carciofo”, can be used informally to describe a dull, foolish man.

Caldarroste

Chestnuts

Castagnaccio

Although November is the month for the chestnut harvest, in wintertime as well vendors of hot roasted chesnuts can be found all over Rome, selling their toasty wares in paper cones. For many Italians, the appearance of chestnuts in the markets marks the beginning of autumn, and also explains the presence of skillets with holes in kitchenware shops; these curious pans are used to roast le castagne over a fireplace or even on stovetop burners. Because of their rich nutritional content, they have been referred to as “the grain which grows on trees”, and indeed are also dried and ground into chestnut flour, which is used to make Castagnaccio, a savory pudding dressed with pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and rosemary.

Carnival Treats

Frappe

Castagnole

Two of the most common carnival treats in Rome can only be found in period of Carnival in February and are synonymous with cold weather, costumed revellers, parades and confetti.

Frappe, also known as Bugie (lies), Chiacchiere (chatter), or Cenci (rags) are ripply, crispy, flaky sheets of deep-fried dough dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate.

Castagnole resemble donut holes:  dense lumps of sweet cake, often flavored with a hint of citrus, that are deep fried or baked, soaked in rum or Alchermes and rolled in granulated sugar.

Tip: when buying sweets in bakeries or pastry shops it is customary to purchase by weight. The most common unit of measurement is the etto, or 100 grams, (plural etti).