Boy Am I Being Spoiled! Fresh Open Air Markets in Rome

If there's one thing I'm going to miss the most about Rome, it's Rome's fresh, affordable and delicious fruits, vegetables and meats from its open air markets! Since food is a big part of who I am, being someone who LOVES to eat and LOVES to cook, my experience in Rome has been hugely influenced by what kinds of foods I have been eating :)

Camy, Isaac, and I at Mercato di Testaccio

I am going to miss Rome so much for this reason. Camy, Isaac, and I have already visited Mercato di Testaccio, Mercato di San Cosimato, and I have personally visited the market at Campo Di Fiori. I like the market at Testaccio best because it has the greatest range of fruits and vegis, all at an affordable
price.

Bell pepper, mixed greens, zucchini, basil and tomatoes from Mercato di Testaccio

apples and peaches too!

I tell you-- nothing beats the taste of a perfectly ripened fruit, eaten on the day you purchased it from a fresh market in Rome. I almost die every time I bite into that perfect peach or nectarine. How could God above create something so sublimely sweet, yet perfectly tart, with ample softness but tangible firmness? One time, I accidentally purchased tasteless, MUSHY peaches. It was a nightmare. I got jaded for a little while, but then realized that I should smell peaches before I buy them. If they smell sweet and ripe, they should be good :)

I think most people gain weight when they visit Rome because they eat lots of pasta and pizza and few vegetables or fruits. But when you live in Rome long-term, you come to see the benefits of shopping at fresh markets. The food you buy at a market is not only super fresh, it is very local, very affordable and very delicious. When I came to Rome my thoughts went along the lines of "I'll eat everything I want here, all the pasta and pizza I can eat, and then go on a diet when I get back to the U.S." I thought I would gain a lot of weight while I was here. And for a while, I believed that pizza and pasta were the only things you could eat here. WRONG. Markets have allowed me to eat so much healthier and to enjoy my food so much more. I've already cooked and experimented with quite a few dishes while I've been here.

homemade chicken soup. so good. 

What I needed to make pesto pasta: olive oil, basil leaves, parmesan cheese, onion and spaghetti

making my pesto

done! next time I need more pesto sauce :)

fresh shrimp "gamberoni"  from mercato di cosimato and zucchini

My take on minestrone ;)

Camy and Isaac just LOVE that I cook for them :P hehe

The reason why I'm going to miss this the most is because in America we don't really have fresh markets. Well, we do. But our farmers' markets are usually overpriced or we have to resort to stores like Whole Foods. Either way, both choices are only fit for the bourgeoisie of society. No wonder poor and middle class Americans have to resort to their supermarkets and other chain restaurants like McDonald's. Being healthy is unaffordable in America. But in Italy it is probably the most affordable. Where has America's common sense gone? I would like to hear your thoughts about this as well. I am disappointed in the American food market. Our goal should be to make eating healthy both delicious and affordable for all people. Maybe then our obesity problem will go away.

Yesterday Camy, Isaac, and I went to the biggest open air food market in all of Europe, "Campagna Amica". There were foods from all parts of Italy, fresh vegetables and meats. Yesterday it was slightly empty because it was a Friday and everyone was still at work. Today, the lady I'm babysitting for and I drove by the Circus Maximus (where it is being held) and there were throngs and throngs of people. It was packed! Obviously, Italians care about what they are putting in their stomachs and where it is coming from. Can I hear an amen?!

Campagna Amica, located in the Circus Maximus

Lots of yellow tents!

I thought these dried peppers looked cool

Tonight, I came back from 8 hours of babysitting, excited to pan-fry the fresh salmon and vegetables I had just bought on the way back from the lady's house that I babysit for.

look at this beauty. I ate it all up!

I am so grateful to be here, because, well, I'm in ITALY, of course, but I also feel that I am learning so many important things about how to eat better, with fresher and tastier foods. If I take away anything from this trip abroad, it is that making a little more effort to obtain healthier, fresher, and tastier food is so worth it!!

thanks for reading!

<3 Molto amore, 

Kaori