After we bought our porchetta at Bernabei in Marino, we of course wanted to eat it right away. The problem was, where to do it? There is a little park behind the shop, that has benches and an amazing view out over the plains below. But it was freezing, and starting to drizzle.
So we decided to take a walk through town, which pretty much consisted of walking over to the whacky and seemingly politically incorrect fountain. The fountain is actually a commemoration of the the 16th century victory of the the battle of Lepanto over the Turks. So those bound Mori you see are actually defeated Turks. And the fountain itself is in fact a replica of the original which was destroyed during the war.
But the real important fact about this fountain? On the first Sunday of every October, during the sagra del vino, the fountain runs with wine instead of water. Sadly we were about a month too late to fill our cups. So we continued our thirsty wandering.
When I first spotted the ‘VINO’ sign, I wasn’t quite sure it was for real. I peered in to the dim interior, and it looked more like a private circolo, or club, than a place to buy wine. But it was, in fact, a fraschetta. A real, honest to goodness fraschetta,
There are fraschette all over the Castelli, The term originally referred to places that served the famous local wine, at long wooden tables. Food was not served, you had to bring your own. Or not.
These days pretty much all fraschette make their big bucks by laying out multi course, fixed priced menus of everything from prosciutto and porchetta to pasta and grilled lamb spiedini. They are certainly not places where you can unwrap your own greasy package of pork.
But this place was still the real thing. The room was lit by a couple of flourescent bulbs, and the plastic coated tables stretched the length of the room. Wooden shelves sagged under the weight of glasses and carafes, and the main decorative elements were outdated calendars and photos of Alberto Sordi. At the very far end were two huge tanks, with spigots, full of wine.
As Gino filled our glasses to the brim, we took a seat and finally got a chance to dig into our porchetta. While the the 50 cent glass of wine was certainly nothing to write home about, it went kind of perfectly with the porchetta.
And the best thing of all? Just hanging out with Gino, chatting about life in Marino, over a glass of wine and a slab of heavenly porchetta.
Vino, Gino
Via Cavour, just off of the piazza where the Fontana dei Mori is.
You have found something typical ! I like your posts of Italy. Have a great day !
Ah, thank you for this lovely post! I used to visit a place much like this in the 80s in Montecelio, to the northeast. The Roman who brought me there called it an osteria, but explained that it was not like today’s osterie. I’m glad to learn the proper term. We brought wonderful food from the Campo dei Fiori markets, which none of the local men touched. Instead, they shared with us the food that was grown on their hillsides and made in their homes. I’m glad to know there are still sweet rooms like this to visit on an autumn day. What a place to enjoy your porchetta!
Yes, what you visited was an osteria. The term Fraschetta is only used in the Castelli, as far as I can tell. But more or less, it’s the same thing. And a dying breed, unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing an enviable experience!
Thank you for telling this story. US needs more (some) frashettas. Seems we have places that let you bring you own wine only.
Hey, maybe that’s the next big thing?!
THis is the sort of thing I love about Italy. Its the hidden gems you find so spontaneously.
Amazing that he would allow you to eat your food in his place. Your writing about this has now put this wee town on the map for us all to visit. Thanks for another great blog. Amanda
WAY off the tourist trail.Love it.
Wonderful down-to-earth, hole-in-the-wall kinda place. A small nowhere in particular town, in winter, where life goes on as it ever did. Small bar, basic hairdressers, the piazza which no doubt sees its flurry of annual, eagerly anticipated events – festa, religious processions, befana markets etc. I love this aspect of the Mediterranean. So similar to places in Malta, and ones I’ve visited in Sicily. Not a man to charge your corkage on the porchetta, if you get my drift. And an hour out of Rome (which itself has vignettes of life quite local and simple despite its city status). Keep the excursion notes coming!
Many thanks to all of you for your enthusiastic comments. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who loves these kinds of places. 🙂
i would really love the vision that the fountain would run with wine instead of water.
Well, you would! Since your name is Vino Gino!!
Hey Elizabeth!
Do you know if this place is still open? Plan on checking it out after grabbing my porchetta!
The last time I was there it was, but they had fancied it up a bit.