Awards
2016 Epicurious Best Cookbook
Synopses & Reviews
A love letter from two Americans to their adopted city, Tasting Rome is a showcase of modern dishes influenced by tradition, as well as the rich culture of their surroundings.
Even 150 years after unification, Italy is still a divided nation where individual regions are defined by their local cuisine. Each is a mirror of its city's culture, history, and geography. But cucina romana is the country's greatest standout.
Tasting Rome provides a complete picture of a place that many love, but few know completely. In sharing Rome's celebrated dishes, street food innovations, and forgotten recipes, journalist Katie Parla and photographer Kristina Gill capture its unique character and reveal its truly evolved food culture — a culmination of 2000 years of history. Their recipes acknowledge the foundations of Roman cuisine and demonstrate how it has transitioned to the variations found today. You'll delight in the expected classics (cacio e pepe, pollo alla romana, fiore di zucca); the fascinating but largely undocumented Sephardic Jewish cuisine (hraimi con couscous, brodo di pesce, pizzarelle); the authentic and tasty offal (guanciale, simmenthal di coda, insalata di nervitti); and so much more.
Studded with narrative features that capture the city's history and gorgeous photography that highlights both the food and its hidden city, you'll feel immediately inspired to start tasting Rome in your own kitchen.
Review
"You'll see Rome though the
eyes and taste buds of Katie Parla and Kristina Gill in this attractive
new cookbook. They lightly sketch Roman history through its
neighborhoods and their culinary specialties..." New York Times
Review
"A lively and educational
read for anyone who has visited and fallen in love with the Eternal
City, anyone planning a trip there (whether soon or someday), food
history buffs, and fans of flatbread." Epicurious
Review
"Tasting Rome explores both modern Roman cuisine as well as the history of flavors and recipes that have evolved with the city's population." Eater
About the Author
Katie Parla moved to
Rome in 2003 after graduating from Yale. She holds a sommelier
certificate and a master's degree in Italian gastronomic culture. She
writes about Roman food and beverage culture, and has contributed to and
edited many travel guides. She often appears as a Rome expert on the
History Channel and the university lecture circuit. She has created two
mobile dining apps and blogs at KatieParla.com/blog. @katieparla
Kristina Gill is the food and drinks editor at DesignSponge.com, a
home and lifestyle site with over 1.2 million readers per month. Her
original recipes, and those she hand-selects from celebrated authors,
chefs, and readers have appeared weekly as the "In the Kitchen With"
column since 2007. She is also a food and travel photographer. Kristina
transferred to Rome in 1999 after earning her BA from Stanford and her
MA from Johns Hopkins SAIS. @kristinagill