Rome, March 29, 2010 – Context, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, expands its culinary program in Rome, with new walks designed and led by food writers, sommeliers and local chefs.

Savoring Rome takes visitors into some of Rome’s most traditional bakeries, cafes and gelaterie where they will taste freshly brewed espresso, and snack on pizza just out of the oven. Concentrating on the area surrounding the Pantheon, a gastronomic expert will weave through the maze of side streets to seek out the family run food shops that still exist side by side with Rome’s largest monuments. We’ll discuss all aspects of cuisine, from technical production to cultural significance to final product, complete with tasting.

Wines of Italy, A Comparative Tasting, expands upon Context’s existing wine program. In contrast to Context's basic Wines of Italy introductory course, this walk and tasting goes deeper into the territorial aspect so critical to understanding Italian wines.

“As a student of wine, I found comparative tastings to be the most helpful exercises,” says Heather Hanson, sommelier and Context docent. “Reading about stainless steel versus oak for aging wine was one thing, but tasting two samples side by side, I could smell and taste the oak for myself."

For each walk, Ms. Hanson will curate special parings of appetizers and wines, emphasizing unusual, new, small, or otherwise atypical Italian wines in an effort to broaden the palate of participants.

Both walks, launching in March 2010, draw upon the expertise of Context’s network in Rome, which includes Cordon Bleu trained chefs, certified sommeliers, and food writers.

“Rome has a millenary culinary tradition,” says Jessica Stewart, Context’s city manager for Rome. “We’re devoted to wedding the traveler closer to the city. Showing that one can still find high quality, well priced food even in the heart of the historic center. This goes hand in hand with adding a new wine tasting seminar in a very traditional area of the city often overlooked by travelers.”

As with all of Context’s Rome programs, groups are limited to six people.

Savoring Rome runs Wednesday afternoons at 3 pm (€65 or $88 per person), while Wines of Italy, A Comparative Tasting, runs Tuesday evenings at 5:30 pm (€55, excluding wine/food). Private groups can be scheduled upon request (€300 and €270, respectively).