An Italian Take on an American Classic

Eleven years ago, we shared an apartment building with Mario and Assunta Basile. And every year since we have dined with them and their extended family. What a delight. Henry even wrote his college essay on the  tradition.

This year we had a typical Italian spread: Cheeseburgers and apple pie. Wait, what? Yes, we did, indeed, have cheeseburgers and apple pie, but definitely Italian style. And amazing.

Our host straordinario, Mauro, baking the rolls in his pizza oven!

CHECK out the cheese!  Almost 1/2" thick!

What adds the Italian twist on the very American entree was that the cheese was from heaven, not Stop & Shop. And the toppings—forget ketchup and mustard—were tomatoes (Italian tomatoes, which should not even share the name of the American equivalent), lettuce, cucumbers, red peppers, and... PROSCUITTO, SALAMI and BRESAOLA!  Talk about "The Works." They were cheeseburgers to write home about for sure.

Those little brown things on the left are suppli, Roman rice croquettes. Delicious!

Around the table, clockwise, starting bottom left: Assunta, Roberto, Fred, Emanuela, Mauro, Alessandra, Mario, (missing: Leo's girlfriend Sara's little brother Federico -- or Fedi for short; and Leo), Sara and Sara's mother.

In the photo now are Fedi and Leo.  Missing from the evening was a whole other family (Emilio, Antonella, Georgie and Ilaria) and Alessandra, who has spent a week at Easter with us in the States, and is now working in London. We've know her since she and her cousin Leo were playing ball in their grandparents' garden. Now they're  around 19 and 20.

Somewhere halfway through the night I asked Federico what his name was because I had missed it. Fred and I almost fell off our chairs when he said Federico. They hadn't realized that's the same name as Fred/Frederick. It was HILARIOUS. And when I asked what the nickname for that is, Fedi became our new nickname for Fred. We just have to remember to use it!

Dessert was apple pie--delicious! Different than ours, but delicious nevertheless, and I forgot to get a shot of it... And dessert after dessert was Nutella on the hamburger rolls!  Amazing—and filling.

Of course, all over the table were aperitifs, mostly homemade---prosecco, limoncello, port and brandy, I think. When Fred was offered these, he requested Mirto! Mirto is a  liqueur Mauro makes and gave us last year—from berries of the mirto (myrtle) bush. It's delicious and Fred special orders it from our friend Natalie at Atlas Liquors. It's never on a shelf in a liquor store. Alessandra said this bush on their balcony (see below) produces berries for ONE bottle per summer. I really hope she was mistaken because guess what we were given to take home with us. A bottle of mirto! Hope we didn't wipe them out! We brought it home in three plastic bags (one over the other) and will enjoy it on special occasions.

Note: Credit must be given to another family member—Roberto—who also makes his own liqueurs from lemons and oranges in his yard, which are also incredible.

Safe and sound in Winchester. One bottle of Viterbese mirto—homemade and in a beer bottle!