| > | | | | to cold storage and other indignities. May brings |
| So you've booked a self-catering holiday in Italy on a | | | | strawberries and cherries piled high and bright. |
| farm in Tuscany or by a beach in Liguria? Enjoy | | | | Peaches and nectarines follow with melons of all |
| exploring the flavours of Italy with this basic guide to | | | | varieties. By the time you reach autumn these have |
| help you enjoy food shopping as part of your holiday | | | | been succeeded by heaps of glistening grapes, |
| experience. Traditionally Italians shop every day for | | | | luscious figs and juicy pears. Watch the local signoras |
| what they want to eat that day, as freshness is a | | | | carefully selecting their fruit and veg and you will get |
| big concern to them. You won't find huge fridges are | | | | an idea of what is at its best and what should be left |
| in most Italian kitchens, so decide every day as you | | | | another week until it is truly in season, ripe and |
| shop, what you want to eat that day, according to | | | | delicious. The alimentari now- the general grocers |
| what looks freshest and most appetising in the | | | | store. You will probably be following the same group |
| shops. The shop keepers are quite used to selling | | | | of signoras from shop to shop as they do their |
| just two slices of perfectly sliced prosciutto, or a | | | | morning round. Everything is here, from tins piled high, |
| small piece of pecorino cheese. You can of course | | | | to packets of pasta, with a counter of cheeses and |
| just head to a supermarket and fill your trolley for | | | | salamis to be sliced to your requirements. You can |
| the week, but shopping the traditional way in all the | | | | ask for two slices of prosciutto crudo - cured ham, |
| little shops is an experience not to be missed and | | | | thinly sliced or buy sliced meats and cheeses by the |
| you will gain more cultural understanding this way, | | | | etto - a generally used term for 100g (about 3oz). If |
| than any amount of museum visiting will provide. | | | | you want to have a taste before you decide to |
| Follow your nose first to the Forno, for crusty white | | | | purchase, just ask and a sliver of cheese will be |
| bread, rolls and salty focaccia, a soft olive oil pizza | | | | passed over the counter for you to pronounce |
| bread cut into squares, that the school children often | | | | judgement on. There will also be containers of herby |
| stop by for as a morning snack. Pane integrale is | | | | olives and sundried tomatoes to buy by weight. |
| wholewheat bread and becoming more easily | | | | Bottles of mineral water and wine will rub shoulders in |
| available. If you don't acquire the taste for the | | | | a corner. For a treat stop by the pasticceria for a |
| traditional, unsalted bread you can ask for pane salata | | | | tray of delicious creamy pastries, which will be |
| - salted bread, which is sometimes available as a | | | | wrapped in paper and ribbon until they are worthy of |
| speciality bread. Next drop by the fruttaverdura - the | | | | the Christmas tree. Now head off for a picnic lunch in |
| greengrocers. Italy has a wonderful variety of fruits | | | | an olive grove with your spoils, or treat yourself to a |
| and vegetables and you will find whatever is in | | | | long lunch in a restaurant and keep your shopping for |
| season and at its best. Italians are distrustful of | | | | a delicious, no-cooking, light supper on the terrace of |
| imported food, the more locally grown the better, so | | | | your apartment. |
| most of what is on offer won't have been subjected | | | | |