Rome – A Few More Reasons

Rome – A Few More Reasons

Our late September art walk through Rome included lodgings at the very oldcardcesi.jpg Palazzo Cardinal Cesi, a 15th century papal residence. Housed a few feet – literally – from St. Peter’s, we were able to stroll to a lifetime’s worth of great artwork, every day. (That’s me in the palazzo’s breakfast room, complete with barrel vaulting.) Just down the street and across the Tiber, we re-visited the Baroque masterworks by Borromini and Brunelleschi — the gold and marble interiors — and mannerist exteriors —that defined the 16th century during this gilded age.

After a long meditation inside the 2000-year-old Pantheon, it was time for a Campari — which, along with Fernet Branca, is our cocktail of choice this fall. Food, artwork, architecture, and the visually-dazzling tendency of Italians to be just thatcampari.jpg much more fashionable than anyone else – a remarkable trip. Our taxi drivers looked like they’d just stepped out of a Hugo Boss showroom. Waiters invariably resembled Caravaggios. Just too delicious.

Which brings me to the picture perfect bresaola appetizer at La Campana, in Rome’s medieval district. The marriage of cured beef and shaved grana is almost matchless.

But don’t take my word for it. Look down a few posts.

Florentine Finish

Florentine Finish

The last day of September, we ended our trip in Florence, with dinner across the Arnomamagina.jpg at Mama Gina’s. Fresh porcinis were all over the menu, so we didn’t resist.

This beautiful plate of thinly-sliced, grilled beef was arranged across a bed of peppery arugula, topped with sautéed porcinis and fruity olive oil that seemed to find their way into so many of our dishes in Tuscany. It was possibly the finest layering of flavors I’ve ever eaten. So fine, that it obviously deserves another trip next year.

A perfect bistecca in Rome

A perfect bistecca in Rome

steak.jpgThe magnificent Ristorante la Campana — so old that Caravaggio surely dined here — continues to provide clear, bold dishes amidst the narrow warrens of medieval Rome. We were overcome with the perfection of this buttery filet in balsamico reduction.