If you have chosen to explore the island but are hesitant about what to do first, here we leave you with 4 must-go places during your visit to Sicily.

Valle dei Templi

This valley holds the most important group of monuments of all of Magna Greece and is the largest archeological site in the world. Named UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, it tells a story that began in the 6^th century BC with the founding of the ancient Greek city of Akragas. You can still see today some of the biggest Greek temples ever erected, a testimony of fine ancient architecture and the classical culture of Sicily.

Taormina

This breathtaking town located on top of a natural terrace has historically attracted poets and writers from all over the world who remain struck by its beauty. In the words of Goethe, this “corner of paradise on earth” is a place you cannot miss during your visit to Sicily. Check out its Ancient Greco-Roman Theater, stroll down its medieval streets and relax on its wonderful beaches (Isola Bella is a favorite!).

Palermo

The capital of Sicily is one of the most astonishing art cities in Italy. As a jewel crafted by many different civilizations, in Palermo you can visit baroque churches, be blinded by the shiny gold of the Norman Palatine Chapel and get lost in Byzantine mosaics.  It is home to Italy’s biggest opera house, Teatro Massimo, and to some of the most vibrant and colorful markets of the country.

Val di Noto

The heart of the Sicilian baroque is spread around the towns of Caltagirone, Catania, Modica, Noto, Militello in Val di Catania, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli. Its elegant buildings, heavily decorated churches and small streets, make this Valley of South-East Sicily the biggest expression of late baroque architecture in Europe.

If you are planning a visit to Sicily, check out our private tours in Italy We mix cultural visits with gastronomy tourism for you to discover the landmarks of the island as you feast on the best local food and wine. Visit wine cellars, experience cooking classes, tastings, and learn all about the culture and history of this magnificent island.

Cover picture by Paola Sole.

La entrada 4 places to see during your visit to Sicily se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

What is an aperitivo?

The aperitivo is a pre-meal drink that takes place after a workday and before dinner. Like its name says, it is meant “to open” the stomach before dining, clinking glasses with friends or colleagues over some appetizers in a chill, relaxed and very social atmosphere. This is a tradition that showcases true italianity at its best, as you can have aperitivo in every city of the peninsula. If you’re a visitor, this means aperitivo is a great way to deep dive into the local culture, enjoy some people-watching and to feel like a local after a long day of sightseeing and walking around.

Punctuality is important for an aperitivo. It is generally done between 6 and 8pm and it consists of having a drink that is carbonated, bitter, and low-in-alcohol, matched with some salty food like olives, peanuts and crackers. Just remember that an aperitivo shouldn’t replace your dinner, you have the apericena for that!

With all these characteristics, the king of the aperitivo is the spritz.

The spritz

Born in Veneto in the 1800, the spritz is one of the most famous and beloved Italian cocktails. Its name comes from the German word “spritzen”, since during this time, the Austro-Hungarian soldiers would ask the bartenders to “spray” some water in their wines because the local wine was too strong for their customs. The spritz we drink nowadays is much more sophisticated and has a very simple, but perfectly balanced composition, that makes for the perfect summer drink that will light up the room with its vibrant orange hue.

If you feel like having an aperitivo at home, here’s the traditional recipe for a perfect spritz, done in less than 5 minutes.

1. Get a big glass and fill it with ice cubes
2. Combine prosecco or sparkling wine and Aperol or Campari in equal parts
3. Add a dash of soda
4. Garnish with an orange slice
5. Feast on your quintessential aperitivo

A good spritz just makes you think of enjoying La Dolce Vita, it doesn’t matter where you are. As soon as you start sipping on a spritz, you will immediately feel in Italy.

Certainly, nothing better than to enjoy this classic aperitif during holidays in the Belpaese, so go ahead, visit us and enjoy this and much more in our private trips in Italy.

La entrada Spritz: the king of the Italian aperitivo se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

Tips for tasting Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The fruit of the olive tree is the olive and from this you can obtain olive oil, virgin olive oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The latter is considered the one of highest quality, it is composed of 100% olive juice, without defects neither in its aroma nor in its flavor.

Tasting means analyzing, appreciating, assessing a product from the senses, particularly smell and taste. Through the tasting, you can identify the qualities and defects of the product.

You don’t have to be an expert or dedicate yourself to professional tasting to analyze and determine the characteristics of an EVOO, although practicing constantly and having the possibility to try different oils will refine your senses.

Before starting the tasting, we suggest:

• Avoid using perfume or scented soaps.
• Avoid smoking at least one hour before tasting.
• Use a green apple to clean your taste buds between tasting and tasting.
• Have coffee cups to be the containers of the oil samples you will be trying if you do not have the special glasses.

Phases of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil tasting

The tasting of Extra Virgin Olive Oil consists of three fundamental phases: olfactory, gustatory and visual. Following this sequence, you can properly analyse the characteristics and organoleptic properties of the product.

We will focus on the first two since the visual phase is not particularly important in the quality of the oil. In fact, the glass cups that are used during professional tastings are intentionally cobalt blue.

Start by placing in each glass 15 to 20 ml (0.5 to 0.6 oz) of the oils, or oils, to taste.

Olfactory Phase

This is the first test and it is very important at the time of the final assessment.

Procedure: hold the glass between one of your hands and cover it with the other by gently shaking it for a few minutes. This will cause the oil to heat up. The idea is that it reaches 28 °C (84 °F), the ideal temperature for the volatile molecules or aromas contained in the oil to come off.

Bring the glass to your nose and inhale deeply. What aromas remind you or come to your mind?

Repeat this 2 or 3 times, respecting a few seconds of rest between inhalation and inhalation. Do not exceed inhalations to avoid olfactory fatigue.

Normally the aromas that are distinguished are from herbs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, aromatic herbs and even flowers. So you can easily distinguish the smell of paprika, artichoke, lettuce, mint, pepper, tomato, apple, almond or pine nuts, among others. Remember that human smell is considered to be one of the most complex and sophisticated sensory laboratories and, together with the sense of taste, can never be supplanted by another method of analysis.

Gustative Phase

In this phase you can confirm if the aromas perceived in the nose are present in the mouth. Furthermore, you can determine taste sensations that can result being sweet, bitter or spicy.

Procedure: insert a small amount of oil into your mouth. Do not ingest it, just allow your papillae and the entire oral cavity to be impregnated with the liquid.

Allow air to enter through your mouth; aspirate intermittently keeping your teeth closed and your lips slightly open. This makes the oil oxygenate in your mouth and your taste buds can recognize the flavours present in it more easily.

Nothing happens if you ingest a small amount of oil, but it is advisable to expel it.

The world of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is very broad and sophisticated. There are keywords and rating scales to use in each phase, here we only want to encourage you to explore it.

Currently, stores with gourmet products usually offer commented tastings, it is a good option to deepen your initiation. There are also good publications on the subject. But if you want to learn through experience, we invite you to participate in our gastronomic trips where you can enjoy a full tasting of top quality EVOOs.

We take you to the best frantoi, or oil mills, in Italy where you can learn about the whole oil production process. You will walk among olive groves, learn about the different varieties of olives and extraction methods while tasting internationally award-winning oils.

And if you are in the MICE sector or want to organize an original corporate event in the Eternal City, in Roma Gastronómica we offer you gourmet experiences with which you will surprise your clients or managers visiting the city.

Let us know how your first Extra Virgin Olive Oil tasting goes!

PHOTO: moment from our tasting of the best Flos Olei 2018 oils. This publication is a top reference within the Extra Virgin Olive Oil world and it gathers the best producers and experts of the sector.

La entrada How to taste an Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

La colomba, meaning dove in Italian, takes its name from its shape. It is an homage to the symbol of peace, widely associated with Easter. Traditionally, this cake is basically made with flour, eggs, yeast, sugar and butter. Sounds familiar? That’s because it uses pretty much the same ingredients of the Christmas panettone. The main difference is that the dough of la colomba must be left to rise 3 times during the whole process, meaning that even the craftiest nonna will rather buy la colomba than make it at home.

The process

To begin, you need to mix the flour, water, milk and the yeast and let it rise for about two hours. Then, add more flour, sugar, and butter, and let sit for an hour and a half. Finally, to finish your dough, you must keep on adding flour, butter, candied oranges, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. This is where the real waiting comes: the dough must rise for at least 20 hours. Afterward, it should be double in size by now and ready to be shaped like a dove and to be topped with pearl sugar and sweet almonds.

It’s a lot of work but the result is worth it. La colomba comes out of the oven as an airy and soft bread-like cake, perfect to have as dessert, snack, or, our favorite: with coffee and milk in the morning! If you feel like all this cooking is too much for you, you can always order an artisanal colomba online that will come “flying” to your doorstep!

Now you might be wondering where this whole tradition came from, and well, there isn’t only one answer. There is a lot of debate about where and when la colomba originated or even if it’s just the result of a very good marketing strategy, but all the theories come from the same place: the North of Italy.

The origins

The first legend tells the story of the longobard king Alboino, who in Easter of 572 a.C. finally conquered the northern city of Pavia after it had been under a long siege. The inhabitants of the city showed his support and appreciation for the new sovereign with gifts and presents and featured small bread cakes shaped as doves as a symbol of peace and gratitude for not raiding the city upon his arrival. We now must fast forward to the year 610, when queen Teodolinda hosted a group of pilgrims guided by San Colombano. She offered a meal with a wide variety of meats, but the Saint had to decline since it was Lent time and, so the queen wouldn’t feel offended, he blessed the meat and turned it into sweet bread doves, now ready to be shared by all the diners.

The truth is, that the success and widespread of la colomba must be awarded to Motta. An Italian company famous for its great panettoni, that started marketing this product in the Milan of the 1930s. Panettoni are eaten only during the Christmas period, so in order to keep active an only-seasonal business, they thought about making some twists to the recipe and to make a different product: la colomba, that nowadays, with its particular shape, is the queen of the Easter table all over Italy.

La entrada La colomba pasquale: Italy’s Easter treat se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

Food tour in Rome, a memorable experience

Gastronomy tourism is a way of traveling that’s becoming a trendsetter. More and more tourists from all over the world choose gastronomy as the guiding thread of their vacations and original proposals arise to meet this demand.

It is well known that Rome is one of the great capitals of tourism and as such, it has an excellent gastronomic offer. In addition, the Eternal City has professionals that offer a wide range of services related to wine, food, and the culinary arts in general.

Foodies and travelers can choose between a food tour in Rome, cooking classes, wine tastings or the already famous “home restaurants”, among many other options.

All these activities allow visitors to enhance their travel experience and get to know the city from a different and more authentic cultural perspective. They are usually experiences that take place in more reserved environments and outside the circuits of mass tourism.

If you are a foodie or wine lover, the activities related to Gastronomy Tourism offered in Rome will dazzle you. When booking one, be sure to get in touch with specialists in the field and, if possible, choose activities that combine history and/or art with good food and drinks.

If you want to know the emblematic places of the Eternal City, as well as its unknown corners and enjoy its best gastronomic offer, contact us!

We design tailored programs in which, according to your interest, we can combine Colosseum and Vatican visits with the best-rated food tour in Rome.

You will have the most delicious and unforgettable vacation of your life whether you come as a couple, with family, with friends or on your own!

La entrada Food Tour in Rome, a memorable experience se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

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Puglia

Puglia is synonym of sea, traditions and excellent cuisine. Land of friendly and hard-working people, who have made their Region one of the best emerging tourist destinations in Italy and Europe.

Here, breathtaking natural landscapes, white villages that contrast with the intense blue of the sea and spectacular baroque facades, converge with modern infrastructure and the widest range of quality tourist activities and services.

The wealth of resources is such that Puglia is conquering the preference of visitors from all over the world who are looking to discover a side of Italy that is far from mass tourism, an Italy where you can breathe and experience the most authentic tradition and Italian popular culture in a modern key.

Avant-garde entrepreneurs offer trips that allow you to know this Region in a very original way. They offer innovative food trips to make you visit the most emblematic cities and monuments of the territory while enjoying and learning the best of its enogastronomy.

Cultural visits and the contagious rhythm of the “pizzica” alternate with top-quality food and wine experiences. Walks in vineyards, tastings in wineries and oil mills of international fame, cooking classes, the best restaurants and fishing are part of the travel program.

If you want to enjoy an authentic Italy and one of the best regional cuisines of the Belpaese, Puglia will surprise you.

To organize your trip, we advise you to contact professionals of gastronomy tourism in Italy. They usually propose programs that perfectly fit the time, interests and budget of the traveler. Start organizing an unforgettable holiday in Puglia now!

La entrada Discover Puglia, the heel of the boot. se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

Panettone is a typical Italian dish that relates to the holiday season. It is made by preparing a dough based on water, flour, sugar, egg yolks, butter and a lot of yeast, to which candied fruit such as oranges and cedar shells are added, as well as raisins. The dough should be left to rise for at least 15 hours, in order to get a panettone that is large and porous.

The history of panettone is quite peculiar. It was always served around the December holidays, but this is one of the only things we certainly know, since it brings with itself more than one legend.

It is said that this recipe of a very large and hollowed bread has accompanied the tables of northern Italy since the 13th century. Milanese ovens prepared this type of bread, much richer than the everyday one, only at this time of year, to give something better and special to the townspeople.

The most famous legend talks about an incident on Christmas dinner at the Sforza family’s house. The chef unintentionally burned the dessert he had prepared and one of his assistants, Toni, took the only piece of mother dough he had saved to prepare bread at home and had the idea of ​​adding flour, sugar and what was left of candied fruit until he got a very soft and light dough. He took it to the oven and it was what was served that night. All the diners were delighted and that is why, Ludovico il Moro, the patron of the house, decided to baptize this bread as “pan de Toni”, Toni’s bread.

Panettone’s recipe has changed very little since its invention. Although it has become a more commercial product with multiple variants, which today can be found in supermarkets around the world, the original panettone will only carry the ingredients that we have previously mentioned.

Here we leave you an easy recipe for panettone so that you’re inspired to prepare it with your family this Christmas.

The Roma Gastronomica team wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

La entrada Panettone: the star in Italy’s Christmas scene se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

Christmas in Rome, like in many other cities, means lots of lights, ornaments everywhere, many Christmas trees and decorations. The city lights up on December 8^th, the Day of the Immacolata, or of the Immaculate Conception, and the festivities end on January 6^th with the Epiphany.

If you’re spending the holidays in the Eternal City these are the places you must visit. Please check if any covid restrictions apply during your visit.

Click on the links to be headed straight to the Google Maps address.

Piazza Venezia

This square, in front of the magnificent Altare della Patria, is where the biggest tree of the city is located. For the second year in a row, it is sponsored by Netflix and it makes for a great photo op! Oh, and don’t forget to check in with Santa Claus!

Saint Peter’s Square

Here you won’t only find a 26m high tree, but also a beautiful crib. Each year the artist and the material are different, last year it was made of sand and for this year we’ll get to see all the participants of the nativity scene in real size, made out of wood. Checking it out will mean you won’t only spend Christmas in Rome but also Christmas in the Vatican! If you want to visit the Vatican Museums have in mind that they will be closed on the 25^th and 26^th of December.

Via del Corso

This is the main shopping street of the city. It’s full of stores of all types where you can enjoy the lights while you indulge in some more Christmas shopping. You can also enter the Galleria Alberto Sordi for some more decorations and stores.

Via Condotti

On this street, you’ll find a funny-yet-elegant lighting framed by the beautiful window decorations of some of the biggest names in fashion, who have their shops on this famous street. If you really want to keep up that fancy mood, make sure to stop at the Antico Caffè El Greco – the oldest coffee shop in Rome.

Trastevere

This medieval neighborhood famous for its tiny streets and variety of bars is vividly decorated and a nice place to stop for an aperitivo or just walking around. Having a lot of streets means also there are lots of decorations around! This is an area you won’t want to miss.

And if you want to know about some experiences you can only live in Rome, these are our top suggestions.

Go ice skating

Head to the Auditorium Parco della Musica to do some ice skating! It’s open from 10 am to midnight and a it’s very fun activity to do while spending Christmas in Rome.

Check out the Christmas markets

These are not really part of the Italian tradition so don’t expect big markets like those from the northern part of Europe. You will definitely find some, but the most famous one takes place at Piazza Navona. Enjoy a carousel ride, win a stuffed animal and buy the perfect souvenir from your Christmas in Rome: an ornament or decoration made by a local artisan.

See the Nativity Scenes

While you’re in Rome it’s impossible not to find yourself often inside of a church enjoying their beauty and architecture. During Christmas time, you will also find very detailed nativity scenes in most of them, but the most famous ones are those at Santa Maria Maggiore, the oldest in the world, and at Santi Cosma e Damiano.

Welcome the New Year at Circo Massimo

If you’re one of the lucky people that are celebrating not only Christmas in Rome but also the New Year, Circo Massimo is a great option to consider. This is where Romans welcome the year that is about to begin and its enormous esplanade you’ll be able to enjoy the music, the live spectacles and the fireworks under this year’s theme: planet Earth.

We hope our suggestions make you enjoy Rome as most as you can during the holidays.

The family of Roma Gastronomica wishes you a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

La entrada Christmas and New Year’s in Rome: what to do and where to go se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

How to recognize a nicely made coffee?

La entrada Italian secrets for making great coffee se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.

FIBEGA: International Gastronomy Tourism Fair

Specialists, professionals and top-decision makers of gastronomy tourism from all over the world will meet at FIBEGA 2019. In this occasion, the fair will take place from 10^th to the 12^th of May at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and it is promised to break the assistance records of the past editions.

Using gastronomy as a guiding thread, Gastronomy Tourism aims to revitalize and diversify the service offer in both strengthened and emergent destinations. Additionally, it stimulates local and regional economies and as it promotes the values and singularities of each territory.

FIBEGA represents the perfect occasion to strengthen and boost networking between professionals within the sector, as to present their proposal and product offers before a market in full apogee. It is worth mentioning that according to the World Tourism Organization, from the United States only, around 25 million people travel abroad each year, having as their main motivation discovering the gastronomy of the visited country.

During a fair like this, Italy and Rome could not be absent. This is the reason why Roma Gastronómica, as experts in the gastronomic tourism field, will have their own stand within FIBEGA 2019. They will promote among colleagues of the sector and the general public their most acclaimed services:

• Food tour in Rome’s historic center.
• Gastronomic trips through Italy.
• Design and organization of tailor-made gastronomic experiences

If you are a lover of the ephemeral art that gastronomy is, if you are looking for inspiration for your next vacation or if you want to offer your clients an original and fun way of discovering and tasting the most authentic side of the Belpaese, visit Roma Gastronómica’s stand at FIBEGA 2019.

See you at the Miami Beach Convention Center from the 10^th to the 12^th of May!

La entrada FIBEGA 2019, the Gastronomy Tourism fair hits Miami se publicó primero en Roma Gastronómica.