One of the things that makes life here in Italy so "dolce" (especially in the Piemonte region) is, yes, the food. Barbara and I are treated to fantastic meals wherever we go - it's no secret that the Italians put lots of care into preparing food (shout out to my mom, Aunt Amelia, and Aunt Rosemary!), whether in more formal settings like il ristorante or the more-frequent-but-less formal meals we have in trattorias and even caffè/bars.
Just another day and another meal: Antipasto, pizzas (yes, GF!), and a handheld crêpe
So what's the secret? Well, having the talent and taking the time help a lot, but a meal will only be as good as the ingredients you put into it...and WOW! the ingredients you can get in this part of Italy are incredible! Of course the best place to discover i sapori (the flavors) of Italy are at the local mercate (markets).
We are lucky to have two local markets here in Chieri, each of which operates twice per week. Tuesday and Friday, we can go to Piazza Europa, and Wednesday and Saturday, we can go to Piazza Dante; both are an easy 10-minute walk from our place. Super convenient!
And these markets are massive! Dozens of vendors selling everything you might need:
(1) Food choices include fresh produce of course, as well as meats, cheeses, olives, and prepared salads (check out the bursts of color in the vegetables below). And note the prices; Barbara will sometimes come back from the market with armfuls of produce that only cost like 6 euros total!
(l-r) Peppers, Melons, and I don't know what..."€2,00 al kl" = €2.00 per kilogram
(l-r) Peppers, Melons, and Green Beans...seems like everything's €2.00 per kilogram!
(2) And then there's everything else - clothing, small electronics, housewares, cleaning supplies, bed and bath...there's a rug guy, a guy selling houseplants, and our favorite, the elderly couple selling their own locally-produced wine in large bottles for 5 euros.
Lots of knick-knacks for our savvy shopper (right) to choose from
Fresh flowers, washing tubs of every size, and what's left of a big €5 bottle of local wine!
Barbara and I are happy to report that, with access to all of this great food, we're eating as healthy as ever. To be clear, we miss Nacho Thursday at Original El Taco, tapas at Eclipse di Luna, and a good meal at The Highland Tap, but we're really enjoying easy access to such a healthy, local food culture.
When you come to visit, we'll go to check out nearby towns like Bra, Asti and Alba, birthplace of the "Slow Food" movement. Great food starts with great ingredients, and we're right in the middle of it here!