Mangia!

 Food in Italy is not just fuel for the body, it is a major part of life. To live you must have people in your life and they must be shown your care, concern and admiration. Feeding them well is something instilled from birth. Family, food and festival...an Italian trinity.

Pranza is the mid-day meal that many of us, as visiters never partake. Local trattoria will have full platters of various "in season" dishes prepared and waiting for the many near by patrons with only limited time...can't get home and then back to work, etc. or they just want to be with their friends. Bar Rossana is one that we have been lucky enough to enjoy. Rossana and Cristiano make sure there is plenty and we attest to the quality! By looking at me you know that I do enjoy food!

Living in the Campo dei Fiori was a dream fulfilled. We ate out or took advantage of Grace's skills. She learned how to cook from Nonna Carmela, no one has ever complained! The prime things to know about cooking Italian start with region, as each area of the country has different climate and growing conditions. Everything must be not only fresh, but ripe. No matter how long you simmer a rock it remains a rock! Seasonal dishes abound because things mature at different times, or are available according to what is caught. Generally the north uses more butter than the south...it's a cooler climate. The south takes advantage of longer growing season so they use a lot of produce...stuffed zucchini flowers! Yum!

Wine, apertifs and Limoncello...espresso and cappachino with biscotti...gelato?

How can anyone partake of all this and not love those around you? After a gelato what type of human is mean-minded? Limoncello or Mirto to settle it all...Heaven???   Certo!!!!