Mi Genitori

           On sunday when we returned to Rome, I was greeted with my parents.  They had flown in on Thursday night and spent the weekend with my brother while I was in Venice.  As a preface to this story, this week was shaped by food.  Sunday night, we went to an underground restaurant in Trastevere called Da I 2 Ciccioni.  My dad had given me an article from the New York Times debating the trattorias in Rome.  Danielle Pergament, who reviewed Home of the 2 Fat Guys, "...thought it was some guy's private kitchen where he hosted parties ever night.  I wasn't far off."  Our experience wasn't much different.  We found the restaurant up a deserted street; Trastevere used to be full of these streets, but now it is overrun with study abroad students.  Testaccio, the neighborhood I live right next to, is the now that "Old Rome" neighborhood.  We walked into a small comfortable room with about 6 tables.  The kitchen, a stove and a sink, was over in the corner.  Once we sat down we were given bruschette, patate puree, and fagioli.  The mashed potatoes were spiced with peppers and tomatoes.  We were asked if we would like Cacio e Pepe, cheese, pecorino to be specific, and pepper, or Amatriciana, tomato sauce and pancetta.  We opted for a sampling of both.  Both were served with rigatoni and both were delicious.  The Amatriciana was delicious and had a great homey quality to it.  The Cacio e Pepe, a pasta I hadn't come to appreciate yet, was also tasty and changed my opinion on the dish.  Stuffed and full of carbs, we were asked if we wanted a secundo; of course we couldn't turn them down.  Out of the oven came the most delicate, succulent, and flavorful chicken that I have ever had.  It was served over lettuce and dressed with oil and balsamic vinegar.  Although the plate was drenched in oil, the chicken was somehow not.  It had a hint of lemon ringing through it, but Gianni, the owner (one of the fat guys), said no lemon.  We finished off our house wine, I made a joke of squeezing the bottle to get more out of it, which prompted Gianni to bring us another bottle.  We had a couple glasses to recognize his hospitality.  After we over ate and finished it the plate, 3 glasses on our table and 2 bottles; one lemoncello and the other grappa.  Thank God I had wine left to chase the terrible taste that both those flammable alcohols provide.  It was early, 11:30, and I took them to the wine bar that Andrea had taken Adam and I.  We had a bottle of Rocche Costamagna 2007, Barbera d'Alba.  The bar was much more packed and a different scene, but still fun.  We didn't need that bottle, but it did make the walk home much more enjoyable.
          The next morning may parents walked the entire city while I was in class.  I met them after my class and we walked around Testaccio for a little bit.  I took them to Volpetti's and showed them the food emporium.  My dad was in love, he said he could be in here for hours.  I ordered three different panini, salami picante e burrata, proscuitto, pomodori, e mozzarella di bufalo, and porchetta e pomodori.  Before we had purchased a half liter of Montelpulciano d'Abruzzo from a store for about 1,30 euro (I will definitely be back there).

after my afternoon classes, I had to bus over to work at Le Fate.  I gave my parents instructions on how to get there for dinner; and served them when they came at 8:30 or so.  They had bruschetta (I think) that I made, and then shared a gnocchi, and then my mom had grilled chicken ( I think) that I made, and my dad had Maialino Al Forno which I had earlier that day.  I am glad they got to meet Andrea, and I am glad they met him.  It was nice to show them my work place and the new friends I was making there.
          Tuesday I had the morning off so we walked around the Jewish Ghetto.  I showed them a few of the many temples I have studied in Ancient Art of Rome.  We then found another underground restaurant, thanks to Rick Steves, called Sora Margherita.  It opened promptly at 12:30 and luckily we were there right then, because the tables filled up with 5 minutes.  Sora Margherita only has 2 menus for the entire restaurant, so it became a waiting game to see what to order.

After about 5 minutes, we got the menu and ordered Carciofi alla Giulia, Mozzarella di Bufalo con pomodorini, Fettucini Pesto alla Genovese, Agnolotti di sugo di carne, e Polpettte al sugo for the whole table to share.

The food was very good and it beat the convent lunch by a long shot.  I had to run off to class, and my parents went and walked the entire city.  I met them at about 7 to go to a Cul De Sac, an Enoteca near Piazza Navona.  Cul De Sac is a great wine bar offering very reasonable glasses of wine, and a 3 inch thick wine list.  Mom had a glass of chardonnay Mandrarossa Furetta from Sicily, Dad had a glass of Mandrarossa Nero d'Avola Cartagho from Sicily, and I had a glass of Sella & Mosea Cannonau Riserva from Sardegna.  We started talking with the couple next to us to find that he works at Google.  The conversation was focused on that for a little while, and ended when I asked about internships.  We finished our wine, and walked over to our third cash only restaurant, Da Alfredo e Ada.  It was another small place, with one waiter, and one lady working in the "kitchen."  And by kitchen I mean a broom closet with a hot plate and one electric burner.

We all had Penne all'Amtriciana (it was the best I've had to date, full of spice and finally with pancetta).

We had a choice for our secundo; Mom and I had Vitello con Verdure: Patate, Piselli, e Broccoli (Veal with Vegetables: Potatoes, peas, and broccoli).  Dad had the Involtini con verdure (Rolls of beef covered in tomato sauce, probably braised in it, and served with chicory and broccoli raab).  

The veal was absolutely amazing, but the real star was the peas.  Now most of you know, I am not the biggest vegetable guy, and peas are up on the list of things I like least, but these were delicious.  They were covered in the same sauce as the veal, a very light white wine sauce with a peppery bite.  He was kind to share the recipe with me and it was very simple.

                 Sear the veal for 10 minutes with onions and pepperoncino (red pepper flakes)

                 After the onions have sweat, add white wine, water, olive oil, celery, onions, 

                 pepper, butter, and peas.  Cook this for about 30 minutes, or until it's done.

Dessert was biscotti which we were told to dunk in our wine (some very seasoned advice).  The waiter, the son of Alfredo e Ada (unfortunately, both have passed away) poured us a glass of dessert prosseco.

It was an awesome evening all for a ridiculously cheap price of 54 euro.  I will be coming here many times over the rest of the semester.  We then walked around the neighborhood trying to find an organic gelato place.  The gelato was great, the best I have had in Italy.  The neighborhood was also worth mentioning, although somewhat close to Piazza Navona, there were no tourists in this district.  It was a quite area with high end antique and retail shops.  The streets were tiny and close knit with an ancient feel to it, but with the similar qualities to the Aventine (where I live).  

          Wednesday, I had a 3 hour walking tour in the morning and then had class in the afternoon.  My parents again walked the city and in the afternoon visited the Borghese Gallery, I on the other hand, did my laundry.  We met up at their hotel room and finished off the end of the bottle my parents had at Palombi, an enoteca that my parents had grown fond of.  I had made reservations at Da Gino's, according to the Food and Wine book Adam gave me for Christmas, claimed that "if you have only one trattoria meal in Rome, eat it here."  David Downie's claim was not unqualified; the entire meal was spectacular.  Mario our waiter made the meal even better; he was energetic and wasn't upset answering every question that we had.  

We started with the Antipasto Misto Della Casa which had Mortadella, Salumi piccante, prosciutto, baked mushrooms, baked tomatoes, baked zucchini, artichokes, black olives, and ridicchio with an anchovy vinaigrette.  

I had the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, giving the pasta another chance, and the noodles were incredibly long.

Dad had Tonnarelli alla Ciociara, the house pasta with peas, mushrooms, and guinciale in a white wine sauce, 

Mom had some unnamed type of pasta Carbonara, with zucchini blossoms added.

What I especially like about trattorias, is that you can say bring me a bottle of whatever wine you like, and they do.  He brought us a bottle of 2008 Marchesi Alfieri Sansoero Grignolino.  The wine was very light in color, and once we got over that, we really enjoyed it.

I then had Arrosto di Vitello con patate.  

Dad had Coniglio al Vino bianco (one best dish of the night).  

And Mom had Saltimbocca alla Romana.

We then had two desserts that we absolutely didn't need and filled ourselves up to our windpipes.  Tiramisu:

and Mousse al Cioccolato:

The food was so good that after we went to the Carvaggio exhibit the next day and had a bottle of wine at Enoteca Corsi, we returned to the same lovely dining room of Gino's for a second night.  Oh and this place is also cash only.  This is the best place I have been to in Rome, and I will recommend it to anyone and everyone.  Do not miss it.

Hi mom!

Our 5 days in Rome were amazing, but the real fun was in Umbria...