A common ritual in the Italian restaurants we have frequented in the UK is the overly large pepper grinder. This suggestively masculine object makes an appearance immediately after the food has arrived and is usually wielded with a dramatic (and equally suggestive) flourish.

It’s ubiquitous.

However, it was noticeable in its absence from every restaurant we ate in while in Italy through September.

We felt this needed further investigation as our sample size was small. Therefore, and only in the interests of research, we are returning to Italy for two weeks: Rome and the Lazio region.

Someone has to do it. So we stepped up.

Rome, here we come!