Coats Quests

This isn’t really a day trip and it isn’t usually a family affair, though all of my family have been there at one time or another, but Market Friday is a big part of our Italian life. Buying local and in season is the most cost-efficient option for us. Eurospin is a great inexpensive option, but the Market is usually even cheaper. And it’s a huge cultural experience.

My friends first invited me to the Thursday Market (of course followed by caffe), where I immediately fell in love with shopping for produce. Nowhere else in my history have I felt like buying food was also a dose of culture and bit of fun. Not only have I acquired in-season fruits and veggies, but often they’re accompanied with recipes and warnings from the vendors.

If you have pomodori, you also need basilico.

Only use this sedano for stock.

You don’t like mortadella? You haven’t had mine!

I can’t attend Thursday market because of my schedule, and now I prefer the Teverola market on Fridays because they have a salami truck and I have all boys.

In order to do the market, you need to think in kilograms and grams. Most prices are listed by the kilo (2.2 pounds). It took me a while to get the hang of this, but you can always start with 1 kilo and add more. (Occasionally the vendors will tell me I need more than one kilo of apples or peaches, and I just usually comply because arguing with Italians about (even my own) food never bodes well.) “Mezzo kilo” (half kilo) is also a popular phrase to learn and helpful for buying pistachios and lighter produce like peppers.

My brilliant friend had the idea to order 15 Euro worth of mixed meat and cheeses at the salami truck the first time we went since we had no idea what to order!! (There are probably 15 different kinds of salami!) Now I order “un misto di salumi e formaggi” each time I go. Sometimes I ask for 10 Euro worth, sometimes 20 depending on what we have going on.

The market also has home-good items, shoes, clothes, and almost always a portable caffe machine serving shots of espresso for 1 Euro.

What to bring: You will need Euro cash to shop here. You’ll also need shopping bags (although many vendors have small plastic bags for each produce item). Bring some patience too. Waiting in line at the salami truck can be especially time-consuming, but it’s always worth the wait!! (We usually are given samples while we wait here!)

The Market opens from 7-12, and the earlier you go, the better the produce.

Where to park: Parking for the market is along the street.

What my kids like: ALL. THE. FOOD.

After the Market, you can stop by Marchesa for all kinds of mozzarella di bufula. I LOVE their mozzarella. And their burrata. And their bocconcini. This is also a FABULOUS lunch spot! Everything they make is divine, and they have a little restaurant attached to the shop. It’s also a great place to get special gifts like oil, balsamic vinegar, and jams!

If you need to get some fresh cuts of meat, I recommend this butcher close to my favorite caffe. Another great butcher (but a little further from me) is Gold Beef, which has amazing selection and good prices.

Finally, if you really want to treat your family, drop into the newly renovated Panificio, and get some “mother yeast” bread: pane lievito madre, the Italian equivalent to sourdough. It costs 1.20 Euro/loaf. (I will not tell you how much I paid for something similar in San Francisco.) It’s so delicious!  

Now that you have fresh peaches and lemons from the market, burrata from Marchesa, and thinly sliced chicken from the butcher, please grab basil and rosemary plants from your home herb garden and make this dish for your family. Keep those plants alive so you can make it once a week all summer long like I do. No one gets tired of it. It is all the flavors of summer in your cast iron skillet.

Buon appetito!