To Market, to Lunch, Too Much?
Wednesday means outdoor market day. I haven't been down to via Europa yet this trip; the open air market was as good an excuse to go there as any.
Since Artigiana got my attention yesterday, I decided to take a caffe on the way to or at the market.
I walked from the apartment, turning down the street with all the bars, heading toward via Europa. The street's drinking reputation was in fact on display with a few old souls still sitting on the steps, hangin' it out to dry at 8:30 am. No photos, cuz... rude.
Hanging a left onto via Europa, I saw Cafe Avenue closed it's doors; too bad, as I loved their caffe as well as their pastry. Debt problems, I learned later.
At the market, a vendor with a teeny espresso cart tools around, and offers some of the best you'll drink--for 80 sentissimi! I ordered one, and a packet of sugar was automatically put into the cup before adding the black-as-sin liquid. Mmmm. I considered a second one. But, off to my errands.
I'm looking for an affordable replacement for a favorite earring I lost, and a new summer purse. I ended up with a well-crafted and dolcissimo sundress, and two pair of sunglasses. As I often have an eye out for summer "annuals" -- a nice white cotton shirt, beach sandals -- that I buy each year, I perused some racks of clothing set out by a husband-wife vendor team. The quality of the items rivals what I see at Etnapolis or Centro Sicilia. Another shopper there, a woman one head shorter and perhaps one belt hole wider than me, was holding up an intricately sewn dress, scrutinizing the seam work, saying ottimo, carissimo, and holding it out then close, etc., finally looking up to see me next to her, perusing the racks. She started telling me there is no way she can imagine this fitting her, but there is only one here, and no other size, and she thinks I should buy it as it most certainly would fit me. She motioned for me to bend my head down, so I did, and she draped it over my neck to see where it would fall. She clapped and drew in her breath. It IS pretty. She had asked the vendor earlier, and told me how much, which wasn't super expensive, but still probably 5 times more than almost anything else at the market, where one can normally find an entire queen-size comforter and shams for €6, for example. I asked the vendor for a mirror so I could hold it up to me and take a look. It was an impulse buy. I need to get out of here.
Backtracking through the aisles of purses, clothes, fabric and notions, pots and pans, shoes, jewelry, religious household items, vacuums, toys, and more, all the while with vendors yelling out their great deals and good goods, I finally made it to the open area selling nothing but fresh food.
The food section of the market has the usual vans, parked with their back doors flung open, the hatches filled with ice and every seafood imaginable. Wild asparagus and what's left of funghi di Ferla were on display with the ortofrutta vendors. And, lordy; those Sicilian peaches! I'd dive into a basket of them right now, if I could get away with it. Then I remembered my overflowing petite apartment fridge, and everything that's about to go bad, and practiced incredible restraint. Next week might be a different story.
As I walked home, I noticed Biancavilla getting spruced up, along with other sights.
Back at the apartment, sweaty, I plopped onto the balcony to check out potential Giallo Zafferano recipes for patate e zucchine. I heard, " KAHRREN!!! KAHRREN!!!!!" Giovanna was on her balcony next door, a half-floor down, sweeping the already immaculate floor, while wearing a house dress. She asked what I'm doing. I said I have all these vegetables that need to be cooked, so I'm on the Giallo Zaff-- Which vegetables?, she interrupted. Ah; ok. How are they suggesting you cook them? No. Yes, but no. Start that way, but you must also add onions. Then more water, if you add ditalini, like me, but also you can make it without pasta. Don't fully cover. Leave a steam vent.
Ok, but first I need another caffe.
PATATE E ZUCCHINE
2 huge potatoes
1 enormous light green Sicilian zucchine (no; not a cucuzza)
1/2 Tropea onion
2 leaves alloro/bay
S&P qbc
Sage or other fresh herb (oregano)
Olive oil, of course.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Rinse, immerse in cold water for 10 minutes.
Rinse and trim the zucchine. Cut in 1/4ths the long way. Then chop into chunks. Set aside.
Chop the onion.
Start a pan heating with some drizzles of olive oil. Add the potatoes. After some minutes, flip them, add the onions. Sweat out the onions. Now add half a coffee cup of water to the pan. Stir, cook until almost evaporated. Incorporate the zucchine and all the rest, top with a cover, vented, and cook until ready.
If adding pasta, cook in a pot vs a pan, add more water and adjust spices. Add pasta to cook, until thick and porridge-y. I left out the pasta.
While everything was simmering (this photo shows about 1/5 of what I prepared), I checked my phone. Elena had invited me to lunch 10 minutes ago. I went down to tell her I cooked some things, so she said go get your plate, if you want, and we can eat together. Ettore and Matteo want to have lunch with you. The boys had an approximate 90-second interest in the dining experience, so Elena and I enjoyed a fun, talkative time together. She reiterated that everyone here considers us family; they love us. And their friends count Joe and I amongst their own.
So, it just goes to show, we can't predict the paths of our future. All of this ever-unfolding goodness began with a phone call years ago, from my then-college-student niece, Leah, asking if I'd cook for three Italian friends. And look what happened. My family grew.
I had used Elena's washing machine, so as the signal sounded, I cleared plates and got my clothes, to head upstairs. I had to hang laundry, clean the dishes, and, luckily, I got in a 15-minute nap before Ettore came up. He was by himself. As much as I love all the kids, this is my favorite kind of time. He's (mostly) sweet, and snuggly, and funny, when it's just the two of us.
Later, Miriam and Matteo arrived, then Mariella shortly after that. She yelled at Ettore for strewing things all over the floor, and told him to pick them up. It sort of worked. Mariella is a sun up to sun down Energizer Bunny.
I got in a call to Lori and to Joe, before and after the kids, respectively. All is under control back home.
Sleep sounds great right now; I think my body is mad I gave it no time to catch up after the flight. So I'm allowing myself a lazy(-ish) day and evening.
I have homework to do, planning our fall trip; a belated honeymoon. Although it's much further east, we'll likely start and/or end right here. Flights to Mumbai and Singapore are about a third of the price from Catania than from the US. I'd better start mapping all this out. I'd hate to leave Joe behind if there's only one seat left on the plane.
I missed another call; Giovanna was visiting and asked for me. I met her going out, and walked her to the main door. Afterward, I stopped at Elena's to return Giuseppe's sock that was in my laundry. The boys were taking a bath in their new inflatable pool, situated in their bathroom. Apparently Elena was also getting a bath!
If there's anything to add later, I'll edit to post. Otherwise, good night--or to many of you at home, good afternoon!
Comments
Post a Comment