Eating Adventures in Italy

“Mangiare per vivere e non vivere per mangiare” —
Eat to live, not live to eat (Italian proverb)

My friend Rose and I visited Italy as pilgrims. We ate to fuel our brains and bodies for the journey on foot, the subway and on trains. 

Eating in Italy while traveling by train was a both a pleasure and a challenge. Breakfast and lunch were often on the run. Dinners provided a perfect conclusion to our busy days.

Most hotels offered breakfast, some complimentary or for a reasonable price.  Ranging from 15 to 18 euros per person they were the best value.  A cup of coffee or tea and pastries at an Italian Café or Starbucks could run 10 to 14 euros.  Breakfast buffets at a minimum offered unlimited pastries, hot or cold drinks, yogurt, several types of cheeses, and fresh fruits. 

Rose loves hot chocolate, ordering it whenever she can.  I must have my green tea. In Europe, I occasionally drink cafe Americano. Italian espresso was too strong! 

In Rome, we relied on McDonalds for quick service and use of the restroom. Egg McMuffins were comfort food and portable. The McDonalds near the Vatican sold croissants with chocolate or pistachios. 

In Assisi (Umbria Region), we sat down for lunch at Pallotta Trattoria where I tasted pillowy gnocchi with truffles. The next day, at Monte Furmentario, I devoured a velvety, well-seasoned Tagliatelle Nonna (egg pasta). Rose ordered a pizza Marguerite to go because our taxi would arrive soon. 

For our first Roman meal, the staff at Vatican Style Hotel recommended Tonnarello. There was always a line outside, but we waited just a few minutes. Once seated, I studied the menu then made small talk with the couple at the next table.  The gentleman was a member of the Carabinieri (military police). 

“What would you recommend?” I asked

“You can’t go wrong with cacio e pepe or carbonara.” 

“Oh, but I like eggplant!” I said.

The former officer shrugged his broad shoulders. 

Rose ordered the carbonara. We shared a fried artichoke which arrived like a golden pretty flower on a white plate.  It was crispy with just a hint of saltiness—a tasty appetizer. I ordered the Nonna Nadia because it had my favorite ingredients: eggplant, capers, olives and tomatoes. Every forkful tasted sublime, with the right mix of sweet and savory flavors. This must be what people meant when they rave about Italian pasta.

We returned to Tonnarello another night. I savored their polpette sugo pomodoro (tender meatballs in tomato sauce). Rose ordered the Pizza Buffalina which she ate with Tabasco sauce—a sacrilege, according to Italians we met on the train.

Other cuisines like Pho Fi in Florence delighted our palates and tasted better that their counterparts in Paris. I had the best pho (Vietnamese soup) in that little place in Mercato Central. The hot broth with succulent shrimp, mussels, and fish infused with fragrant spices, garnished with fresh mint and cilantro pleased my mouth and warmed my insides.

Cin Cin Café Restaurant appeared on my radar as soon as we arrived in Milan.  Cin Cin which means cheers in Italian was one of the restaurants recommended by our hotel. 

The gentleman at the front was cheerful. “Come inside. We have fish and burgers; you will love our food.” 

“Yes, I’m tired of pizza!” Rose declared. 

Rose had been indulging her love for pizza and tonight she decided she had enough. 

The server ushered us to a cozy dining room in the back. Two servers attended to us. Our food arrived shortly and we were duly impressed by the aroma, the flavor, the freshness, the texture.  And the sauce! This meal delighted our senses and palates. 

My zuppa al peche (clams, mussels, and prawns simmered in white wine, olive oil, tomatoes and aromatics) paired perfectly with the slightly toasted bread. Rose’s plate of grilled sea bass, salmon, squid, shrimp, and crab legs, arranged like artwork, the perfect orange color was a feast for the eyes. This was fresh seafood served Italian style. Our stomach approved.  The meals satisfied--a fantastic ending to our pilgrimage in Italy.

Italian cooking is regional, focused on fresh and local ingredients, simple yet flavorful.

~ Nida Spalding