We’ve just returned from a quick trip to Rome. It was an amazing adventure filled with food, wine, stellar company and a few amazing side trips that I’ll be blogging about shortly. But in the meantime, please enjoy this guide to not letting your eyes and stomach get the best of you while roaming around the city. Because folks, I only have your best interests in mind and would hate for you to pack on an additional nine pounds (you read that right) while visiting this amazing city. Let this be a lesson to you and plan accordingly. I happen to do gluttony very, very well. I’m sure the Pope would have something to say about that.
In all sincerity there is pure pleasure in being surrounded by people so passionate about the food of their country. We were never short of suggestions and everyone was so gracious about explaining what makes their food so special. For me it was an eye-opening experience and one I hope to relive again very soon.
.
Ignore the Three Dinner Rule
Was it sheer excitement? Stupidity? Taking advantage of a good thing? You decide. But having three dinners in one night might have something to do with it. But could you blame me? With our useful guide and best friend Kristina we found ourselves stopping for pizza on the street, salumi, cheese and wine (with snacks!) and some gelato before ever making it to the restaurant. And then dessert. I’ve been on Tapas Crawls in Spain before but I really outdid myself here.
Don’t Drink Five Cappuccinos A Day Out Of The Realization That You’ll Never Have Anything So Perfect Ever Again.
And this doesn’t even touch the shots of espresso I had after that. But when you are in a place that does coffee so remarkably well, each drink served with such perfection you can’t say no. And that seems to be the way things go for me in Rome: familiar and comforting but executed perfectly, like a dream where nothing bad happens. That doesn’t mean one is immune from bad food in Rome (a dinner of mediocre pizza confirms this) but chances are you can’t go too wrong with coffee here. And because of this I’ve been sufficiently caffeinated the entire time. Hallelujah.
Skip Eating Tons Of Gelato For “Research” Purposes.
I’m in the food business. I have a food blog. I owe it to myself to eat as much gelato as possible so that I have a decent point of reference when discussing it with others, right? It was this excuse that I hid behind as I sampled my way through gelaterias across Rome. And while some were significantly better than others I will most likely never tire of ANYTHING. NOCCIOLA. EVER.
Lose Control When Passing Every Pasticceria
You could do what I was not able to do and pass every pastry shop along the way, stopping only when you are hungry for something sweet. Or you could dart into each shop “just because”, picking up a handful of pastries because who knows if you’ll ever see them again. My hands-down favorite was the Plum & Cherry Crostata from Innocenti, flat little tarts of crisp buttery pastry sandwiched around tangy fruit jam. And those brutti ma buoni cookies were absolute heaven.
Pizza On Every Street Does Not Mean EAT Pizza On Every Street. Or Don’t Let That Supplì Go To Waste.
Pizza Culture in Rome was quite different than what I am used to. Because of this I needed to stop several times throughout the day and sample as much Pizza al Taglio as I could fit into my mouth. These large, long pieces of pizza are cut to order, depending on how much or little you want. A favorite was Broccoli e Salsiccia and Marinara with anchovies. Wrapped up in paper, these square pieces of pizza would have satisfied my hunger perfectly had I ever been hungry. I never was and I wonder why.
You Needn’t Stop In Every Wine Bar In Rome Just Because You Can.
I told myself that between photographing the ancient ruins and walking for miles that I worked up a wicked thirst that could not be quenched by water but only special grapes that have been pressed, aged, bottled and served in glasses with stems. And my god my little self-lie worked! Each day there were quick visits to local wine bars, some hip and trendy and some just regular spots. I stuck to Italians the entire trip (natch!) and not once made notes of what I drank. Sad, isn’t it? Guess I must return and do it all over again, this time with pencil and paper.
Overloading On Fruits & Vegetables Doesn’t Count As Gluttony. Or Does It?
And that is because they are good for you! And you know what makes them better? When they’re battered and fried. Let’s just say I became close friends with lots of Fritto Misto. And yes, I’d do it all over again in a second. Now if you’ll excuse me I must unbutton my pants.
Thanks to my friend Kristina for the piggish photo of me licking an anchovy off my lip. More Italy to come shortly!
{ 6 trackbacks }
{ 81 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh you’re killing me. Rome is like a second home to me. I have family and we have friends there, so we could easily transport ourselves and take up a new life there. Except, you know, for the lack of work and crushing exchange rate.
I just got back from Rome a couple of weeks ago, and I must say, your post makes me feel like I was slacking off a bit. Granted, we did hit up San Crispino both before and right after a multi-course dinner (which included dolce), but damn. I think I still missed some good stuff! That crostata for instance – where was it when I was between snacks? And the Marinara with Anchoives?! – never saw it! I hope you share the names of your favorite spots, so that when we return, we’ll know where to stop!
Happy you had such a fabulous trip Matt. And your photos are gorgeous – of course.
I have a rule when visiting Italy that gelato must be consumed a minimum of twice a day (you can skip gelato for breakfast in favor of a caffe latte and a pastry, but that’s optional).
So jealous. So. Very. Jealous.
Oh wow, it obviously has been entirely too long since I’ve been to Rome!
This was very funny. How many times did you hit the coffee spot behind the Pantheon? I can never remember the name of it. I’ve been lucky to typically be with a slave-driver-tourist-type every time I’ve been to Rome and walked at least a couple of pounds off every day, making up for the ridiculous quantities of food ingested. Looking forward to further posts (and hoping to see a picture of Keiko).
Oh those artichokes! Beautiful… green, purple, gray… what colors. And now I’m hungry, not for artichokes of course, but pizza and a glass of wine.
Mmmm! Thank you very much – and timely, too. Ever since that one trip in 1995 (with a group, and pre-planned mediocre meals), I have been pining to go back to Rome. Finally, this April it looks like I will be going back, and I’ve been making notes of where I’ll want to eat.
And it looks like you answer is: pretty much everywhere. I can work with that.
I was hoping your absence from the web over the last week was due to some wonderfully yummy reason… and it was! Can’t wait to hear more about Rome. Been to Italy, but alas, never to Rome. Living vicariously through you… for now.
Beautiful photos, I’m incredibly jealous!!
I absolutely love the way you relate your travels Matt! Always funny, witty and making me drool from the very first line. So happy that you and Matt got to experience beautiful Italy!
Great post, it must of been difficult to sump up the culture (kid in a candy shop springs to mind, literally!)
Brings back memories of my holidays to Florence and Milan, just amazing all round food. I must of drank my own body weight in coffee!
Oh this was heavenly to read and look at.
I don’t think I couldn’t live on cappuccinos whilst there.
Nocciola is my fav as well! So yum. I actually think that it is a cardinal sin to have evening passagiata without a gelato!
oh my goodness this made me so hungry for pizza and wine. I want to get on a plane and go back NOW! Sounds like a fabulous trip… you can diet when your dead… or something like that. Totally worth it, GREAT POST!
It was great spending time with you both – Rome has been my favourite city and I can’t wait to go back again. Lovely images. xx
It all looks amazing. I can see how it would be hard to hold back!
Welcome back!!! Sounds like your journey to Rome was divine! Thanks for sharing so many details of your trip. How cool that you allowed yourself to enjoy everything Rome had to offer. It isn’t often in life that we get to indulge ourselves like that. I can’t wait to read more about your travels….. the photos are wonderful. I want that jammy tarty thing, now!! With a side of gelato please.
Italy is not in my future any time soon. At least now I can enjoy a slice of it
through your words and images!
I love your pictures. How badly I want to go back to Rome, right now. I recently returned and think Rome is in the top 3 food cities in Italy. BUT, everyone needs to “eat tons of gelato,” research or no research, at least 3 times a day….mid-morning snack, mid-afternoon snack, and as an after-dessert dessert to get you home, at the very least…..so, which was your favorite spot for gelato? (I want to help you share your finds from your “research.”)
Hi Matt,
If you love NOCCIOLA (hazelnut) you will love this recipe: http://bit.ly/3AphU7 for a nocciola and chocolate cake. San Crispino’s nocciola is very good, maybe the best, because it tastes really like creamed hazelnuts!
And as for the “Piggish” picture, there were many others in that sequence. Why you had to choose that one?
-k
p.s. Thanks for telling me these rules because as you could see, I haven’t learned how not to be a glutton here. HAHAH
Isn’t the saying “when in Rome”…. sounds like you’ve just being going native!
Oh, my, I want to go to Rome now. I also want to make some of that beautiful pizza. Thank you for sharing your inspiring photography.
OMG- that trip sounds amazing! I have never been to Rome and now I’m afraid to go. I would gain double the nine pounds for sure!!
Is there any other way to travel? Great post and great photography as usual. Thank you for sharing your amazing adventure in Rome.
This is more like what TO DO in Rome!
I’ll never forget eating my first suppli. Heaven. We stumbled across this little food joint down this random alley near the Pantheon and I fell in love with suppli. Oh, and don’t even get me started on gelato. I had one everyday I was there when I studied abroad. 6 weeks of gelato love.
What a great entry! Love your humor and all your photos are exceptional. I think the sin of gluttony just goes right out the window on any type of vacation…i truly think it would be a sin NOT to take take advantage of all the incredible cuisine you are faced with in such an incredible environment!! Thanks for sharing!
Oh – you nailed it! I love Rome. I still dream of that coffee and the food.
Were we separated at birth?
o.m.g Matt – everything looks delicious. Its safe to say that I would have gained 100 billion pounds if I went to Rome right now
I mean how can you say no to gelato… seriously?
Hi Matt,
I’m wondering where you shot the black and white photo of the waiter that’s in the top foursome in your entry? He’s one of my favorite waiters in Rome but I most often see him at an entirely different restaurant than that one. Thanks.
Hehehe! Great tips! It’s funny because every time I’ve been to Rome I’ve eaten everything in sight and actually lost weight! Must be all that walking and climbing all those mountains of stairs.
Make us all jealous or what!–ugh! Exactly what you should do, “when in Rome.”
Love it, love the pictures, and wish I was there right now.
Nani
Oh, my goodness! I think I just gained nine pounds looking at your gorgeous photos and drooling over your descriptions. Pizza, gelato, fritto misto –that’s my kind of “Mediterranean diet….” Looking forward to reading and seeing more after I spend a week on the treadmill. Thanks for the vicarious excursion!
Wow, if you’re this enthusastic about Rome I can’t wait to read MattBites does Bologna (or have you visited/ blogged already and I missed it, I’m a bit senile)?
Sounds like a wonderful trip!
Kavey
That Matt-eating-pizza photo of you, licking anchovy off your face was taken near Campo Dei Fiori? On Guibbonari, in front of Chiesa Santa Barbara? Did you happen to turn around and go in to get Filetti di Baccala’???
Thats a true gluttony experience
You are SO lucky! I need to make a trip back! : )
NOW I really really want to go to Rome!!
I love this post!! Seriously I’d be one of those people in the weight gain catorgy because of over food consumption due to ‘research’ purposes and well… extremely good food!!
I’m going to Rome in two weeks. I can’t wait anymore to get there, and now it’s even more difficult…
Mi,
http://www.ask2cook.com
Rare is the writing and photography of one creative genius in such perfect harmony. Rarer yet is the ability to make a conventionally sane man lick a monitor, especially when it´s switched on.
Fine work with this one, Matt. Now to figure out how I can get Ryanair to fly cheap to Verona or Florence where the grub is considerably cheaper than Roma!
Thanks for sharing your trip to Rome, Matt–can’t wait to read part 2!
Ha! Your quick trip to Rome beat the one I took last summer hands down. It’s always good to see something through another’s eyes. I’ll know what to see better next time I go. Note to self: leave kids at home : /
Wow… I feel like a slacker for not eating more last time I went to Rome! We had some great food, to be sure, but nothing approaching your smorgasbord. The starving-student budget I was on at the time had a lot to do with it though.
Can’t wait to read more about it and see some more pics!
Welcome back !!! We missed you so much but lived vicariously through all your amazing feasts. Thank you for sharing this gorgeous, amazing and delicious trip! Can’t wait to hear more of your stories and hopefully you didn’t get stopped in customs because of the Sorrento Lemon Tree?
the picts and the post asre really mouth watering, it brings back memories of my last trip to Rome…quite a few years ago though. I’d love to go there soon again!!
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been following your blog for quite a while and ut’s nice to read you’ve been so enthusiastic about my country! We certainly do value our food traditions a lot!
Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.
And I am already craving for moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Everything looks so good!
Those are some good suggestions. I had a similar problem when I was on vacation in Hong Kong. My husband had to constantly remind me that it’s not necessary to eat EVERYTHING and eat at EVERY food stall that I see. But all the overfilled belly aches were worth it.
Matt you are too funny! I found myself laughing out loud….i can totally relate. I never use restraint when traveling; I eat anything and everything. The Italians sure know how to tempt you ..in more ways that one:)