by Emily Ramraz | Jun 17, 2021 | Featured, GloKitchen, Travel
Ah, Italy. Land of pizza, pasta, espresso and more. Such a wondrous country. And at the epicenter of it all, Rome. The Eternal City. What a glorious place to visit. It is indeed a magical land, transporting you back thousands of years no matter where you venture. I firmly believe that Rome is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lives.
With all the history on display, visitors flock to Rome in droves, which makes it a tourist mecca… which means much of it is also a tourist trap. And nowhere is that more apparent than at it’s thousands of eating establishments, which all seem specifically designed to draw in sightseers and out-of-towners with the promise of a delicious, classic, Italian meal, but rarely deliver. Which brings up an interesting problem. Where should one eat?
Romans love holding onto their classic culture – and history in general – more than other place I’ve ever visited. This is wonderful in regards to preserving culture, heritage, history, art… but tends to stymie progress in the food and coffee world. Let’s consider what the phrase “classic” means when it comes to a meal.
Many Roman restaurants claim recipes handed down from generation to generation. This may very well be true, and Grandma’s recipes might have included the best ingredients possible… when she was alive. Remember, there was once a time that food was, by default, natural, organic and whole, as opposed to pre-packaged, chemically processed, mass-produced, and littered with chemical pesticides, chemical additives and preservatives. Let’s assume that Grandma’s recipes really did hail from 200 years ago, as opposed to from the 1950s, when frozen, canned and microwave meals were standard in every kitchen, and it wasn’t yet known how bad these foods were for you. Going with a best case scenario, Grandma’s recipe might have called for tomatoes, which she grew in her garden, and chicken, which came from the family farm. This sounds great, but that easily could have evolved into a mass-produced, GMO, subpar-tasting, mealy tomato and a water-and-antibiotics-injected, washed-in-chlorine, mass-poultry-farm chicken. Technically, still the same ingredients, but eons away in terms of taste and health benefits.
Bottom line is that, in today’s world of artificial foods, toxins, chemicals, additives, carcinogens, hormones, medicines and a whole other plethora of unappetizing ingredients added to our foods, sourcing good quality ingredients is the first step to a good restaurant. Unfortunately, I find that unless you’re paying a Michelin Star-level premium for your meal while in Italy, many Roman restaurants – even if they are sticking to the spirit of generational recipes – serve subpar quality ingredients, resulting in a subpar outcome, no matter how talented Grandma was.
Add to that, an alarming lack of consistency, some truly cranky service and crazily expensive food, it’s as if the Roman restaurant industry realized that since Rome is like Disneyland – non-stop tourists and no down season – they are unlikely to have a lot of repeat customers, so there’s no reason to worry about winning anyone over long term. And while I get how frustrating it can be to kowtow to ungrateful interlopers regularly, I don’t care! When I eat out, I want good food, good service, and – of course – a good price!
That’s why I was so happy when I finally discovered the best place to eat in Rome, which I ended up visiting numerous times:
Mercato Centrale Roma
Thank goodness for you! Located in the Stazione Termini (Rome’s main train terminal), the market is home to a wide variety of high quality food vendors, a wine bar, a coffee shop and a restaurant. Fairly new, having opened in October 2016, the Mercato took over the Cappa Mazzoniana, a century-old hall built by architect Angiolo Mazzoni, initially intended for use as the station’s restaurant, which never happened (until now). The thing that sets the Mercato apart from the other eateries in Rome is that they went out and sourced the best of the best in terms of local chefs, so you don’t have to. They did the research and you reap the benefits.
Whatever you might be in the mood for exists at the Mercato. Meat? Pizza? Gelato? You name it, you got it. They’ve got a pretty good system down, too. Sit at a communal table and a server takes your drink order. Then choose from one of the many stalls and eat to your heart’s content. Start with a glass of wine and an antipasti of cured meats and cheeses, move on to a pasta, have fish for a main, finish with a ristretto and something sweet. Each from a different vendor, specializing in a specific thing.
On this last trip to Rome, I frequented the Mercato a handful of times. I was over the moon about finding some enjoyable espresso there (something, surprisingly, very hard to come by in Rome), but it was the truffle stall (Il Tartufo di Luciano Savini, aka Savini Tartufi) that won my heart. We tried two different truffle pastas there, and they were, without a doubt, the best pastas we ate in Rome.
My favorite was the Gricia al Tartufo Nero. It starts with a calamaretti, which is a short, wide pasta tube, visually reminiscent of calamari, that collapses when cooked, trapping the sauce within (!). It’s coupled with bacon, a drop of milk, extra virgin olive oil and Pecorino Romano cheese, and then finished with a generous heaping of freshly grated black truffles. The sauce perfectly melds with the fresh pasta, and each bite is a reminder of all that is good in this world. I’d never had a pasta so delightful, perfectly cooked to the desired al dente consistency. Their Tagliolino al Tartufo was excellent as well, using a tagliatelle pasta in an egg/Pecorino Romano/extra virgin olive oil sauce. Both pastas were in the €15-20 range. That may seem expensive, but – to put Roman food prices into perspective – we went to a busy, casual osteria not at the market and ordered their truffle pasta. It didn’t even come close in taste or quality to the Mercato’s truffle stall, and it cost a hefty €37, nearly double the price.
The next time we visited the Mercato, we had the Trapizzini, a triangular shaped pizza bianca (pizza dough) stuffed to the point of overflowing with traditional Roman fillings. They recommended as a first timer trying the braised beef (their #1 best-seller), but, not being in the mood for red meat, I opted for the pollo alla cacciatora. Wow. It was a winner. The chicken was juicy, flavorful and so well cooked that it fell apart easily. It was cooked in garlic and white wine, and mixed beautifully with the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside pizza dough surrounding it. My only regret is being too full to try another one.
At the Mercato, you shouldn’t miss out on something sweet. I opted for a tiramisu from Cremilla. Even though they’re known for their gelato, I couldn’t resist the look of this fluffy, velvety, coffee-tinged dessert. Sure enough, it was smooth, subtle, creamy and exactly what eating a tiramisu in Italy should be like.
Paired with an espresso from La Caffeteria (one of the few espressos in Rome I didn’t have to cringe to ingest, nor add sugar to), my meal was complete.
All in all, come to the Mercato to enjoy the hustle and bustle around you, and take in the smells of all the fantastic foods. Have a sit down meal at Michelin-starred chef Oliver Glowig’s restaurant on the second floor, enjoy a casual plate of lovely pasta at one of the many booths on the ground floor, or go really chill and simply grab a beer and a slice of pizza to go. Indulge in fried foods or sweets, chocolate and cakes. You can even buy some fresh produce on your way home. The market really does have it all, and they do an excellent job executing.
I tried a plethora of items and was pleased with them all. Mercato Centrale definitely offers a great choice for a variety of typical Roman foods (and more) at a good price. And you can trust the sourcing, because the vendors come highly curated.
In other words, when in Rome, do as the World Eater does, and eat at the Mercato Centrale at Termini I. Buon appetito!
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by Sharon | Jun 9, 2021 | Featured, SHARON BURBRIDGE CELEBRITY NUMEROLOGIST
Numerology for me was one of the easiest of the occult fields to learn and I still find it one of the most accurate and fascinating subjects to date. It goes back over many centuries it’s related to Pythagoras a Greek Philosopher who lived in the sixth century B.C. he is known as the father of numerology. Pythagoras believed that all things are numbers and He believed that all of us lead a predestined life path because of the life paths we are born with.
Numerology can be used to read people’s characters and to understand the influences and opportunities in their lives at any given time, it also can show us our Karmic Lessons and Karmic Debts ..karmic lessons describe the things you are supposed to learn in this life and a Karmic Debt is a debt that travels with you from one lifetime to the next. In other words, all the not so nice things you did in your past life you will have to fix and restore the harm that you have done in preparation for the next lifetime.
What does your name mean?
Your Name at Birth, Date of Birth, Number Plate of your Car, The Door Number you live at, the Postcode you live at and so on are all made up of numbers, and they all have a distinct meaning to the individual. In the table below you can see how you can convert the letters of the alphabet into numbers.
Letter conversion to Numbers
Numerology can be used for many things in your life in particular, your career, your relationships, marriage dates and names, choosing a business name, naming your child and so on, you will find once you use it for one thing you will want to use it for everything.
The Name on your Birth Certificate describes your personality, who you are, how you react, where your strengths and weaknesses are and what you want to achieve. even if you change your name these things will never change you will just attract different vibrations to your personality. From your birth name, I can find your Motivation Number and your Inner Self Number and your Expression Number. In short, Your Motivation Number shows how you think and the way you act.
Your Inner Self Number is what your dreams are made of and it’s also quite often how people see you. The expression number is how you express yourself and where your talents lie.
I can also see from your Numerology Chart your Life Cycles, your turning points and your Challenges you face in your life.
Your Birth Date Number (known as the Destiny Number and Life Path) suggests your overall path in life and place in the world and it is based on your birth date. Simply add up the numbers in your birth date and keep reducing them until you reach a single number, unless of course you have a master number which will need to be interpreted separately.
what do your numbers mean?
Example:
Birth Month is April = 4
Birth Date is 30th =30
Birth Year is 1966 =1966
Add up digits of all these numbers
4+3+1+9*6+6 = 29
Then reduce the number to a single digit by adding 2+9 =11 then reduce again to 1+1=2
The number your left with is 2. this is the Life Path Number.
I have listed Below is a brief indicator of Life Path Numbers.
ONE is the Leader and indicates the ability to stand alone. It is a very strong vibration and is ruled by the Sun. In Astrology the Sun rules Leo so it is very similar to the Leo vibration. In love Number Ones can take the Lead and sometimes be quite self-cantered however they are willing to experiment and can be quite exciting…They require a lot of excitement as they can bore easily.
TWO is the Mediator and the Peacemaker. Number Two’s Desire is for harmony and peace. It is a gentle considerate and sensitive vibration and ruled by the Moon. The Moon rules Cancer in astrology so it’s similar to the Cancer vibration. In love Number Twos will bend over backwards to keep a relationship running smoothly and they offer emotional security to their partners and plenty of support.
THREE is a sociable, friendly and outgoing number. kind, positive and adventurous but can also be extravagant and scatter their energies too much. Three’s enjoy life to the full and have a good sense of humour. They are ruled by Jupiter and in Astrology Jupiter rules Sagittarius so it’s similar to the Sagittarius vibration. In love Number Threes are fun, energetic and willing to experiment and they like contact with others as it makes them feel happy and content. That aside if they feel confined, they will feel unhappy and may become restless and will need their space, but if they are allowed their freedom, they are exciting and happy partners
FOUR is the worker. workaholic even. Fours are trustworthy, hardworking and helpful and ruled by Uranus, in astrology Uranus rules Aquarius do us similar to the Aquarian vibration to reach balance and harmony in their lives. At their worst they can be very jealous people. In love Fours can be steady and generally trustworthy, but they can be quite emotional and frustrated, and if they feel trapped, they can become confrontational to say the least. If a relationship with a number four becomes stagnant it can definitely bring out that confrontational side. They love to solve problems, and tackle predicaments, but can be very opinionated at times.
FIVE is the Freedom lover. number five is a very intellectual vibration. These are people with lots of ideas with a love of variety, and they have the ability to adapt to most people and/or situations. They are ruled by Mercury and in astrology Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo and will continue to do so until a new planet is found to take its place in one of those signs (probably Virgo) so it’s very similar to a Gemini/Virgo vibration. In love Fives handle unexpected challenges and changes well. They like to have fun and freedom is very important to them . so, stability conscious types would be better to look elsewhere but if you are freedom loving like them it can be a very harmonious relationship indeed.
SIX Is the Peace lover. Number Six is a loving, stable and harmonious vibration and is ruled by Venus, in astrology Venus rules Taurus and Libra so is similar to their vibration. In love Number Six has a deep dislike of discord and generally work very hard at keeping the peace. They are individuals that are very attached to their families and their homes and at their best they are devoted and stable partners and do whatever they can to reach balance and harmony in their lives. at their worst they are extremely jealous and suspicious people.
SEVEN is the deep thinker. The number seven is a very spiritual vibration and sevens are not attached to material things in any way and are generally quiet individuals but they are Psychic, wise and reserved people. Seven is ruled by Neptune and in astrology Neptune rules Pisces so is very similar to the Pisces vibration. In love Sevens can be sometimes hard to reach and understand. sometimes they may even seem a little kooky. They are intuitive and psychic and are often devoted partners but they can be prone to disappointments when relationships inevitably fall short of ideal, as they put everything into making them work.
EIGHT is the Manager, Number Eights are strong and successful and ruled by Saturn, in astrology Saturn rules Capricorn so is similar to the Capricorn vibration. In love Eights take commitment very seriously but they can sometimes treat relationships like business deals, and then they can easily alienate partners and end up not creating the loving, romantic partnership they desire. Eights are generally stable and secure and can offer that to their partners but they need to take the business-like attitude out of it in order for the relationship to succeed.
NINE is the teacher in life and can be controlling if they are allowed to do so…they can be a little unpredictable and fiery too. Nines are ruled by Mars and in astrology Mars rules Aries so is similar to the Aries vibration. In love Nines are involved and helpful and they are sympathetic lovers but they can get easily frustrated and get angry, and if anger is triggered their emotions can be volcanic and can resort to bullying tactics when they are unhappy . on the other side if two nines are together it can go the other way and the one with a weaker personality Number can become the doormat.
In my work I use Esoteric Numerology and Astrology combined as you can see that the Life Path Numbers are ruled by planets so together it is such a powerful combination.
Click here to find out more sharon-burbridge
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by Danica | Jun 1, 2021 | Featured, GloKitchen
A day out in the countryside or in an inner-city park is best spent with plenty of yummy provisions, I find, such as muffins. To me, of course, they are usually of the sugary kind and coupled with a cup of milky coffee as a firm part of my afternoon routine, but muffins can be a real savoury treat, too!
These chewy, aromatic little cakes receive their wonderful aroma from nutmeg, the buttery crunch from roasted pine nuts and the strong, uncanny umami taste and saltiness from the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – a true feast for the senses! As an extra treat for the eyes, garnish the Parmigiano-Reggiano and spinach muffins with a dollop of nutmeg-spiced cream cheese and a crispy Parmigiano-Reggiano round made from grated cheese. These muffins are the perfect finger food for filling up your picnic basket as well as making wonderful party nibbles and stunning brunch displays.
Ingredients:
For 10 muffins
For the batter:
280g mixed, plain flours (white and wholemeal)
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
225ml milk
75ml vegetable oil (extra oil for greasing the muffin moulds)
60g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
100g baby leaf spinach
50g pine nuts
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 pinch sugar
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. butter
For the decoration (optional):
280g cream cheese
10 tbsps. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
What you’ll need:
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Kitchen scales
Grater
Tablespoon
Teaspoon
Small bowl
Strainer or colander
Measuring jug
Frying pan
Chopping board
Kitchen knife
Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
Muffin baking tray (with 12 moulds)
Flat baking tray with non-stick baking paper
A glass with a small diameter, e.g. a Champagne glass
Pastry brush
Method:
- Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves. Melt butter in a pan and add the spinach. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Cook the spinach for approx. 5 minutes. Let it cool off.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flours with baking powder. Add eggs, milk, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and vegetable oil. Season the batter with sea salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg and sugar. Stir well until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- In a dry frying pan, roast the pine nuts until they brown. Let them cool of briefly before adding them to the batter as well. Add the cooked spinach to the batter along with the chopped garlic. Use a tablespoon to fold in the spinach, garlic and pine nuts and stir until the mixture is uniform.
- Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (fan).
- Take a large muffin tray (12 moulds) or two small trays and use a pastry brush to grease the moulds with vegetable oil.
- Use a tablespoon to evenly divide the batter among the moulds. It should suffice for at least 10 muffins. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, middle rack, at 170°C.
- For the Parmigiano-Reggiano rounds (decoration) take a Champagne glass or similar (ø3cm), fill it with a tablespoonful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and turn it over on a flat baking tray covered with non-stick baking paper. Repeat the process until you have produced then evenly round mounds of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Make sure that there is enough space between the cheese mounds so they won’t fuse together. Bake them in the oven for approx. 10 minutes, and then leave them to cool off.
- In the meantime, use a small bowl to mix the cream cheese with the ground nutmeg. Stir well. Once the muffins are done and have cooled off, decorate them with a heaped teaspoonful of nutmeg cream cheese whip each and top off with a Parmigiano-Reggiano round.
(Credit to: Castelli/Parmigiano for these beautiful recipes)
http://www.castelli-uk.com
