APRIL IN AMALFI
Author Michael Holroyd referred to the Amalfi Coast as “a place of fantasy that seems to float in the sky – a spot that answers the need for make believe in all our lives”.
And John Steinbeck wrote: “Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” 
So what’s all the fuss about?
It’s more than the birthplace of caprese and the retreat of Roman emperors.
Dreams come true when Flavors of Rome sets out on the road to the Amalfi Coast.
April 14-22 2012
Space is limited.
Click here for details and itinerary.
CAESAR’S MUSHROOMS
Outside of Rome at this time of year, the hills – that would be the Castelli Romani – are alive with an abundance of fungi, the uber-fragrant porcini and the less familiar ovoli. Referred to in English as Caesar’s Mushrooms because according to those who know such arcane facts they were favored above all others by the rulers of ancient Rome, these orangish to straw-colored mushrooms with a white underside and stem are more delicate in flavor than porcini.
Inside the gates of Rome, restaurants offer a salad (can we call it a “Caesar Salad”?) of sliced ovoli, diced celery, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, dressed only with extra virgin olive oil. And that’s what I ate on a beautiful ottobrata (the last gasp of summer) evening in Rome. Superbus! 
THE SPAGHETTI SPOON: The Art of The Twirl
In most of the utensil using world, grown men and women with no apparent physical limitations approach plates of spaghetti, fettuccine, and other long pastas with fork in one hand, large spoon in the other.
In Italy, only small children and those with small motor skill difficulties would place a spoon in opposition to the twirl of the fork.
I’ve queried many of my Roman, Milanese, and Calabrian friends on the subject. They all concur that it’s sort of like training wheels on a bicycle: once the child – or determined adult -gets the hang of snagging the right amount of pasta along with the required number of rotations, it’s time to drop the spoon and go solo with the fork.
If this just doesn’t work for you, then better to ask for a spoon that to use the knife to cut your spaghetti into little bite-size pieces, a serious infraction of Italian culinary laws at any age.
PLEASE NOTE: Practice sessions using the fork with a variety of incredibly delicious pasta dishes come free with every sign-up for my April 2012 tour to the Amalfi Coast and Rome.
PARADISE WITH A SIDE OF LA DOLCE VITA
What was it that drew all those 18th-century Northern European stiff-collared gentlemen and parasol-toting ladies away from the routine of their proper lives to the wilder shores of the Amalfi Coast and the ruins of once-pagan Rome?
I’ve been there, so like Lord Byron, John Keats, and Kim Kardashian, I understand the lure.
Paradise, of course, is the enchanting land of the Amalfi Coast – that place where some say God fell in love.
In April 2012, I’ll be accompanying a small group for a week-long customized (by me) tour to Positano, a gem of a seaside town tucked into the center of the Amalfi coastline, and then on to Rome for a taste of La Dolce Vita. We’ll be guided by the top professionals in the business, those Italians who know and love their land intimately, and the food – well, because I make it a point to never be disappointed at the table – will be exquisite beyond belief.
And if you’ve ever wanted to be a character in a book, this could be your chance since I’ll be gathering material for my next tome.
For details, prices, and itinerary, please click here: April 2012 Tour Details
ODE TO A TOUR WELL TRAVELED
MY MUSINGS ON ROME…where I reveal how I eat, pray, and love in Rome.
ODE TO A TOUR WELL TRAVELED
Sometimes all parts come together to form a perfect whole. Sometimes the composition outshines the prelude, resulting in a harmonious and expansive experience.
And so it was for Flavors of Rome April 2011. The sun was on the road with us every day, the wisteria were blooming their little hearts out as we explored the sites, monuments, and museums with special entry tickets, and then, oh, that wonderful food.
I’m so grateful to my clients who were all such perfect companions, who soaked up the history, the art, the very energy that is Rome.
The musical fountains of Villa D’Este
Carciofi alla Romana
Wisteria blooming at Villa D’Este
Paccheri with cod & zucchini strips
Cooking with Fabio Bongianni
Sunset over the Vatican
So… where does the road from Rome take us next?
Flavors of Rome
Takes you through the streets of The Eternal City.
Carol Coviello-Malzone
Whether I'm writing, producing an event, planning a tour, doing travel consulting, or dreaming about my next meal, Italy is my inspiration - the history, art, culture, and the food of this land of my ancestors. But Rome is my heart throb...and my second home. My next culinary based tour Paradise With A Side of La Dolce Vita to Rome and the Amalfi Coast is scheduled for April 2012.
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