As I tell people every week in my tours of the Florence’s Central Market, there is nothing frivolous or embarassing about checking out a city’s gastronomic offerings, in addition to the roster of world-class museums and churches that Florence boasts. In fact, a city’s markets – whether bustling outdoor affairs or even supermarkets – offer a unique inside view of the people and the culture, not to mention the chance to see what’s local and in season, and to taste some regional specialties. I was reminded of all this by an article in today’s NY Times by Mimi Sheraton.
Right now in the Central Market, you can see the winter crop of leafy greens such as chicory and cavolo nero; you can taste the first of the green and peppery olio nuovo at my favorite stand, Baroni; or you can gather wild mushrooms such as ovuli or, soon, galinelle for a feast at home. Florence’s Central Market is at a crossroads: many locals still shop there for the best quality and prices in meat, fish, and produce, but more stands selling such basics are closing to make way for tourist-oriented booths shilling neon-colored pastas and dried porcini (easily portable on the airplane, even if not part of the Tuscan cuisine). But I still love the market and enjoy taking people here; it lacks pretty much all of the glitz and glamour of, say, San Francisco’s Ferry Building, but on the other hand, it is still a much more “real” and authentic market, where you can find chicken livers, whole sea bass, and fruit and vegetables at incredibly reasonable prices, all in a pretty bare-bones – but still fun and lively – environment.
