6 May 2008
tuesday morning market in calabria: part I
Every Tuesday morning, vendors of fruit,
vegetables,
herbs,
meats and cheese,
(especially local cheese)
hold a mercatino in the main square of the village.
And when I say morning, if you’re not there before 10 a.m., well, you’ll just have to wait until next week.
Speaking of which, be sure come back next Tuesday for Part II of Tuesday Morning Market in Calabria for a lesson from a pro in how to get a good deal and lots more photos!
What would you buy at the weekly mercatino in my village?
Related posts:
- what’s cooking tuesday: pasta al forno con melanzane (baked pasta with eggplant)
- The Four Seasons in Calabria
- Hurricanes and Mudslides in Calabria
- Calabria Pride: Noi Ci Mettiamo Il Cuore
- Calabria: Home of the Paparazzi
37 beans of wisdom »
Marie on 06 May 2008 at 5:29 am #
Everything looks so colorful and fresh!!
Marie’s last blog post..ROSEMARY LEMONADE (SPIKED!!)
Indeed Marie–it’s such a lovely sight in the morning
Laurie on 06 May 2008 at 5:56 am #
Michelle..I’m addicted to cheese, if I could grow it I would!
Ciao Bella!
Laurie’s last blog post..“Shish Kebabs”
I hear you Laurie. Cheese is one of my weaknesses as well.
Gil on 06 May 2008 at 6:50 am #
Too bad they don’t have evening markets. You couldn’t get fruit and produce that beautiful if you grew it yourself around here at this time of the year.
Evening markets are solely non-food around here, but they’re still quite fun
Sally on 06 May 2008 at 8:21 am #
That’s a difficult question. It would have to be the fruit, the vegetables, the herbs, the meat and cheese (and especially the local cheese).
Hee hee….
girasoli on 06 May 2008 at 8:30 am #
The cheese for sure, the herbs, the tomatoes, heck probably a little of everything. It all looks so fresh!
The vendors would *love* you
Christina on 06 May 2008 at 8:51 am #
Since I get to go to my very own market I can tell you what I DO get lol I absolutely love the markets here and I will surely miss them once we are gone, but until then I will keep buying super fresh veggies & fruits as well as some of the tastiest cheeses I’ve ever had.
Lucky you Christina! Isn’t the produce just amazing? And the cheese…oh the cheese….
erin on 06 May 2008 at 9:54 am #
oh yes, definitely I’d shop there
Gotta love the markets! Especially with cheese at that price!
erin’s last blog post..a weekend in the country
You’ve intrigued me about cheese prices…we may have to do a market compare one of these days
Joanne on 06 May 2008 at 10:08 am #
I love markets, but I hardly ever get to go during the week.
The pit falls of a 9 to 5 job.
I like getting seasonal stuff and local *prodotti tipici*
Pick up some cheese for me
Joanne’s last blog post..Revisiting a classic
Depending on your commute time, if you’re around at 7 am here, you could get quite a lot of shopping done
Don’t worry–I’ve got the cheese covered for you 
Cherrye on 06 May 2008 at 11:44 am #
That pecorino looked good to me. That’s what I’d have bought!
Cherrye’s last blog post..Travel Tip Tuesday: Saving a Little Green
I always buy pecorino
running42k on 06 May 2008 at 12:41 pm #
Awesome looking market.
Looking at that I would have bought some fresh eggplant and zucchini, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, some nice cheese and bread, grilled the veggies and made me a sandwich.
running42k’s last blog post..Are you even listening?
Sounds *fabulous* to me!
amanda on 06 May 2008 at 12:51 pm #
Now you’ve found my addiction, the markets. Yum, does that Pecorino look good or what? That’s what I would have bought and probably started eating it in the car on the way home! Do you get the Porchetta van at the markets in Calabria? Here there is always a guy in a van selling roasted pig, it’s stuffed with garlic and fennel and is the most glorious, intense, savoury hit. The smell is so enticing that nearly everyone you see is gorging on it. Boy, do I love a good market.
amanda’s last blog post..The birds and the bees
Amanda, we don’t get the porchetta van up here in the village, but the market in the Marina (on Mondays) and the big one in a nearby town (Fridays) has much more of a selection. The chicken/meat van is the one on the left in the wide shot of the market–there was a line because he had the nerve to arrive late that morning!
Irene on 06 May 2008 at 1:03 pm #
This is Life, my dear…Enjoy!
And thank you for sharing.
Irene’s last blog post..Over the weekend
Thank you for stopping by Irene
Irene on 06 May 2008 at 1:10 pm #
How unkind of me not to answer your question! Got carried away by the deepest feelings…
Well, DH would certainly go for the meat and cheese, bless him. But we would thankfully not leave the mercatino without some potted herbs. There, you’ve got my button of least resistance!
Irene’s last blog post..Over the weekend
Not unkind at all Irene…and I love those herbs too
My Melange on 06 May 2008 at 1:30 pm #
Wow!!! Hmmm, I would have bought a little of everything. I am a *sucker* for fresh food, especially at an authentic Italian Mercato!!! Everything looks so great! I can just smell that cheese…..
My Melange’s last blog post..Travel Tip Tuesday:Saving on Airfare
Pecorino for everyone! Yum
Mary on 06 May 2008 at 3:01 pm #
Our market is Tuesday morning too! I love the fresh vegies and the cheese. MMMM Pecorino is my all-time favorite cheese.
Mary’s last blog post..Network frustration
Pecorino and I have a similar relationship Mary–I can’t get enough!
alexmom on 06 May 2008 at 3:36 pm #
Definitely fruit, cheeses and herbs…..but where are the meat guys????? Should I wait till tomorrow to say that I’d totally NOT buy the bunnies and guinea pigs???? :>) But I’ll always buy a Porchetta panino on market day.
The meat truck is in the wide shot of the market on the left, but the truck with rabbits, guinea pigs, hens, etc., is on the other side of the piazza out of the photo.
Don’t worry, P more than makes up for your non-purchases from Rocco
smtwngrl on 06 May 2008 at 3:39 pm #
Mmmmm….it all looks so good! I’m so excited for the market to really get going here!
BTW, if you have a few minutes, stop by and comment every day this week to help me raise money for maternal health causes over at BlogHer Acts.
smtwngrl’s last blog post..Blogher Acts Donation Challenge
Ooh thanks for letting me know! And enjoy your market
Jane on 06 May 2008 at 4:32 pm #
gorgeous photos! I absolutely LOVE open markets. Those cheeses and herbs look stunning and yummy!!!
Jane’s last blog post..Tuesday
Thanks Jane; as you know, I loved “closed” markets too, like Reading Terminal
Novelist on 06 May 2008 at 4:49 pm #
I would buy absolutely EVERYTHING! It all looks amazing. I love outdoor markets, especially the ones in Italy.
Me too; I just love walking around and seeing all that color
Lucy on 06 May 2008 at 5:03 pm #
Pepato Cheese, Ricotta Salata, cheese, cheese and more cheese!!!!
Then eggplant and peppi!
It’s about 11:05 am here and I’m starving now!!!
Lucy’s last blog post..HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!
Sorry about that Lucy….
Lisa on 06 May 2008 at 5:10 pm #
Cheese, cheese and more cheese. And probably some grapes…love some Italian grown grapes right about now.
Lisa’s last blog post..My Little Diva
No grapes in sight right now unfortunately; the downside to seasonal markets
Karina on 06 May 2008 at 5:31 pm #
What would I buy? Well, a little bit of everything. Those colors on the fruits and veggies are so appealing, and the cheese? OH THE CHEESE!!!
You know, I meant to pop over here and let you know I’d tagged you for that meme, but now that blogger allows you to “auto-publish” in the future, I forgot I had that ready to go.
Ah, the wonders of technology!
Karina’s last blog post..Message In A Bottle Meme
That’s OK, I got the message anyway…and wow, I didn’t realize Blogger had finally come around on the auto-publishing. That was one of my least favorite things about Blogger.
Wanderlust Scarlett on 06 May 2008 at 6:22 pm #
I am such a sucker for these… ‘farmers markets’…
I’d buy at least two of everything and then sit and have coffee as close to market as possible, to people watch (and make photos, of course)…
;o)
Thanks for the outing! It’s lovely!
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..spring cleaning
Lucky for you there are bars (cafes) on either side of the piazza
And I didn’t include the photos here or on Flickr yet, but I was also greeted by one of Stella’s puppies while I was up there!
Ice Tea For Me on 06 May 2008 at 7:19 pm #
Just to have a local market that you can walk to sounds like heaven. I wouldn’t need to buy anything but just soak up the atmosphere but of course i’d have to go for the veggies & cheese.
Michelle – on the pecorino locale it had a price of Euro 8.90, is that for a kilo? or am I reading that wrong.
Thanks for sharing the photos.
Linda
Ice Tea For Me’s last blog post..what’s cooking wednesday’s – not so much
Linda, yes that’s the price per kilo–it’s an amazing deal. Supermarkets can be twice that, although around the holidays, I’ve seen similar prices in the supermarkets as well.
Maryann on 06 May 2008 at 8:38 pm #
I’ll have to buy a bit of everything, Michelle! It all looks so good. I’m not quite sure what that fruit is between the tomatoes and the melons in the first shot?
Maryann’s last blog post..Piggyback
Those are our local zucchini Maryann
Aren’t they adorable?
Imani on 06 May 2008 at 8:55 pm #
I go to Italy once or twice a year…Brescia. I ADORE the markets and I buy anything and everything. There are two in Brescia; one on Tuesdays close to where I go to stay and a larger one on Saturday in the city proper. Do they sell stinco di maiale there in Calabria? BTW, I read your blog every day M-F and I really enjoy it since my Father is from Falerna, Provincia di Catanzaro in Calabria
.
I haven’t seen stinco di maiale, but perhaps I’m looking in the wrong places
Thanks so much for reading–actually Cherrye’s (My Bella Vita) husband used to work in Falerna…small world
Anne on 06 May 2008 at 9:34 pm #
Thanks for sharing your market with us..it is delightful.
I would buy a bit of everything..take it back to my holiday apartment, cook and savour the tastes of Italy.
Anne’s last blog post..Lets Help Mrs Carr….Please read this..
Sounds like a lovely meal Anne
sadira on 06 May 2008 at 10:00 pm #
I just love the markets there…When I was in Venice, we were near the fish market and I woke to wonderful opera being sung by a vendor every morning…it was lovely!
sadira’s last blog post..Smitten…
Ah the fish vendors are the best! I passed one on the main street on my way to take photos of the market that morning, but since all the fish was covered up, it wasn’t a great photo op…some day!
Kelli on 06 May 2008 at 11:10 pm #
A little bit of all of it. Looks great!
Kelli’s last blog post..Mixed Media
Help yourself Kelli!
cheeky on 07 May 2008 at 2:11 am #
I love local markets. In the town I am from we have a local market on Thursdays with all the local vendors and I miss it. Here in Perth we had a great market in Subiaco but it’s no longer. Only a few vendors left because the real estate is going to be developed.
I would love to buy some cheese at yours. Oh, I am dreaming of it right now.
cheeky’s last blog post..soul dust
Oh that’s so sad about your market
I’ll pick up some extra cheese for you!
jen of a2eatwrite on 07 May 2008 at 4:14 am #
I’d definitely buy the local cheese. And anything fresh and seasonal. In our Farmers Market, my favorite egg seller is sold out by 8, so I’m there at 7, usually.
Ours are on Wednesday and Saturday.
jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Music Monday – “Future’s So Bright” – Timbuk 3
I love having to know the secrets on *when* to go…enjoy your market this morning
Alex on 07 May 2008 at 7:00 am #
OMG I MISS THE MARKETS SOOOO MUCH!
I’m simply in a puddle of drool over here in California. Even though they have farmers markets here the smells aren’t as good, the colors not as bright and the characters not as lively (nothing beats a fish monger yelling into your ear).
So what do I miss most right now? The cozze, the basil, the artichokes, the beans –sorry i have to stop –keyboard all wet now!
Alex’s last blog post..House Dream #1
Fresh seafood is definitely a draw, I agree…I *almost* took a video of “Pescipescipesciiiii!” as I walked up the Corso behind the car…next time
Scicchi on 07 May 2008 at 11:51 am #
I agree with many, everything would be on the list. But the meats would be way at the top as it is so hard to get anything good around here, especially now since the one small butcher/meat market I went to for everything a few towns over is closing the end of the month. Ugh.
What?! Who’s closing?! Please don’t say Bressi’s….
Sandy on 07 May 2008 at 5:19 pm #
Mmmmmm – it all looks so good and fresh. Is everything organic too?
Waiting for Zufan on 07 May 2008 at 10:14 pm #
Wow, those are some AWESOME pictures!! Can I visit you?
Waiting for Zufan’s last blog post..The writing on the wall
So long as you bring that adorable little one
Ariana from Chicago on 08 May 2008 at 6:23 am #
I would love this place. I think I would look for some of the same things I had during my meals in Cosenza with family. I love those crushed green olives (olive schiacciati?) that I can’t seem to find anywhere. I would have to find rigatoni and some pork ribs to make a meaty tomato sauce. And finally some burrata cheese, another hard to find item. It’s like mozzarella with a gooey center. Oh gosh, how could I forget, my mom would be so upset if I didn’t return with some fresh ficchi.
Oh those olives are so good! You have a fabulous shopping list there Ariana…making me hungry!
Sara on 09 May 2008 at 1:09 am #
{jealous}
Don’t worry I always think of you when picking eggplants (lilacs=purple=eggplants). That’s supposed to be a good thing