Instead of getting up and raiding my pantry which is what I really want to do, I'll just reminisce about a fabulous ice cream treat I had in Rome. (Pssst... I actually always want ice cream, even when things are going perfectly fine.) Specifically, I am dreaming of tartufo from Tre Scalini in Rome's Piazza Navona.
After traveling all night from Malaysia to Italy and arriving in the morning, we were valiantly attempting to get the whole family quickly adjusted to the new time zone. The key to this is to ignore your body's incredible urge to nap by staying on your feet all day.
We had managed to mostly block out the kids' pleas for gelato during the stroll from the Pantheon to Piazza Novona, a city square which follows the shape of the ancient stadium which used to stand there. By the time we reached this large open area, they could no longer be denied. To tell the truth, indulging in gelato at least once, if not twice, a day in Italy is a fantastic idea.
I looked around, picked a place which didn't have a long line, and walked in through the doors of Tre Scalini.
The kids and hubby ordered gelato, but shelves of chocolaty, cupcake-sized goodies in the freezer caught my eye. These were tartufo. Later on, I discovered that tartufo are one of the must-try treats when in Rome, so it was rather serendipitous that I stumbled upon it accidentally.
What exactly is tartufo? According to Tre Scalini's website, it is a classic chocolate ice cream truffle dessert in the Roman tradition. First created in 1946, it incorporates 13 varieties of Swiss chocolate. 13!!
Chocolate chunks stud some of the richest chocolate gelato I have ever eaten in my life. Real whipped cream swirls around the top like a little hat, and a rolled cookie wafer sits jauntily on top of it all. Rum soaked, glaceed cherries hide inside. For some reason, they put 2 spoons into it... as if you would be willing to share once you had your first bite.
It was deliciously cool and creamy, just what the body needs when trying to get over jet lag. If you're still groggy and fighting your internal clock afterwards, at least you're in a better mood.
Taking our treats outside, we sat down and soaked in the bustle and beauty of Piazza Navono. Water from Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers thundered in front of us. The dome and towers of Sant'Agnese Church loomed behind us. A live cover of "Hotel California" wafted over from another cafe across the square. People tossed coins into the bucket of a busker who appeared to float in the air while sitting cross legged and holding a cane.
If this is what Rome is like, we were definitely going to enjoy ourselves.
What's your best tip for getting over jet lag? Does it involve ice cream?
Related Posts:
Villa Borghese: Enjoy the Outdoors in RomeDiscovering Art with Kids at Galleria Borghese
Contemporary Art at the Vatican Museum
When in Rome... Learn to Fight at Gladiator School
This post is part of the following linkups. Check it out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.
- Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox.
- Sunday Traveler on Chasing the Donkey, Pack Me To..., A Southern Gypsy, The Fairytale Traveler, and Ice Cream & Permafrost
