Food

Top Things to Do in Rome for Foodies

July 14, 2017

Rome is an ancient city with thousands of years of history behind it and is home to some of the most famous sights in the world such as the Colosseum.  But for food fans, any trip to Rome is a balance of seeing the sights and sampling the food as the cuisine of the city is nearly as famous as its monuments.

 

Tasting the best of Rome

Usually, if you want to taste the best of classic or modern Roman cuisine, you would head to a restaurant but there is now another option available courtesy of a company called Withlocals.  The idea is that you use a free app to reach Rome guides and arrange a variety of experiences.  This allows people to taste Roman food just as the Romans eat it with a variety of different tours, workshops, classes and even the chance to share the family’s evening meal.

One example is the chance to dine with Emma and sample dishes that are a combination of her own creations and those passed down from her mother and grandmother.  The experience is a three-course meal with wine and is the chance to both sample the finest Roman food and also to learn a few tips to take home with you.

Another tour involves both a meal in the Old Tavern where the menu is a blend of Roman and Sicilian cuisines and all homemade with a tour around the immediate area including the Ancient Appian Way.  During the warmer months, you can eat on the patio and enjoy views of the city.

Classic Roman dishes

Suppli is an example of a Roman appetizer that is often served before pizza and is made from rice seasoned with meat sauce and mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs then fried in hot oil.  The name of the dish comes from a French term and means ‘surprise’ and is served in restaurants but also from takeaways and is a popular snack while touring the sights.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a Roman classic that has made its way around the world and has taken on many forms.  One of the best things to do in Rome with locals is to sample traditional dishes in the restaurants around the city and it is almost guaranteed to be on every menu.

Carciofi (Italian for artichoke) is a favorite summer dish and there are two main ways it is prepared.  The ‘alla Romana’ style stuffs it with breadcrumbs, mint, garlic and parsley before braising in olive oil and water.  The other ‘alla giudia’ opens the petals of the artichoke and then deep fries it.

Roman pizza is a bit different from the kind you will find in other parts of Italy and is very thin with no lip to the crust.  Wood fired ovens are the best way to make these dishes so look for restaurants that serve theirs this way.

For a sweet treat, try Maritozzo, a sweet bread roll filled with whipped cream.  The bread is a special mixture that uses raisins, pine nuts and candied fruits making it similar to panettone but with a different consistency.

Food experiences

If you prefer fine dining, then there are also plenty of experiences to enjoy that involve the very best restaurants in Rome.  One example of the VIP Michelin Star Food Tour – this allows you to sample food at four different Michelin star restaurants around the city.  The tour includes transport from one location to another and includes a local guide to help you make the most of the experience.

Rome is famous for its wine as well as its food and it accompanies almost every meal.  A chance to go on a wine tasting experience with a local professional winemaker is a perfect chance to try the best of Roman wines and learn about the processes involved.  Not only does this create the chance to try the wines like a local but also learn about the part that wine plays in both Roman cuisine and culture.

Food tours

As well as the restaurants and home dining experiences, you can also combine sight sighting with food in a street food tour.  This allows you to see the best sights of the city while also sampling from a number of top quality street food vendors, offering everything from savory dishes to sweet treats.  These unique spots are the places that locals will visit to grab a snack between activities and let you take in the atmosphere of the city.

Unmissable experiences

There are plenty of tours around Rome that allow you to see the best of the sights of the city.  These are a few examples of tours that are perfect for after these tours, allowing food fans to experience the best of Roman cuisine as well as a taste of how Romans themselves serve their classic dishes.

Culture

Mayan Basketball and Persian Poker: Modern Games that Are Older Than You Think

July 14, 2017

Much of today’s culture revolves around games and major sports events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl. Granted, there are differences among countries in how popular various sports and games are: for example, Americans prefer football to soccer, while for Europeans it is quite the opposite, and the French in particular have a fondness for pétanque – a game that involves tossing or rolling hollow steel balls as close as possible to a set target – that seems quite unique to them. But in other cases, love for certain games seems universal across countries and cultures – and it actually might run much deeper in our veins than we might think.

Ancient Mayan Football: The Winner Literally Takes It All

Way before the NBA, the peoples of Mesoamerica had invented their own very popular version of shooting hoops. Played with a rubber ball called ulama, the purpose was to strike – and not throw – the ball through a stone hoop that was fixed high above the playing court, perpendicular rather than horizontally like in modern basketball. The game had many variations and was known by many names over the years, such as pitz in classical Mayan, juego de pelota in Spanish, and ullamaliztli in Nahuatl. In some versions, it included some further features similar to basketball, such as the rule that a player may not take more than three steps before passing the ball to a teammate.

Yet it was also a lot bloodier: the game was most likely developed as a type of religious ceremony, played during religious festivals and holidays, and some evidence suggests that some players were sacrificially executed after losing – or even winning! In any case, it seems that scoring was so rare, that the player who accomplished the feat was allowed to loot the spectators.

Âs-Nas: The Persian Poker that Was Lost During Iran’s Revolution

Âs Nas is considered the ancestor of poker and was a card game widely popular during the 17th and 18th century in modern day Iran – then known as Persia. The game was played in a fashion similar to modern 5-card poker and included many similar poker hands rankings, such as three-of-a-kind. It was played with a set of five subjects, all courts, each of which is repeated either four or five times to make for 20 or 25 cards in total. From highest to lowest, the subjects were called Âs (“ace”, featuring a lion), Padishah or Shah (“king”), Bibi (“queen”), Sarbaz (“soldier”) and Lakkat or Kouli (the lowest card in rank, more often featuring a dancer or huntsman respectively).

During the Revolution of 1979 in particular, the game fell from grace and into obscurity, as any pastime regarded as “futile” was frowned upon by the new regime. But the Europeans had already learned the game from their contact with Persia and called it “poque” or “pochen”. Yet it was really in the United States that the game truly flourished – although with modern day tournaments and the ability to play poker through mobile apps with anyone around the globe, players across countries are still connecting over their favourite hobby.

The descendants of these games have evolved into more elaborate versions and have – luckily! – done away with some of their most gruesome aspects in the process, focusing more on technique, skill and practice. Yet the initial concepts behind them seem to transcend the ages and fascinate us equally today.

Around The World

Best Cars for Year-Round Travel

July 12, 2017

Through Sun or Snow: Best Multi-Seasonal Cars

Whether it’s surviving snow storms or dune-jumping off-road, when you need a car that’ll handle every kind of weather, these 6 will have you covered.

When looking for the perfect vehicle for your growing family, it is imperative to make sure you choose a model with proven safety features in addition to fuel economy and spacious comfort.

Most people typically shop for a new car during the summer months and forget to think about what the coming winter might have in store for their area. It is always important to be a cautious driver, but if your vehicle is not designed to perform well in deep snow, heavy rains, or other common winter conditions, then you might be left taking the bus.

We’ve listed just a few year-around vehicles that’ll last the test of time – and seasons.

  1.    Dodge Durango

The Durango’s all-wheel drive and V-6 engine can power your family through most any road conditions. With its outstanding capacity to seat seven, this vehicle offers plenty of room to fit all your needs. In addition, its rain-sensing wipers, three-zone automatic climate control, heated seats, mirrors, and even a heated steering wheel will take the bite out of Mr. Freeze.

  1.  Land Rover Range Rover

This vehicle’s top-notch abilities both on- and off-road are equaled by few others. Its luxury interior offers comfortable heated seating and plenty of cargo capacity. The Ranger Rover also offers a heated windshield so you no longer have to scrape your windows on those frosty mornings. Its powerful Xenon headlights are certain to see you clearly through any storm or dark night’s drive.

  1.  Subaru Outback

With plenty of interior room, outstanding cargo capacity, and comfortable seating, this vehicle is a real crowd pleaser. The Outback lives up to its name, with its 8.7 inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive; deep snow, heavy rains, and icy conditions won’t slow this vehicle down. In addition, it also has options available for heated mirrors, seat warmers and a windshield de-icing feature.

  1.    Toyota RAV4

The RAV4 is a dependable and safe SUV that is big enough for the entire family as well as all their gear. This vehicle meets the challenges of both summer’s heat and winter’s cold. In addition, Toyota’s Safety Sense Package consists of automatic high beam headlights and adaptive cruise control.

  1.    Jeep Grand Cherokee

Well-known for their off-road abilities, the Jeep Grand Cherokee sticks to its reputation, performing well against all weather conditions. This vehicle is top-notch when tackling deep snow, icy road conditions, as well as its ability to plow through deep beach sand for some summer fun. In addition to being large enough to comfortably haul the entire family, it also comes with an available option of console gaming interface and a Blu-Ray entertainment system.

  1.    Ford Explorer

This vehicle will keep you going no matter what Mother Nature pitches your way with its impressive Terrain Management System, allowing you to adjust its four-wheel-drive to accommodate your needs during various road conditions. Its spacious interior offers seating for seven with a good amount of cargo space as well.

No matter what the weather throws at you, there’s no reason for you to skimp on safety or comfort. These vehicles each offer plenty of space and ability to handle a variety of conditions all year around.

Food

Bringing people together: top foodie ideas to make your summer barbecue stand out

July 7, 2017

Food brings people together, and what better way to socialise than with a summer barbecue. Every once in a while though, it’s good to do something unique with the food you produce. So, here’s a few ideas for this year’s summer barbecue, where you can use food and drink to make your party stand out.

Create a theme

Themes are not only the perfect way to express your creativity, but they also add that instant wow-factor for guests. It could be a beach or seaside theme, a tropical theme or a classic summer garden party, but they offer tonnes of ways for you to theme your food, right down to the seating. For example, if you’re trying to create a traditional summer picnic, lay out lots of gingham cloths with placemats for seating, string up bunting and have Pimms on the lawn. Then, make miniature versions of classics like Victoria sponge, sausage rolls and jam tarts, which can easily be prepped and baked in advance.

Hire out something unique

Another way of grabbing your guests’ attention is by creating a feature in your garden. For example, why not hire out a chocolate or cocktail fountain pourer to take centre stage, surrounded by plenty of fresh fruit? Or for something truly spectacular, swap out the family barbecue set for a whole hog roast machine – simple to use, easily affordable and the perfect way of feeding your many guests in one, this is the perfect solution for summer party hosts who are worried about catering to a large number of people. You can check out hogroast-machine.co.uk if you’d like to find out more about them.

Think outside the box

If you don’t want a theme but you’re tired of the same old food, it’s time to let your imagine run wild. Think of some classic barbecue recipes and then try to re-invent them – for example, have you ever tried a popcorn-dog or a taco bite served on a stick? Have you ever made a Nutella smores tray bake where people can dig in with their biscuits and not wait for them to roast? Think about your favourite flavour combinations, and try to think how you could simplify them into something that’s unique but still easy to prepare. Another great example is pizza-style samosas, or mac and cheese muffins – you can check out more ideas here.

Give ‘In-a-Jar’ gifts

This is one of the best foodie gifts that any party host could give. There are hundreds of ‘In-a-Jar’ ideas out there, from the ingredients for a batch of cookies to arts and craft kits. So, for your barbecue, why not let them leave with a cocktail-in-a-jar gift, such as a rum punch of a fruit-filled sangria? Or instead, they could take home a batch of your own freshly-made strawberry jam, pesto, or any other preserve you’ve whipped up this season.

Do you have any other unique ideas for making sure your party stands out? Leave them below…

Food

Best Timeless Product for Post-Tan

July 6, 2017

Tanning can be a great way to give your skin a wondrous glow. To maintain the results you got from the tanning bed for the longest time possible, make sure you follow an adequate skin care regimen. This includes using hyaluronic acid products and organic anti aging creams to keep your skin looking healthy and youthful.

Hyaluronic Acid

No matter what specific moisturizer you use, make sure it contains hyaluronic acid. This is a key ingredient in your skin’s overall health. It helps your skin bind together and hold onto water molecules. This makes it easier for your skin tissue to remain hydrated. For best results, you should apply a hyaluronic acid product to your skin right after a cold shower. Some great Timeless products to look into include:

  • Arbutin Map Kojic Acid Skin Lightening Cream
  • Hydrating Eye Cream
  • HA Matrixyl 3000™ w/ Cucumber Spray
  • Dark Circle Eye Cream

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an active ingredient in many of Timeless Skin Care’s products. It can be found in the Hyaluronic Acid Vitamin C Serum and 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum. In addition to routine skin care, the vitamin is also beneficial for repairing skin tissue that has been damaged. Unfortunately, burns are a risk when you tan, and if you ever end up with one, then you need to take necessary actions to limit damage. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that fight against the formation of free radicals caused by sunburn.

To get the best results out of your tan, you should drink plenty of water and bathe in cold water. These steps along with using high-quality Timeless Skin Care products will help you achieve the look you are going for. If you would like additional advice on which moisturizer you should try, then you need to call us at 800-213-3705. Your utmost satisfaction is our goal.