Go--I Mercati

The region where I'm currently living offers something beautifully local and authentic.  Markets.  There are lots of city markets where household items, clothes, and vegetables can be purchased, but the region contains a coordinated addition: Prodotti Tipici Maremma.  


In each of the lovely towns of the Maremma, one can find a market every day of the week except for Sunday.  There, you can pick up cured olives, dried tomatoes, the most amazing fresh ricotta, dried ricotta (a revelation!), shoes, clothes, coats, soaps, vegetables, bread, fish, meat, and other sundry things.  Best of all, the markets usually occupy a central part of town--except in the case of San Vincenzo, where the market is out of the town center.  There, you can really feel the pulse of the community.  People talk, try on clothes, barter, catch up, and enjoy life.  You want to try some salted almonds?  There's a vendor who'll let you sample some.  Interested in trying a new bread?  The panificio in the market will probably have small loaves for you to take home.  I would suggest getting to the market around 9.  Grab a snack, shop, and then stop at a bar--not for alcohol, but for an espresso or cappucino.


The schedule is as follows:

This paper was wrapped around a package of fresh ricotta that I bought.  Lovely way to advertise!

Go--Siena

Siena.  This city is a travel paradise.  Many visitors crowd the lanes heading to the legendary Il Duomo.  There is also a crowded piazza that draws tourists like flies.  


Me?  I ran away.  I spent some time marveling at the beauty of the Il Duomo, but for me, Siena came alive in the lanes far away from the tourists.  The many streets that swirled into vast worlds constructed through time and loved by history.  For me, this will always be Siena:

Good food.  Great friends.  History so close that you can brush it with your fingertips.

Go and Eat--Campiglia Marittima

Campiglia Marittima is a lovely town in the southern province of Livorno.  Sleepy, steep, and architecturally splendid, Campiglia Marittima is a wonderful medieval town to get lost within.  It has this incredible energy.  Actually, many of the walled towns in Toscana do.  With their steep stone steps and tightly connected buildings, it's like walking amongst the tendrils of history with every turn.

That gorgeous photo highlights what used to be a medieval market square.  It's now fronted by a restaurant.  Although I love the churches and castle in the area, what really attracts me is the food.

Wandering around the city's narrow lanes, my partner and I came upon an unpretentious osteria.

Il Gufo and La Civetta has, as you can see, a simple charm.  A few tables outside.  Nothing too fancy.  The day's menu was written on paper.  Tuscan simplicity at its best.  Inside, tables crowd each other, but not overwhelmingly.  It feels more cozy than cramped.  On the day of our lunch, an extended family occupied one corner, two women and a baby sat in the middle, and we occupied the front table with a few to the lane.

Our meal?  So elegant and complex.  We had a bowl of zuppa di funghi, or mushroom soup.  Because it's fresh mushroom season, these weren't your basic mushrooms.  They were probably picked in the hills.  There were about four different varieties sliced and left whole floating in a fragrant and thick broth.  Accompanying our meal was a basket of bread.  We also ordered a half a kilo pitcher of dry white wine.  It was--as Spaulding Gray would say--a perfect moment.  Simple food, cooked slowly.  A few bay leaves.  Some pepper and salt.  Magic in a bowl, really.   The entire osteria was run by two women.  One cooked and one served.  And no one rushed as meals with friends and those you love are meant to be savored.

And because this moment was so lovely, we found a small pastry shop across the street run by a husband and wife where we bought one of the best crostate I have ever had.

Bought fresh, it really was best the next day.  The jam--made with grapes--was sticky and rich.  With an espresso, this meal was a bit of heaven.

You can reach Campiglia Marittima by driving south from Livorno on the autostrada and then following the signs to Campiglia Marittima.  I would recommend that you take the Strada del Vino or the Road of Wine to Castagneto Carducci and then drive through the mountain town Suvereto.  This is Toscana to me.  Thick with chestnut trees and packed with amazing views, this drive is delightful.  Many enjoy Toscana only in the larger towns, but I believe that the smaller places are just as lovely.  If you can, rent a car or a bike and take the time to see and breathe Tuscany.

Welcome to My Wonderland!

Eat.  Go.  Read.  In my mind, every time I hear those words, a magical translation appears.  Mangiare.  Andare.  Leggere.  These are the Italian equivalents.  To eat.  To go.  To read.  I adore Italy and Italian.  I also adore the way that those words roll across my tongue.  They make me feel like licking the last bit of limone sorbetto off of a spoon; trekking across a mountain pass in Toscana in search of funghi; and scouring endless tomes for the perfect recipe for pane di toscana.  I live for those moments.  They calm my mind and make my soul sing.  They also make the endless pulse of work dim into the background.  In essence, eating, going, and reading keep me sane.


After informally passing on tips and ideas to friends for years, I finally decided to create a more formal space to share my finds and my passions.  Although moments transpire that allow me to eat  and read while going, I plan to record those items separately here in no specific order.  So settle in and join me as I keep exploring the world for more things to eat, more places to go, and more lovely words to read.