Moving to Rome: What am I going to eat?

Actually, the better question might be: how am I going to select what to eat? There is such a remarkable abundance of fantastic, fresh, simple food to be found in Italy. that I'll certainly be overwhelmed by choices.

And I'm not even a foodie! But thanks to my dear friend Letizia, I have learned how to choose excellent ingredients: good balsamico, excellent olive oil, the best pastas.

There are also many wonderful markets in Rome with a wealth of fresh, seasonal vegetables so that I can have a healthy diet and not feel too guilty about the occasional gelato.

Imagine: choosing great vegetables that haven't seen more of the world than I have! No more picking over apples from New Zealand, carrots from California, tomatoes and sweet peppers from Chile. Seriously: the produce in Ottawa supermarkets has collected more frequent flier points than I could ever hope for.

Here's an interesting market that is only a 15-minute walk, or one subway stop, from my new apartment in Rome: Mercato di Piazza Vittorio, 

Apparently, this was once among the most lively and popular markets with people in Rome. The many stalls offer a large variety of fruit and vegetables as well as other types of food, including specialties from all over the world.According to the blog, Spotted by Locals:  “...You should visit the Esquilino market (better known as the Piazza Vittorio market) not only for its cheap groceries, but also to witness Rome’s slow progression into a multicultural city, catering to the diverse needs of immigrants."

Sounds interesting!

The market, which was once located on the Piazza Vittorio, is now found inside the former Centrale del Latte (a dairy) nearby in Via Principe Amedeo.

Saltimbocca and fresh green beans prepared at Letizia's in June! Yum!