When in Rome - Eat like the Romans!

Well hello there and happy Fourth of July! We've once again skipped town on America's birthday (last year, we were in Cancún) and are posting today from Italy.

So far we've spent some time in Rome and some time in Florence and will be touring Bologna and Venice later on in our trip. We've had a great time so far, and have really enjoyed seeing all the sights and most importantly eating all the food.

We wanted to share some photos with you of the delicious food that we've eaten, which will undoubtedly be inspiration for meals when we return.

Rome
We loved Rome. Many people mentioned that it was just like New York City - we're not quite sure we agree, unless they're spending time in a more quiet, quaint, historic, and delicious version of New York City that we've never seen. Almost all of the food we ate was fantastic, and the ancient ruins and churches were magnificent to see.

Our first morning we enjoyed a cappuccino with some delicious Italian pastries.

The cappuccino in Italy really puts my Starbucks on 21st street to shame. The foamed milk is silky smooth yet thick, and the espresso is much less bitter.

In Rome we also came to love Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe - spaghetti with cheese and pepper. It's such a simple combination, yet the resulting flavor is fantastic. This is the photo of the dish we had at Enoteca Antica, near the base of the Spanish steps. We've always thought about making spaghetti cacio e pepe before, but always opted for something a little more complicated. We'll put that mistake to rest upon our return.

At Enoteca Antica we also enjoyed this Bigoli d'Anatra - large handmade noodles with duck sauce. Little bits of duck in a light olive oil and butter sauce. Divine.

Finally, thanks to the recommendation of our friend, we enjoyed a spectacular dinner at Felice a Testaccio. It's in a part of Rome that's far away from the tourists and as a result the food is so much better.

This Spaghetti all'Amatriciana was made with huge chunks of speck that were cooked perfectly so that the fatty part just melted into your mouth. Apparently the Amatriciana at Felice is on the list of the "best Amatriciana's in Rome" and it's easy to see why.

We also enjoyed this absolutely superb ravioli with a mint sauce. The mint was so fresh and delicious that it made the sauce taste like the embodiment of spring. Topped with fresh ricotta and simply cooked cherry tomatoes, this is one of our favorite dishes so far.

We'll be back soon with more updates. If you have any advice for our time in Venice, please let us know in the comments!