How to Offend an Italian (without meaning to)

A guide to the rituals only locals know -- and the timeless art of making do

I had a strategy for my first “splurge meal” in Italy.

I was in a short-term rental near the Vatican, where there was an osteria that was too tempting to ignore forever. But after an expensive move halfway around the world, I was on a tight budget. My meals were mostly simple pastas prepared in my tiny kitchen, with an occasional panino or slice of pizz…