Mac's 20th Birthday: Buon Cumpleanno

Mac's Birthday Cake Courtesy of Boarding House International

Italian: Buon Cumpleanno

English: Happy Birthday

My roommate Mac turned twenty this past Thursday, and of course, we had to celebrate. We began the celebrations on Wednesday, when we met up with a pair of friends from UCSD for an apertivo, and a night out in Roma. On Thursday, Mac and I partook in a lovely and informative wine tasting, followed by another dinner at Flavio with Kate.

En Route to Testaccio

Testaccio is a region of Rome adjacent to Trastevere. It takes less than ten minutes for us to walk into Testaccio. Testaccio is the same area where we dined at Da Remo, which I discussed in a previous post. On Wednesday, we ventured over to Rec 23, a modern Italian restaurant that offered a well priced apertivo.

Rec 23 Apertivo Set-Up; Moscow Mule; Moscow Mule and my plate of delights; Zakk, Mac and Zach

Simply, how an apertivo works, is restaurants and bars/cafes, offer specials, usually between 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. where all you have to do is pay for at least one drink, and receive a complementary buffet of small dishes. It is very rare in Italy to simply order a drink without receiving some sort of food to eat along with it. Italians do not drink for the sake of drinking, but rather they always drink with their food.

I tried taking a photo of the setup of the inside, but the lighting was quite poor. As photographed above, Rec 23 set up a table next to their bar with an assortment of plates of finger food. The drink I decided to try this evening is called a Moscow Mule, essentially a ginger-citrus concoction. At the buffet, I helped myself to a few miniature quiches, bread with spreads, rice, salad, and of course some cheese. We made a meal out of their buffet, and went back a couple rounds. Considering that you only have to pay for your drinks, we concluded that we'll be partaking in apertivi many more times to come.

We were lucky to be joined by Zakk and Zach, two of our friends from UCSD. Zach (on the right), is one of the Senior College Ambassadors (Head Tour Guides), who trained Mac, and has avised me through my tour guide experience. These two are about half-way through their five week adventure throughout Europe! They were a fun pair, and since Zach previously studied abroad in Italy, he directed us to having a fun rest of the evening. 

Vino Roma; Bottle Display; Tasting Table; Map of Italy's Wines; Mac and Birthday Prosecco

On Thursday, Mac's real birthday, we partook in an exclusive wine tasting at Vino Roma. Vino Roma is located in one of Rome's oldest regions, called Monti. The studio is about ten minutes away from the Colosseum. It's a small studio, simply made up of a large white room, and spotlight over the massive tasting table. On the table you can see there are two wine glasses, one for white, and the other for red. They also served water and bread, as to not "disturb our palate." 

We tasted six wines, three white and three red. The name of the winery and white wines were: La Tunella Sauvignon 2011, Tenuta Le Quinte Virtu Romane 2010 and Planeta Chardonnay 2008. The reds were: Brovia Ciabot del Re 2006, Pasetti Testarossa 2007, and Planeta Plumbago 2010.

We drank them in the exact order listed. Our Sommelier, Maurizio, was very knowledgable and taught me a lot about wine that I had never known before. He showed us how to look at color variation to show aging and contact with Oxygen, the legs for alcohol content, use the smell of the wine as an indicator of where it was produced, and how to properly taste it (two tastes, the first to get your palette started, and the second to "chew," or simply slurp your whine to truly get the flavor). We went through each wine slowly, and discussed amongst the group what sensations we were experiencing, and in particular what kinds of food we would drink them with. 

Mac and I in the Cellar; The Wine we Drank; Mac and Maurizio

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the experience, as was Mac. Other than the school wine excursion, I've never participated in a proper wine tasting. I enjoyed learning about the process of how grapes are grown and cultivated, and in particular, the environment in which the grapes grow, which is executed in the wine's taste. For example, the last red wine we tasted, Plumbago 2010, is from Siciliy and is grown in an area near the ocean, and the vineyard is surrounded by flowers. After Maurizio told us these facts, I immediately realized that I could not only smell the salty sea air, but also taste a hint of floral undertones. 

Also, the prices for these wines were all fairly reasonable. They ranged from 9 Euros- 20 Euros. I am happy we did this wine tasting, while it is still early in my trip. I'll definitely take the tips and facts I learned to try and purchase good wines during dinner and when I go grocery shopping.

Overall, I believe Mac enjoyed her birthday. Although not pictured, we went to Flavio (along with Kate who unfortunately had class during the tasting), the same restaurant she and her mom took me. We concluded our night by eating the cake given to Mac by the program that runs our housing here in Trastevere! I wish Mac a very happy birthday, and I am so grateful to have spent it with her abroad in Rome. 

Look forward to my next post, which will detail my second excursion to a cheese farm!

First Weekend Excursion: Vino

Wine Cellar at Vini Principe Pallavicini

Italian: Vino

English: Wine

This past Saturday, our school hosted an excursion to Principe Pallavicini Vineyards, which is located in the region of Italy called: Latium, which is in between Colonna and Frascati. The tour of the vineyard included an explanation of the history of the vineyard, and viewing of the historic wine cellar, and run through of the modern style of wine making. In addition we had a wine tasting that emphasized not only how to drink wine, but also to taste, and drink wine with. After the tasting, our group ventured to Lake Albano where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a restaurant called Da Agnese, which is famous for Porchetta, and an afternoon on the lake.

Kate and Mac waiting in Piazza della Republicca 

We awoke in the early hours of the morning to take public transportation to Piazza della Republicca, to catch the bus for the excursion. Piazza della Republicca is a bus stop away from Termini Train Station, and the area is absolutely gorgeous. We boarded the bus at 8:30 on the dot, and drove the hour long ride to the vineyard. 

Vini Principe Pallavicini: Underground in the Old Wine Cellar

Our tour guide, Mauro De Angelis, one of the vineyards agronomists who is responsible for making all of the changes to the land of the vineyards, delivered an impressive overview of the very detailed history of the lands in which the vineyard is built on. The vineyard is located right outside the border of Rome. Many noble families owned this vast land, and constantly competed with one another for power, which was showcased through their wealth. The Pallavicini, being one of these noble families, were responsible for electing Pope Clement IX.

The Pallavicini family has owned this land since 1670. The noble family is still heavily invested in their winery, but rely on Mauro, and a few other qualified wine specialists, to maintain their vineyards. The winery exports 50% of their wine internationally. This winery in particular specializes in Frascati, which is the white wine we were fortunate to try during our tasting.

The underground wine cellar beholds a quick view of how wine used to be made. Mauro instructed us to touch the walls of cellar. To the touch, it felt cold and soft, just like clay. He pointed out various pieces of architecture and markings which showed evidence of Grecian and Roman styles. In particular there was a marble slate built into the wall that still had the original carvings still in tact. Mauro explained that the old marble doorway, which had carvings of grapes and scripture, shows how serious wine making was even centuries ago (emphasis on the fact that the old structure had a marble doorway).

Modern Machinery; Grapes and Vines; Me, Kate and Mac in front of the lavish Vineyard (Photo Credit Mac Witmer)

One of the modern facilities where they make wine is equipped with state of the art "wine" technology. Mauro explained how the vineyard implements green-technology, and actually reuses grapes that are left over from the wine-making process. No grapes go to waste in the process! About 25% of the vineyards' wine is aged in barrels. Mauro made a point to explain that although this technique provides great flavor, and tradition, he also told us that a lot of wineries abuse this method in order to provide more oak flavor in their wine. I was impressed by the tour of this part of the grounds, and I felt comfortable knowing that this business is implementing eco-friendly techniques, and is noble with their product and reputation.

Wine Tasting: Frascati-White Wine and Rubillo-Red Wine

After the extensive tour, we drove back to the central location and tasted two wines. A white wine called: Frascatti and a red wine called: Rubillo. During the tasting, Mauro explained the concept of how when you taste wine, it is very different from simply drinking it. When you taste, you're tasting for obviously flavor, but you should notice the smell and variation from when you first start drinking your glass, to the end of it. 

I thought we were very fortunate to have such an elaborate overview of the wines produced at Pallavicini. The red Rubillo we drank is also one of 4,000 bottles they make a year, out of 600,000. We were tasting quality product. This was my first every wine tasting, and I thought it was a great insight into the culture of Italian drink and cuisine. 

Da Agnese: Panne; Antipasto; Spaghetti All'Amatriciana; Italian Crumble with Nutella

After the wine tasting, we took a windy bus ride to Castel Gandolfo, where Da Agnese is located. According to one of the coordinators on our trip, he detailed how Da Agnese is a very popular restaurant in this vacation town. Many locals, and Romans, will drive to Lake Albano, in particular to dine at Da Agnese. Surprisingly, it was a great place to host such a large group of students.

The food was fantastic and quite filling. We were all starving and immediately dived into the brown paper wrapped bread. Soon, we were given plates upon plates of wonderful antipasto dishes. It was hard to photograph them all, since I was so hungry. I personally dined on mozzarella, a variety of cured meats, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, porchetta, variety of cheeses and spicy olives. Obviously, I had a sampling of each of these, but all were delicious except for their porchetta. Even though it's their "specialty,"I actually didn't care for the porchetta, I found it to dry and bland. Everything else, in particular the olives, were well seasoned, which made me quite satisfied since I feel slightly deprived of spicy food here.

Pasta was the main dish. I choose Spaghetti All'Amatricana. All'Amatriciana is a class italian sauce that is made with dried pork cheek, pecorino cheese, and tomato. The sauce was spicy and flavorful, so far this has been my favorite pasta dish this entire trip. 

Lastly, for dessert we had the option of panna cotta or an Italian crumble. I've had panna cotta quite a few times back in the States, and was inclined to get the crumble, mainly because I had no idea what "Italian crumble," was. I was disappointed with my choice. The plate was essentially filled with pudding, had some sort of flakes scattered throughout, and drizzles of nutella. It wasn't bad, but I ended up leaving most of it on the plate. 

My friends and I concluded that it was a complete, and satisfying meal. 

Lake Albano; Pope's Summer Home and Observatory

This past Saturday was one of the coolest days we have experienced here in Rome this entire trip. It's amazing, after being close to 100 degrees F for days, that the one day we go to the lake it is completely overcast. Needless to say, it was still beautiful and pleasant weather to walk around in. Kate and Mac fancied a dip with their feet, and reported that the water was actually, really warm! 

Castel Gandolfo, not only is the home to Lake Albano, but also the Pope's summer residence, as photographed above. We were told that the church also has it's own observatory, which is in the yellow building on the top of the hill. 

Overall, it was a great weekend excursion, and I feel very lucky to be apart of this program and partake in such organized activities. It's amazing how much is possible to pack in a day here, especially in this city. Today, being Sunday, was an extremely mellow day in Rome, or Italy in general. The majority of shops and restaurants are closed. We experienced an almost full day of rain, and decided it's the break in the weather (fingers crossed)! In a few days I'll be experiencing my first Midterm in Italian, which will take up most of my time studying for seeing as we just started learning Italian! But, there are other things I have in store for this blog, such as my roommate Mac's birthday, and hopefully an excursion to a cheese farm this weekend. Ciao!

Strolling Along: Trastevere

Tiber River 

Italian: Trastevere

English: Beyond the River

Today, Mac and I decided to walk the length of the Tiber River that stretches from our school until we reached the Mouth of Truth. I realized that I had never thought of the literal meaning of my neighborhood's name: Trastevere. The name actually comes from Latin, "trans Tiberim," which means beyond the river. 

I always cross the Tiber en route to school, so it seems silly that I was not aware as to why my neighborhood is called Trastevere. The Tiber is the third longest river in Italy, and it's known as Rome's main watercourse.

Patrick, Kate and Mac along the Tiber River at Lungo Il Tevere

Earlier this week, Mac, Kate, and I met up with Mac's UCSD friend Patrick who is studying abroad at John Cabot University. We decided to walk along the river, and explore the vendors at Lungo Il Tevere. Lungo Il Tevere is a free event that has occurred along the Tiber for the past eleven years. The event's goal is to provide citizens and tourists the opportunity to experience culture free of charge. We enjoyed meeting up with Patrick, as well as strolling the length of the entire event. Although overpriced, we still chose to sit and buy some drinks to enjoy the Tiber's wonderful evening atmosphere. 

Campo Di'Fiori Farmer's Market

For the last hour of our Italian class, our teachers sent us to an Il Mercato Aperto (open air market), at Campo Di'Fiori. We reviewed how to ask questions such as, may I taste (assaggio), how much (quanto costa), and various food vocabulary. My Italian teacher, Katia, also described how food is sold at an open air market. Fruit and vegetables are sold in kilograms: "chilo," or half a kilo: "mezzo kilo." Where as, cold cuts of meat and cheese are sold by "etta," which essentially means a 1/10th of a gram, otherwise known as a very small amount. I was thankful that she warned us about signs that may say: "Fragola 2 Euro...etta," this is a sign that the farmer wants to rip us (most likely foreigners) off, because they want to sell a small amount of their strawberries for a higher price, but provide less quantity. This Sunday, Mac, Kate and I are finally going to the Farmer's Market called Campagna Di' Amici, where we had the welcome dinner for school. We'll be arriving around 9 a.m., as avised by other Italians, in order to scout out the array of goods. I am quite excited for this trip, seeing as how I have not been impressed by the local grocery store's stock.

Mac and I at the Bocca della Verita

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Mac and I visited the Bocca Della Verita, or Mouth of Truth, located on the other end of the Tiber River, in the church Saint Maria in Cosmedin. There are quite a few legends about this sculpture, but most Romans think it represents the ancient God of the Tiber River. The infamous legend that started in the Middle Ages claims that when one sticks their hand in the mouth, and tells a lie, it will get bitten off. 

Or, you may refer to the classic scene in Roman Holiday when Gregory Peck jokingly puts his hand in his sleeve, revealing a handless arm to costar Audrey Hepburn. According to Kate, Hepburn's shocked reaction is completely natural, and was supposedly unscripted.

Pizzeria Da Remo: Fried Zucchini Flowers, Margherita Pizza and White Prosciutto Pizza

After our adventure to the Mouth of Truth, Mac and I waited for Kate to come back from Italian class. Since it was Friday we decided to go out to eat. Initially we wanted to go out for an apertivo, but we couldn't find a decent one in our area. Instead, we ventured over to one of the close by neighborhoods, Testaccio, to eat at one of the "best" pizzerias in Rome. Pizzeria Da Remo is open only for dinner. When we arrived a little before 8 p.m. the place was already filled with a mixture of Italians, and foreigners such as ourselves. 

The Menu, pictured partially above, was quite simple. There were no explanations for anything and you were given a pen to mark what you wanted. I have been in a desperate search for fried zucchini blossoms, and saw them on the menu. We eagerly wrote the number "1" next to the order thinking we would get an appetizer portion, but our waiter had to correct us by awkwardly questioning us as to why we only wanted "1," flower for the three of us. We immediately switched the order to three, and confirmed with him our choices of the classic Pizze Rosse: Margherita, and Pizze Bianche: Prosciutto. He also felt inclined to inform us that Pizze Bianche means "without sauce," and when we said we know he seemed to hastily take our menu away in disbelief. 

Although the service was not necessarily friendly, the food was simple and satisfying. The fried blossoms were not stuffed, but still quite tasty. The pizza is made in a wood-fire grill, so the thin crust delivered a fantastic crunch with each bite. Although I was not blown away by the pizzas, I still was happy with our choices, and now can finally cross off having a Margherita pizza here in Italy. My goal is to find Pizze Bianche con Prosciutto e Fichi (White Pizza with Prosciutto and Figs), while figs are still in season. Also, Da Remo is quite inexpensive (5 Euros for a Margherita Pizza!). We ordered three blossoms, two pizzas, and three drinks and our total was only 28 Euro. We'll be back if we're craving a good and cheep meal!

Look forward to my next post, which will detail my experience wine tasting at Vini Principe Pallovicini, and spending the day in Castel Gondolfo (where the Pope's vacation home is!). Ciao!