My love affair with Italian cuisine began unexpectedly on a trip to Rome years ago. Having heard jokes about bland pasta and pizza, I didn't have high expectations. But the moment I took my first bite of a simple margherita pizza from a hole-in-the-wall joint near the Trevi Fountain, an entire world of flavor exploded on my tastebuds. The bright tomato sauce, the fresh milky mozzarella, the crisp-yet-chewy crust...it was a revelation.