March 2009 Archives

When you have some dietary restrictions, whether it's a vegetarian diet or a severe allergy to nuts, traveling can be a bit extra stressful. But with some research and planning, it doesn't have to be! Here's some tasty advice and links on how to conquer The Boot despite any special dietary needs you might have:

On Your Flight: most international airlines provide special meal options, whether its vegetarian, vegan, kosher, etc. Call your airline and make the request, it's really painless I promise. And the best part? You get your meal before everyone else! Yup, while everyone else cranes their necks to see where the food cart is, hoping there's still the pasta and they're not stuck with the meatloaf, you will already be munching on something that's probably a lot tastier anyways.

Labels: not all countries have super strict labeling laws. Make sure to read all labels, but keep in mind that they might be leaving something out, such as a note that it "may contain nuts".

Eating Out: always make sure to clearly tell the waiter/waitress/chef if you have a food allergy...this way they can be sure to not contaminate something by using the same skillets etc. I find that telling them you're allergic to something usually gets the point across here in Italy...better so than if you just say you're a vegetarian etc. I know that might sound silly, but I've had people try to serve me prosciutto after I told them I'm vegetarian.

SelectWisely.com: This is a website which sells cards for everything from food allergies to medical allergies. The idea is you can have certain important phrases about your diet restrictions or allergies written in a few languages on a card that you carry at all times, making it a lot easier to conquer any language barrier. If you have some severe allergies, its worth taking a look!

Do your research beforehand, as certain countries may use alternate/different ingredients to their sauces, etc, that you're not used to. For example wheat flours are often added in sauces to make them thicker, or ground almonds might be used in some pastries.

Nuts!: those of you with any allergies to nuts, beware as you are entering the world of Nutella...be especially careful with any sort of pastries and desserts! Italians love their hazelnuts and almonds especially, and tend to put them in lots of things. At the bar, those chocolate-filled pastries usually have hazelnut in them as well. And on the dessert menu, only sorbet's or granita's might be safe. At the gelato shop, pay close attention that they don't grab a scoop of "nocciola" instead of "caffe', as they're the same color and easy enough to mistake. And when it comes to contamination, even the fruity flavours might have had a scoop in them with a nutty flavour. so depending on the severity of your allergies, you might want to choose your gelateria carefully, OR at the very least make it super clear to the people scooping that you are very allergic to nuts. Some gelateria's better known for being allergy-friendly are: Gelateria San Crispino (Via Acaia 56, Via della Panetteria 42, and at Fiumicino Airport Terminal A), and Gelateria Fata Morgana (Via Lago di Lesina 9, Via Ostiense 36) which is also gluten-free/lactose-free/sugar-free friendly and known for unique flavours.

Celiacs/Gluten-Intolerance/Wheat Allergies: I know that the idea of having any sort of diet restriction involving no wheat or gluten in the land of pizza and pasta might sound like being diabetic in Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory (I myself am Celiac), but you'd be surprised how well you can still eat here regardless! You can always ask about things on the menu that you're unsure of (for example if they bread certain items like melanzana alla parmigiana). There are plenty of other things like risottos and polentas etc, and you can always ask they prepare something special. For a really good list of Gluten-Free restaurants throughout Italy, look here at celiacchicks.com! And when in the stores, read your labels carefully! Just like anywhere else in the world, sometimes there will still be a trace amount of a something containing gluten or wheat! For more info, here's the Celiac Society webpage for Italy!

Veggies: even at your typical ristorante, being a vegetarian really isn't so hard here. There's generally plenty of meatless options, and usually it's pretty easy to modify a dish so that it's veggie-friendly. With rice dishes, risottos, and soups: double-check that they don't use a meat broth. And always ask about something you don't know. For example a pasta "alla amatriciana" or "alla carbonara" will have bacon in it, a "pizza Napolitano" will have anchovies, etc. For lots of advice and restaurant recommendations all over The Boot, look here at HappyCow!

Vegan: this is definitely trickier, as most items on the menu at a regular ristorante or bar will contain things like eggs, butter, creams, and cheese. Pizza-wise there's almost always a pizza option without meat or cheese. Gelato-wise, you'll be happy to know that it's actually not so hard to find "gelato di soia", soy gelato, at most bigger gelaterias. Soy gelatos are sugar and lactose free...but the "panna" whipped cream topping might not be. For lots of advice and restaurant recommendations all over The Boot, look here at HappyCow!

Diabetes: There are special bakeries, soy gelatos, sugar-free options in most supermarkets a-go-go to accommodate your dietary needs! See any of the above websites and info for celiacs/veggie/vegan/etc and you'll find all you need to know! You can also look in most any "Farmacia", or Pharmacy, for diabetes-friendly options.

On The Menu: The "Primi", the first plates, are generally always pasta and rice dishes. Unless you are in a special restaurant that makes special pastas, these will almost always be made from wheat flours, and therefore contain gluten. You can ask what is in the sauces that make up the rice dishes. The "Secondi", the second plates, almost always involve a meat or fish, vegetarians beware! Often a meatless second plate will be melanzana alla parmigiana, eggplant parmesan (sometimes breaded, sometimes not). "Zuppi", or soups, almost always have a "minestra di verdure" option, which is usually a veggie soup made with vegetable broth. If you're vegan make sure to ask that they not sprinkle any cheese on top! "Risotti", thick rice dishes, are slow-cooked with broth. Make sure to ask what kind of broth they use as they may or may not use a meat broth. "Contorni", or side dishes, usually veggies, are usually prepared with olive oil rather than butter, and will clearly say if they are fried or not. "Dolci", or sweets, almost always will involve eggs, wheat flours, creams, and often some type of nut. There's also fruit options, however, or sometimes "granita" which is a flavoured ice (commonly lemon or coffee flavoured).

Here's a great table of all-things-menu translated from italian to English: : http://www.stayinpiedmont.com/pages/new/food_words_table.html

BUON APPETITO!

I thought I'd dedicate this blog to all the non-human creatures of Italy. When it comes to animal abuse and animal rights here there are actually quite a few forward-thinking laws and organizations. But there's still plenty that you as tourists can do to help! Every bit of action helps. So here's some information, links, tips for vegetarians/vegans, and ways to avoid supporting anyone that is directly involved in animal mistreatment.

Horse Drawn Carriages: you'll see horses pulling heavy carriages throughout the city center. For one, these drivers will rip you off majorly. They'll charge you something like 300 euros for a 30 minute ride. But more importantly they abuse these horses severely. There's a law (though rarely enforced) that horses are to rest and not work between the hours of 1pm and 4pm. But according to drivers, "rest" means standing out in the hot sun or in the cold, carriage still attached...you'll see them especially all lined up in front of the colosseum. Many of them have moderate to severe respiratory problems due to a combo of working sometimes 9 hours a day in brutal weather (hot and humid or wet and cold) and then going back to a stuffy stable. And as for "retirement", since horse meat is a delicacy here in some other European countries, i need not draw you a picture. Furthermore, surely you've heard something of crazy Italian traffic, especially in Rome. It's dangerous for both motorists and the horses to have them amidst such chaotic traffic. Currently there's some progress on banning these carriages, meaning that they'll be out of the city center and in parks such as Villa Borghese instead. It's a step in the right direction! for more infor, visit the Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages.

Ponies in the Parks: see above, it's basically the same as the horses and carriages, only they won't charge as much for a ride.

Homeless and their Dogs: there's a number of homeless folks that have dogs and/or puppies with them. Much like the gypsies use babies to try and get sympathy-money from you, they will drug these dogs to make them seem listless, sad, starving, etc. This isn't a trick unique to Italy, as I've seen lots of the same thing in Portland, Oregon and San Francisco. And when that cute little pup grows up (if it does)? They get rid of them and find another.

Circuses: this should come as little surprise seeing as circuses=animal hell virtually everywhere. These animals are kept locked up in tiny cages, forced and abused into doing spectacles, punished when they don't obey, forced to travel often and long hours, etc. There is nothing good to say about any circus, and any member of the circus would be lying if they said they'd be willing to trade places with any of their non-human co-workers. The circuses in Italy tend to be pretty far from the city center, so they should be easy to avoid.

Restaurants for Veggies and Vegans: in general a typical restaurant will have vegetarian options. But some good veggie/vegan friendly places are:

• Taverna Vegetariana L'insalatiera, Via Trionfale 94 Roma (a 15 minutes walk from Vatican),
• IL Margutta Vegetariano, Via Margutta 118 (near Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo, and Spanish Steps)
• Arancia Blu, Via Prenestina 396
• Bibliothe, Via Celsa 4, Roma (00186) (near Piazza del Gesu and Pantheon)
• Upter House Arcana , Via Degli Equi 39 (San Lorenzo)
• Jaya Sai Ma, Via Bargoni 11 (Trastevere)

At the Supermarket: at most supermarkets you'll find sections that are all organic foods and also alternative foods (like gluten-free pasta, for example). And also in the frozen or refrigerated areas you'll find sections of alternatives such as meat-less burgers and tofu. If you can't find what you're looking for take a stroll around, as these things are all put together in their own aisle (ie: you won't find organic orange juice with the other juices, and you won't find rice-flour pasta always with the other pastas, but instead all together somewhere else). There's also little shops all around, that offer only organic foods and products.

For other info, and links, look at L.I.D.A the Lega Italiana dei Diritti dell'Animale, literally the Italian league for Animal rights. it's more or less the Italian equivalent to PETA.

Ah spring in Rome...the sun is out one second, then behind weeping clouds the next...everyone walking around is still in their winter coats and no one is quite sure if they're hot or cold, but they definitely stick to the sunny-side of the street. Come March, a sleepy city starts to wake...but it's not a calm waking. Rome doesn't leisurely get out of bed and make itself some coffee. Instead it always feels more like it opens it eyes, see's the sun, and starts jumping on the bed and then right out the window. Besides better weather, there's a lot to look forward to in Italy during the Spring. One of those things being festivals! Here's some Springtime festivals worth their weight in flower petals (and raindrops):

Festa della Donne: is/was March 8th, it's the festival of women (kinda like mother's day, grandma's day, sister's day, wife's day, etc all in one)! People usually buy ladies pretty yellow Mimosas on this day (the flowers, not the drink).

Torino Chocolate Fest: man oh man, do i wish i were up there right now! it's the "Eurochocolate" fair, the first 2 weekends of March. Over 40,000 kilos of chocolate are sold during this time!

Commemoration of Julius Caesar: March 14th, in Rome. Festivities usually happen near his statue by the Roman Forum.

Rome Marathon: a 42 kilometer jog through Rome's city center, the Vatican, and ending at the Colosseum.

San Giuseppe Day: like Father's Day, March 19th, is usually celebrated with kids giving their dads presents.

Marriage of Venice to the Sea: March 25th in Venice (obviously), is a very important festival that's been kept up since the days of Doge. Originally Doge would take a ceremonial boat out into the port and throw a gold ring into the sea (which has it's origins in an even older pagan ritual for Neptune). Nowadays the Mayor of Venice takes a boat from St. Mark's Square out into the Port of San Nicolo and...yup, you guessed it: throws a golden ring into the sea!

Easter: Good Friday and Easter, usually in late March or early April, is marked by huge celebrations all over Italy. Usually there are long winding processions on the Friday or Saturday before Easter, with statues of Mary or Jesus that are carried through the city. A city in Sicily called Enna has one of the largest processions, usually with as many as 2,000 friars dressed up for the occasion. In Chieti, the procession includes 100 violins playing Selecchi's Miserere. In Rome the Pope has a procession to the Colosseum on Good Friday and does Easter mass at St. Peter's. In Florence a decorated wagon is pulled through the city by white oxen. When it reaches Santa Maria del Fiore the Arch-bishop ignites the cart which is filled with fireworks. And then there's Easter Monday, "Pasquetta", which is also a national holiday and usually filled with free public events like concerts, picnics, etc.

Rome's Birthday: April 21st, with the recognized "birthdate" being 753 BC! There's usually concerts, fireworks, and all kinds of special events going on for this day....in Rome that is.

Food Fests: there's a bunch! This time of year usually brings festivals dedicated to the carciofi (artichoke) and asparagi (asparagus). In the picture you see a rooster made out of artichokes, which is a typical sight at artichoke festivals!

May Day: not to be confused with a pilot in distress, May 1st is a major public holiday, and is their "Labor Day".

The Sagra di Sant Elfisio: in Cagliari, Sardegna, a day dedicated to this Saint with a statue of himself paraded through the city and a feast after

Snake Handlers' Procession: believe it or not, in the city of Cocullo (Abruzzo) on the first Thursday of May a statue of St. Dominic is carried through the city covered in live snakes.

Fish Festival of St. Fortunato: near Genoa the second Sunday of May, the fishing city of Camogli has fireworks and loads of fried fish in honor of the patron saint of fishermen

Pinocchio's Birthday: everyone's favourite puppet-come-to-life celebrates his birthday in Pescia, Tuscany, on May 25th! As a side note, if you haven't read the original story of Pinocchio,i recommend doing so!

The Chianti Festival: a celebration of Chianti wine at the end of May in Italy's Chianti Region (in Tuscany).

Ok so Rome/Italy doesn't have Disneyland, but that doesn't mean that kids have to be bored to death here. For loads of tips and advice on traveling with kids, from travel toys to eating out to baby-proofing hotel rooms, this is a great source: Delicious Baby. Don't let the cannibalistic name fool you, it's actually a huge journal/website all about traveling with wee ones. In the meantime, here's some ideas for things to do with your kids during your visit here in Rome!

Tour-wise: In general tours of say the historical center and Ancient Ruins like the Colosseum/Forum, tend to be pretty fun! The historical center is fascinating and relatively flat so it's not too difficult of a walk, and what kid (or adult, really) wouldn't want to throw a coin in the Trevi? Presto Guides all are very used to and enjoy working with kids, so don't be concerned that they'll be a bother! And even the Vatican Museums are in the end very interesting, for people of all ages, as it's a collections of all different types of arts and artifacts. Play a game with your kids, where for example you try to find as many paintings that have a dog in them! Or try to count how many times you see St. Peter's keys!

Ride a bike!: There's some places where you can rent bikes for the day! I don't recommend riding your bike in the busy city center, but instead at a park such as Villa Borghese, which is full of bike paths.

Eating Out: For the most part any restaurant you might come across will do their best to make sure there's something on the menu for everyone! And for dessert...or a mid-day treat, you should have no problems finding Gelato. If milk and sugar aren't your friends, then you'll be happy to know that lots of shops have "gelato di soia" soy gelato! I'm a soy gelato fanatic, and i recommend the chain Blu Ice's soy chocolate and soy hazelnut ;)

Parks!: Villa Borghese is a huge park just above the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. It's clean, safe and has lots of options. It's a good place to walk around, ride bikes, have a picnic, rent a little foot-peddle-cart, and there's even a small carnival for kids, merry-go-round included.

The Zoo/Botanical Gardens: Located inside the park Villa Borghese...it doesn't get much more kid-friendly than a zoo!

The Explora Children's Museum: This is a pretty new museum, designed especially for kids, a "child-sized playtown where everything can be observed, touched and experimented with." It's easy to find, just above Piazza del Popolo and net to Villa Borghese. Here's their website!