Il Supplì

SLURP!!!!

The so called “supplì” fall among the myriad of snacks, and culinary "intermezzi" of which is rich the gastronomic Roman tradition.
The “supplì”, born as a "reuse" of the left over risotto, is the result of a poor cuisine culture, reluctant to waste food, but soon it became the protagonist of the country side trips for all romans! The recipe come back to the first years of 18th century when Napoleon was in Rome; the term “supplì” infact is nothing more than the roman version of the french “surpris” (surprise), and the surprise is precisely what you can find inside, today only mozzarella (in the best cases), but in origin also “regaglie” and chicken livers. In origin in Rome there was also the seller of “supplì” which ran trought the city alleys during the evening time hanging a “scaldavivande”(chafing dish) by his arm screaming:

"Calli calli! Supplì di riso!"(hot supplis!)

Until 1950 in the centre there was also, close to Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, a "supplitaro"(suppli dealer), named Polifemo, who used to stay in his lair with a huge frying pan filled with hot oil.
Today supplì are no longer like those, but you can eat good ones at "Ai Marmi"; on the other hand, if you want to eat another roman specialty, try.....
......the “filetti di baccalà” (battered and fried cod fillets) at the "Filettaro".

Take note:
Supplì, Pizza & Co: "Ai Marmi" Viale Trastevere, 53
Filetti di Baccalà: "Dar Filettaro" Largo dei Librari, 88 (close to Campo dei Fiori)

Buon Appetito!

Fish &...Church

The church of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria is one of Rome's oldest churches and still only partly excavated. It stands behind the Octavia Portico (in the Ghetto) and is one of the most interesting examples in Rome of how churches and houses were built using existing ruins of temples.

(Left: the window of the house has a view on the rear colonnade of the Portico. Right: a large fragment of the temple was used for many years as a yardstick for measuring the size of the fish)

Stefano III founded the church in the 8th century; it has been rebuilt on several occasions since then. The church was also the scene of the gathering of men by Cola di Rienzo in the mid-14th century before they went off to occupy the Campidoglio and re-establish the Roman Republic.

In the 12th century the church took its current name "in Pescheria" from the curious tradition that allowed the 'Conservatori' the right to have the heads of the longest fish from the nearest fish open market!

6 January 2007

"La befana vien di notte

con le scarpe tutte rotte

vien vestita alla romana

viva viva la befana!"

Since the XIII century it is one of the most popular Italian feast long awaited by children!The name derives from Epiphany (the Greek word has an original writing), changed in Beffania to remind the "Beffania's witch" who flung on the houses roof in that night. Once left the double "f" and the "i" the word turned to Befana!

The legend tell us that one day the three Magi left their country with special gifts as Gold, Incense and Myrrh, to reach little Jesus Christ because they wanted to give him their presents. They travelled through many different countries guided by a particular star (the famous Comet) and every town they passed, people run to meet them and join them in their journey.There was only one old woman who wanted to join them but changed her mind at last and stayed at home. The day after, repented and displeased she tried to reach the Magi, but they were too far from her! Therefore the old woman didn't meet the Holy Child neither that time nor ever. Since that time the old woman (called Befana!) visits every house to give the good children all the gifts she didn't give to the Holy Child: to do that she flies on an old Broom with a big canvas sack on her shoulders in the night between the 5th and the 6th January (the same night when she, in the past, remained at her home!).

To celebrate the roman Befana's day with us we have for you a "stornello romano" (a typical dialect song)......

Piazza Navona

BUON NATALE & BUON 2008!!!!

Piazza Navona is arguably Rome's greatest square
The spot was originally a stadium built by Emperor Domitian in 86 AD.
Athletes competed here in honor of Jupiter and you can still visit the ruins under street level.

Christmas is the best moment to visit Piazza Navona!!

For the whole of December until the 6th January of the following year, you can purchase the whole range of Roman festive items!
Sweets, candies, chestnuts, sugared apples (la mela stregata!), the famous torrone, liquorice and much more.
The Befana arrives on the 6th January.
This is the day those children who have broken their promises or behaved naughtily receive a present of coal in a stocking, beware even if you are not a child anymore…….!!!!!!!

Look at the video and......Benvenuti al Natale di Piazza Navona!

Il Lupercale

The legend is now history.

The most famous place of the myth of the history of Rome, searched for centuries, appeared. The “lupercale”, or the place where the wolf would suck the twins Romulus and Remus, has been founded close to the walls of the Augustus’ home, in a valley at the slopes of the Palatine hill, in a never explored site between the Temple of Apollo and the Church of Santa Anastasia, 16 meters below the ground.

The structure, with a shape like a nymphaeum, seems to be a cave partly natural and partly artificial, about 9 meters high and with a diameter of 7.5 meters.

The micro camera showed a decorated caisson with geometric forms (not figurative) made in mosaic tiles and polychrome marble, further enhanced by rows of white shells and by the white eagle of Augusto placet in the center of the vault.
It seems that, the Emperor Augusto, built up his dwelling in that place to attach his villa to a so highly symbolic place of the history of Rome.

All happened the 21 november 2007

Piazza Campo dei Fiori

The square of "Campo dei Fiori" in Rome is famous for the episode that saw the philosopher Giordano Bruno burned on the rogo by the catholic Inquisition for the accusation of heresy on February 17th 1600 after Christ.The execution is nowadays remembered by a statue built in 1889 after Christ and placed at the centre of the "Campo dei Fiori" on the initiative of the poet Pietro Cossa and which is the work of the sculptor Ettore Ferrari.

The name of the place, which some people date back to the fact that one of the lovers of the Imperator Pompeo, Flora, would have lived in this area, is more likely to be attributed to the aspect of total abandon that the square, invaded by plants and flowers, had during the 15th century.

Nowadays "Campo dei Fiori", far away from the most famous tourist itineraries, represent one of the place where Rome shows with a greater transparency its most authentic character from the early morning with the open air market coloured by flowers.....

.....up to the deepest night with the entertaining offered by the bars, restaurants and "trattorie" of the area.

The criminology museum

Here we are again….did you miss me?!!!

Here in Rome are about the 7 pm and this evening our tv is going to programme my favourite telefilm…CSI, i nourish a real passion toward this kind of telefim and generally for all that is macabre, obscure, mysterious (see my post about the friars... ) for this reason, and inspired by the telefilm that is going to be on air, i decided tonight to lead you to the criminology museum of Rome…..

This exceptional place certainly does not deal with an attractive subject for all, but it offer a fascinating reconstruction of the history of crime that is always interesting!
So, bando alle chiacchiere (i think in English it sounds like…banish the prattle :-/ ), the museum has two different floor:

-the first floor has a section dedicated to the studies of criminal antropology, scientific police, history of prison and birth of judical mental hospital.

Other sections show to visitors various implements used to obtain confessions, as well as instruments of every type of torture or capital punishment. Note the pillary or stocks, the torture chair, the whipping block, the decapitation axe and the sword of justice with which Beatrice Cenci was beheaded in 1599.

-The second floor has a pretty interesting section of finds from Italian prisons from the 1930s to 1990s, evidence of perverse and criminal behaviour, objects belonged to Salvatore Giuliano, Gaspare Pisciotta, Gennaro Cuocolo’s ring and Pupetta Maresca’s guns.

If you think that could be interesting to you visit this obscure place probably you need the address, while if you find this post terrific probably you need a new post so….in the first case take note and in the second wait for my new posts!!!
Around Via Giulia in: Via del Gonfalone
Opening times: Tues-Sat 9am to 1pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2.30pm-6.30pm
Entry price 2 euro