L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano W h e t h e r you visit R o m e for a quick 24 hours before heading off to explore other regions of Italy, or you plan to stay longer in the Eternal City, there is a list of must-do's which I con- sider obligatory. While you may have a list of all the mon- uments you wish to see, I know there will be another list of all the foods you will be desperate to eat once you land on Italian soil. Of these two lists, we all know which is more important - and I am obviously not referring to the list of the monuments! The must-do's which I consider obligatory have to do with food, of course. I often tell my food tour clients that the monuments are wonderful sights to see while we are di- gesting a meal, and there is also no doubt in my mind that wandering around ancient ru- ins is definitely a perfect time to plan what will be the next best thing to eat! S o , w h e r e d o e s o n e b e g i n ? L e t ' s s t a r t i n t h e morning, and let me take you on a virtual walking foodie tour, a little culi- nary adventure of some of my favorite things to eat in R o m e . T h e f i r s t t h i n g t o begin every Italian's day is la p r i m a c o l a z i o n e , ( b r e a k - f a s t ) , a n d c o f f e e r e i g n s supreme as the number one choice of fuel to kick start the day. Most Italians will have an espresso at home as soon as their eyes open and they mentally adjust to the beginning of a new day. I strongly suggest though that you experience a local bar and drink coffee in true Italian style: standing at the bar. Apart from being the cheapest way to drink coffee, i t ' s a l s o t h e b e s t w a y t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e n o i s e a n d chaos associated with the morning coffee rush. Inhale the intoxicating caffeine aro- mas as you brush shoulders with the locals, and listen to t h e b a n t e r b e t w e e n t h e barista and his clients. If it's your first time visit- ing Italy, a simple thing like ordering a coffee in a bar c a n s e e m l i k e a d a u n t i n g task if you don't speak the language. Typically, you pay first, and then present your r e c e i p t t o t h e b a r i s t a . I n R o m e i t i s c u s t o m a r y t o leave a 10 or 20 cent coin on top of your receipt on the bar as a little tip as you tell the barista what you want. If the bar is noisy, you may have to yell, but be assertive. I learnt a long time ago that being a quiet "shrinking vio- let" at a crowded bar or at the Post Office (before they bought in numerated tick- ets) will leave you standing a n d w a i t i n g f o r q u i t e a while! Cappuccino is best had in the morning and is classi- fied as a breakfast or morn- ing coffee. Most breakfast items in Italy are sweet, and at the bar this is usually a pastry. I suggest visiting a bar near Campo dei Fiori, so you can enjoy the famous fruit and vegetable market there once you've finished your coffee and pastry. I love walking through mar- kets, and although some say Campo dei Fiori has become touristy, you will still find stall owners who have been s e l l i n g t h e r e f o r m o s t o f their lives and it is for this r e a s o n I f e e l i t i s s t i l l a n a u t h e n t i c m a r k e t e x p e r i - ence. If it is Summer, I sug- g e s t y o u b u y s o m e l o v e l y fresh figs because they'll pair b e a u t i f u l l y w i t h t h e n e x t foodie stop I insist you have. Within the piazza that is TONI BRANCATISANO Campo dei Fiori, there are restaurants and bars that line the perimeter. There is also a special, magical place t h a t i s t h e N o r c i n e r i a Viola and it has been there since 1890. "Norcineria" is the Italian word for a butch- er store that also (tradition- ally) makes all their salami, sausages and cured meats o n t h e p r e m i s e s . Traditionally the man who works there and makes the different types of salumi is known as the norcino. Even though Norcineria Viola has a small store front, it is hard to miss it with the l a r g e t a x i d e r m i e d b o a r ' s head hanging outside, to the right of the front door. Here you can buy a tasting tray which includes 9 or 10 dif- ferent salamis – all of which are of their own production. Remember those fresh figs I s u g g e s t e d y o u b u y a t t h e market? This is a great time to pull them out and pair with the delicious selection o f s a l a m i o n o f f e r . M y favorite is the liver salami with orange zest and it is an originally family recipe. I know that wouldn't be for e v e r y o n e b u t i f y o u ' r e adventurous, please try it. ( www.norcineriaviola.it/en/ ). Don't be surprised if they also offer you some red wine – i t ' s n e v e r t o o e a r l y t o drink red wine in Italy! Pizza al taglio: a traditional street food in Rome (and Italy!) (Photo: Konstantinos Papaioannou/Dreamstime) WHEN IN ROME — A wandering foodie experience Continued to page 22 LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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