A Friday Filled with Food and Fun!

Since we didn't have classes this past Friday, we took the opportunity to check some items off of our "to do in Rome" list. In the morning we headed over to the Gianicolo Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome. One of our professors had recommended an American eatery with bagels, pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon (American bacon!), as well as lunch options. Since we were all craving a true American breakfast, we headed to this cute, hole-in-the-wall caffe next to the American University of Rome. The owners were a married couple, the man being American and the woman Italian, and they had all things American (including coffee, of which they had both Italian and American). They even had a US map on one of their walls, where we pinned San Diego! We didn't realize how much we missed these breakfast foods until we stepped in and could smell the comforting aroma of pancakes and maple syrup. Craving both a bagel with cream cheese and pancakes, we split both while sipping hot chocolate (the American kind) with jumbo marshmallows! It was even more delicious than it looked, and we were giddy with happiness. Even though we only have a couple more weeks here, we wouldn't be surprised if we came back soon.

Katie and her bagel with cream cheese.

Megan enjoying some pancakes with maple syrup.

Hot chocolate!!

To walk off all of the food we ate, we headed over to Piazza Giusseppe Garibaldi, also on the Gianicolo, and admired the view of the city. According to one of our professors, this view is pretty close to the same view Bernini had in the 17th century. At noon, we watched as the military set off a cannon, a daily ceremonial activity (which you can't hear in the city). Since it was a wonderful spring day, we decided to mosey our way down the hill back into the city. 

The noon cannon firing.

One of the many views from the Gianicolo. 

Piazza Guisseppe Garibaldi. 

Relishing in the view of Rome (Elisabeth, Katie, Megan, Jennifer, Katie Q., and Mallory)

Later that evening, we were eager for the special cooking class we had organized for those in our program who were interested in learning about, cooking, and (the best part) eating Roman dishes. Let's just say, it was probably one of the best nights of our time here in Rome! Our cooking class was led by the most adorable couple: Chef Andrea Consoli with his American wife, Erica. Chef Andrea constantly expressed his mission in life as helping non-Italians learn about their culture and cuisine. He was so full of pride for his culture and was easily the most charming and welcoming Italian we have ever met. This class consisted of a four-course meal: appetizer, pasta dish, main dish with a side, and dessert. We also signed up for a wine pairing with each dish, so Chef Andrea could show us "there is more than just Chianti" in Italy. Our menu for the evening was two types of bruschette (one with traditional tomatoes and basil, the other with arugula and soft Stracchino cheese), homemade cavatelli pasta (small twisted pasta) with Roman Arrabbiata (spicy tomato) sauce, sautéed artichokes and potatoes along with a sauté side of mushrooms, peas, and onions, and finally, traditional tiramisu. All of the ingredients were freshly bought earlier that day, so we knew we were in the right place. There were two stations, one in the kitchen and the other outside of the kitchen. It was great to work together to prepare the meal, from chopping up parsley to making the pasta dough, from carving the artichokes to plating the bruschette. 

Our menu for the night!

We could see the fresh ingredients through the kitchen door!

Tiramisu is in the works!

Starting to make the pasta dough.

Katie chopping up parsley.

Cavatelli!

Learning how to cut artichokes from Chef Andrea. 

While cooking, we learned so much about the ingredients we were using, the dishes we were making, and why Italians use these ingredients. For example, Arrabbiata means "angry" in Italian, and when you eat this sauce, since it is a little spicy, your face gets red like you're mad. Also, some limoncello served in restaurants actually don't have lemon in it, just alcohol, sugar, water, and lemon flavoring, so it's not real limoncello. Chef Andrea also called celery the most useless ingredient on earth because it doesn't provide really any nutrients and it's tasteless! Erica told us that "tiramisu" means "to pick me up," so the espresso in the dessert is supposed to help you get up and out of your chair when you finish the meal. When some restaurants put liquor in their tiramisu, they are going against the traditional essence of the dessert. We wish we could remember everything Chef Andrea and his wife told us as it was all so fascinating! 

After about 2 hours of cooking, we were famished and excited to eat the dishes we had just prepared. Our first course, the bruschette--simple yet so refreshing and light due to the quality of ingredients--was paired with prosecco. While we knew prosecco is a wine that you drink before your meal, Chef Andrea told us the reasoning behind this: when you spend so much time in the kitchen, your stomach thinks it is full. By sipping this dry bubbly wine, it cleanses your palate and lets your stomach know that you are hungry and ready to devour the next courses! This was followed by the cavatelli all'arrabbiata; while it was a little spicy, we couldn't stop eating it! This was paired with a frescati wine, local to the Lazio region. We had a little break to recuperate and prepare for the main dish and side (the artichokes and potatoes with mushrooms, peas and onions). Artichokes are a specialty to Rome, and while they were difficult to prepare, the taste made it worth it! We kept trying to eat as much as we could because we didn't want any of it to go to waste, though we had to slow down a little bit. This was paired with a montepulciano from the Abruzzo region. After another break, we searched our stomachs for a little more room to fit in the final course, the tiramisu! The tiramisu was absolutely astounding, it was only one layer to make it a little lighter after a big meal, and we had put little chunks of chocolate to add a little crunch to it. With our final dish, we tried a moscato (according to Chef Andrea, it really isn't a moscato), which was a light way to finish off the meal. 

Bruschette with tomatoes and basil and arugula and soft Stracchino cheese. 

Sorry, we forgot to take a picture of our cavatilli all'arrabbiata before we started eating! We were just too excited! 

Side platter of sautéed mushrooms, peas, and onions. 

Our main course of artichokes and potatoes. 

Tiramisu to finish off the meal!

The best part of the meal was sitting around the table together, sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying each others' presence while eating some of the best food of our lives. We are so glad to have taken this class, and we are so grateful to Chef Andrea and Erica for their generosity in sharing their passion with us! If any of you want the recipes to these dishes, we will be only too happy to pass them along. And, if any of you have some time in Rome, you will not regret taking one of Chef Andrea's "Cooking Classes in Rome!"