World Nutella Day 2012

It's that time of year again! And since I'm on a diet trying to cut down on sweets, for this edition of World Nutella Day I won't break the gilded seal of the usual giant tub, rather savor every finger scoop of this tiny 30 gr (1 oz) mini Nutella. These wee jars are sold during the holiday season as tree ornaments, see the clear plastic eyelet? Clever.

Happy World Nutella Day to all my friends, readers, family near and far, and a huge thanks to the sweet events' founders, dearest Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and darling Michelle of Bleeding Espresso for putting this celebration together every year and giving me a chance to indulge.
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Baci nutellosi!

Value dining in Rome

C'è crisi — it's crisis time: there's no way around it. Our former prime minister insisted the opposite as recently as last fall, when he told the world that Italian restaurants were packed to the hilt with happy folk spending money right, left and center. But that was 2011. Welcome to 2012, which finds Italy's economy poised on a slippery slope and trickling south faster than melting butter.
Dining out will remain an option for few fortunate foreign wayfarers and revolutionary nonconformists. But for others, pick carefully. Here's my shortlist of where to score a value meal, and still feel like living La Dolce Vita...  Continue Reading ➔

Best museum restaurants in Rome

The combination of Art and Food in a city like Rome is a no-brainer. The illuminated trend of coupling delectable cuisine with paintings and sculptures originated in several European cities, like Bilbao with restaurant Nerua at the Guggenheim Museum, Barcelona, Paris at the Musée d'Orsay, Avignon and St Etienne. Other world museums that have picked up on this idea include the Tate Modern in London, the Winter Palace at the Hermitage in St Petersburg, and The Modern at MoMA in New York City, to mention a few.

Here's what the Eternal City has to offer in terms of museum restaurtants:

© Canova Tadolini 1818

Atelier Canova Tadolini 
The studio where Antonio Canova and pupil Adamo Tadolini worked in the early 1800s is now a unique cafe and restaurant, where patrons dine surrounded by plaster replicas and marble fragments of the maestro's scuplture.
Don't miss the sea bass carpaccio with lemongrass sauce, the gnocchi with zucchini blossoms, cherry tomatoes and asparagus tips, or the grilled veal medallions with side of chickory flan.
Via del Babuino 151 (Tridente) Tel. +39 0632110702 - The restaurant is open daily noon to 11pm, cafe opens at 8am.


Bistro Cafe - Chiostro del Bramante 

Come for high tea, or to dine on fresh seasonal dishes in the Hall of the Sybils from which, thanks to large glass windows overlooking the church of Santa Maria della Pace, you can admire the famous Raphael frescoes of the "Sibille e Angeli." The menu is perfect for vegetarians with its featured salads, bean soups and bruschette loaded with toppings, all enjoyed while making use of the free wi-fi.
Via Arco della Pace 5 (Navona) Tel. +39 0668809035 ext#26 - Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 8pm. 

Caffé Capitolino at Terrazza Caffarelli - Musei Capitolini
The breathatking view of Roman tiled rooftops is staggering from the top of the archeological Capitoline Museums, housed in Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Caffarelli.Visitors can take a breather from all the beauty inside the museum halls by sitting on the terrace of the Caffé Capitolino and ordering freshly squeezed juices, potent espresso or the house specialty salads, which come served in huge bowls.
Piazza Caffarelli (access from the musuem or from top of the giant Campidoglio staircase, turn right and head uphill) Tel. +39 0669190564 - Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 8pm.  

Caffé delle Arti - Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna
The National Gallery of Modern Art (aka GNAM) nestled in lush Villa Borghese, was built in 1883 to house the modern art of unified Italy. The cafe and restaurant "of the arts" occupies a shady wing of the museum's monumental structure, with a terrace surrounded by trees and greenery. After feeding your soul with masterpieces by Guttuso, Klimt, De Chirico, Pollock, Balla, Calder and Mondrian, fill your body with beef carpaccio, eggplant parmesan, a tasty timballo made with tortellini, and vegetarian cous cous, sprawled on one of the leafy terrace's plush sofas.
Via Gramsci 73 - Tel. +39 0632651236 - Open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30am to 7:30pm.

© Cibando | Andrea Di Lorenzo

Open Colonna - Palazzo delle Esposizioni
Perched atop Rome's largest interdisciplinary exhibition area, sits an airy transparent open-space loft, which turns into a flickering urban lantern as night falls. Chef Colonna's innovative cuisine combines traditional Roman cucina povera with international and cosmopolitan flavors. Dinner is served upsatirs in the "Gourmet" level, but don't miss the value lunch options offered between Tuesday and Friday, with two buffet menus to choose from at a flat €16 per person.
Stairway entrance at Via Milano 9A (Nazionale) Wheelchair entrance on via Piacenza - Tel. +39 0647822641 - Open Tuesday to Sunday lunch from noon to 11pm.

MACRO 138 - MACRO
Museo d'Arte Contemporanea a Roma spells the contemporary art museum's acronym, whose permanent collection offers a selection of some of the most significant expressions of the Italian art scene since the 1960s. The all-organic and biodynamic restaurant housed in a spectacular glass and steel structure, offers buffet lunch and à la carte dinner, with an ever-changing menu largely dictated by seasonal and local availability.
Via Nizza 138 (Nomentano) Tel. +39 068548274 - Open Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 3pm; and 8 to 11pm. Sunday open for lunch only.

MAXXI 21 - MAXXI
The museum of 21st century art is Rome's latest addition. Anglo-Iraqui architect Zaha Hadid's vision was to design a space in which the pleasure of enjoying art (and food) is experienced at 360°. The MAXXI 21 restaurant's menu is based on the concepts of zero food miles, with use of products hailing from the immediate vicinity of Rome, particularly those in season; and zero calories thanks to a delicious menu designed to include only preparations containing less than 250 Kcal.
Via Guido Reni, 4A (Flaminio) Tel. +39 063207230 - Open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 7pm, and Saturday from 11am to 10pm.

If it's music you're most into, and need respite from all the museum-visiting, why not make a stop at Rome's newest concert hall?
ReD - Restaurant and Design at Auditorium Parco della Musica is open from breakfast through to post-dinner drinks, with delectable meals in between. Chef Carelli's cuisine features both classic and innovative dishes, plus interesting artisan microbrewery ales and an impressive winelist. I'm often seen here for evening aperitivo, or to watch the rugby games broadcast on giant screens and mostly, for the pumpkin ravioli with home-churned butter and black truffles, the paccheri pasta with lobster tails, fresh tomato and basil, and the divine lamb shank with sweet pepper tiramisu.
Viale De Coubertin 12-16 (Flaminio) Tel. +39 0680691630 - Open daily from 9am to 2 am.

Detox after the holiday binge

Taken as a whole, the Italian holiday menu can defeat an elephant.
The stuffing ritual begins as early as Dec. 8th, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, with mugs of hot chocolate and doppia panna (double cream). Less than a week later comes Santa Lucia, she of the traditional buttery biscuits.
But Mission Impossible opens its real run on Christmas Eve, and continues through New Year's...

After the abuse, there's always a time of abdominal repose and deep repentance. But instead of fasting and making resolutions that involve promising never again to ingest anything other than liquids, I recommend you follow my "Big Eater's post-Feste Detox Ground Rules."  Continue Reading ➔

Best meals in Rome 2011

I was recently asked by friend and food guru Katie Parla to share thoughts on my best meals, dishes, and food experiences from Rome this year. I was honored by Katie's invitation to reflect along with notable cooks, fellow food writers and historians, on Rome's best bites of 2011.
Continue Reading ➔

Canederli | Knödel ~ South Tyrol matzah balls

Imagine lying on a flowery Alpine meadow while inhaling the resinous scent of mountain pine, and enjoying the salubrious effect of a chalice of local wine. This is a typical relaxation treatment in one of many wellness centers scattered in the mystical Alto Adige territory, and where for an entire summer week I took some time off to embrace the power of the mountains and nature.

In seven days of pure bliss my tense body was wrapped in damp hay, massaged from head to toe with balsamic ointments, emulsions made from freshly pressed apple juice and wrapped in cotton sheets soaked in salt and apple vinegar. An entire week of bathing in mountain pine waters and lazy soaking in tubs of whey sourced from the farmstead just around the corner. The renovation phase was finally topped with a "Vinotherapy" wine bath. This local – and now very popular – pamper supreme begins with an initial body scrub using crushed grape skins, followed by a brief nap wrapped in a crisp linen sheet, followed by a hot bath, a glass of red wine and a massage with grape-seed oil. Not to mention the food that comes with it all.

I'm a lover of all soups, whatever the season, and in the seven days of spa heaven, I OD'd on Knödel, or Canederli. These scrumptious dumplings made with leftover bread, are tremendously similar to Jewish matzah balls, likewise cooked and served in stock, and consumed preferably in front of a blazing fireplace.

200 gr (1 cup) stale bread
1 egg
20 gr (2 tbsp) butter
80 gr (5 tbsp) speck, diced (Optional)
1 small white onion
1 tbsp chives
50 gr (1/4 cup) unbleached flour
100 ml (3 fl oz) boiling hot milk
1 sprig fresh marjoram
1 pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Prepare good meat stock, important for best results. No bouillon cube this time, sorry.
Dice the bread and soak it in the boiling hot milk, allowing the crumb to absorb milk for 2 hours. It should bloat but still remain sufficiently pliable, not completely melt.

Finely chop the speck (if you're using it), onion and cut the chives and marjoram.
Wilt the onion in some butter, simmering it gently for a few minutes. Let it cool.

Mash the pulpy bread with the tines of a fork or in a food mill. Add the onions, flour, the chopped speck, part of the chives and marjoram, and the egg. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and knead well with your wet hands, shaping the mixture into several dumplings the size of golf balls, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the skimmed meat stock with the remaining chives and marjoram. Toss in the canederli and cook for 6-7 minutes. Serve 4-5 balls in each individual deep soup bowl, swimming in the steaming clear broth.
Pair with a stuctured red.

At the above-mentioned spa in Val di Non where I was pampered for that divine week of nourishing treatments, the chef (who happened to be the chief masseuse’s husband) made his knödel as one single fist-sized orb instead of the usual several per bowl.