February 2020 – Why Women Love Italy, Roman Artichokes

Author Susan Van Allen on Why Women Love Italy
Why is Italy so very attractive to women and how do Italians celebrate the feminine? We talk to one of our favorite Italophiles, Susan Van Allen, about how women in particular can enjoy Italy through both solo travel and women-only tours. Susan shares three of her favorite off-the-beaten path sites geared towards women, some of her favorite culinary experiences and where to shop.

Rome: Stop and Taste the Artichokes
From late February to early May, overflowing crates of these green and purple-tinged beauties from surrounding farmlands begin to appear in the Eternal City. Signoras in smocks sit in the open-air Campo dei Fiori market, peeling Carciofi Romaneschi with their tiny knives, as if they’re made of butter. In season, every traditional restaurant has artichokes on their menus. They prepare them two ways: Alla Romana—stuffed with garlic and herbs, then slowly braised, to savory, tender perfection, or Alla Giudia, flattened and deep-fried, transformed to glistening deep gold flowers. We tell you where to eat these in Rome!

Recipe: Carciofi alla Guida
Bring a taste of the Jewish Ghetto home by making these Carciofi alla Giudia, flattened and deep-fried artichokes, transformed to glistening deep gold flowers.

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