warm nights at home

It's been unreasonably, unseasonably, record-breakingly hot this week in southern California.  While Conrad's family in Michigan has been suffering some heavy snow, we've been reaching well into the 90s daily.  It should cool down a little after the weekend, but it's too much and far too soon.  Technically winter, but nope.  Summer temperatures already.  Ugh.

In such a week, I'm trying to keep the cooking to a minimum so as to turn on the stove infrequently and the oven even less.  Dinners like on Wednesday night (and a similar one at Van's on Tuesday):  a grazing board of things that I pulled out of the fridge and cupboards. 

That was just right for us - variety and ease all in one!  I poured us mocktails from a bottle of a pre-made mix (not a great drink, but nice for something a little different),

and we sat outside enjoying the evening air cooling off. 

the ten tastings of Bologna

No, I didn't count.  Hmmm...  No, Not going to.  We tasted plenty that day.

We didn't do too many organized activities whilst in Italy.  No particular objection to doing them, but we wanted a lot of freedom to do or not do things while on the trip.  Still, it's good not to leave everything to chance - we made some restaurant bookings before leaving the US as well - and so it was that I booked us a walking tour of Bologna:  the Ten Tastings of Bologna, booked through the WithLocals site.

It was a beautiful sunny day in Bologna, though we knew the porticoes would provide us protection from the sun.  The three of us set out

the few blocks west to the Mercato delle Erbe to meet Sarah, who took us inside and had the tastings begin.  We actually spent a goodly amount of time in the small market, admiring the produce and such,

but also tasting things.  Tortellini en brodo

from a shop where the tortellini was made by hand according to strict rules - Bologna has a lot of official rules about size and shape and more for its signature dishes, it seems - accompanied by a Lambrusco. 

Piadine from another shop

- this was already shaping up to be a more than sufficient lunchtime-ish activity.  A tasting of cheeses from another shop. 

No, we didn't try the horse meat,

though I've had it before and would be game for it again.  We also sampled (and bought) some of the really syrupy good, aged balsamic vinegar.  Leaving the market, we scooted around the corner and tasted olive oils and chocolate, again resulting in purchases.

Sarah took us east toward the university at that point, indicating to us interesting features of the city.  Some of the buildings and porticoes we had already seen came into more vivid detail for us, and that was a great complement to the tastings.  We ended up at Camera A Sud,

sitting outside,

devouring a platter of mortadella (or, as we know it here, baloney)

and drinking an effervescent pignorello wine, a regional specialty. 

That was a great stop, the three of us leaning in as Sarah notated a map for us for future reference.  And how funny to find, when I had to use the restroom, a sticker on the toilet tank from Conrad's neck of the woods!

But Sarah wasn't done, and I have to say, I really appreciate how she gave us extra time (and I hope we tipped suitably) because she didn't otherwise have a busy day after the tour.  She next took us to a bakery to try the local rice cake, really a rice pudding/cake hybrid. 

We bought some other pastry from there and then headed to the Fabbri shop. 

We love the cherries for our cocktails (and the syrup is delicious drizzled on ice cream), but I was tickled to find an array of other products. 

So, of course, I shopped!

And still there was a stop to go.  I think Van

was the most thrilled that we had a gelato stop because he had wanted gelato at each destination in Italy (and we sort of reached that goal, I think).  Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla had a line out the door

but handled things briskly.  I got a simple cream gelato with amerena cherry and the marsala-flavour, a small scoop of each. 

We devoured them outside the shop along with so many others, and then Sarah took her leave.  We wandered back to the hotel, delighted by the tour, grateful that we had booked it.  In fact, we enjoyed it so much, I sought out and booked another such tour in Como for later in the trip!

The day made for quite the lunch, truly.  And we weren't all that hungry, but eventually we needed dinner.  We decided to check out the cocktail bar at the hotel

and grab some food there.  We had a booking for a dinner in the dining room the next night, so it was a nice preview of the menu.  I had the Jack's Road,

a sloe gin and tonic cocktail, and then the table began filling with food. 

My dinner was simple, a vegetarian dish of zucchini, ricotta cheese, and a pea and mint sauce. 

Gorgeous, right?  That made us excited for the next night.  And even though we had had a filling day, we squeezed in a craquelin puff pastry to share

and an amaro for me.

The weather deteriorated in the next couple of days, but no matter.  We had had a beautiful day on foot seeing the city and sampling its dishes.  Bologna, though, still had treats to offer!