Castel Sant’ Angelo. AT NIGHT.
This year I am resolved to do even more in Rome. MORE. I always love to do things with Mister, but you know, THE KIDS and SITTERS. I’m trying to get better about grabbing some friends and getting out to do things. MORE, I say!
When I heard about nighttime visits to Castel Sant’ Angelo July through September, I knew I wanted IN. I’ve actually never been inside. We’ve put it off with the kiddos because I’ve heard the tour is nothing but stairs. (This was fairly accurate.)
Picture this all covered with marble back in the day.
And such is how I found myself out at 9:00 pm at night hearing about the Castel’s journey from Hadrian’s mausoleum to fortress and prison. We got to unleash our inner Angels and Demons with a walk in the secret tunnel (which is in a wall and NOT underground as I had thought), see the view from the terrace, and tour cells for both VIP prisoners and the less-fortunate ones.
On top of the secret tunnel.
After hearing about the poor souls imprisoned there awaiting execution, I couldn’t help but turn to a friend and ask what her last meal would be.
Probably everything fried, she responded. Wouldn’t be worried about a stomachache.
True. True.
After I mulled more, I realized that my last meal would probably be pretty Frenchified. I’d love a good steak au poivre. Naturally, with some frites.
St. Michael. Not as creepy as a Weeping Angel.
But I’d want to start with some oysters. With champagne. And add in a stinky cheese course.
This sort of surprised me. I adore Italian cuisine. If you asked me a few years ago, I would have said it was my favorite. But I guess it isn’t my most favorite favorite.
I would at least finish with gelato. (From Come il Latte if possible. Prisoners can’t be choosers.)
But not before gorging on boiled peanuts. Preferably cold. Very salty.
James thinks my peanut penchant is pretty disgusting (“It is like you are eating cold, mushy beans!”), but I grew up on these. During our week at the beach, I attempted to eat my weight in boiled peanuts. Henry is on Team Peanut which means my progress is somewhat slowed, but he’s a quick study on cracking them open.
Or maybe I’d just do a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. With plenty of boiled peanuts.
Like James, do you find boiled peanuts to be beyond gross? What would you do for a last meal? Assuming that the jailers made or found good versions of everything, of course. You don’t have to deal with envisioning what foie gras from the prison chef would look like.
Roman Reboot 
My last meal could actually be anything someone else prepared…that’s the best part! I think a really good version of beef bourguignon, a large glass of Orvieto classico (I wouldn’t care that it was white with beef), a side of haricots verts, and a very crispy apple brown betty with vanilla ice cream. I’d like to finish it off with a very good cup of coffee with lots of cream (ice cream would be great). It’s not that any one of those foods are my favorites, but they each would bring back some wonderful memories. And it comes as no surprise, boiled peanuts would NOT be my go to comfort food!
I’m impressed you squeezed in some veggies. I decided to skip the stomach space there. 🙂
They are so tender and good, but I forgot to mention smothered in butter with a selection of really tasty fresh rolls. I wouldn’t be concerned about carbs.
I’m with James. Boiled peanuts look, taste, smell, feel, (etc with the five senses) like they are rotten.
How about vodka? Does that count?
This just makes me sad on behalf of a fellow Southerner. I feel like the peanuts have let you down, and now I want to run around and try to find you really good ones. Like those “I don’t like beer” or “I don’t like sushi” folks. You just haven’t found the right one, says I! (Typing this does make me realize that, yes, I definitely have a problem.)
Booze counts. Always.
Why don’t people loved boiled peanuts!?! They are not rotten or gross. You have to get them from some Bubba sweating over a huge vat at a roadside stand. Those are THE BEST. Hmmm.. last meal… My three loves are salad (I know, I know), Mexican food, and chocolate. But depending on the circumstances, maybe I’d just be glad I was getting a meal at all! 🙂