Food tour Tuesday

Oh my gosh, today was amazing! I went on a day long walking tour of an old Roman district with a focus on trying real, high-quality Italian food. Man, was it worth it! I got to try real versions of everything I wanted to eat in Italy! And it was all so so good! The group of people was also great, everyone had a real passion for food and was really interested in it, and were friendly and nice. I waste only one who was travelling alone and everyone seemed to think that made me super brave and super interesting. I guess when I sum up my current life in a few sentences, I do sound rather unusual. One lovely Canadian Chinese couple took a real shine to me, and actually asked me atone of questions and it was so refreshing to speak to people who wanted to have a conversation rather than just talk about themselves. Great!

But, on with the food! Well, first of we went to a bakery and tried a cornetto, which is a little bit like a croissant but not really. It was lovely! And then we had mini tiramisu cups! It was little tiramisu in tiny chocolate cups, all edible. They were delicious! Then we walked around the corner to one of the top 3 pizza places in Rome and tried a slice of pizza magherita. They drizzled it with olive oil before serving it, olive oil that had been pressed fresh only 10 days ago! It was so good!

Then, back around the corner to the first ever specialty food store in Rome. We tried pecorino cheese, which is from sheep's milk. It had real truffles in it, I really liked that one. Then we had real parmesan, prosciutto, and salami. My fave, fave, favourite was the prosciutto. It melted in your mouth, it was amazing! Then we went into the store and some people bought some stuff, but I just tried some samples of 5, 10, and 15 year old balsamic vinegar. Oh my god.it started out great, and the older it got it almost became magical!

After that we went to see some sites nearby like a beautiful cemetery, the old abattoir, and a couple of other things. Rome and it's history are really fascinating. Then we went to an outdoor market where we tried some bruschetta - and learned how to pronounce it! And then tried some for real buffalo mozzarella! It was so different to anything I have ever eaten that's been called mozzarella. Then we tried canoli. It's a fried pastry tube filled with ricotta and chocolate chips, then lightly dusted in crushed pistachios. I'd never had it before, and it was on my list of must try things for Italy. Everyone raves about it and how great it is, and while it was nice, I didn't think it was that great. These were apparently very high quality ones. Guess it's just not my favourite thing.

Anyway, then we went and tried suplli, which is a kind of fried rice ball. I'd describe it as a risotto croquette. The flavour was great! They were beef and parmesan. Then it was lunch time. We went to a little pasta place and tried three kinds of pasta, but I forgot all their names. One was a cheese and black pepper one, one was a spicy tomato one, and then a more classic tomato one. I actually didn't find them that great. They were my fourth attempt pasta now, a d I think I'm going to have to conclude, I just don't like it that much. They just seemed a. It bland and had nothing exciting in them.

Then, out last stop was the oldest gelatteria in Rome. They've won government recognition and been making gelato for 4 generations! I had two Labour's, which is normal here. I got chocolate and pistachio. Both were wonderful. The texture is what really does it. Thick and creamy and amazing. Though, the place I managed to find yesterday was pretty close to the same quality as far as I could tell.

And that wrapped up the food tour. I walked back to the station with the Canadian couple, and then I went back to the cemetery we had visited to take some photos and get followed by a very beautiful cat :) Then I made my way home. I am not going to need dinner tonight!

Fantastic day in Rome! I'd definitely recommend doing a food tour of some kind quite soon after arriving, just so you know whatnot should be looking for! I know so much more now! So good!