nice job, ss. i would have scarfed that down in pleasurable seconds.
it's interesting this topic came up. watch the most recent anthony bourdain: no reservations episode when he hoes to rome with his wife.
he eats in a small trattoria, called a casa di rita, where the chef makes him - and they show you the method up close - carbonara, with and without zucchini flowers. traditional and americana, respectively. they also make a pasta penne al' amatriciana that is shot like a cooking show.
i was craving pasta so badly around midnight last night. i'd have to say it's one of my favourite segments of the show of all time. 7 seasons now. he's been getting a little too full of himself this season, but this was a really good episode.
here's a piece of a play by play review of that segment:
(go here:
http://www.tvrecapsreviews.com/no-reservations-season-7-episode-7-rome/ for the whole review)
"
Tony walks down the neighborhood streets of Rome “back in time”, decked out in a black suit and black tie with white shirt. As Tony travels down the old cobblestone streets the camera captures the beautiful architecture of the city. Tony meets locals Sara and Marco at A Casa di Rita, where the owner, her cousin the chef, and her daughter run the restaurant. The daughter greets Tony, Sara and Marco. Tony tells the audience he does not speak Italian, while Marco speaks only Italian. Tony invites Sara to order the meal for them. When Sara orders the carbonara Americana, Marco is concerned because the American version in this restaurant features zucchini blossoms when in season and he wants traditional carbonara. The daughter takes their order and seems upset that Marco wants the dish half traditional, half Americana carbonara. The daughter delivers the traditional carbonara to the table. Sara has to coax the daughter to convince the chef to make the Americana version so Tony can try it, which she finally delivers to the table. They try the next pasta dish, made from cooked bacon from pig’s cheeks, white wine, fresh tomatoes, and pecorino cheese mixed into rigatoni pasta. The chef adds a little onion to the dish, to the dismay of Marco.
Tony respects Marco’s dislike of the non-traditional dishes, while quite liking the additions of zucchini flower and onion the chef makes to the meal. Having tried both versions of carbonara, Tony votes for the Americana carbonara. As the cameras roll, a verbal fight breaks out between a customer and the chef. The daughter tries to calm the customer, who yells and gestures wildly, and the chef and daughter returning his gestures. Tony tells the audience he was a little freaked out by the fight, but things finally calm down and more food starts coming to the table. Next on the plate is braised Ox tails, one of Tony’s favorites. Tony comments on the fight to Sara who translates Tony’s comment to the daughter: “You tell her I had her back. Cause Baldy? I had my eye on Baldy. I didn’t like his look. If he got any more up in her face, bam, he was out.” The camera pans to the daughter, who is grinning widely after Tony’s comments. Tony tells the audience the food was excellent, all in all, a great meal."
all i can say is i really need to go find some guanciale.