Last day in Rome and Italy. We will be home sometime the afternoon on December 1st. It is Christmas in Rome. The stores and streets are decorated. The weather is definitely changing. We have been very fortunate the last two weeks. Late November weather is the wettest part of the year in Rome and the weather forecast earlier in the month was ugly. But, only 2 raining days out 14 was more than we expected.
I have learnt a great deal during the last two months.
I will miss the restaurants greatly. They are small and seem to be independently owned. You would like to believe family but that would be projecting. The menus are traditional- antipasto, primo piatti, secondo piatti and dessert. The restaurants' menus are Italian and English subtitles commonly. We did stay way from the restaurants with English first. We did run across a leather store in Rome that in big yellow letters stated only in English "Made in Italy". Can you say "china". It is a large problem in Italy. There is a big push for "made in Italy". Everything in Italy including truffles is buyer beware. My experience with truffles is mixed. Presuming that as with all things - there is "good" and then "great", I would say truffles I had were "good". It is an acquired taste. The more often I had, the more I began to enjoy to taste. It is a slightly pungent taste. I had with eggs and the shavings were more than you usually receive. The taste you get from US olive oil with truffles at Traders Joe is a facsimile of the taste.
We have toured the Northern Italian cities where tourism is a major contributor to economy. The people we met deal daily with hordes of tourists. English is the universal language You do see some Chinese, but usually higher end stores. So you are never sure whether it is tourist "truffles" or Italian truffles. I had truffles in Parma and Siena and they are not high tourist areas and the restaurants were local. Truffles are a common ingredient.
October and November are ideal months to visit. Granted it rains. But, Betty and I could not imagine what Rome or Florence must be like with 90s and the huge crowds.
Gelato is pretty much what you have heard. It is very rich. A high content of cream. The traditional order is to large scoops of two different gelatos -- my favorite is strawberry and chocolate - topped with a scoop of cream. Then, a wafer is added to top of the mountain of calories waiting on top of a small cone or paper cup. and that is the small order.
Of course, the quality and cost vary. Never a bad experience. In Rome, Rick Stevens got it right (see I can give Rick a compliment) with his recommendation of Giolitti near Trevi Fountain.
Italians never dress down. Seriously, I do not remember a sloppy sweatshirt or dirty running shoe in our whole trip. If and when I saw one, it was a tourist.
In Florence, Siena and Rome on my morning walks, I saw stores specializing in tailored uniforms for hotel maids among other occupations.
Italian men do sport the popular unshaven look. But, you are confident that only after a half hour in front of a mirror.
Women never are seen without make-up - not just lip gloss. You seldom see flats. It is heels and tights. Every shopping block has a store selling Calzedonia leggings. Great commercial with Julia Roberts.
Scarfs are everywhere. I am sure that a reason that it was getting chilly. But, it is a common accessory for men and women. I watched a Kevin Costner's movie "Three Days to Kill" (not as bad as critics stated - they missed that this is a Luc Benson genre film - think critics not appreciating Roy Roger) and sure enough there is the scarf around Kevin's neck. The Italians have multiple styles of scarfs and methods of tying. None of which I figured out. So around the neck once was my style.
I have developed a taste for an aperitif called an Americano and for Campari, in general. After a long walk in the afternoon, a glass of Prosecco for Betty and an Campari for me.
I think Betty and I figured out the cause of the greatness of Italian cooking and why it is not the same in US. First, everything is fresh. The cities are old with narrow streets not accessible to trucks - definitely not semi and often not even delivery trucks can reach to the restaurants - so all deliveries are by hand truck and are one day of produce, fish, meat etc..
Secondly, energy is expensive in Italy so there are no large refrigerators.
Italy is a country of small farms so produce tends to be local and fresh. Fish is plentiful since almost all cities are near water You do not see that much chicken on the menus - lots of seafood and beef. Definitely, no turkey.
But, it is the pasta. I am sure a lot is handmade, but I am just as confident that it is the same Barella that you buy at Safeway I what you get at Italian restaurants. The difference is the preparation. So the center of the meal is not the sauce, it is that tender and slightly chewable pasta.
The ingredients are fresh. No garlic. Lots of basil. Tomatoes are not Roma or paste. It is olive oil, basil and cherry tomatoes. There are cream sauces. Did not see Pesto featured. Cheeses are a big part of menu and cooking. Italian cheeses are so much more and better than what we associate with Italian cooking. There is variety - soft and hard. The cheeses of Parma and Siena were spectacular.
The last few days with Caroline, John and Angela were unbelievable. I have a few more blogs to go. We had one power convertor and six devices so access to the computer was limited. We did so much.
Next Pompeii.
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