A Plug

I had dinner last night with my only current friend in Rome and her husband. Hende Leimer runs Vino Roma (http://www.vinoroma.com).  

Vino Roma is a "wine studio in the heart of Rome, minutes away from the Colosseum, [where] you can learn everything about Italian wines at various types of guided tastings & seminars."  I took two classes from Hende when I was in Rome in May 2011, and I was hooked.  If you are in Rome and have already gone to the primary "must-see" sights, the next thing you should do is take one of Hende's classes -- even if you're not a wine person, you will love it.  Guaranteed. 

We had some fantastic pizzas last night, including a special "cacio e pepe" pie that the owner said was unique in Rome.  Because of Hende's food and wine connections, the chef explained to us in detail how he came up with this superb and experimental pie.  The guy was great.   Very passionate and very eloquent.  

These were sumptuous -- but neither of them was the cacio e pepe pie.  The chef would not let us take a picture of that one.  Some legal mumbo-jumbo about, get this, trade secrets!!!