Day 127- Hot in Herre

38 degrees Celsius was the high today. We are all going crazy. Maria and I have given up and now reside to lying in bed with the fan pointed at us. Valerio just swears and tries to distract us, but I don't think he's convinced that this heat is normal either. The only other option is riding around on a motorcycle because the breeze is so nice. So whenever anything involves a motorcycle, I jump at the chance...(of course not just for the breeze).

So, yesterday I went to the farmer's market with Vale. It's in the nearby Testaccio district, set up at the Ex-Mattatoio (former slaughterhouse). The place itself is really interesting architecturally; very industrial-you can see the iron settings where the hooks would move the meat around the building. Now, no cows, but fresh veggies, cheese, bread, pastas, olive oil, etc. I resisted from buying everything in sight, but I did have to give into the fresh organic milk and some amazing almond biscotti. I love markets. They're so alive.

Roma Farmer's Market

Fiori di Zucca (Squash Blossoms)
Later to be stuffed with mozzarella and fried. Very good.

Valerio looking at his Porchetta

Then I saw Valerio buying fresh homemade gnocchi and couldn't resist offering to make my grandma's pesto recipe, called "greensauce".  Basically a creamy pesto, with some not-so-Italian ingredients added, like butter and cream cheese. Still, the Bianchini heritage showed through and proved Italian worthy because Valerio cleaned off his plate. And everyone else's. I was proud.

After lunch we all did more lying in front of the fans in our correspondent rooms, I went running (yes I eat all day, and yes this blog is almost all about food, but I am doing something to balance it all out, ok?), and then Mary had to go feed her friend's cat since she's away. And since it was across town, and she happened to be going on her motorcycle...I thought I'd give her some company.

The breeeeze. I love motorcycle rides. Maybe it's because my dad used to have one when I was little. They're just the best. The traffic here makes it seem a little like I'm going to die though haha. Mary tries to talk to me while I'm on the bike...if I don't understand everything talking with people in a kitchen, I understand less Italian while I hang onto the back of a motorcycle making sure I don't fall off, while I look at beautiful Rome whizzing by, trying to take it all in. I try really hard though, so I can give some sort of valid answer. It does requires some intense multitasking, but...I still love it.

Back home, Valerio was starting dinner. A light salad maybe? Of course not. Fritti. Fried foods. Fiori di zucca fritti and mozzarella fritti. With a salad on the side. Haha. It was greattt.

And since then just more heat. I'm not going to talk about the fact that maybe Italy just lost the finals in the Eurocup. But that happened. Whatever. More importantly, Paqui's back from Puglia with more homemade food that we get to try during the week AND with her mom's pesto recipe. I feel like the luckiest person ever.

We'll see how this sleeping thing goes. I need a higher setting for this fan. Or better yet-that thing called air conditioning. No?