Picnic at the American Academy in Rome. What a treat to be eating in the garden. The perfect Fourth of July picnic in the Bass Gardens.

A big part of the enjoyment at the Academy is the food. In 2007 a much needed change occurred when the Rome Sustainable Food program was introduced. Executive Chef Mona Talbot oversees the program and there are visiting cooks and several interns working in the kitchen with Mona. Much of the food has been planted and harvested from the garden directly behind the kitchen building.

Not only does the Rome Sustainable Food program provide a convivial and well nourished community, the objective is to also construct a replicable model for sustainable dining in other institutions.

Yum.