Al Mercato: At the Market

The open food markets of Italy - those noisy, crowded stalls brimming with colors and smells, thronging with locals and visitors, shoppers and sightseers, the well heeled and the down-and-out alike - are a sort of institution in many cities: centuries old and no less famous than the monuments that surround them. In Rome, the mercato di Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Umberto have been painted and sketched endlessly; the mercato di Rialto in Venice and its famous annexing fish market have been depicted in innumerable novels and films. La Vucciria, il Capo and Ballarò in Palermo, and the old market streets in Bologna must not be overlooked either. These humble, beloved open markets, called mercati, have remained remarkably intact through the centuries - not even the appearance of modern supermarkets (or ipermercati, as they’re called here) nor the sprawling commercial centers on the outskirts of many Italian cities have diminished the vitality and importance of il mercato in Italian life.

But these markets are not just for show, nor are they just vestigial relics of bygone eras. They are thriving and crucial centers of commerce. The quality of the products offered is always high, and the prices are often lower than in the supermarkets or small grocery stores. For visitors, the open markets are an ideal place to experience the spirit of a town and the personality of the locals. The scene is almost always lively - vendors constantly calling out to the passersby, joking, and gently mocking their favorite customers, many of whom they have known since childhood. In general, Italians are demanding and knowledgeable consumers: they don’t just buy any onions - they want those from Tropea in Calabria; they don’t look for just any tomatoes, but search out San Marzano tomatoes or the cilegini (cherry tomatoes) from Sicily. They want mussels from Taranto and squid from the Adriatic Sea. Prices at these markets tend to go down toward the end of the day, so this is the time that the bargain-hunters come to make their purchases.

Bologna is generally considered to be la capitale del cibo (“the capital of food”) in Italy. The concentration and splendor of the open food stands and ancient stores with their gorgeous displays rival the most famous cities in Italy. The market scene has changed a great deal through the centuries - yet, as is so often the case in Italy, there are reminders of the past everywhere. Since the 13th century or earlier, the heart of the city’s culinary life can be found on the narrow roads that fan out to the east of the magnificent central Piazza Maggiore: Via degli Orefici, Via Pescherie Vecchie, via Drapperie. On these narrow roads, in this tiny part of old Bologna, dozens of botteghe (little stores) and elegant shops are concentrated. These stores are halfway between open markets and shops - from the fruttivendolo with fruits and vegetables, to the pescheria where you can find fish from all over the Mediterrenean and other more exotic seas. The people who work in these shops are truly experts in their fields - remarkably knowledgeable and friendly.

The Bolognesi are known for their openness and kindness - and the food vendors are no exception - seemingly always happy to help and generous with suggestions about recipes, cooking methods and culinary tips. For example, owner Maria Brunelli of Pescheria Brunelli on Via Drapperie has written three booklets with amazing recipes and suggestions on cooking fish. She’s always there - working alongside her skilled and knldly employees - and somehow always good humored despite the packed crowds and long lines that gather there. This is one of few fishmongers in Italy where a client can ask for a tuna, swordfish or salmon carpaccio - an extremely delicate task that can take five to ten minutes or more.

The salumerie - stores which mainly sell cured meats but also, cheese, pasta, oils and vinegars, and more - are some of the most tantalizing and visually stunning food shops in Bologna. Their mouth-watering displays are the most enticing and elegant imaginable. On the other hand, the pastifici (also called laboratori) are often small, spartan-looking places - though their fresh handmade pasta conceal astonishing delicacies. Bologna is world famous for its fresh and filled pasta; here you’ll find tagliatelle, tagliolini, lasagne, tortellini, ravioli, agnolotti or tortelloni (sort of triangular, large tortellini) - with traditional, as well as innovative fillings. A few days ago in one of these pastifici, we bought agnolotti with an extraordinary filling - fava beans, artichokes and peas - which we seasoned, as suggested by Rosa, the pasta maker, with sundried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and local Parmigiano Reggiano. They were astounding. There are also shops that specialize only in formaggio (cheese), which are sometimes called latterie (derived from latte, or milk). These are places where you must somehow choose between ten different kinds of mozzarella and maybe thirty different pecorinos.

Italians in general still love to buy meat at the macellaio (butcher) and their daily bread at the panificio (baker). For many, it is part of their daily routine to buy fresh-baked bread at their local bakery and chat for a bit. No one ever seems in so much of a hurry that they can’t take a moment to exchange a bit of news, an opinion or a little joke. Often there is a longstanding friendship and trust between the shop keepers and their customers. And, if you have known your pescivendolo (fishmonger) since you were a kid, it’s hard to imagine that he won’t give you the freshest fish he has.

Supermarkets certainly exist all over Italy, but they have not replaced “il mercato” and probably never will. In the central piazza of nearly every Italian city and town, the open market place is the site of a social and civic ritual that is centuries old. Italy’s mercati have always satisfied a vital human need for contact and interaction within the community. In today’s evolving “global village,” this tradition is perhaps more valued and important than ever before.