Dana's Food Review
Discussion of our trip to Italy prior to departure often turned to the topic of the delicious food we would be able to eat. Many of our meals were pre-arranged and tended to revolve around a simple pasta dish, but lunches were on our own and provided a chance to explore the cuisine a bit. My first meal in Italy was pizza at the Friggatoria Pizzeria Trattoria al Gazebo in Venice. Because it was our first full day, the group was very energetic and excited (this waned a bit as the week went on—only because we were tired!).
While I'm a great fan of pizza, pasta, and cheese, some of my favorite edibles were of the sweet variety. One particularly memorable treat was the Affogato at Grom in the Piazza Navona in Rome. This was our last day before heading back home, and it had been a non-stop sprint through the Collosseum, the Forum Romanum, the Vatican Museum, and St. Peter's Church. My feet were sore and wet (it rained a lot during our trip, and my feet were wet all day, every day), I was tired and cranky, and I would have been happy to sleep on the bus while everyone else hung out in St. Peter's square! The Piazza Navona was the final site on our itinerary. Several members of our group chose to stay behind in St. Peter's square, but I (and a few others) welcomed the opportunity to sit in the warm dry bus. I reluctantly exited the bus to admire the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, spotting the source of a much-needed sugar boost nearby: Grom Gelato. It turns out that Grom is a chain, with shops all over Italy and in a handful of cities around the world. While trying to decide what to order (from a menu written entirely in Italian, without English translations), Trena and I watched the young man behind the counter pour dark liquid chocolate into a cup, then add a scoop of gelato. The woman who ordered this concoction sung its praises, but we were sold as soon as we discovered what it was!
We both ordered the Affogata, and I chose the "crema di Grom" flavor of Gelato (According to the website: "egg cream with corn biscuits and Columbian 'Teyuna' chocolate chips"). The ciccolate calda was thick and slightly bitter, and the combination of hot and cold was invigorating. My grumpiness immediately melted away (pun intended), and Trena and I decided that the Affogata should be called "the mood maker". I may never drink instant hot chocolate again. This little cup of happy gave me just the boost I needed to head back to the Vatican—just in time to see the white smoke rise into the sky above St. Peter's Church.