From L.A. to Rome...gluten free all the way!


Thursday, May 3

The Road to Abruzzo! {Hang-on to your halo!}

Yesterday, I left Rome behind and made the journey to the homeland of my ancestors: Abruzzo.





My cousin, Marco was the driver, and what's usually an hour and a half drive was reduced to forty-five minutes due to the high velocity - 185 km/hr.  I'm still coming down from the rush.


The scenery along the way is magnificent!  These are the Gran Sasso mountains...Then, illuminated from above - there was Sulmona, my destination:


This is the home of mia parenti, a calm washes over me each time I have the privilege of visiting.

I'm staying at the palazzo of Filippo Frattaroli, an amazing chef, he runs a restaurant in the north end of Boston, a native of Sulmona - his beautiful palazzo is called Sei Stelle.  It's situated at the ancient aqueduct in Piazza Garibaldi, swoon...


These medieval arches are pure poetry. A view from the hallway balcony:


It's true, this is the town of Ovid.

Ok, now for the first meal.  I walked to one of my old favorites, Clemente for dinner.  I was seated in front of a painting by yet another cousin, Armando.  It's called Jerusalem.


Nice view.  I was assured that they could accommodate celiacs.  So, I ordered pasta with carciofi, and I was served fettuccine bathed in butter with beautiful little carciofi - I added olio picante & fresh parmesano - very decadent:


It tasted so close to fresh traditional pasta, actually like fresh egg pasta, I was sceptic...again, I was assured that there was no wheat.  Non grano, non grano!  Ok, ok, ok!

I spoke with the chef and we decided the Secondi to be chicken breast over ratatouille con...carciofi.






I'm really not a meat eater, however I did taste the chicken, but I found the ratatouille divine.  Next time a bowl of that will suffice.

On the walk back to the palazzo, I stood in awe of the Chiesa Annunziata lit at night, double swoon.


I started to feel the effects of eating wheat, oh dear.

Then, it happened - ^*^$%%#@!



Suddenly, the backside of my body was covered in itchy red welts.

Unfortunately, there's no antidote, just have to ride out the effects, the swelling fades.  Having gluten sensitivities is no joke, some celiac's need medical attention - I'm one of the lucky ones.  Gotta trust my intuition next time!  If there's one thing I know: it's pasta.

a dopo.

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