Food Glorious Food — Part 2 — Markets
One of the great joys of travel is walking around and sampling the local markets. Unlike the US, in many parts of the world, food markets still sit at the center of an ecosystem that brings farmers and small producers in direct contact with their customers. The benefit to the VaVenturer — you get an immersion into daily life, surrounded by new sights and smells and get to eat fresh and wonderful foods!
Many towns have markets in the main square 1 or 2 times a week; worth asking your hotel what are the days in your city. Know they are usually in the morning; ending by 1:00. (We missed the market in Uzes by getting there at 12:50). And plan to allot 1-2 hours - you are going to want to wander, try and buy.
VaVenturing Tips
How do you manage without speaking the local lingo? Pointing is international and works. But if you want to VaVenture - go native and try asking – a great experience awaits.
You'll need three things in any language
Politeness
Weight
Cost
Politeness
My parents taught me this golden rule - wherever you travel; even if you don't know a word of the language make sure you learn “please” and “thank you”. Everyone appreciates your effort, no matter how mangled it comes out.
Please
French: S'il vous plait (yes, the French are formal even when buying groceries)
Italian: Per favore
Thank You
French: Merci
Italian: Grazie
And don’t forget the all-important - “Can I try”?
French: Puis je essayer?
Italian: Posso provare?
Weight
Yes, you want to eat most everything in the market - but you can’t possibly. So how much to ask for? Here are rules of thumb:
Don’t overbuy. Food markets aren’t supermarkets. Everything is fresh, perishable and unpreserved. Get what you need for the next day or two.
100gms is 3.5 ozs and 200 grams is just under 1/2 lbs. For cheese — we tend to buy 200 grams of each piece. Enough for two people with a little nibble for the next day!
1 kilo is 2.2 lbs or about 6-8 apples, so ask for ½ kilo of fruit and that way you can sample several different kinds.
French: cent grammes or deux cent grammes/ un kilo or un demi-kilo
Italian: cento grammi or due cento grammi/ un chilo (pronounced kilo)/mezzo chilo
Cost
Trying to figure out pricing in most markets can be tricky. There may or may not be a sign and the vendor may or may not follow it — to be fair, often in the customer’s favor — if you clearly like the merchandise and/or its the end of the day
French: Combien ca coute?
Italian: Quanto costa?
And since we are at it - Should you bargain for food?– best not; save it for the antiques market.
Other tips and tidbits
You can ask - “is it good?” The unscrupulous vendor will just say yes. But more often you get a short dissertation on the particular item conveying both the vendor's deep knowledge of his/her produce and their profound love of the earth that bore it.
And if your market sells nonperishables (linens, pottery, utensils, clothing), it's worth the detour as they are catering to a local crowd and you can find less expensive items that in the tourist hubs. (One of my husband's favorite items is his "Sarlat sweater". (link)
Don't forget to buy bread and perhaps, a pastry for later.
We find a back pack or a small fold up plastic bag works great for market purchases. (pic) More than what can fit in that just becomes weighty and cumbersome.
A bottle of local mineral water is often cheaper than regular water - sparkling and healthier for you too!
Don't forget your knife and bottle opener.
Then all you need to do is find a spot and enjoy your delicious purchases!
You may be tempted to bring back some of the wonderful products you have sampled in your travels.
Just to be on the safe side check out what you can and can't bring back to the States – you don't want to be stopped by sniffing dogs upon entry.
Rule of thumb – hard cheeses, chocolates, baked goods and candies, processed nuts fine, (raw nuts iffy; depends on the custom agent), dried spices, wine bottles – are all OK
Don't bother with meats and fruits and vegetables – leave them.
For the latest dos and don'ts – refer to the government list:
One of our great VaVenturing experiences was at a neighborhood food market In Paris - wandering around after a barge tour, I came across rotisserie chickens on a spit. The aroma was all enveloping and I could not resist. I bought one and immediately began to gorged/chowed down on the freshly roasted savory delicacy. The vendor loudly admonished me - “Madame nous avons des fourchettes pour ca “. “Ma’am, we have forks for that.” I had committed the extreme faux pas of eating with my hands! I’m usually always respectful of different cultures, but you know it was just too good to hold back.