Food, Glorious Food! (Eating in Rome and dealing with the Mafia)

I'll be honest, on my long list of reasons to come to Italy, the food is probably in the top 3. Between years of pre-swim meet carb-up parties, warm summer nights in Charlevoix, MI with Kilwins, and mom's delicious home-made loaves, I could not wait for the pasta, gelato, and bread.

I've found great pasta down town, delicious bread just up the street, incredible pizza in Naples, and amazing gelato almost everywhere! However, I didn't expect to find some of the best food in my own apartment.

I knew my semester of "Introduction to Rome" classes was going to be fascinating, but not as academically intense as I'm used to. So to supplement the experience, I have a few goals for this semester outside of the classroom that I am working on. Goal number 1: Learn to Cook.

Ummm....check? It turns out just being in Rome makes you an absolutely incredible chef. One of my favorite meals so far has been from the night Becca and I got simultaneousness veggie cravings. When we got to the store, we ran straight for the spinach. There was one bag left. One 5 pound bag. This thing barely fits in our refrigerator! We got home and I invented a Michigan-Caprese Salad. Tomatoes and mozzarella mixed with apples on a bed of spinach. It was so good to get some fresh greens, I didn't even dress it. Becca sautéed some mushrooms and stirred them into penne pasta tossed with olive oil. We folded in some spinach and topped it with some fresh grated asiago cheese. Oh yes, and the secret ingredient.

While browsing the isles of the Supermarcado, Becca stumbled upon a spice section. Apparently one small spice caught her eye. The only part of the label that we have managed to identify (due to our minimal Italian vocabulary, and because we accidentally ripped the label) is "Per Pasta." So, we put it on pasta. IT IS MAGICAL. It makes everything taste so much more vibrantly. It brings out the best in every flavor and makes your taste buds happy.

Another one of my favorite creations was concocted at lunch one day. I brushed olive oil and sprinkled some salt and pepper on some chicken breast and broiled it for 4 minutes on each side. I threw them on a bed of spinach and topped with some cut mozzarella. mmmmmm.

When we need a night off from being world class chefs, we will usually go down to Trestevere for dinner. Our most recent favorite is a little restaurant tucked away by the river called Le Fate. It's cozy and the walls are covered in large leaves, bark, and pictures of fairies giving the subtle illusion that you have wandered into an enchanted forest.

Why do we so enjoy this trip to Neverland? The owner is the sister of a professor at AUR and she has designed a 10 euro student menu for every day of the week. You sit down, show your ID, and she brings out a preplanned meal consisting of an appetizer, a pasta course, and a desert. The other night we were served Artichoke Brushcetta, Baked Lasagna, and Chocolate Mousse. It's good to be a student!

In other food news, I think I am being targeted by a Clementine assassin. Last week, while walking home from class, a small citrus bullet whizzed by my head and hit the fence behind me. I whirled around to see where the missile could have come from but there was no one around. If ever you don't hear from me for more than two weeks, I have probably met my pulpy end. Please respect my wishes to donate the remainder of my college fund to the founding of an organization that educates future study abroad students about the dangerous Orange Mafia and how to protect themselves.

Oh! I almost forgot! Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to share with you my very first cappuccino!

Please excuse my desperate need for a haircut.

Anyway, if you have any tasty, simple, and college-budget friendly recipes or favorite dinner spots in Rome, let me know!