On the corner Forno di Campo de'Fiori sells crispy, hot-from-the-oven pizza rossa (topped with tomato and oregano).

BBC: A perfect day in Rome

Spanish captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas saved penalties by Daniele de Rossi and Antonio Di Natale to leave Cesc Fabregas to beat Gianluigi Buffon with the deciding kick.

CNN: Spain beat Italy in Euro penalty shoot out

When opera lovers start thinking about vital recordings, one in particular is almost always mentioned: EMI's 1953 "Tosca, " with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi in the leading roles and Victor de Sabata conducting.

WSJ: Maria Callas | Puccini's Tosca | The Measure of a Diva | Masterpiece by David Mermelstein

Readers are introduced to dishes such as A Pie of Carrots and Other Roots, Luxury Bread and Brioche, and Fried Artichokes with Bacon and Cream, as well as pivotal epicurean characters like Taillevent (a 14th-century cook to the court of France), Olivier de La Marche (the Duke of Burgundy's master of ceremonies) and Maestro Martino di Como (cook to the papal court).

WSJ: Bits & Bites: News You Can Eat