Italy 2014 - Vin Scully Calls the Lunch at Osteria di San Cesario

"It's time for Italy 2014 dining.". 

"Hi, everybody, and a very pleasant good afternoon to you, wherever you may be. I'm Vin Scully and we're here for the luncheon of Team Italy MMXIV at Osteria di San Cesario , located in San Cesario about 35 or so kilometers from the Coliseum, off the Autostrada One, near Rome Sud, or  "south", to us from the City of the Angels. 

"Womaning the ovens for Osterio is the formidable Anna Dente, one of Italy's most celebrated female chefs.  Dente, 70, who was a butcher at her dad's shop for over 40 years before becoming a chef, has been called the foremost practitioner of  Roman  cooking.

"Ok.  let's look at the eating order for TEAM MMXIV.  Leading off is rookie sensation Tiffany Fox, who will be followed by 2nd year eater Deb Michail. Batting third is team captain Nancy Silverton with the all star Michael Krikorian cleaning up (... Nancy's plate.) He'll be followed by Bobby Silverstein, Ella the chef, Ben the architect , then the Puglia-based contingent of Pat Asanti, the lovely Deb and their chatty cousin Nick Williams.

"Little story about Anna Dente and the kind of chef proprietor she is. Yesterday, MMXIV member Deb called the restaurant to ask what train her and teammate Tiffany should take from the main Rome train station, called Termini.  So earlier today, when Deb and Tiffany arrived at the train station near this town, who was there to pick them up? That's right,. Anna Dente."  

"Ok, let's get this game a going. Eating off for Anna Dente is a bowl of beans cooked down with the pieces on pork forearm skin.  And here's the first bite. Dente connects for a line drive in the gap. Beans are going for two and they arrrrrrre, in there. Nice start for Osteria. . These beans are creamy and smokey and shine with the pork skin. The beans are liked by all the diners and anticipation of a special meal grows.   

Up next are a series of tastes; fired zucchini flowers, something else, two kinds of tripe including a la roman that bloops in for a single.

"Now come the pastas, a rigatoni carbonara singles with its simplicity, rich, but not overly so like the ballyhooed version at, Salumeria Roscioli near the Campo di Fiori in central Rome. Up next, is cacio e pepe. Quick story about the team and cacio e pepe.. Originally MMXIV was going to meet for lunch in the Trastevere sector of Rome at place Pat Asanti's had heard served the best cacio e pepe.  Plans were made for the rendezvous.  However, two days before captain Silverton heard from her sources,  and the change was made to come here.  How's is the cacio e pepe today? Very good, another solid single 

Oh, here comes Anna Dente out of her kitchen and she is very animated and pleasant. A charmer. She chats in Italian with Pat, Nick Williams, Deb and Bobby.  

Up  next a platter of roasted lamb. All sorts of cuts. Team 2014 digs in. High fly ball into center field and deep. Back goes Krikorian, a way back, to the warning track, it's gone!    What a terrific dish."

"Ok. for the desert. Out comes. Tiramisu. What a minute, They are served as individual bites on spoons,. Silverton is borderline flabbergasted,  What is she saying? She is going to steal this idea. All right, Los Angeles,  get ready for tiramisu served on a spoon. 

"Effusive Anna comes out and generously pours homemade fennel liquor for the team. And her son hands out sugary biscuits. 

"Well, it's about over. Clearly, the platter of lamb is the dining highlight of the lunch at Osterio di San Cesario.  Though I'd have to say the real highlight today was Anna Dente herself."

"Good day from Chavez Ravine. I mean somewhere south east of the Spanish Steps."

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http://www.annadente.it/

WARNING - It might be a better idea to order off the menu then say just "cook for us". The  lunch bill for us 10 was 800 euro.  Bobby even thinks they charged us for the fennel liquor..   

Anna Nancy and Michael