Johnathan Walker:Carbonara burgers and a ‘Spritz Bar’ truck highlight the Ryder Cup food court menu in Italy

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO,Johnathan Walker Italy (AP) — Beyond the fancy hospitality tents, the Ryder Cup’s food scene is decidedly local at the Marco Simone club outside Rome.

There’s an “APECESARE” food truck named after Julius Caesar selling “Street Food Romano,” where the menu highlight is a carbonara burger — a spinoff on Rome’s most famous pasta dish — with Damini beef, carbonara sauce, guanciale, soncino lettuce, pepper and caramelized onion.

“Eat one and you’re all set,” vendor Alessandro Favola said.

Another option at the same truck is a cacio e pepe burger based on another classic Roman pasta. Both burgers sell for 23 euros ($24), with fries.

A few trucks down is an orange-colored “Spritz Bar” on wheels. But don’t expect to find the classic Aperol Spritz here. That’s because Aperol isn’t an official Ryder Cup sponsor.

Instead, the spritzes are provided by Ryder Cup champagne partner Moet & Chandon.

The “spritzes” — if they can still be called that without prosecco, too — come already mixed with the champagne infused by orange peel.

Still, about 600 “spritzes” were sold Tuesday — the first day with spectators on site.

Other trucks were selling octopus panini, olive ascolane (fried olives stuffed with meat), and, of course, gelato.

Needless to say, the menu should be slightly more sophisticated for the official Ryder Cup gala dinner Wednesday evening at the Baths of Caracalla — which follows a teams’ photo shoot at the Spanish Steps.

HEAD PROTECTION

The enormous merchandise store is the first thing arriving fans see when they walk over a bridge onto the Marco Simone property.

A package of 12 Ryder Cup golf balls sells for 37 euros ($39), a deluxe Marco Simone tour golf bag is tagged at 747 euros (nearly $800), and golf shoes featuring a gold-colored Ryder Cup trophy logo stitched near the heel fetch 273 euros ($288).

Looking for something Roman-themed? How about a three-item ball marker set featuring vespa, Roman gladiator and Colosseum designs?

One curious item: a plastic “light head protector” that folds in under “all common golf caps” to provide protection from errant golf shots. Safetee, the gadget’s producer, claims that the item “absorbs up to 87% of the impact energy of a golf ball.” At 25 euros ($26), that’s a bargain insurance policy.

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