Friday, November 20, 2015

L'angolo delicatessan e altri della pasticceria o della biscotteria



It appears everyone has something to sell. On every street corner, the shop keeper plies his wears from what appears to be little more than a hole in the wall from which goods of all descriptions spill into the street.


The displays are to tempt the passer-by, and so they do. The smell of Parmesan, the tang of a ripe lemoni, a waft of freshly baked foccacia smothered in olive oil and herbs, attract from a distance. The spectacle is enhanced by the colours of parma and pancetti, the array of wines from every locality and the smiles and conversation of the seller, determined you will not leave his store without something you were convinced into believing your life depended on it.



This 'corner store' phenomenon isn't reserved for the small villages and back streets of the cities. High Street shops also appear from holes on the wall not big enough for passing traffic.

There is no tolerance for a vacant shelf or a neglected corner in these places of commerce. Often managed by a single dedicated person of 'vast' experience and knowledge, selling the best product on the street, if not in all of Italy.




The first thing we hear on the street is the rattle of carts delivering the fresh goods.
The last thing we see at night, well past the time when the shutters have drawn and the community has come to rest, is the dimming light of a grocer closing his doors and heading home.





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