Castroni
This store is the bomb.
I finally made it over to Castroni yesterday and it is ficchisimo (so very cool). This specialty store stocks products from all over the world and delicacies that are hard to find in Rome. Everything from tea and coffee to Indian spices like garam masala and tandoori to Mexican spices, chocolate covered oranges and sushi nori, pickled plums, lime leaves and lemongrass for Thai cuisines, not to mention various chutneys, pestos, curries, marmalades. You name it they probably sell it.
I just stood there in the middle of the store with my eyes the size of saucers glazed over and dumbfounded. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to make thai or indian food and I could never find the spices in my local supermarkets. I even smuggled large quantities of black beans, jalepenos and chipolte peppers back from Texas this past January (see photo of my stash below) because these items are very hard to find in Italy.
Okay okay I know that these aren't gourmet items. In fact they are the 99cent version at our local tom thumb. Why did I pay the $75 over-the-weight-limit for my luggage flying back to Rome? Because I didn't know that I could just hop over to Castroni instead of reverting to illegal activities to satisfy my tex-mex cravings.
Castroni isn't cheap. But if you are ever in Rome and craving a tamarind sauce or some Turkish apple tea this is the place to go.
Indirizzo: Via Cola di Rienzo, 196, Rome, 192
also on Via Flaminia near Piazzale Flaminio
www.castroni.com
I finally made it over to Castroni yesterday and it is ficchisimo (so very cool). This specialty store stocks products from all over the world and delicacies that are hard to find in Rome. Everything from tea and coffee to Indian spices like garam masala and tandoori to Mexican spices, chocolate covered oranges and sushi nori, pickled plums, lime leaves and lemongrass for Thai cuisines, not to mention various chutneys, pestos, curries, marmalades. You name it they probably sell it.
I just stood there in the middle of the store with my eyes the size of saucers glazed over and dumbfounded. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to make thai or indian food and I could never find the spices in my local supermarkets. I even smuggled large quantities of black beans, jalepenos and chipolte peppers back from Texas this past January (see photo of my stash below) because these items are very hard to find in Italy.
Okay okay I know that these aren't gourmet items. In fact they are the 99cent version at our local tom thumb. Why did I pay the $75 over-the-weight-limit for my luggage flying back to Rome? Because I didn't know that I could just hop over to Castroni instead of reverting to illegal activities to satisfy my tex-mex cravings.
Castroni isn't cheap. But if you are ever in Rome and craving a tamarind sauce or some Turkish apple tea this is the place to go.
Indirizzo: Via Cola di Rienzo, 196, Rome, 192
also on Via Flaminia near Piazzale Flaminio
www.castroni.com
Labels: food
posted by avery at 3:39 PM
2 Comments:
Lucky you being able to head to Castroni! Maybe I'll get to Rome sometime so I can stock up too.
Oh yes, baby! Expat food heaven! I didn't know you'd never been there before. Love. The only place to find pretty much everything food-wise you didn't think you could find here (minus cheddar cheese), and also a fantastic place if you ever want to make an Italian gourmet food basket. Next time call me up and I'll join you on your Castroni run. ;-)
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