From mid May to June 24, the Roseto Communale di Roma—Rome’s Rose Garden awaits you on the Aventine Hill near Circus Maximus. These amazing gardens on just 2.5 acres put on a flamboyant display of over 1000 varieties of roses from more than 20 countries. The two main gates lead you to the lower garden. The second larger garden is up a hill.

Roses are my favourite flower! Next year I must make a point of being in Rome late May to June to see these gardens. I’d spend an afternoon there lost in the colours and inhaling every rose’s perfume! 

An Intriguing History: Many Layers 

In 1932 an American, Countess Mary Gayley Senni, who had beautiful rose gardens in her estate south of Rome, persuaded Rome’s mayor to found the rose garden and added her roses to it. 

The first temple dedicated to the Roman goddess of flowers, Flora dated back to the 3^rd century B.C. and stood on the Aventine Hill. No trace of her temple remains but it’s an interesting “coincidence” that the rose garden is so close to the ancient temple’s site. 

From the mid 1600s to late 1800s, the Jewish cemetery was on the site of the present rose garden. 

The gardens got destroyed in WW II and were used as an orchard, but reopened in 1950. To commemorate the old Jewish cemetery, they designed some of the garden pathways in the shape of a menorah, the seven branch candelabrum, and placed memorial plaques at the two entrances. 

Where, When, How Much 

The Rose Garden is open only mid May to mid-late June when the roses are in their full glory. If you have questions, just ask the staff. Guided tours are available too by reservation at 06-5746810. 

Location: on the Aventine Hill near Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo) Entrance close to Giuseppe Mazzini monument. Via di Valle Murcia 6. Open daily until June 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Free. 

Transport: Metro (subway) Circo Massimo. Bus 81, 628, 715.

Rome: Escape To Stunning Natural Beauty—Roses!

view from top of Florence Duomo tower looking towards Fiesole. This family will climb to the top and celebrate with gelatos after.

Are you planning a trip in Italy with your kids but don’t know where to start? How to make everyone happy? Just want an Italy travel expert to book everything for you? 

Mama Margaret custom designed a two week Italy itinerary for June 2013 for a husband and wife and their four kids aged six to 12. All are active, athletic, artistic and curious about everything. They knew they wanted two weeks in Italy but had no idea where in Italy would suit them best or what activities/experiences they could choose from. 

In their home in Vancouver, I sat down at their dining table with mum and all four kids and asked them lots of questions like what was important to each of them on this special family trip. 

We crafted an itinerary for the Tuscan countryside and Florence, Cinque Terre, Bologna and Venice and booked all their agriturismo and hotels with pools or at a beach. Imperative for kids in the summer!

In Tuscany we booked a cooking class with a wonderful family in the Chianti hills, a rented van and Florence museum tickets.

In Cinque Terre we booked a hiking guide for the dad, a serious hiker and rock climber. 

In the Bologna area, we booked a cooking class with a local family, tours to the Ferrari museum, and parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar producers. The six year old is crazy about balsamic vinegar! 

In Venice we booked a private glass making tour (Mum is a glass artist), a class on rowing a gondola boat in Venice’s canals and lagoon, a gondola tour and an airport transfer. 

We gave them lots of advice (two museums in Florence on a hot summer day is too much for kids), answered many questions and investigated their many requests like a soccer camp for all four kids, which wasn’t available for their dates. 

Mama Margaret & Friends did all the work for their whole Italy trip from beginning to end, from designing their itinerary to booking everything for them. Once the family told us what they wanted, they sat back and let Italy travel experts do it all for them. 

Are you or someone you know traveling with kids to Italy, someone who’d like a similar experience to this Vancouver family? Contact Mama Margaret today.

Traveling in Italy With Your Kids? Great Two Week Itinerary Designed & Booked By Mama Margaret

Pasta carbonara — richly cheesy, creamy and studded with crisped pancetta — is easily one of the most comforting of pasta dishes. The only trouble is, with the onset of warmer weather we tend to crave salads more than steaming bowls of pasta. So for this recipe, we decided to have it both ways.

We borrowed the key ingredients from pasta carbonara — right down to the eggy sauce and savoury pancetta — but remade them as a picnic-worthy pasta salad. Every bit as delicious as the traditional dish, but far more refreshing on a hot day.

And as with most pasta salads, this one is easily adjusted and added to. Sliced sun-dried tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers, even blanched asparagus all would make fine additions. (Getting farther from the real thing! MM)

———

CARBONARA PASTA SALAD

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

• 16 ounces gemelli or rotini pasta
• 9 ounces finely chopped pancetta
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mild olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well, and then spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crispy, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Add the peas to the skillet and cook just until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the pancetta and allow to cool.

While everything cools, make the dressing. In a blender, or in a medium bowl with a whisk, combine the egg yolks, garlic, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice. In a slow stream, add the oil, whisking or blending until thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, pancetta, peas, dressing, Parmesan and scallions. Toss well. For best flavour, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Nutrition information per serving: 560 calories; 270 calories from fat (48 per cent of total calories); 30 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 110 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrate; 3 g fibre; 3 g sugar; 20 g protein; 810 mg sodium.

Carbonara Pasta Salad

Montalcino’s fortress, home to a great wine bar where staff give wine tastings, and wine shop with a wide selection of local wines. The bar also serves excellent, simple, light lunches.

How can you travel to Italy and really feel connected with local people heart to heart?

Michele of Our Italian Table happened to visit Montalcino, the southern Tuscan hill town famous for its Brunello wine, and fell in love with the magical feel of the place.

In her story, The Magic of Montalcino and Why I Travel, she writes beautifully about how she goes back there every year, rents an apartment and now feels part of the community, especially as she joins local people she knows at a town feast and festival.

An inspiring read with photos that make you feel you’re at the festival! Maybe you’ll follow her example in your favourite Italian town!

Check it out at http://ouritaliantable.com/2013/05/12/the-magic-of-montalcino-and-why-i-travel

“The Magic of Montalcino and Why I Travel”

Milan Train Station

You have planned your trip to Italy and would like to explore other parts of Europe before your Italy portion.  How do you get to Italy without spending a fortune?

There are 3 options depending on where you are travelling from: airplane, train or driving.

1) In Europe there are discount airlines like Ryan air, Easy Jet, Alitalia.it, Blu-express just to name a few that are a cheaper option then the major airlines like Lufthansa.  Kayak.com is a great site to compare different airlines and prices.

Different airlines fly from different airports.  When researching the flights be sure to check out which airport they fly out of.  In Paris there are 2 airports – Charles De Gaulle Airport and Paris Orly Airport.  Some flights to Rome fly out of the lesser know Paris Orly airport.  If you are flexible on your dates search for flights leaving midweek rather then a weekend.

Beware of hidden fees. Make sure you read the fine print.  I recently booked a flight from Dublin Ireland to Pisa, Italy that was quoted one way 60 Euros. After all the “extra fees” it turns out my flight was twice as much as I was originally quoted.  Extras included checked luggage fee, credit card fees, reserved seating among others.  It was still cheaper then the national airlines so I can’t complain too much.

2)  Take the train to your destination.  I had a client ask me “How do I arrive from Zurich to Florence?”  After researching the options it turns out it was cheaper and faster to take the train.  Rail Europe had some great deals on the train from Zurich to Florence.  Trains from Zurich arrive in Milan. Once in Italy there is a transfer to a train to Florence.  Total travel time was 6 hours instead of the 7-20 hours by plane.  Venice or Milan is the major cities that are connected by European trains.  Plan your Italy trip to start in either of these cities.

3) Rent a car and drive to Italy.  When booking a rental car be sure to confirm the rental car is allowed out of the country of origin.  For example renting a car in Paris, France may not be allowed to cross the border into Italy.  Before you leave for your trip apply for an International Drivers Permit.  In North America you can purchase it at your local Auto Association.  They are valid for one year.

Have a great trip to Europe.  Buon viaggio!

How Do We Arrive To Italy From Other Cities In Europe?

making parmesan cheese

Most of our clients travel to Italy for more than one week and would like Mama Margaret to recommend excursions for before or after their Italy cooking tour. Here are a few excursions to choose from:

Are you a car enthusiast? After your Cooking & Brunello Wine Tour in Tuscany travel to Bologna for a day trip to visit the Ferrari museum and the Lamborghini museum and factory. Why not combine a visit to the Parmigiano cheese factory, a visit to a balsamic vinegar cellars and Ferrari Museum?

You A Gondolier in Venice? After your Cooking & Amarone Wine Adventure in the Vento travel to Venice for a few days. Through Row Venice, in a 90-120 minute, hands-on, one on one lesson in a typical Venetian boat, you learn secrets of rowing in the authentic gondolier style and become part of this remarkable tradition. Read More…

Visiting the Amalfi Coast? After your Cooking with Mammas, Wine & Olive Oil in Puglia travel to the Amalfi Coast and discover Capri by boat. Spend an amazing day discovering Capri from the sea by boat. Highlights include white and green grotto with free time for swimming and snorkelling, blue grotto, and free time to explore Capri by foot.

Contact us for more information on how you can combine these visits for one special day.

What to do before or after your Italy cooking tour?

Panzanella Salad with cucumbers instead of olives

• 6 cups day old Italian bread, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 3/4 cup sliced red onion
• 10 basil leaves, shredded
• 1/2 cup pitted and halved green olives
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)
2. In a large bowl, toss bread with 1/3 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Lay bread on a baking sheet, and toast in the preheated oven until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes; allow to cool slightly.
3. While the bread is in the oven, whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss together the bread, tomatoes, onion, basil, olives, and mozzarella cheese. Toss with the vinaigrette and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Panzanella Salad

gondolier on the Grand Canal in March 2012. That could be you!

There you are in Venice by a canal watching a gondolier, smoothly, expertly rowing his boat gliding past you. With more than a touch of envy you think, “I’d love to row like him and be a gondolier in these canals. No, not forever—I’m not giving up my job back home! Just transport myself to that life for a few hours.” 

Your fantasy can become real in Venice! The true essence of Venetian life has always been its waterways and the sea. Rowing along quiet, hidden canals, you discover aspects of Venice and local life most tourists never experience. 

Through Row Venice, in a 90-120 minute, hands-on, one on one lesson in a typical Venetian boat, you learn secrets of rowing in the authentic gondolier style and become part of this remarkable tradition. 

The most distinctive feature of Venetian rowing is its style, standing and facing forward. An oarlock of unique design: known as the forcola, makes this style work. The forcola is an exquisitely carved piece of walnut or cherry wood with an open cradle which supports the oar for the main stroke. 

An accomplished rower knows many strokes but the forcola makes executing them easier so the rower can maneuver the boat in the complex situations coming up in Venice’s maze of canals. 

In your private lesson with a Venetian rower, step by step you learn balance, basic rowing techniques, subtleties of steering, awareness and consideration of what’s around you and confidence. With your teacher always guiding you, soon you’re rowing yourself, stroking the right angle between blade and water. Group lessons in larger boats are available too. 

Lessons are available in Italian, English, French, German, Japanese and Chinese all year round in daylight. Start time is 10:00 a.m. in winter, 8:30 a.m. in summer. Prices are around 40 Euros per person depending on group size. 

The rowers of non-profit Row Venice, Venetians by birth or choice, want to promote and preserve Venetian water culture, raise awareness of Venice’s unique rowing style and generate more support for rowing typical Venetian boats. An organization well worth supporting and experiencing first hand! 

See rowvenice.com and their excellent three minute video that shows a student and teacher rowing in canals and on the lagoon. That could be you!

You A Gondolier in Venice?

man carving at Trieste buffet

You’re a food lover off to Italy, already salivating over just the thought all the wonderful, authentic local food you’re going to eat there. You want to avoid following recommendations in guidebooks — in those restaurants you’ll meet mainly other tourists clutching the same guidebook as you. You want restaurant recommendations from good local sources or other food loving travelers like you. 

What to do? 

1. Ask local shop owners or market food stall vendors, “Dove si mangia bene e spende poco?” — Where do you eat well and spend little? They’ll send you to excellent, down home style restaurants, trattorias or osterias.  My best example of this happened in Trieste near the ex-Yugoslavia border. I bought some scotch tape in a stationary store in the city centre, so asked the owner where I could eat a real Trieste lunch. He smiled, “Trieste D.O.C.!” and  directed me to a Trieste “buffet”, a small, packed, stand-up, take-out or if you’re lucky, sit-down eatery. At the counter, a man was carving up various cuts of pork in healthy slabs. My plate ended up with about four kinds of pork and sausage and sauerkraut plus a beer just like the locals. A real Trieste atmosphere, lots of locals out for lunch! 
2. Don’t ask your hotel front desk staff. They’ll recommend the tourist restaurants they think you want.
3. Visit online communities of veteran Italy travelers for their restaurant suggestions. The Italy forum at slowtrav.com has a restaurant recommendation section where members write reviews of eateries all over Italy. Watch the review date though. Some are recent, others not.
4. Consult Italian food journalist bloggers’ sites for their suggestions. Katie Parla (parlafood.com) in Rome has tons of blog posts from new Rome restaurants to best gelaterias in Rome. Plus she has a great Rome restaurant app. 

Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome writes about restaurants in Rome, Florence and Venice and has good apps to match at elizabethminchilliinrome.com 

Cooking teacher Judy Witts Francini in Tuscany at her site divinacucina.com has an excellent 20 page guide for food lovers in Florence divided by neighbourhoood with restaurants, wine bars, bakeries, gelaterias and more. 

Buon appetite in Italy!

How To Find Good Restaurants In Italy

Using a knife cut into the lemon peel removing a strip around the lemon at least 3 to 4 inches long. Artfully twist the strip.

Place the thyme into the glass and muddle by gently pressing to release the flavor of the thyme.

Cut the oranges into thin round circles.

Place the oranges on the side of the glass with the ice in the middle to hold the orange slices against the glass.

Using a shot glass or jigger to measure add the Limoncello, Campari & Vermouth.

Pour in the Club Soda almost to the rim of the glass.

Garnish with a sprig of thyme and the lemon twists. Garnishing completes the look and the aroma of the cocktail as you place it close to your nose to take a drink.

Enjoy the Sorrentino Cocktail!

Sorrentino Cocktail