Buona Festa Italian Style!

It has been a few months since my last post, and the holidays have begun. It is so cold in New York City, which made me long for warm weather. I then realized that I never had a chance to tell you about my amazing family vacation in Italy this summer!

I started my Italian vacation with the best plane meal I ever had: catered by Salumeria Rosi. Aaron and Meredith packed nine panini – from pizza Bianca e stracchino for Chen to funghi for Eileen and of course lots of salumi for me. When we opened the packages, there were more than a few envious glances around us. (The envy started even before we got on the plane when a fellow passenger stopped me to say he shopped at Salumeria all the time. )

The deadest day of the year in Italy is called FerrAgosto. The entire country shuts down as families head out for vacation. Chiuso per ferie, or closed for vacation signs are hung out, as shops, restaurants, museums and just about everything else shut down. We arrived in Rome the day after FerrAgosto. The good news was there was no traffic and a quarter of the normal tourists. The downside--98% of the restaurants in Rome are closed, too. From the moment we touched down, I must have called three dozen, working my way down a list of places I wanted to go: Checchino, La Rosetta, Giuda Ballerino. Chiuso. Chiuso. Chiuso. But I am nothing if not intrepid. For lunch on Sunday, we ended up at Fratelli Bufala, a pizza chain I’d heard about for years and had always wanted to try. They are opening soon in New York, the waiter told us, and I’d tell you to check it out. The pizzas are classic Napoletan, with soft dough, Chen had a mozzarella the size of a baseball that was delicious, and Eileen’s salad with friselle topped with tuna very summery.
In the afternoon we headed for St. Peter’s Basilica. I was surprised at how few people there were to get into the church, but it turned out that was because I skipped the security line and entered through the exit. If you can swing that approach, I’d recommend it. What a timesaver. The church is amazing. I might have been there as a kid, but I don’t really remember. It is awe-inspiring. La pieta and everything inside. One detail is more beautiful than the next.

For dinner, we went to Gusto, a group of three restaurants, each a little different from the other. It is a great concept. One, where we ate, was Italian tapas. I had an order of 20. From the reaction of the waiter, I was the first diner to order that many and finish them off myself. I overheard the chef ask who was ordering so many and what should he deliver? Just give him something, said the waiter. It was 22 euros, less than $30. The cheese list was amazing. About 200 choices and you could order tastings from just northeast Italy, Nortwest Italy, the islands, etc. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t great, but it was a fun experience.
Down the block are two other Gustos – one a pizzeria, and the third a full fledged restaurant. If you are ever in Rome on Feragosto, it’s worth checking any of them out. Even if it isn’t Feragosto.

Monday morning, we did a quick tour of the center – Fontana di Trevi, Piazza del Popolo, Pantheon, two gelateria, and a church.

Then, it was time to eat. My friend David Paolini from Milan had suggested we try Roscioli, a classic Roman Salumeria.

Just walking in the door made me happy. There were bottles of wine from ceiling to floor and a counter that looked not unlike Salumeria with great slabs of salumi, a half dozen types of mozzarella, bottarga, prepared salads and all the other foods I love best.

You feel the history and the love of eating in the air. What didn’t I order. The burrata was incredible, but unfortunately, they doused it in nutmeg, which killed the flavor for me. I loved the ricotta tart, the octopus salad with green beans, pasta with anchovies was classic, salumi were just as good as mine and presented very simply. I ordered potatoes in foil, but I didn’t have room for them and to be honest, they didn’t look so good. Eileen had tuna tartare that they topped with fresh figs. A better idea than a meal. I felt like a king of Rome though. They seated us downstairs in a room by ourselves, where we were surrounded by bottles of Champagne.

One of the things I love about Italy is that people love their jobs. A waiter is a waiter, not an actor or out of work accountant. Everywhere you go, the waiters love what they do and are professional. We asked our waiter at Roscioli which catacombs were best to visit, and he was like a guide to the city. He had opinions, directions, and information.

If you are looking for a good hotel in Rome, I highly recommend Hotel Duke. It is in Parioli, a beautiful residential area out of the center. It is really well-priced, the service is great, and it is lovely. They have a shuttle to bring you into the center, and it is worth the extra you pay in taxis to have such a spacious accomodations. It is also conveniently close to Celestina, the restaurant we ate in our last night. We ran into Gianfranco Vissani there, who I’d describe as the Emeril of Italy.

Celestina is a great spot for seafood and you really feel like a Roman there. No tourists and pretty much everything was delicious, but especially the shrimp which were as sweet as dessert, and the fried calamari and amatriciana di tonno were excellent. Even Chen’s pasta in tomato sauce was good – simple and fresh.

Needless to say, we left Rome full and extremely happy. I am missing the food and the weather when I trek to work in the slush. However, I'm so happy to be surrounded by family and friends during the holiday seasons, that I'm creating a few special dishes for the Salumeria that remind me of those delicious Roman flavors. Check back for two additions and recipes on the next post. Until then, Happy Holidays, e Buona Festa!

-Cesare