Like Jazz? Love Rome? Then your in for a treat this october in the eternal city. A very talented young lady by the name of Tess Amodeo-Vickery will be performing in The Cotton Club on the 20^th and in Mahalia on the 26th October.

Tess’ tantalising voice will keep you in your seat for hours. She flirts with her audience and keeps the room alive. Don’t miss her, you will enjoy it.

The Cotton club is located at via Bellinzona 2, near Bologna square. Mahalia  is on via Illa 12, near the subway station Furio Camillo (red subway line).

Contact us at Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel to get the best of Rome at the most affordable rates.

Our blogger today: Liam

Wether you’re a vegetarian or enjoy a big sandwhich full of prosciutto crudo, they will do it all. The atmosphere is a very friendly one and the guys who run it are a couple of characters; they will help you feel right at home. And when you’ve finished with your food they’ll make you a nice smoothie with fresh fruit and many different recipes that they’ve concocted.

Fa’Bio It’s located on Via Germanico 43, just off Via Ottaviano. To get there just take the red subway line and get off at Ottaviano/ Musei Vaticani.

Hope you enjoy!

And don’t forget: your best options for accomodation in Rome are Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel! Just drop us a line or call us (+39 064454365) to make a reservation or ask us a question.

Our blogger: Liam

In the region of Lombardy during the middle ages it was discovered, by accident, how to prepare a cake that is now popular throughout Italy. At Christmas time it’s a typical dessert .Its called Panettone and its almost impossible to imagine Christmas without it.

Panettone is increasingly becoming popular in other countries in Europe, for example Spain. In Argentina its also very popular. This is because Italian immigrants during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought it to these countries. This is even why in the legendary Pampas its also present at the Christmas table.

Now I want to tell you how to prepare it. Here is the recipe:

(For 10 people)

250 g of raisins
1 kg of flour
Salt
350 g of butter
10 egg yolks
250g of candied fruit
350 g sugar
60g yeast

1. Knead yeast, dissolved in warm water, and one third of the flour until you get a soft dough.
2. Make a cross on the panettone and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 20-25 minutes.
3. Resume the kneading with another third of flour and a tablespoon of warm water.
4. Cover again and let the dough rise in a warm place for 3 hours or until it has doubled in volume.
5. Do the same again, adding all the flour and water whilst trying to make the batter thicker. 

6. After about 9 hours of leavening the dough (leaving it to rise) add the melted butter and the egg yolks, one at a time, the sugar – which should be dissolved in water, salt, raisins and well strizzata lightly floured, and candied fruit.
7. Work long enough to get a smooth dough, you will maybe need a couple of hours.
8. Place the dough into the mold, anointed with melted butter and lined with paper baking foil, and place in a 170 degree oven.
9. After about 40 minutes, half cooked, brush the surface of panettone with butter, then put it back in the oven for another 40 minutes.
10. Wait for it to cool down and then push it out.

We hope you will enjoy it. If you want to know some more about this or another secret of Italian cooking just send an email to info@hoteldesartistes.com. You can even learn the secrets from our very own nonna.

Christmas in Rome is very special. This is why so many people come to visit Rome and decide to stay in our hotel…We do our best to make them feel like home.

There are so many stereotypes about Italians. Many of them are based on the gastronomic habits if this Mediterranean nation. Italians are known in the world as main pasta eaters- or Italiano Maccheroni Pasta. And it is in fact true that the inhabitants of one of the most gorgeous peninsula do like a lot pasta products. Also they are known for their immense love for the ice-cream, or gelato. And I admit it is one of the most tasteful in the world.

But today I would like to talk about a different Italian passion, which is coffee, very special coffee in Rome. As you may or may not know coffee beans were brought to Europe from Ottoman Empire, which in its turn borrowed them from Africa, precisely Ethiopia historical birthplace of coffee. Italy has a whole range of different coffee types, from espresso, cappuccino, ristretto, etc, etc… One of the first places on each agenda of any tourist that comes to Italy should be to try all the types of coffee, prepared in Italy. But again today I will not speak about a normal coffee. I will speak about a very special type of coffee, well, the most expensive in the world! You may be puzzled now, for sure, but I do inform you that this coffee is very, very special and you should be courageous enough to try it. Well, about the costs, this coffee, and let us reveal the secret, called KOPI LUWAK costs 90 euros per 100 gramms!!!

«Kopi Luwak» (in Bahasa Indonesian Kopi means coffee and Luwak is the name of the animal "producing" beans), or «Civet’s Coffee » is prepared from the coffee beans that have passed through the alimentary system of these animals in Indonesia. These civets are specifically put on coffee plantations and, as they say, they know how to find the best beans of coffee. They eat them, digest, and… Plantation workers then gather excrements , separated from them coffee beans, launder and fry them. Specialists say that this coffee has such a unique aroma. And I do confirm that this smell is all but nasty!
Just some interesting facts about these civets. Recently many hundreds of animals were killed in an attempt to stop the outbreak of SARS. The meat of these animals is being prepared in many Asian countries, especially in China, but it is believed that the Indonesian civet is different from the Chinese ones. And there practically no chances that a person would drink this coffee accidently. First, it is very expensive and second is specially made!

So, if you have enough courage to drink it while you are in Rome, just go to the Bar Bonito in the Ostiense Train Station and enjoy its particular taste and aroma, as I did just a week ago!

Ostiense station is just few steps away from the Piramide Line B Metro station, if you stay in Hotel Des Artistes in Rome just hop on the train on Castro Pretorio and in 10 minutes you will be in the right place to try the right coffee!

HAVE A GOOD… COFFEE!!!

The legend says that in Rome in the very earlier times the population was predominantly male. To fix this, Romulus, its founder , had an idea: to organize sports festivities in honour of the god Neptune and decided to invite the neighbour towns for the competition. Those of a particular population, Sabina, went to Rome with their wives and children. While the games were celebrated one of the Romans gave an specific sign to which every roman kidnapped a woman and then drove to the men (as planned).

The Romans tried to convince the women saying that they only did so because they wanted to be their wives, and they should be happy and proud of becoming a part of a people chosen by the gods.
The Sabinian men had a different opinion, angry by the insult of treason and rape of their women, attacked the Romans. When it was about to happen what appeared to be the very final battle, the Sabine woman stood between the two combatants to stop the killing because, they saw clearly that winning the Romans the would loose their parents, and winning the Sabinians they would loose their husbands and sons. The Sabine woman managed to make them come to a reconciliation and finally the celebrated with a banquet..(So are the woman there so beautiful that they worth such a battle? Check and see  

The Sabina Lazio olive oil comes from olives harvested by hand and squeezed cold, without manipulation or chemical solvents. Which is the secret of the flavor and colour of this oil?

Take under consideration the following factors:

Climatic characteristics of the area of cultivation and the ground limestone, permeable and dry. Many varieties of olives used, alone or in combination: Carboncella, Leccino, Raja, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Olivastrone, Salviana, Olivago and Roscioli.

A long and patient work.

An excellent nutritional value, the many beneficial properties that make it a unique seasoning and unproven.

So as a result of this, the quality of the product is very high.

Some other little secrets:

- Do you like the onion in ’salad but has a decided taste too? Let marinate for a few hours in ‘oil sabina: become more gentle and delicate.
- Prepare a special dressing for your salad leaves soak in a liter of oil sabina some dry red chilli, two branches of fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, a clove of garlic and three cloves. Seal the bottle and let rest at least 20 days at room temperature. Shake well before use.
- A cake lighter and healthier? Replace the butter with oil sabina and a jar of low-fat yoghurt. It will be lighter, soft and tasty.

Now the beauty of Sabina combines mountainous landscape with large cultivated areas (cereals, olives and vines in particular), forests of beech and chestnut trees, castles on top of hills with stone houses just further down, also landscapes of rolling hills of sand, clay and conglomerates, silver by olive trees. Don’t forget to try their cheeses made with milk from sheep, goat or cow as well as interesting products of spontaneous growing as mushrooms, truffles and wild berries. Enjoy the atmosphere "naive" and the still unspoiled beauty of the wild landscape. 

Visit Farfa in Sabina and the Abbey. The Abbey of Farfa deserves a long visit, given its history back till the Middle Ages and the extraordinary natural splendour. Not far, at Canneto-Casale Bertini there is an olive tree with a circumference of 6.1 meters and a height of 10.
Nearby in Nerola, dominated by the castle Orsini, one can enjoy a restful view of the beautiful countryside. From Nerola can make two trips (short) to Scandriglia and Montorio Romano, where you can buy the oil extra-virgin olive oil.
In Castelnuovo di Farfa , visit the sixteenth century Palazzo Perilli, where is the Museum of Oil of Sabina. In this original museum, the history of oil is illustrated it proposes at the same time a way through the exhibition of works by contemporary artists and listening to music that creates an enchanting atmosphere.

Keep on the way to Cottanello where you can see the beautiful castle of Hermitage St. Cataldo. It contains frescos in the early’300. The place is fascinating. Also there is a Villa Romana of the I century A.C, that keeps mosaic floors in both black and white with coloured pictures of unusual elegance.

How to get there (very easy indeed). Do not forget to choose as a hub in Rome- a beautiful, like Sabinian women, hotel- Yes Hotel.

By Car: A1 exit Fiano Romano, continue on SS via Salaria, follow the signs to Castelnovo of Farfa.

By train: From Tiburtina train station, about 1 hour trip.

Finally I’m back with some news and appetizing stories and an attractive place too  that I stronly recommend you visit and, no doubt  it is definitely off the track so the curious will be delighted. Ready? Ok !

Let’s go start a marvellous trip into Amatrice, the village that claims to be the inventor of “pasta all’amatriciana” , which is famous worldwide and so is roman food.

Amatrice is a small town located along Lazio’s boundaries, surrounded by a green basin and  magnificent woods. The basin climbs softly  towards the mountains up to  1800 metres leaving a beautiful grassland that looks just  like a sea of flowers during spring and summer. With its Solitary cascades, beaches, forests and trekking paths the landscape of this part of the Central “Appennino”, is of great fascination for all the fans of the nature.

Now let’s get down to the real business ! I am of course speaking  about the pasta all’amatriciana probably one of the most famous Roman pasta recipes. In fact it  is still going on the diatribe between Rome and Amatricia inherent the pasta all’amatriciana paternity.

Back to its origins this italian pasta was cooked by shepherds with cacio (is a kind of fresh and tasty cheese), typical bacon and pepper, and was  called “alla gricia”.

After the Americas discover  tomatoes and the  importation , the original recipe has changed in the classical one with everybody knows. After the crisis of sheep farming, most of the amatriciani emigrates to Rome where they opened their restaurants. The oldest one , Il Passetto, opened in 1860 , and is still one of the best known place in Rome to eat your Amatriciana.

Only for you the original recipe:

For 4 people

500 gr of pasta ( bucatini or spaghetti)

500 gr of tomatoes San Marzano

100gr of smoked bacon (should be very fat )

100gr of pecorino’s cheese

Extra  virgin olive oil

½ glass of dry white wine

Pepper

Salt

Let the tomatoes boil for a few minutes into the water

Take out the seeds from the tomatoes. Cut the bacon in thick slices e cook it in a pan. When fat is melted,  pour in  the wine.

Take the mixture out of the fire and in the same pan cook the tomatoes with the pepper and the oil.

After a minute put the bacon inside. Meanwhile cook the pasta and voilà les jeux sont faits!!!!

Good news is that on 30 and 31 of August in Amatrice there will be the fair of the   spaghetti all’amatriciana where you can eat the true amatriciana pasta with its full flavour and wash it down with a good  local italian wine.

For the occasion a stamp will be released ! So what are you waiting for?

Direction:

Da Roma : SS4 Salaria. Km 132,000 crossroads to Amatrice

For italian food lovers, see here other Italian food recipes !

And for those stopping in Rome here is our selected Rome restaurants where to eat a good Amatriciana !

The legend says that Marco Polo introduced the pasta to Italy after his exploration of the East in the 13 century. But we can trace pasta back until the fourth century B.C., an Etruscan tomb showed a group of people making what appears to be pasta. Further yet the Greek mythology suggests that the Greek God Vulcan invented a device that made some kind of… spaghetti! 

In 2005 a big discovery was made: a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles has appeared at an archaeological site in western China. Possible proof for the argument that China invented before Italy? "These are definitely the earliest noodles ever found," said Lu Houyuan, a researcher with the Institute of Geology in Beijing.

Now we understand why there are different theories on the matter, basically the following opinions (quotations of mentioned before Lu  Houyuan): " Chinese people say that Marco Polo brought noodles from China back to Italy and Italians say they had noodles before that". The chinese group that made the discover declared: ‘‘All this has been based on documentary material, on personal accounts and menus. But we’ve been unable to find any actual material, until now."

Despite that discovery, some people are inclined to say no to a ‘‘chinese born pasta’’ this, for a simple reason: Once you have begun to make flour, and bread, it seems an obvious next step to make a firm dough, roll it out, and dry it to produce something — pasta — that will keep very well, much better than either flour or bread. Therefore bit’s more likely to think that pasta has been discovered independently more than once in the course of history.
Moreover, Arabs were already making spaghetti at Trabia, in Sicily, in 1150, long before Marco set out, some others said.
As for ravioli, they’re mentioned in documents predating Marco Polo’s trip. So they didn’t come from China.

So at last the theories are many, but the truth is one, no matter who or when, who invented pasta gave us a great tasty legacy, and that taste is the real mystery.

Once you will visit Rome, do not forget to eat in a very famous restaurant Le mani in pasta in Trastevere, where you will be served typical roman pastasciutta al dente at reasonable price.

Coffee or espresso?

Be careful with what you order when you are in Rome because a “caffè” is not the regular coffee as you maybe remember it from home.
A caffè is an espresso and a caffè americano is a coffee that is similar to the normal filter coffee.
A caffè macchiato is an espresso with a touch of milk, a caffelatte is a big cup or glass of milk and coffee.

You see ? the world of coffee in Italy is indeed one of its own. So don’t call it simple to order a normal coffee in one of these countless bars
where you can have a quick breakfast in the morning consisting of the italian cornetto (a very sweet croissant) and a coffee. One of the most famous café in Rome is the Caffè Greco, steps away from the Spanish steps and our B&B De Cappuccini and Jonella.

So what is “a coffee” then ? It consists of only a small cup with a very small amount of coffee in it. The complete name of that is caffè espresso.
But as it is a long name, everybody would only say caffè and you’ll always get that small cup.
The name doesn’t have anything to do with that the coffee is made very fast (like express) or that the water is pressed with pressure through the coffee powder.
It comes from the italian word “espresso” and that means something that is only and especially made for a guest, it is from the time when the
caffè espresso was only made in bars and not yet at home.
And as unbelievable as it may seem, but the italian coffee is much healthier than the normal european filter coffee and contains less caffeine so when having your morning breakfast in Yes Hotel Rome, ask for an espresso instead !
But that’s not all.
There is a big variety of other coffees and also you wouldn’t drink every coffee on every time of the day.

The day in Italy starts with a quick breakfast in one of these bars. Try the Dolce Vita district of Via Veneto, very elegant and central and close by the Villa Borghese
An Italian usually takes a caffè or a cappuccino or a caffèllatte and one or sometimes two of these sweet cornetti
(croissont without filling, filled with white cream, with chocolate cream, with jam, …).
Over the day till the early afternoon all kinds of coffee are common, mostly a simle caffè is taken as it is the fastest one.
In the later afternoon and in the evening it is not common anymore to drink the big coffees with a lot of milk.
If you’ll do it even though you’ll be recognized as a tourist. )

Some coffee-examples:

caff̬ Рnormal espresso, served in a small cup
caff̬ doppio Рdouble espresso, served in a small cup
caff̬ lungo Рespresso made with the double amount of water, served in a small cup
caff̬ ristretto Рespresso but less than a normal one, very concentrated, served in a small cup
caff̬ macchiato Рespresso with a little amount of milk (hot or cold), served in a small cup
caff̬ corretto Рespresso with alcohol (usually grappa), served in a small cup
caff̬ al vetro Рnormal espresso but served in a small glass instead of a cup
Marocchino – normal espresso with a teaspoon of melted chocolate, milk foam on top and a lot of cacoa powder, served in a small glass
(usually without chocolate, only with milk foam and cacoa powder)
cappuccino – espresso with hot milk and milk foam on top, sometimes with cacoa powder, served in a bigger cup
caff̬llatte Рa double espresso (but usually only one is taken) with hot milk, rarely with foam, served in a big glass
latte macchiato – hot milk, milk foam and one espresso (usually there is taken less coffee), served in a big glass
caff̬ americano Рespresso filled up with hot water, served in a bigger cup, similar to normal filter coffee

And this is only the basic. Every guest has their own preferred coffee and therefore there are many variations like
caffè lungo macchiato, caffè lungo al vetro, caffè al vetro macchiato, cappuccino chiaro (with less coffee) or scuro (with more coffee), …

Coffee culture in Italy is a bit different. Usually everything is taken “al banco” – meaning standing at the bar.
Of course there will always be the possibility to sit down but then, be prepared to be charged extra, a so called service charge.
Sometimes it is even double price of what you originally ordered, although usually it is between 10% and 15%. At any rate, ask the price before sitting to avoid bad surprises.

Obviously if you decide to sit on a terrace in Piazza Navona you will pay more than in the round the corner small bar, but you will enjoy the suggestive atmosphere of old Rome ….

Come enjoy our special Rome Hotel offers , which are a best value for your money !

Rome has got it all. For the young, the old, families and couples. Whether you are backpacking or you are here for an extended stay. If you are interested in architecture, history, and have a passion for food then this city is definetly for you.

However these are not the only distractions that can be found in this ancient giant of a city that needs several lifetimes to be explored and discovered.

There are also several different periods of history all captured in time and preserved and which can be seen literally in the hundreds of buildings monuments and churches. Renaissance, Baroque and ancient imperial buildings stand side by side and it seems that the town planning of the city was an afterthought.

 

Large piazzas and shopping streets attract tourists and locals alike. Gelato and pizza are the order of the day and coffee seems to be drunk like water.

Traffic seems to be flowing constantly and scooters are everywhere. Sirens are always wailing and hooters are blaring at every traffic intersection.

However all is not chaos and noise. Solace can be found in the Villa Borghese park and in the other green areas found in the city. If the kids are with you then their energy can be spent rollerblading are using the bicycles that are available to hire in the park. If you are feeling especially brave you can hire a segway and go for a spin in Piazza del Popolo.

 

Trastevere is a popular night spot crowded with bars and clubs and where the partying carries on into the wee hours with total abandon. Another area which is popular with the younger crowd because it is close to the university is San Lorenzo. There are also many winebars and pubs crammed into this spot.

Shopping here is like breathing. You have to do it. Via del Corso, Via Condotti, Piazza di Spagna and Via Nazionale are just some of the more well known of the numerous places you can go to sate your appetite and shop to your hearts content. Prada, Gucci, Armani, Versace and Bulgari are all here.

 

When you feel like a break from the city the beaches are not far from the city and they are really easy to get to with public transport. Wind surfing, kite surfing and the good old surfboard can be used along the coastline too. The Abruzzo National Park is also not far away.

There are many trails to go hiking and mountain biking and there is also so much climbing that can be done here. In winter it is also great to go skiing here as well as in Campo Felice which is closer to Rome than the park if you have less time.
 

 

The Province of Lazio, in which Rome is located is a perfect place from which to make your daytrips too. As it is situated roughly half way between the north and the south of Italy.

The main train station,Termini, located near our hotel, is perfect for this as trains from all over the country arrive and depart from here. The Leonardo Express also departs from here directly to Fiumicino airport ( Leonardo da Vinci ). There are also many bus shuttles that also depart from the station to Ciampino airport.

Well now that you have decided where you are going all you have to do now is make up your mind when. Looking forward to seeing you in Rome. Have a safe trip.

So this is what you need:

500 grams of marscapone, 150 millitres of milk, 75 grams of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoured sugar, 2 cups of coffee ( preferably from the mocha ), 2 shots of amaretto and 200 grams of finger biscuits and 1 tablespoon of sweetened chocolate powder. Right now lets go through how you stick it all together and get a great result.

 

So the first thing you should do is get the coffee done and let it cool down. While that is happening you can get on with the rest. So dump the mascarpone, vanilla and sugar into the bowl and whick the hell out of it. Now add the milk a bit at a time. You don’t want to add too much milk or the tiramisu wont set properly. The mixture should be smooth not runny. If you don’t use all the milk by the time you have got this result its fine just drink what’s left and carry on. By this time the coffee should have cooled down and you can now add the 2 shots of amaretto to it. Another trick is not to dunk the biscuits into the coffee but rather put them in the dish first and then take a tablespoon and pour it over the biscuits. Once you have drizzled the first layer of biscuits with the coffee you can add a lyer of your mascarpone cream. Then repeat this with another layer of biscuits and then finally another layer of cream. For the finale get a table spoon of chocolate powder and dust it over the top of the tiramisu using a sive. You don’t want to do this without one because if you do it will come out all lumpy and you will choke on the chocolate powder.

 

Once you have done this leave the tiramisu in the fridge for at least 6 to 8 hours. Or even better over night. It is really quick and easy to make. From making the coffee to putting it in the fridge takes about 30 minutes. This recipe will be enough for 8 to 10 people depending if they only have one piece.

Another great thing about this recipe is that there are no eggs so you can store it for a lot longer before having to eat it and it is has a bit less cholesterol in it than usual so granny can also have a piece. It’s also nice and light so it won’t feel like you have just eaten a horse and the cart it was pulling.

Buon appetito !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!