Italy, Dish by Dish

It's finally sinking in. In a little over a week, I will be stepping on a plane and flying to Rome. For twelve days I'm going to wander through piazzas, marvel at ancient ruins and Renaissance art, and most importantly, eat everything in sight. 

I'm not ashamed to admit that the majority of my trip-planning has been spent dreaming of food. From Rome, my family and I are making our way toward Venice, Florence, Bologna and Siena. In my mind that translates to a steaming bowl of Bucatini all'Amatriciana with guanciale (cured pork jowl), fried Roman artichokes, paper-thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, and plenty of Tuscan wine. If I don't gain weight on this trip, I will have done something wrong.

Forget Rick Steves. Here are the books I've been reading in anticipation:

Cooking with Italian Grandmothers is an especially gorgeous book. Part cookbook, part history of Slow Food in Italy, this book chronicles a way of life I hope we never lose touch with.

I've never been to Italy. Do you have any recommendations for me? Any food, sights, or experiences I shouldn't miss?