What is in season in Rome. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- Carciofo romanesco: Round, thornless Roman artichokes from Ladispoli and Cerveteri; the carciofo alla romana and carciofo alla giudia season.
- Vignarola: Spring stew of artichokes, fava beans, peas and lettuce; the seasonal pasta-sauce window is short.
- Fave e pecorino: Fresh fava beans cracked from the pod, eaten raw with chunks of pecorino romano; the Primo Maggio ritual.
- Abbacchio for Easter: Suckling lamb (abbacchio romano IGP) roasted with rosemary and potatoes; the canonical Roman Easter dish.
Summer
- Pachino and pomodorino tomatoes: Sicilian Pachino IGP and Lazio market-garden pomodorini; the tomato that powers Roman summer pasta.
- Fiori di zucca: Zucchini blossoms stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy, batter-fried; the Roman fritti staple of summer.
- Gelato seasonal flavours: Fragola di Nemi, melone, pesca and fior di latte; the heat-of-the-year flavours from real fruit.
Autumn
- Porcini mushrooms: Boletus edulis from Viterbo and the Castelli Romani; risottos and tagliatelle for six weeks only.
- New olive oil (olio nuovo): First-pressed olive oil from Sabina and Tuscia; the bottles arrive bright green and intensely peppery.
- Chestnuts (castagne): Roasted chestnut braziers (caldarroste) appear at every Roman piazza corner once the cold sets in.
Winter
- Puntarelle alla romana: Bitter Catalogna chicory, sliced into curling spears, dressed with anchovy, garlic and vinegar; winter's defining Roman salad.
- Frappe and castagnole: Fried Carnival pastries dusted with icing sugar; every pasticceria's Carnival staple for six weeks.