More Italian every day: my new granny cart
no French wicker baskets, but lots of gelato, evening strolls in Como, August market haul, and recipe roundup
Ciao friends!
Have you had enough gelato this summer? I’m here to tell you, there’s still time for more. I’m personally and sincerely in need of at least one more affogato al caffe (aka gelato blissfully drown in espresso) before the season ends. But there are more serious matters at hand. My produce now has lux wheely transportation.
Carrello della spesa
After sharing my years-long hemming and hawing about do-I-or-don’t-I get a market cart, I finally got myself a reasonably-priced beauty of a carrello della spesa to haul my market goodies back home whilst avoiding breaking my shoulders off at the sockets. Gillian, Deborah, and my dear friend, Bea, were so helpful in sharing their ‘granny cart’ wisdom and advice to convince me, and I’m so happy they did. Grazie, carissime!
Toting my cart to the market this morning, I reflected on the dreamy photos of straw and rattan French market baskets in Valentina’s latest post, How to Navigate a French Market. How is it that the French carry stylish woven baskets to the market while Italians tote human-sized roller bags? This is this kind of thought that will keep me up at night, so please comment with your insights and knowledge on the French situation.
I’m bringing you all to the market with me in this (virtually) real-time filmino of my carrello’s maiden voyage market trip. Andiamo!
Summer Nights in Como, Italy
School starts again on September 12th. In these final weeks of vacanze estive, kids are in the last minute scramble to finish the mountain of summer homework. Not a school holiday passes in the Italian public school system without a lot of assignments; summer is no exception. My son whipped through his English and French homework in June, and is finishing Italian grammar and starting to read his final book of the pile.
We’re savoring the warm evenings in the city center, strolling slowly through the sounds of clinking glasses, the hum of chatter, and stroller wheels clunking over cobblestones. There’s a softness to the air and no rush to get anywhere at all.
We had 2 of my son’s friends over for take-away pizza last night and then walked into the center after sundown for gelato. The boys devoured theirs' quickly but I savored mine so slowly that in the end I had melting gelato dripping everywhere, sticking to me fingers and marking pale green pistacchio drops on my camisole.
I had my recent top combo, a cone with 2 gusti (2 flavors): mandorla (almond) and pistacchio. I love the meaty sweetness of the frutta secca flavors together. The mandorla is actually a sorbetto without milk but so creamy you’d never guess; it’s also scrumptious with mango. My son, Matteo, rarely deviates from his coppetta (cup) with cioccolato and mango and last night was no exception. We ran into some friends and chatted and laughed for quite some time outside with the rest of the wandering crowd. A true Italian slow evening.
I’ve posted our 2 favorite gelaterias in Como below for my paid subscribers. Grazie mille! You are wonderful! I appreciate you so much for supporting my work.
August Haul at Como Market
As you know, much of Italy closes in August and my fruttivendolo or produce market vendor is no exception. More than half the stalls at the Como market are closed for the summer holiday. This is not all bad news because:
It forces me to discover other fruittivendi! I found a lovely ‘backup’ fruttivendolo, an older couple from Como with a much smaller stand with gorgeous produce. It was interesting to see how the smaller stands like this one don’t obtain the more niche or scarse products, like for example, borlotti beans due to the extreme heat.
I really can’t try another fruttivendolo when my usual fruttivendolo is open. This would be considered disloyal…and I really rely on their produce and advice. I don’t want to risk harming this relationship. I’m serious. This also happens in Italy with bars and paneterie (bakeries). Others in Italy: do you have stories about this too?
Check out the stunning rainbow display of color and texture at the Como market right now. And don’t miss the nunnies at the flower stand!
Seasonal summer recipes for you to try!
Here are some end of summer recipes from both my archives and drool-worthy posts of other Substackers to take advantage of the end of this bountiful season:
Valentina’s 30-minute Sicilian Red Pesto, fabulous guest post from l’appetito starring pesto with fresh tomatoes from Weeknight Pasta from Italy!
Have you made the 30-min pistacchio lemon spaghetti yet? Let this week be the week that you do!
Easy seasonal Italian eggs and frittata by Domenica Marchetti of Buona Domenica
A roasted eggplant salad from Giulia Scarpaleggia’s cooking classes in Tuscany!
A bunch of brilliant Italian recipes to make when it’s hot (I’m paraphrasing here!) and important tips like eating your mozzarella when it’s warm as they do in Napoli, by Judy Witts Francini of Simply Divina - my tiny Tuscan kitchen
3 Italian things to make with all those tomatoes by Stefano and Cara of Due Spaghetti
Something sweet and Italian? Frank Fariello of Angelina has a round up of traditional Italian recipes for dolci that include… drum roll please! … eggplant and zucchini. You’ll be surprised! Very much worth a try.
Italian kids don’t snack all day! Emma Frisch has just come back from an Italian holiday with some top tips including merenda aka Italian afternoon snacktime, noting what I write about in Raising Bambino:
‘Unlike the United States where snacks for kids are often available at any time of day, snack-time in Italy is not an all-day thing. ‘Merenda’ is the scheduled daily snack time for kids, occuring between 4:00-5:00 pm. Merenda may consist of some parmigiano, a panino (sandwich), yogurt, a gelato, or bread with Nutella. The fact that snack time is scheduled would not be surprising to anyone who’s ever visited or lived in Italy. All meals revolve around eating at regular hours with no snacking in between.’ - me, The Ultimate Italian Kids' Energy Snack Not On Your Radar
PUMPKIN POLL
Are you thinking about fall and pumpkins or has the weather already turned where you are? I’m already gleefully testing next Sunday’s recipe from Napoli, land of some of the most delicious food this country and WORLD have to offer. But I’m also strategizing about fall recipes and wondering… what are your favorite autumn ingredients and foods? Let me know in the comments!
Buon appetito!
x Lolly
The best gelaterias in Como, Italy
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