Bentornato Giugno (Welcome Back June)

Is there a better place to people watch on a June morning than a piazza in Tuscany?

The month of June has arrived, bringing ideal weather to Lucca. Blue skies are dotted with wispy clouds, the temperature is unusually mild, and there is just a hint of breeze.   An occasional rain helps keep things cool. Perfetto!

 Along with the lovely weather, the beginning of June also brings the start of the busy summer season.  The piazze (that’s plural for piazza, the squares that make Italian cities so enjoyable in summer) are filled with big umbrellas, outdoor tables, bustling waiters, lively visitors and locals, and street musicians.   This morning, as I sipped a cappuccino in Piazza San Michele,  the gentle, just-right-volume sound of Beatles music drifted in from under the nearby loggia.  Mornings like this feel cinematic, with me starring in my very own set-in-Italy film, complete with soundtrack.  

Piazza del Giglio, Lucca

 Another piazza, Piazza del Giglio, hosted a ceramic market last weekend.  The booths were filled with all types of ceramic goods.   Many featured items that were both beautiful and well suited to daily use – coffee and tea cups, bowls, pitchers, oil carafes, teapots.  The designs and colors were eye-catching.

The booth that I found most enchanting was full of ceramic buttons, earrings, and small ornaments.  The buttons were all sizes, from tiny to extra-large, and decorated with hand painted designs.  It was impossible to look at them and not smile.  There were flowers, hearts, birds, houses and fish made into bottoni (buttons) and orecchini (earrings). 

Ceramic art pieces and jewelry were also a feature of the market.  From whimsical dogs and cats to pretty pins and earrings to stunning sculptural pieces there was something to please everyone.

The first weekend end of June also saw the start of the Lucca Summer Festival (LSF 24). 

The season-long music festival is the big event of summer, drawing large crowds and big acts to town.  A huge stage is constructed on the green space just outside the walls. This is there where the largest concerts will take place. 

Booths with box seats are placed along the walls high above the stage.   Eric Clapton, on June 2nd, was the first concert on the big stage.  Fortunately an afternoon thunderstorm ended in time so that it did not impact the concert.

Ed Sheeran will follow with two concerts next week.   

People without tickets often catch the music from the street just inside the walls, nearest to the stage. Years ago I heard the Rolling Stones from that spot, along with about 1,000 other ticket-less persons.

 Smaller concerts will take place in Piazza Napoleone.  A few lucky persons will be able to catch those concerts from their terraces a short distance from the piazza. 

The list of performers is varied with something to appeal to everyone.   All this and it is just the first weekend of June!  It is going to be a busy summer in Lucca.

Ceramic flowers - no watering required!

A Spring Time Market in Padova

A cold and rainy March gave way to an April with very erratic weather in northern Italy.  Some days felt very much like spring, a couple of days brought summer temperatures, and other days were unseasonably cold.  But that didn’t stop spring produce from appearing in the markets, providing lots of inspiration for early spring cooking. I spent some time earlier this month in Padova, a city with an exceptionally good food market. Fortunately, I had a sunny day perfect for exploring the market.  A morning spent shopping here is, to me at least, every bit as wonderful as visiting the major attractions of the city. 

The Palazzo della Ragione provides a beautiful and historic backdrop for Padova’s market

Part of the market takes place outdoors in front of the beautiful Palazzo della Ragione where a piazza full of stalls sell the freshest, most beautiful produce.  It would be hard to ask for a better setting than this historic spot.

 In April the spring vegetables take center stage.   The colorful choices start with a whole palette of shades of green.  Fat green asparagus sit alongside the white variety, playing off the thin deep green shoots of the nearby agretti and bags of shelled peas.  

 The leeks are pale with green tops while the fresh pea pods are a vibrant shade of green.  There are green with a yellow tinge fava beans, perfect to snack on paired with a bit of salty cheese.  And broad, flat green beans which remind me of the ones my Italian grandfather grew in his New York backyard. 

 For contrast, yellow and red peppers provide some brilliant color alongside pale white new onions and golden brown new potatoes. 

 Purple tinged artichokes are piled up to be sold whole or already trimmed and either cut in half or pared down to just the heart (why can’t I find these in Lucca?).  

 The strawberries are mouthwatering – they were bright red, sweet, and delicious.   

The second half of the market takes place indoors underneath the Palazzo della Ragione. 

Here you’ll find carnivore heaven with the most wonderful selection of meats.  The Macellai (butchers) display everything from simple cuts to prepared rolled and stuffed roasts of beef, chicken, guinea fowl, and turkey.  Prepared polpette (meatballs) too.  The salumeria (delis) have salami, prosciutto, bresaola, and other meats for slicing. 

 The Pescivendoli (fishmongers) sell whole fish, fillets, big piovra (octopus), sardines and anchovies, shrimp, and lots of shellfish varieties.  Whipped baccala (a specialy of the Venetian area) is available by the scoopful. 

 And the formaggi (cheeses)!  The scent is swoon-worthy and the choices seemingly endless. 

 Other stalls display olives, cicchetti (those small Venetian style bites of goodness), fresh pasta, grains, spices, honey, and a wide selection of prepared foods. The flower stall was colorful and featured spring tulips.

 Everytime I visit this market I begin to think that I should move to Padova - it really is a cook’s dream. My next visit will have to be longer and in an apartment with a kitchen! If the springtime market is this wonderful, just imagine what summer will bring! 

New Life In The Old Mercato

Lucca’s old market building, the Mercato del Carmine, began life in the 14th century as a convent for an order of nuns, the Carmelitani Scalzi (Barefoot Carmelites). The nuns left in the mid 1800’s and after that the building was used for a variety of purposes.

Once a bell tower, now a clock tower

A new use was found for the abandoned convent in the 1930’s. It was repurposed to house Lucca’s big community market which had previously been located in Piazza Anfiteatro (the site of the former Roman Amphitheater). The nun’s cloister was enclosed with a large roof to shelter the market. The campanile (bell tower) was converted into the clock tower that continues to anchor the building today. The places where nuns once lived and prayed became filled with market stalls.

The market operated until 1974 when it moved to the edge of the walled city, along Via Bacchettoni. A few years ago it moved again to a spot outside the city walls. Somehow the new spot just doesn’t have the same character as I imagine the Old Mercato had.

These little shops once housed vendors of all types - eggs, fish, salumi, chicken, vegetables, grains and spices. It has been sad to see them sit empty for so long.

An art installation in the Mercato del Carmine

For years now the Mercato building has stood largely empty with only a few shops around its exterior perimeter. The large open space inside still shows signs of its former lives as convent and market. There are large arches from the convent and spaces whose signage marks where vendors once sold fish and poultry.  It has most recently been used mostly as an “overflow” space for the vegetable shops and Bar del Sole which open onto its interior. But mostly it has been an underused space, one that really showed its age.   A second section of the building was closed off, its old arches and fresco remnants hidden from sight.

Recently funds were awarded to restore the building. Many of us hoped it would once again become a permanent market, but that seems unlikely.  Sadly, the work has displaced several of the remaining businesses around the perimeter. Gone are the butcher and the chocolate shop. The bar will soon move to a new location. What controversy this has caused! And while people are excited to see the building brought back to life, many also hold out hope that some of the long term businesses will return when the work is completed.

Slow Foods Market, March 2024

The restoration is ongoing but far enough along that recently some special events have taken place in parts of the building. In late March, Lucca hosted a food fair that flowed across town through several of the piazzas.  The largest of the exhibits was a Slow Foods event held in the old Mercato building.

What a joy to see the building filled with booth after booth of wonderful products and throngs of inspired shoppers.   Baskets of vegetables and fruits were arranged like culinary art.

Fragrant cheeses and salumi were available to sample. Bakers sold several kinds of bread - focaccia, rolls, whole grain, white, seeded. The fresh Pecorino I tasted easily found its way home with me as did some wonderful focaccia and paper thin slices prosciutto. Nothing beats a market lunch!

Several of the booths featured local wines, olive oil, or honey. There were packages of farro, tiny green lentils, and beans in all shapes and colors along with flours made from variety of grains.

The market was lively, fun, and full of shoppers. The products sold were of high quality. This gives me hope that, just maybe, more markets like this will bring new life to this old Mercato.

Arezzo, Italy's Christmas City

Beginning in late November, and continuing through the beginning of January, the Tuscan city of Arezzo becomes the Citta del Natale, the Christmas City. 

During those weeks, Arezzo is home to Italy’s largest Tyrolean style Christmas market. The market showcases the best of Austrian and German holiday crafts and foods, with a unique Italian accent.  

 A visit to the market begins with a stroll up Corso Italia where shops are decorated and exquisite glass ornaments, tree toppers, and holiday tableware are on display. 

Santa Maria della Pieve, Arezzo, at Christmas

Also on Corso Italia is the Church of Santa Maria della Pieve.  It is well worth a stop inside the 6th century church.

Not only is the historic church beautiful, at this time of year the crypt houses a beautiful life size Nativity.

Continuing into the historic center of Arezzo, the small side streets are full of Christmas decorations.

Piazza Grande, the large central piazza at the heart of the city, is where the market begins.

The piazza is ringed by Medieval and Renaissance buildings and the beautiful Vasari Loggia. Together they provide a very Italian background for the market. 

 Small wooden huts fill the piazza.  Each one displays holiday crafts or ornaments. There are lots of little Christmas trolls, wooden nutcrackers and bells, along with colorful hats and gloves.

 The piazza also holds many baitine del gusto (tasting huts).  Huge stacks of sweet or salty pretzels, spit roasted pork, goulash, stuffed potatoes, and Italian panini are for sale. 

Other booths focus on sweets - chocolate, pastry, apple strudel. It’s impossible to go hungry at the Mercato! There are plenty of huts selling beer and hot mulled wine too. 

There is no shortage of cafes in the loggia at the upper edge of the piazza. A stop for a cioccolato caldo con panna montata (hot chocolate with whipped cream) provides a chance to warm up and just the boost needed to keep going until nightfall.

Nighttime brings a whole new dimension to the Piazza Grande.  When dark falls, projected lights splash patterns on the ancient building facades, each with a different pattern. Above the loggia, ornate snowflakes on a blue background cascade down the walls.  The intricate patterns transform the piazza and are stunning.

 Leaving Piazza Grande, the next stop is the Prato, the large park up above town near the Duomo.  More wooden huts with crafts, ornaments, and food fill the market in the park. A display of large fallen stars leads the way to the Prato.   

The Prato also comes alive after dark when the Bosco delle Meraviglie (Forest of Wonders) sparkles with trees wrapped in lights. The Ruota Panoramica, a large ferris wheel, turns high above the booths and the kids flock to the giostra (carousel).  Il Prato is full of Christmas magic.

 With just an afternoon and evening in Arezzo, the markets in Piazza Grande and the Prato filled my time.  A full day, or better yet an overnight, would have brought my group of friends to the Father Christmas House (lots of kids lined up there) and a Lego house made of 2 million Lego bricks.  Next time!

A trip to Arezzo for the Christmas market made for a wonderful start to the holiday season. A big thanks to Giovanni and Loreal at The Tuscan Wanderer for whisking us away to Arezzo for a wonderful day.

A Butcher, A Baker, A Pasta maker And More

One of my favorite small shops in Lucca.

 Lucca has a host of small, family run food shops – places that specialize in salumi (cured meats), formaggio (cheese), frutta e vedure (fruit and vegetables), or dolce (sweets).  

The forno is the place to go to buy bread, the pasticceria for pastries and cakes, the latteria for milk products, and a macelleria for meats.  There is even a polleria that has the most delicious chicken.   Shopping for a meal might involve three or more shops. There is also a Wednesday afternoon organic market in Piazza San Francesco and a large outdoor market on Saturdays, a bit outside of the historic center of town.  All have high quality products, many from local producers. 

 As much as I love shopping at these local places, there is one thing I long for that is nowhere to be found in Lucca – a good daily covered market.  There once was a small permanent market in Lucca in the building that is still called Il Mercato, but that was long ago.  Other than a few small shops (a butcher, a greengrocer, a chocolate shop) and a much loved local bar, most of the market has stood empty at least for the 5 years I have lived in Lucca (and probably much longer).  The old Mercato building is currently undergoing restoration, which has sadly displaced most of the small vendors that had remained, including the Bar del Sole, which has caused a major controversy in town. Sadly, the restoration plan does not seem to include turning it back into a thriving food market.

The caffè inside the Sant’Ambrogio market.

 The market I fantasize about having here in Lucca does actually exist – but it is in Florence. 

Located in the Santa Croce district, the Mercato Sant’Ambrogio is the oldest indoor food market in Florence, in business since 1873.  The colors, aromas, and sounds of the market give it a vibrant, full-of-life feel. Layer in the sound of Italian chatter and it is wonderful. The Sant’Ambrogio is my favorite place for an authentic Italian shopping experience.  I can spend a whole morning just wandering through the  market, with a quick stop for a coffee at the caffè. Or maybe a post-shopping lunch at the trattoria. This is one-stop-shopping at its finest!

The butcher counters are marvels.  Not only are they full of standard cuts of meat (steaks, roasts, chicken, rabbit, lamb, pork) but also polpetti (meatballs), involtini, small packages of meat rolled around a variety of fillings, and larger roasts filled with a variety of stuffings. It’s a carnivores delight.

 The different types of fish look as fresh as can be.  A wide selection of fiish is difficult to find in Lucca and the Sant’Ambrogio has two large fish stalls. If I lived in Florence you would find me here every week buying some of the large shrimp, fish fillets, squid, or anchovies. 

 There are several stalls with cured meats. Large legs of prosciutto crudo (Italy’s famous cured but uncooked ham) hang overhead or sit on the counter waiting to be sliced.  And not just one variety, but prosciutto from different regions, aged for different lengths of time, with different levels of sweetness vs saltiness, and different textures. Then there is prosciutto cotto (a cooked ham), and all types of salami.  

 And the cheese stalls!  Tubs of fresh ricotta, rounds of pecorino, little goat cheeses, big rounds of gorgonzola, and balls of mozzarella just for starters.  Soft cheese, hard cheese, and pretty little herb encrusted cheeses call my name as I pass by. There are more varieties of cheese than I could possibly name. I would like to try them all.

There are plenty of marinated goodies too – artichokes, olives, peppers, dried tomatoes, grilled eggplant, anchovies.  

Add some of those to the cured meats and cheeses and you have an instant aperitivo spread or a tasty lunch.

Oh those fresh pastas! Plain or filled, they are a carb lovers treat.  There are mounds of fresh linguini, filled ravioli, trofie, and gnocchi.   Crocks of prepared sauces hold the perfect toppings for the various pastas.

 What else is needed to stock the kitchen?   You can find most everything here. Stalls of spices, beans, dried pasta, olive oil, and wine. 

Probably the only thing that I skip is the lampredotto (tripe) booth.  It smells wonderful but I just can’t convince myself to try this Tuscan delicacy. But for fans, the Sant’Ambrogio market is said to be one of the best places in Florence for a lampredotto panino. I will stick to some of the other booths serving prepared ready-to-go foods. And then a quick stop at one of the bakeries.

Just outside the covered market, outdoor vendors sell fruits, vegetables, nuts, olives, and breads.  The produce looks like art to me with the variety of colors, shapes, and textures.

 I spoke with one of the market vendors, telling him that I was from Lucca and, sadly, that we didn’t have a market like this.   He gave me a knowing smile and said yes, it’s better in Florence. The merchants and the shoppers here seem to know what a gem they have in the Mercato Sant’Ambrogio.  If only I could transport it to Lucca. But it sure is fun to visit when I am in Florence!

One of the bakeries in the Mercato Sant’Ambrogio