WHEN IN ROME...
or 10 ways to pass for an Italian
(when eating or drinking)
Never drink cappuccino after 11am; from then on its a tiny hit of espresso, which you must call simply caffè˝
Never eat or order pizza for lunch; the pizza ovens arent fired up until the evening
If youve had good service leave a little change over and above the service charge
If youre hungry but cant afford a meal settle for an aperitivo; it usually comes with plentiful nuts and olives. At Happy Hour
in the posher caffès you will often get a selection of snacks with your drink for no extra charge
Off alcohol? Order a crodino, a herbal drink which makes a refreshing, non-alcoholic aperitivo
Dont expect English soup if you ask for zuppa inglese. It is dessert and a rich trifle
Breakfast inside, standing at the bar, on caffè and cornetto (croissant and sweet pastry with different fillings). In the morning pavement seats and
tables are for tourists
Learn a few of the names of the lesser known pasta shapes. There are about 656 of them. Most non-Italians know spaghetti, tagliatelle,
fettuccin linguine or fusilli. But what about orecchiette, which means little ears, vermicelli (little worms) or strozzapreti (literally: priest stranglers)
Never ask for a sprinkling of parmigiano on a seafood pasta dish
Celebrate spring with a traditional plate of fave con pecorino with raw fresh broad beans eaten with hard cheese made from ewe mil.
(Julia Davidson)
