In Taormina, Sicily in 1984 I first became aware of Pepperonata,
grilling bell peppers, thin sliced and grilled eggplants, and grilled zucchini,
as antipasto, APTIPASTO DELLA VERDURA COTTA, vegetable dishes eaten first before
the so called first plate of the multi-course Italian meal. As a vegetarian (at
the time) I was totally in love with these wonderful tasting vegetables, and
totally in love with Italian cooking because of them. It wasn't again until 2011
that I had the opportunity to indulge myself again in this level of food orgy.

This type of grilled vegetable antipasto is of course not necessarily served or
available every where in Italy. In northern areas a different style of cooking
is more common, although pizzas are every where. I had plenty of excellent food
at the Villa Pascolo north of Costacciaro north of Sigillo during the Worlds,
and Nuccia Rinaldi served great food at her house, and I enjoyed the bread and
gorgonzola cheese. But it was the variety of grilled vegetables that I was
searching for and not finding that left me wondering if it was all an Italian
food fantasy. I had complained bitterly in 1999 about the food that was
available in Sigillo at the time.

Coming home from the Worlds in Sigillo in 2011, Belinda and I stayed for a few
days in a converted convent that was now a hotel in the small town of La Storta,
at the northern edge of Rome. La Storta seems to be about a block long, so we
walked to the nearest reasonable looking restaurant, which we noticed had an
outdoor garden eating area. It was pleasant enough outside in Rome at 8 PM.

While I didn't notice it at first I soon figured out that there was a self
service area that was crowded with dishes and platters that contained the
exactly what I was looking for and hadn't found in so long. There were four
kinds of grilled pepper dishes. Three kinds of zucchini dishes. Three or four
kinds of grilled eggplant dishes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was
all right there in this casual restaurant, nothing fancy and very cheap
(compared to Alfedro's in Rome itself). (There were many other fish dishes which
Belinda liked a lot, but I ignored.)

Now as far as I'm concerned (again as a vegetarian) is that there is no reason
to have any other dishes. The antipasto is a complete meal. Just eat as much as
you can and that's enough for the evening. Nothing compares with it. Certainly
not pasta. And the main dishes are always a disappointment compared to the
grilled vegetables. I'm quite certain that I would still be a vegetarian if this
fare was offered at the restaurants in say, Forbes. (Yah, like, good luck.)

Belinda and I did go to one of the Alfredo's in Rome to have Fettuccini Alfredo.
It was pretty good, but not as great as the last time (1984). The Fettuccini was
very thin, which is nice. But it just didn't hold a candle to my memory, and at
20 Euros for a plate of pasta, it was a bit too much.

Over the years I have of course had many opportunities to have grilled
vegetables, bell peppers, eggplant, and zucchini (and yellow summer squash), but
only once or twice did it come close to or match the goodness I found in
southern Italy (also Florence). Once Margie, the wife of my friend and work
partner, Brian Livingston, made very thinly sliced eggplants, baked, and rolled
around sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Wow! Belinda also made something
similar for me, which I very much enjoyed.

It's hard to get the right consistency with eggplant. Not too soft, not too
gushy, still lots of olive oil. Peppers and zucchini are a lot easier.

Yes, I am aware that these are summer vegetable, and you can't always get what
you want year round. So I would have to eat my tubers (being from Idaho I do
like bakers) in the winter.

Pizza? I've had a few good ones in my life. Not in Italy. I love them with, you
guessed it, lots of grilled vegetables on top, and very little cheese and tomato
sauce.

Sorry I didn't get any photos.