It was along a drive from Ciampino (just outside of Rome) through the Castelli Romani hills on my way to Latina to visit the site where Cincinnatus chose agriculture over power and inspired one of the founders of the U.S…

During the journey, I stumbled upon a holy grail — or should I say, holy tail — that I had been searching for since a taste more than three decades ago in Rome: the best porchetta sandwich ever.

I’m still not sure what inspired me to stop at a roadside shack — one of among countless others — adorned with a simple sign that reads “porchetta.” If you glared at it closely through the bright sunlight that beat down on the volcanic landscape, you could make out the words “da Rea,” a nod to the owner Salvatore Rea — “Porchetta by Rea” — whom I later learned is a legendary figure in the world of Porchetta di Ariccia, the holy of the holies when it comes to the slow-roasted suckling pig panino, with the meat’s distinctive crispy crust.

I wanted to taste porchetta in its purest form, nestled gently between a halved bun.

After hearing other lunch-goers order their sandwiches dressed with a diversity of pickled vegetables, I felt a slight pang of covetousness. But I justified my spartan choice in the name of science. After all, I need to taste the meat unadulterated in order to assess its true flavor, texture, and quality.

Porchetta, the sandwich shop, has no website that I can find. There are two different Google pages for the venue. I recommend using this one. The reference on the sign to “8.7 kilometers,” I believe, is a now obsolete address system: “8.7 kilometers down Nettunense Road.” The current address is Via Nettunense, 58.

Later that day, I found myself in the heart of Lazio wine country, treading through the volcanic soils that make this part of Italy so famous for grape growing and other agriculture, including the livestock that gives us porchetta.

What did I find?

You’ll have to come to my July 31 “Ancient Rome” dinner at Rossoblu in LA to find out. Here’s the link to register.

I hope to see you there. And in coming weeks, I’ll share notes from my winery visits. What an incredible trip through that part of the country. I highly recommend it and be sure to stop at “Porchetta” in Cecchina, a hamlet of Albano Laziale village, high in the hills above the Italian capital.

Thanks for being here and see you next week.