Shopping at the Street Market

On Saturday, three blocks from my house, is the weekly street market selling fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, olives, preserved foods, household sundries and clothing. It’s a hub-bub of people buying their provisions for the week.

You have to know “the system” for shopping there. Decide what you want, then go stand in line at the side, and wait your turn to request your purchase. You do NOT pick out your own produce! And you do not simply ask one of the stall vendors out front for what you want; you will be cutting in line in front of others. (I had to learn this a few years ago through observation.)

My big complaint is that although the produce is displayed so beautifully, and the quality is so high, the handling of it all is so rough! Ask for such tender things as tomatoes and apricots and they will arrive home bruised and punctured from having been roughly pitched into the bag.

It still feels like high-pressure shopping to me after several years. But whether I stock up for the week there or not, the Saturday street market is always an opportunity for gathering beautiful images. In addition to the gorgeous berries, lemons, olives and fish, I enjoy the “Street Market Script” used to write out the quick signs. (Some have begun to use computer-generated signs and they’ve lost all character.)

 

 

3 Responses to “Shopping at the Street Market”

1. William Hoffmann says:

   May 24, 2012 at 6:57 PM

   Great colors and forms. Are the eel skinned for you, otherwise very slimy. If you work with an elderly lady who can wave her Italian arms around, can you keep the merchants from throwing the food into the bag?

   Love, Dad.
2. kai says:

   May 30, 2012 at 7:57 AM

   My goodness what beautiful produce. bella bella bella.. Did my eyes play tricks on me or did I see an eel sleeping with a tuna? regardless they too were cute. thank you for sharing.
3. Maureen says:

   May 30, 2012 at 8:03 AM

   You DID see an eel, Kai. Were they sleeping together? And the fish look more like Branzino and Salmon, if you ask me…