Romans know the best way to cool down in July: grattachecca. Hard to pronounce but easy to swallow, the local street food is just a cup of freshly shaved ice flavored with syrups and ripe fruit. The Preziosa is a mix of raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry syrups with a squirt of lemon and a pile of fresh berries, while the Cocolemon blends lemon and coconut. Keep your eyes out for green shedlike kiosks (typically along the Lungotevere, the road alongside the Tiber river) surrounded by crowds of people—that’s the grattachecca stand! Make sure to have spare change, because grattachecca is a cash-only experience.
Serving grattachecca (ice lemonade). Naples. Italy
Pietro Scozzari/agefotostock
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Grattachecca Stands
Romans know the best way to cool down in July: grattachecca. Hard to pronounce but easy to swallow, the local street food is just a cup of freshly shaved ice flavored with syrups and ripe fruit. The Preziosa is a mix of raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry syrups with a squirt of lemon and a pile of fresh berries, while the Cocolemon blends lemon and coconut. Keep your eyes out for green shedlike kiosks (typically along the Lungotevere, the road alongside the Tiber river) surrounded by crowds of people—that’s the grattachecca stand! Make sure to have spare change, because grattachecca is a cash-only experience.
