To Market, To Market .....

(Keep in mind that a left click on any of the photos will "embiggen" them for a closer look.)

I often feel overwhelmed in markets, not the big sterile supermarkets but the European-style covered markets. There's such a choice of things and the displays can be works of art unto themselves. There are many local markets here in Rome but the one nearest to us is a bit of a disappointment, doubly so after a visit to Mercat de la Boqueria on the Ramblas in Barcelona. I'm sure there are markets as splendid here in Roma but I just haven't come across them. La Boqueria has a long history as a local market and even though it is now crowded with gawking tourists, like me, still serves the needs of the people in the area.
The glass, wrought iron and tin archway give only a hint about what's to be found inside.
The staples of any market are the fruits and vegetables - I find more local and seasonal things on display here than at back in Canada, not unusual given the short growing season there. And hand and hand with the verduras and frutas are the butcher stalls - some specializing in particular types of meats, though unlike Hanoi there were none featuring Cane - thank heavens. When I see those wonderful hams hanging in porcine splendor I think how much Dora would enjoy picking one out and feasting on it.
Being a port city it can only be expected that the fish counters - at the core of the market - have an incredible selection of things from the sea. I'm still not sure what those long bamboo-type tubes with slug like things hanging out are and I'm not really sure I want to find out. I'll stick to Gilthead, Sole, octopus and shellfish thanks!
The Time Out guide warns that the stalls near the entrance, displaying fresh juices and whole candied fruit jack their prices up for the tourist trade. Its a shame if they do but you have to admit the displays are pretty tempting and just down right pretty.
But this market has more than staples - you can get everything from carry-out soup to nuts. There's at least two tapas bars, if you don't mind pulling up a stool and the crowds, as well as one or two wine shops. Pretty much everything you need for a good meal. But I didn't see a stall offering ice cream!
And I am ashamed to say that my favorite stall in the whole market was this one. Aside from the fact that the little lady who worked there was cheerful and helpful, she also gave away lots of free samples. And topped up the containers after she had weighed them. And you will notice I said containers plural - I had to make a second visit to her just before we headed to the airport.

31 marzo - Sant'Amos

La Serenisima - II

According to statistics the population of Venice is on a steady decline and has halved over the past 50 years. The current estimate runs at around 63,000 for all the islands. More and more people are choosing to live on the mainland where rents are cheaper and work is available in something other than the tourist industry – which accounts for 60% of local employment. There are at least 450 souvenir shops in Venice proper - we noticed that where once had been local stores there are now shops selling trinkets and authentic Venetian carnival masks made in China.
But once you find your way out of San Marco and into Dorsoduro or Castello there are neighbourhoods - in the old sense of the word. People do their daily marketing, sit in the campo and have a coppe of gelato, stop for coffee or an ombre (a glass of proseco and a snack) at the local bar or hang their washing out the window while exchanging gossip across the narrow calle.

Agretti is a very popular spring green - its almost like a chive but has the bite of sorrel. Boiled and then sauteed with olive oil and garlic its a great side dish.

Produce is brought in from the mainland and from farms located on other islands in the lagoon such as San Erasmus. And there's only one way of bring it in - by boat!

There are hundreds of gelateria in Venice but I think the best is Paolin's in the Campo San Stephano. Their pistacchio and caffe are the benchmark.

These calles are not that far from San Marco but far enough that most of the day-trippers never see them.

31 maggio - Cuore Immaculata di Maria

To Market To Market

Like most of the good citizens of Rome we head out to our local market on Saturday morning. We have a large two story enclosed market on Via Libia - all the streets in our neighborhood bear the names of places in Italy's former African colonies hence the area name Africano - about four blocks from the apartment. Strangely its also the same building where I go to get my Resident papers processed. The area just in front of the market is crowded with temporary stalls selling everything under God's sun and there's a small park much favoured by Senior Citizens and their patient Filipino caregivers


The first floor is fruit and vegetables, the second meat, fish, cheese, breads, wines, clothing and sundries. Its noisy, its crowded and at first confusing; now we have the stalls we go to regularly where we know we'll be greeted warmly, our bad Italian tolerated and kindly corrected, little extras will be thrown in and a piece of cheese or one or two olives proffered for our tasting.

It is unusual to see two men shopping together here in Rome and we sometimes get stares from other customers. At first it was a bit disconcerting but now we just smile and say buon giorno. One Saturday morning when I went marketing by myself the Nonna (grandmother) at one of our preferred vegetable stalls was most concerned that "il aultro signore e ammalatto?" I assured her that Laurent was fine and we settled down to choose vegetables for the minestrone.
One of the great things about the markets here is that there is still a certain sense of seasonality to things. As an example figs - in September and October there were fresh sweet juicy figs from Italy, in November and December Turkish figs that were not as tasty and now there are none to be found anywhere. And we have a wide variety of choices - at the moment there are three types of cherry tomatoes available and which ones you buy depends on what you are using them for.

Its also artichoke season and there was a choice of five or six kinds. We asked one of the ladies to prepare six of the globe artichokes for us and within a minute she had them trimmed, acetated with lemon juice and ready to be steamed, sprinkled with Pecorino, breadcrumbs and parsley for Sunday night's dinner.

Our deli of choice is always Mauro's; the first time we went there the young lady in the picture was so helpful, pleasant and jolly we just kept coming back. And the cheeses, cured meats and olives are the best in our particular market. They also do some very nice antipasti - grilled eggplant rolls stuff with sun-dried tomato and marinated in a spicy olive oil is a favorite in our house. And the fact that Mauro is a bit of a hot daddy doesn't hurt either.

There's so much available at the markets here in the way of seafood - fish, shellfish, eels etc. We still haven't gotten adventuresome enough to actually buy any. Neither of us are familiar with many of the fish caught in this area of the world other than Rumbo (which we have frequently at our local trattoria Lemoncini.) And though there may be 5 different varieties of eel available I'm not about to prepare them in my kitchen.

The people at our favorite butchers' are more than happy to put up with the strange mix of Italian-French-Spanish-English Laurent and I attempt to communicate in. There have been times when we've resorted to pantomime - my attempt to buy a whole turkey rather than bits and pieces is still the talk of the second floor. And being Italy, of course, other customers are more than willing to get into the act - advise is freely dispensed on why you don't want a particular cut of meat or what you should do with the one you just bought. Unlike most of our neighbors we have a very large upright freezer - most Romans will buy meat in small quantities every day or two. We tend to buy larger portions, which must raise the unasked question about how many people there actually are in our family. I'm often tempted to wave my hand in an extravagant manner at our bundles and exclaim: Per i otto bambini (For the 8 little ones). And I think we get the odd stare now!

The market photos were taken by Laurent this past Saturday, February 23, 2008.

26 febbraio - San Nestore