5 Historic Cafes in Rome.

 

1.Caffé Greco.  Opened in 1760 (Via dei Condotti). The most ancient in Rome and the second in Italy, preceded only by Caffé Florian in Venice (1720). So called for its first owner, Nicola della Maddalena, a Greek man.  A meeting place for intellectuals: Stendhal, Goethe, Byron, Keats, Ibsen, Wagner, Casanova, have all been here.  A Caffé celebrated in sketches and paintings which still decorate its walls forming a huge private art gallery with more than 300 works. And if lucky enough you can bump into Stellario Baccellieri known worldwide as 'the painter of the Caffé Greco': he portrayed celebs like De Chirico, Liz Taylor, Gina Lollobrigida and Lady Diana.



2.Babington's English Tea Room (by the Spanish Steps).  Founded in 1893 by Isabel Cargill and Anne Marie Babington. At the time tea could be found only in pharmacies. 19th century style interiors. It survived two world wars and the opening of a Macdonald's nearby!

3 & 4. Caffè Rosati and Caffé Canova in Piazza del Popolo. The Caffè Rosati was the pastry shop of the Italian Royal family. In the 50s it served coffee to Pasolini and Elsa Morante.  The Caffè Canova was popular among Via Margutta artists. An interesting art gallery is dedicated to Fellini who daily visited the bar for his espresso fix.

 

5. Caffé Canova Tadolini located in the workshop of Neoclassical sculptor Canova and his pupil Tadolini. Have a drink or lunch among sculptures and casts, dark hardwood floors, chandeliers and vintage furniture.

 

 

Trappist: the historical Roman chocolate.

 

In Sicily it's Modica, in Tuscany Stainer, in Turin Peyrano or Caffarel, among others. 
In Rome the synonym for chocolate is Trappist, produced from 1880 by monks! 
Dark, with milk or hazelnuts, gianduia and for Christmas 'torrone' (nougat) of course.
Their recipes are ancient and strictly top secret, their logo:  the Colosseum with a cross!
Trappists are named after La Trappe Abbey in Normandy (France).  They are a reformed wing of Cistercian monks who were also originally from France (Citeaux) where the order was founded in 1098.  Trappists follow St. Benedict' s rule.
They used to speak only when necessary:  they actually have a sign language!  Even if they were actually much more rigorous until the Second Vatican Council in 1960s.
They still live by the work of their hands, not neglecting study and writing.  Monasteries are generally located in rural areas and produce cheese, bread, chocolate, beer, jams, liqueurs and also cosmetics!
Their beers contain residual sugars plus yeast so, unlike common beer, will improve with age.

Three Fountains Abbey, 1874.

The Trappist Abbey in Rome is located at the Tre Fontane (Three Fountains) on the Via Laurentina where they have three separate churches (one to St. Paul, one to the Blessed Mary and the third dedicated to the Saints Vincent and Anastasius).  The Church of St. Paul was raised on the spot where the saint was beheaded by order of Emperor Nero. Legend accounts for the three springs (fontane) asserting that, when severed from Paul's body, his head bounced and struck the earth in three different places, from which fountains sprang up. The church also holds the pillar to which St. Paul was tied according to tradition and some mosaics from Ostia Antica.

More on the Abbey:
http://www.sanpaolotrefontane.org/index.php
http://www.abbaziatrefontane.it/index.php (only in Italian).

Once the area was swampy and malarial:  that's why eucalyptus trees were planted:  their liqueur distilled from the leaves is very popular.   Their specialties are sold in the little shop by the entrance.  The monks also sell an aromatic vinegar which is said to cure headaches and rheumatism and the best chocolate you can find in Rome. 
Actually till 1970 all those goods were produced by the monks, now a factory in Frattocchie supplies the shop of the Tre Fontane.

Their specialties are also online:
http://www.bottegadelmonastero.it/index.php?manufacturers_id=20&sort=3a&language=en

A brief video on the factory (better without audio):
http://youtu.be/mHaCkTcmKn8

 

 

The traditional Roman Pangiallo.

The pangiallo romano is a typical Roman cake (pangiallo means yellow bread) already known in the ancient Rome.
It was prepared during the celebration of winter solstice to invoke the return of the Sun (that's why yellow). Obtained through a mix of dried fruit, honey and candied citron. It was customary in the past to use dried kernels of apricots and plums instead of the most expensive almonds and hazelnuts. In modern versions you might have also almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, raisins, pistachios or chocolate (which couldn’t have been added until the 1500s’).  Younger generations may have never tried this specialty.  It's still made in Rome's Jewish Ghetto and in some traditional delis.  Unfortunately industrially produced Panettone or Pandoro are more often seen on Christmas tables.

Maritozzo con panna

Maritozzi con panna:  the traditional Roman brioche buns are filled with whipped cream and served at breakfast.  The name maritozzi derives from the word marito (husband) since originally it was customary for the groom, as proof of his love, to give these buns to the future bride, on the first Friday in March (date corresponding to our Valentine’s Day).  At the time they were quite larger garnished with the design two entwined hearts, two shaking hands or a heart pierced by Cupid’s arrow. The maritozzi could hide inside some gold object or the ring! 
Maritozzi can be found in pastry shops around Rome and are usually served in the morning with coffee or afternoon with a coffee or liqueur.  In the neighborhoods of Garbatella, Testaccio and Trastevere, it is easy to find them in bars in the early hours of the morning.
Try the legendary Maritozzaro of Rome Via Ettore Rolli, 50 – close to Stazione di Trastevere.