The Day in Food

Everyday I will give a brief summary of my meals, which are, after all, the most important aspect of my trip. We'll skip over the airline food and jump straight to my lunch yesterday afternoon:

Wednesday, May 11:
LUNCH
Rigatoni Amatriciana: My first meal in Rome was at a cafe in the Trastevere neighborhood, complete with a serenade by a strolling accordian player. The pasta was covered in a red sauce with a bacon, smoked flavor and was outstanding. What was most impressive was the fresh Parmesan cheese, which added an incredible flavor to the already excellent dish.

DINNER
Bruschetta, Gnocchi Pesto, and Scallopini with Wine Sauce: This meal was served in the basement of a Trastevere restaurant. The Bruschetta was very different from that served in the USA, and consisted of nothing more than tomatoes and leaf lettuce on top of an extremely toasted slice of bread. The gnocchi dish was very tasty, but the final dish was most interesting. The meal was described as a "special meat," and to this point in time, I still do not know what creature I consumed that evening. It had the texture of veal, the taste of a porkchop, it chewed like a piece of chicken, and smelled like a piece of fish. I'll let you figure that out, and if you have an answer, I'd rather not know :)

Thursday, May 12
LUNCH
For lunch, I had a piece of swordfish which was baked and covered in white wine. The fish was good, but nothing out of the ordinary, and no different from how it might have been prepared at a US restaurant.

DINNER
For dinner, I started with some more Bruschetta, which was much better than the night before. My main dish was Eggplant Parmesan, which was easily the best meal I have had since I arrived. Rather than being deep fried and tasting frozen like it tends to do in America, the eggplant wash fresh, and covered in a delicious red sauce with fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Also, I had some Penne with Tomatoes and Chilies, which was a traditional meal with an added kick. The most surprising aspect of authentic Italian meals are their simplicity, and the great taste that results. Rather than being huge portions drenched in garlic, Italian portions are a size that never leaves you feeling stuffed, but always satisfied.

If you have a suggestion for a meal that you would like me to review, feel free to post it under the comments. Thanks, and Goodnight!