Flat Sierra hits Rome!

Sierra has been hanging around Rome with some cool young people. Brandon (guy on the right chomping gelato) is Philip's RA at Black Forest Academy. He and his siblings, Bethany and Blake sacked out at our apartment for a couple of days on their European tour. They invited Sierra along for their whirlwind tour of Rome.

Gelato: No surprise that the gelateria is at the top of Sierra's must-do tourist list. What makes Italian gelato so good? Here is an answer from About.com (http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/icecreammachines/f/gelatovicecream.htm?r=et).

"There are actually a few main differences between gelato and ice cream. To find out, I asked Alon Balshan, owner of Alon's Bakery and Market in Atlanta, whose own gelato is quickly becoming a favorite among frozen-treat connoisseurs there.

Alon explained to me that while ice cream legally has a minimum of 10 percent fat, gelato is made with a greater proportion of whole milk to cream, so it contains more like five to seven percent fat.

But don't expect to be able to get Italian gelateria-style results by making a gelato recipe in your home ice cream machine: Alon also said that gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, so it's denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture. (Gelato contains about 25 to 30 percent air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50 percent air) Finally, while ice cream is typically served frozen, gelato is typically stored and served at a slightly warmer temperature, so it's not quite completely frozen.

As for that amazing, rich flavor, Alon says, 'Since there's not as much fat in gelato, it doesn't coat the mouth in the same way. So the flavors are more intense.' "

The Colosseum:

Most of us know this symbol of Rome, Roman history, and the Roman Empire as the Colosseum, but this was the popular name derived from the structure's proximity to a colossal statue of Nero. Its original name, The Flavian Amphitheatre, honored the family of Vespasian who began building the amphitheatre in 70 AD, the same year that his son, Titus, sacked Jerusalem. The Colosseum was finished in 80 AD by this same Titus, much of it being built with the spoils of Temple and the city of Jerusalem. The Arch of Titus was built in 81 AD by Domitian to commemorate Titus' triumph in Judea. Notice the amazing detail of the first depiction in history of the Jewish menorah being carried off by the Romans! Few if any Christians were martyred in the Colosseum, contrary to popular belief. (Alta Macadam, Blue Guide - Rome and environs)

Pantheon:

As the name implies in Greek, "pan" = all, and "theon" = god (s), but meaning that it was a temple built to all the pagan gods. This structure is my favorite in Rome because it is almost entirely intact since it was rebuilt and finished in 125 AD. When I go on my run in the morning I get a view overlooking the city, and I always look for the Pantheon and think about the fact that someone standing on the same hill almost 2ooo years ago would have seen the same sight! This pagan temple was the first one to be converted into a Christian church building in 609 AD. Its most striking feature is the 142' diameter dome (43.3 meters) and is a marvel of ancient architecture. Even the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, built 1300 years later, is smaller.

Trevi Fountain:

Apart from the gelato, the Trevi fountain is much newer than all the other sites that Sierra saw. The immense fountain was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1732 and finished 30 years later, after his death. The real bit of history to note here is that this fountain, along with those on Piazzas Spagna, Navona, and Farnese are all fed by the Acqua Vergine, an aqueduct built by Agrippa in 19 BC to deliver water to his baths! It is still functioning. There are five other ancient Roman aqueducts that are still functioning in Rome. Amazing!