Photo Friday: Home Food in Rome

Typical Roman desserts served as part of a "Home Food" meal
Typical Roman desserts served as part of a "Home Food" meal

One of my favorite food memories in Rome was our visit to a real Roman home for dinner, arranged through Rome's Home Food organization. The host and hostess welcomed us, and six other guests, into their family home for a dinner made up of typical food that would be served in a home (very different from food served in a restaurant)

The food was delicious, and our hostess explained that she took the day off from her job (she's a neo-natalogist and a professor at the University of Rome) to prepare the meal. What made it particularly memorable, though, wasn't just the food itself, or the effort to preserve Rome's culinary heritage, but the opportunity to be welcomed into an apartment that had housed the same family for three generations (so far) and get an inside view into real Roman life.

The Home Food organization also arranges cooking classes and some meals are kid friendly.

Related Links
Rome With Kids
Does Travel With Kids = The McDonalds World Tour
How To Find a Kid-Friendly Restaraunt YOU will Enjoy


Photo Friday: Please Share Your Photos:
Share a favorite travel photo by adding your link below. First timers, here is more Information about Photo Friday

Filed Under: eating-with-kids home-food photo-friday

24 comments | Posted on March 12, 2009 | Save to del.icio.us

 Subscribe to our feed

Subscribe by email:

Comments

  1. Beth Whitman on March 12, 2009 at 10:22 p.m.

    I love experiencing home cooking when I'm traveling. Doesn't matter whether I'm 300 or 3,000 miles from home, I always learn something about regional cuisine AND the people I'm visiting.

  2. Peace Mitchell Mitchell on March 12, 2009 at 11:32 p.m.

    Wow what a wonderful experience to have, such a better option than eating out while you're travelling. I wonder if other places do this too?

  3. Petulia on March 13, 2009 at 4:47 a.m.

    I absolutely agree. The home food organization is a wonderful establishment. I try to go once a month and try a different a Cesarina!

  4. jackie on March 13, 2009 at 7:36 a.m.

    I've never even heard of any program like this. What a really beautiful idea. It even brings a little tear to my eye.

    I've been fortunate enough to have visited Italy twice. I've always wanted to check out more of the south of Italy, an area I've yet to explore. Now I have yet another reason to go back. Curious ... can it be done with kids in tow?

  5. Angela K. Nickerson on March 13, 2009 at 8:48 a.m.

    I absolutely love eating in my friends' homes in Italy. You are right... it is an extraordinary experience.

    Have you seen Anthony Bourdain's episode about Venice from this season? He has a similar experience eating with friends at their home which made me very hungry! Ciao!

  6. Alfred from Los Cabos on March 13, 2009 at 9:35 a.m.

    That glossy suggar pie looks tasty!!! where are the cooking instructions?

  7. Amie from Ciao Bambino on March 13, 2009 at 10:01 a.m.

    I wish I had known about this during the years when we were during active trip planning for Italy! This program sounds fantastic and exactly what many families want to experience - an opportunity to see how "real" Italians live.

  8. Lauren Braden on March 13, 2009 at 10:40 a.m.

    I was hungry before I saw today's photo. Now, I am absolutely famished! But, I have a sleeping baby on me, and if I move to get up and get a snack, he'll wake up!

  9. Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish on March 13, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.

    Home Food sounds like a fabulous thing...I have bookmarked it since we are moving to Italy this summer. Whenever we travel, we always try to include some sort of home stay or exchange experience. Also, thanks for starting up the photo fridays. I am hoping I'll be able to take part each week.

  10. Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish on March 13, 2009 at 11:30 a.m.

    Home Food sounds like a fabulous thing...I have bookmarked it since we are moving to Italy this summer. Whenever we travel, we always try to include some sort of home stay or exchange experience. Also, thanks for starting up the photo fridays. I am hoping I'll be able to take part each week.

  11. Misty Faucheux on March 13, 2009 at 11:54 a.m.

    I got to tell you, Debbie, that my mouth is actually watering right now. I didn't have much for lunch. Do you think that I could just eat the photograph instead?

  12. Karen on March 13, 2009 at 12:22 p.m.

    Hi there, I just read about photo friday over on Dim Sum, Bagels and Crawfish. When I clicked over to this site I almost fell off my chair! I just posted about Home Food on my blog today!! Too funny. I'm hoping to attend their Naples dinner. Hope it's as delicious as your Rome experience. Ciao, K

  13. Dominique on March 14, 2009 at 7:14 a.m.

    Wow, looks like a great meal!

    I'd love to do something like this wherever I went. Reminds me of of the old Keith Famie quote from his Food Network show a few years ago...it went something like: you really don't know a place, until you've eaten the food!

    Food and a convivial table has got to be one of the best ways to truly experience a culture.

    Thanks for sharing!

  14. Angela Dollar on March 14, 2009 at 3:49 p.m.

    Not only does the meal look lovely, but there is a certain warmth and intimacy captured in this photo as well. Somehow you captured the hospitality!

  15. Jen@Heading North After naptime on March 14, 2009 at 8:35 p.m.

    How wonderful! The meal looks amazing. We love a homecooked meal anywhere we go! And what a neat organization! I will have to look into this next time we travel!

  16. amida on March 14, 2009 at 10:40 p.m.

    What a lot of desserts! Time to google some Roman home-cooking recipies...

  17. Nomadic Matt on March 15, 2009 at 11:58 p.m.

    you always make me hungry

  18. Sarah on March 19, 2009 at 4:32 a.m.

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Sarah

    http://grillsblog.com

  19. jenna pink on January 25, 2010 at 6:04 a.m.

    what is that breaded round thing wtih green stuff in it?

  20. Debbie on January 25, 2010 at 7:58 p.m.

    It's been so long that I can't remember anymore - some sort of a dessert tart.

  21. Toni Helleur on February 26, 2010 at 2:54 a.m.

    Hi!

    This is exactly what I am hoping to experience when we visit Italy!!!!

    I will be travelling with my son to Europe in May 2010, hoping I can organise to do this in Tuscany? Or anywhere close by as this sounds like such an amazing opportunity!

    Cheers Toni

  22. Rachael Greenberg on April 7, 2010 at 9:57 a.m.

    I had a similar experience in Nice, France. I ate dinner with a friends grandparents. It was the best meal I ate in France. There is no greater feeling than being welcomed into some one's home around the world. Home is a wonderful place!

  23. Danielle on June 28, 2011 at 9:51 a.m.

    We did a Home Foods meal in Rome with our then 10 month old. It was wonderful! I highly recommend it for families (just confirm with your host first that bringing a child is fine).

  24. Mary on September 19, 2013 at 1:07 a.m.

    As I was in Italy I've also tasted home food, that was awesome! :)