February 2021 Newsletter

Rome, radicchio, vermouth and more.

Hello from Rome!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. January is my all time favorite month to be in Rome. The weather is drop dead gorgeous. The days are crisp and cold (but not too cold) the skies are clear with a few puffy clouds to offset the blue. If you make it up to a high terrace or one of those seven hills, the air is so clear that you can see the snow capped mountains in the far distance. Sure, there are a few rainy days here and there, but I kind of welcome the chance to get cozy inside by the fire.

Another reason that I usually love Rome this time of year is because it empties out. After the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the city falls off most tourists radars. Of course this year is completely different. There were no tourists in the first place. And with many offices still closed with most people working from home, the city center is the emptiest I’ve ever seen it. In other words, you can walk through Piazza Venezia without taking your life in your hands.

It’s bizarre to say the least.

I am well aware of what the emptiness means (no work, virus, etc) but I’m trying to enjoy it while I can. Because I know the city will bounce back. There will be Romans again, and tourists, but for now, it’s just empty Rome, me and puffy white clouds.

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WHAT’S NEW

Although I’d love to be able to tell you exactly when tourism will open back up, at the moment I don’t have any clear answers. But I’m eternally optimistic, especially with vaccines going forward (slower than expected, but really that’s to be expected). I’m just going with the flow, making plans, but not totally freaking out when those plans don’t go exactly as planned. This is huge for me, since I LIVE by meticulously prepared itineraries (hey, it’s my job). Realizing I don’t have much control over things? It’s a new set of emotions I’m dealing with here. And I’m happy to report it’s going fine. (Yes, martinis and chips every evening don’t hurt)

That doesn’t mean I’m not making plans. Quite the contrary. I’ve spent the last month looking way forward, trying to pack in as much traveling as possible for the time when this thing is done, and we are allowed to dust off passports and get back on trains, planes and automobiles.

So, expect lots of new tours to appear here, in our schedule for 2022. Can I tell you how completely joyful it has been to talk with hotel owners and book dozens of hotel rooms? I just added another Week in Sicily to our spring 2022 list, in April because the first one filled up already. Yay to that!!

Stay tuned for more updates to our 2022 schedule. I’ve got big new trips in the works. And if you’d like me to send you an email, with details, just let me know.

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WHAT I’M READING

After reading Leave the World Behind (grim) I needed something light. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes was perfect. It is set in Depression era Kentucky and tells the story of a group of women who open a traveling library, delivering books via pack horses.

I just started Louise Erdich’s latest book, The Night Watchman. It’s the story of the American government’s attempt to close the Indian reservations in the 1950’s. It’s fiction, but based on historic facts, including the life of the author’s grandfather.

Loved this article (paywall) about the power of Instagram to allow home cooks and chefs to sell their food online. It’s a pivot for sure, but one I’ve certainly taken advantage of (at the eating end) here in Rome these last few months (see below)

Can’t wait for this series from HBO on the life of Julia Childs.

My friend Betta just wrote about the series Gomorrah. The series, based on organized crime around Naples, is super violent and graphic. I couldn’t take it when it first came out, but maybe I’m ready for it now? Did you watch it? Anyway the new series is out, so maybe it’s time to give it a go.

My friend Niamh just published a book entirely devoted to bacon. Besides the book, she’s got a collection of awfully cute pig-bedecked swag too.

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WHAT I’M EATING

I could eat radicchio every day. And basically do, mostly as a salad. But when I’m feeling particularly indulgent, I make this cheesy pasta.

Did you say you had some leftover cooked potatoes you don’t know what to do with?

I don’t always eat Italian food. This is a soup that we have all the time, with infinite variations. It’s kind of Thai, and warming enough to be a winter favorite.

We’ve also been doing a lot of take out this past month. The only upside of restaurants in Rome being closed this past month has been that many have devised new ways to do take out. A lot do kits that mean you have to finish cooking or heating at home. Which is fine by me because it actually tastes better and fresher. What have we been eating you ask? Here’s the list of where we’ve done take out from, so far:

Carnal: Roy Cacere’s (michelin starred chef) new streetfood place. We ordered the taco box which completely wowed us.

JiaMo Lab: Creative Chinese featuring their signature crunchy panino.

Baby Bao Roma: Love the fact that they offer a bamboo steamer to heat up the buns.

Hasekura: Best sushi in Rome

Alle Carette: Cheers for our local pizzeria being open again, finally, so that we can order their carbonara pizza.

Armando al Pantheon: Hate the fact that they are closed, but love the fact that I can order their delicious food at home. Their Amatriciana kit includes pasta, sauce, cheese and pepper. So much better than what I could possibly make.

Santo Palato: Thank you for delivering your amazing food to our door. Your lasagna is the stuff of dreams.

WHAT I’M DRINKING

I’ve recently rediscovered vermouth. While I’ve always enjoyed is as a supporting player in cocktails (sweet red vermouth in a Negroni, or dry white vermouth in a martini) it’s only lately that I’ve discovered the pleasures of vermouth on its own. This has to do partly with the fact that since we have a curfew these days, when we entertain at lunch time (which has become a regular thing) I still want an aperitivo, but not one that packs as much punch as a regular cocktail. Also? I’ve been trying a bunch of small batch craft natural vermouths that are extraordinary.

Vermouth, in case you don’t know already, is a aromatized fortified wine. That means it’s wine, with extra alcohol (which makes it last longer) and various herbs and spices. There is a HUGE difference from one vermouth to the next, so a rule of thumb? Taste test to see which ones you like. (there are worse jobs).

Vermouths are very easy to drink: slightly sweet, but also aromatic, with enough alcohol to make them dry enough. You can serve them chilled, straight up in a smallish glass, or else with a few cubes of ice. Sophie’s best friend Illaria gave me a set of vintage vermouth glasses for my birthday, which are the perfect size. You can even top off white vermouth with a splash of tonic if you’d like.

My favorite lately has been on ice, with a slice of orange to brighten things up.

My favorite vermouth of the moment is this one, which is imported by this importer.

But if you can’t find that, another slightly bigger brand that I love is Cocchi. Here is their entire line, which are all wonderful. The Americano and Chocchi Rosa are perfect aperitivi.

One thing I’d avoid is the bigger more industrial brands of vermouth. (Martini & Rossi). They are ok-ish as part of a mixed drink, but on their own not worth it.

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AND FINALLY……

In case you missed it, this is a fun interview I did with The Bookshop Podcast.

And Sophie chatted with Even Kleiman about one of her favorite topics: Amatriciana. “To me bucatini is the most useless shape of pasta ever invented. It does nothing for me,” says Sophie on the radio show which you can listen to here. (And here’s Sophie’s recipe. )

So evidently I’m an influencer. At least according to the Corriere della Sera. Since the article was in a newspaper that only Italians read, I really I didn’t expect much feedback . And sorry, it only came out in the paper version (remember real paper papers?) so I can’t even share it. I was featured, along with a few other ‘foreigners’ in Rome, as being one of the most followed Instagram accounts about Rome aimed at those who don’t live here.

I definitely agree with the premise of the article. That maybe, as people who weren’t born here, we see Rome with fresh eyes. And so tend to see the positive more than the negative that ‘locals’ might fixate on. Among the surprising bits of feedback I got from the article was an invitation from the Mayor of Rome to come have a chat. I have no idea what she wants to talk about! Let me know if you have any suggestions. I’ll let you know how it goes!

x,Elizabeth

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