Wonderful story of Cortona. You can visualize all that you saw--whether in years past--or just on your last visit to the market there. Thank you. We are lucky to have been to Cortona before and even more fortunate that we will be there one day next week.
What a lovely story of Cortona that I stumbled across this morning as I was catching up on other writers I subscribe to. I have been to Cortona several times, and the picture you painted reminds me of the many weekly markets we’ve often visited on our trips to Italy. One of the reasons why it’s still our dream to move from our home in North Carolina to a small town in Italy one day. Until then, we will just return as often as we can (Lucca this November and December) and follow the stories of those who have the privilege and joy of living there now (or perhaps forever). Thank you for the wonderfully inspiring and reminiscent read today!
I so enjoyed this read Nancy. And want to thank you for sharing your memories. Although we've only spent a few days visiting Cortona back in '07 and '08 I can imagine that it has changed a lot since then. A memory that we treasure is having Sunday lunch at Trattoria Dardano. Not about the food although we enjoyed our lunch, it was just us two soaking up the atmosphere of families enjoying their Sunday pranzo together, the sounds, the voices...brought tears to our eyes! Back then we really had no idea of Frances Mayes! Strange to think of that now!
You got it, Phyllis! That's what it's all about, isn't it--not the food (although that too) but the atmosphere that surrounds it. And especially that sacred meal, Sunday lunch, il pranzo della domenica!!
Oh, forgot to ask: Is Francis Mayes (I took a writing course from her in SF) and Ed Kleinshmidt’s Bramasole still there? I visited them 25 years ago as they were in the middle of renovation. Quite an undertaking.
It was indeed an undertaking. And they are indeed still there. A lot of those tourists in the market today are looking for the way to Bramasole. Ed changed his name to Mayes in the flutter of fame. Was Frances a good teacher? I imagine she might have been.
Hi Nancy! This was such a delightful remembrance of our days in Cortona and beyond. We wondered about your description of Molesini(s)? We recalled stopping in a Molesini establishment on the square where there were huge varieties of wines. In fact, they somehow brokered for us sending two cases of wine back to the States. It was an oddly curious undertaking that we never quite fully understood—but the wines arrived as promised! We hope they are still purveyors of fine Umbrian wines!
Thom, or Clara, apparently the wine shop is still in operation but the alimentary, the grocery part of the enterprise, across the square, is what shut down, to my dismay (along with all the others who have disappeared).
Oh such a provocative and evocative piece Nancy. We very recently returned from Iseo and once again, I braved the travel process and brought home 4 bottles of olive oil. We purchased them in Sulzano at an olive oil store. They had an actual pump for pumping oil into your own containers. Clearly, we did not do that!! I also bought 3 large pieces of ParmReg and those traveled nicely and made the rental car smell lovely! I would be happy to return now! Your description of all that goes on in the market is just a treat to read. Thank you.
Just wonderful ! takes me back to times of fall market day in Montevarchi ending in lunch on the long
area where tables were set up in a long row and lunch was everyone sitting at the tables.. food was what the market sold at that time ,with big bottles of wine and water,, dessert was an apple !
What a really evocative read, a conjuring up of time past. Lucky I am (and you) to live in a town that still has its wonderful local, seasonal produce and meat still available to those of us who care.
And talk about ubiquitous, WD40 - something I grew up with in LJ because it was a San Diego product and made there way back (don't know about now) to be found all over the world. - because it is a perfect application for so many things. We also had a lot of wild fennel growing all over with its distinctive smell, but don't know if that pollen would be at all the same as Italy's. This brought so many good memories - thank you.
Gale, I'm sure It's the same wild fennel that grows in Tuscany, and all over Italy for that matter. I just wonder why no enterprising Californian hasn't taken to harvesting and packaging it. Perhaps that's in the near future?
For some reason, your note that the market reminds you, in retrospect, of yard sales in Maine made me think, suddenly, of Mary McCarthy's "Birds of America," which is set in Maine (and was first published in 1971...about the time of this memory?). And then I remembered that the plot of the book is to some extent set in motion by the protagonist's discovery of a bean pot -- which would of course have been common both to Tuscany and to Maine. And then I remembered that McCarthy had actually written about Tuscany...and one of the characters is half-Italian. SO many coincidences! And I loved this piece.
I’ll have to go back and reread that book. What I remember is the son who was studying in Paris and celebrated a difficult Thanksgiving with an American colonel and his family along with a young woman who turned down the turkey because she was vegetarian (totally un-American)! I knew McCarthy’s son, we were part of a group of pretentious intellectual undergraduates, which gave the scene special resonance.
Thanks for taking us along on your market wanderings.
Wow! I have truly been 'magicked'away by this post. Thank you for such an enjoyable read.
Wonderful story of Cortona. You can visualize all that you saw--whether in years past--or just on your last visit to the market there. Thank you. We are lucky to have been to Cortona before and even more fortunate that we will be there one day next week.
Beati voi, Paul. I wish I could join you next week in the market.
You make me hungry!! Where did those old days go?
I'll answer that question next week. Maybe.
What a lovely story of Cortona that I stumbled across this morning as I was catching up on other writers I subscribe to. I have been to Cortona several times, and the picture you painted reminds me of the many weekly markets we’ve often visited on our trips to Italy. One of the reasons why it’s still our dream to move from our home in North Carolina to a small town in Italy one day. Until then, we will just return as often as we can (Lucca this November and December) and follow the stories of those who have the privilege and joy of living there now (or perhaps forever). Thank you for the wonderfully inspiring and reminiscent read today!
Thank YOU, Christina, for such beautiful words of praise.
I so enjoyed this read Nancy. And want to thank you for sharing your memories. Although we've only spent a few days visiting Cortona back in '07 and '08 I can imagine that it has changed a lot since then. A memory that we treasure is having Sunday lunch at Trattoria Dardano. Not about the food although we enjoyed our lunch, it was just us two soaking up the atmosphere of families enjoying their Sunday pranzo together, the sounds, the voices...brought tears to our eyes! Back then we really had no idea of Frances Mayes! Strange to think of that now!
You got it, Phyllis! That's what it's all about, isn't it--not the food (although that too) but the atmosphere that surrounds it. And especially that sacred meal, Sunday lunch, il pranzo della domenica!!
Nostalgia’s a funny thing—evocative for some, but strangely melancholy for those who missed the moment entirely.
Oh, forgot to ask: Is Francis Mayes (I took a writing course from her in SF) and Ed Kleinshmidt’s Bramasole still there? I visited them 25 years ago as they were in the middle of renovation. Quite an undertaking.
It was indeed an undertaking. And they are indeed still there. A lot of those tourists in the market today are looking for the way to Bramasole. Ed changed his name to Mayes in the flutter of fame. Was Frances a good teacher? I imagine she might have been.
Very evocative Nancy. Thank you!
Hi Nancy! This was such a delightful remembrance of our days in Cortona and beyond. We wondered about your description of Molesini(s)? We recalled stopping in a Molesini establishment on the square where there were huge varieties of wines. In fact, they somehow brokered for us sending two cases of wine back to the States. It was an oddly curious undertaking that we never quite fully understood—but the wines arrived as promised! We hope they are still purveyors of fine Umbrian wines!
Thom, or Clara, apparently the wine shop is still in operation but the alimentary, the grocery part of the enterprise, across the square, is what shut down, to my dismay (along with all the others who have disappeared).
Thanks Nancy! Yes we do remember going into the grocery store across the square as well. Glad to hear they are still selling wine!
Oh such a provocative and evocative piece Nancy. We very recently returned from Iseo and once again, I braved the travel process and brought home 4 bottles of olive oil. We purchased them in Sulzano at an olive oil store. They had an actual pump for pumping oil into your own containers. Clearly, we did not do that!! I also bought 3 large pieces of ParmReg and those traveled nicely and made the rental car smell lovely! I would be happy to return now! Your description of all that goes on in the market is just a treat to read. Thank you.
Just wonderful ! takes me back to times of fall market day in Montevarchi ending in lunch on the long
area where tables were set up in a long row and lunch was everyone sitting at the tables.. food was what the market sold at that time ,with big bottles of wine and water,, dessert was an apple !
What a really evocative read, a conjuring up of time past. Lucky I am (and you) to live in a town that still has its wonderful local, seasonal produce and meat still available to those of us who care.
And talk about ubiquitous, WD40 - something I grew up with in LJ because it was a San Diego product and made there way back (don't know about now) to be found all over the world. - because it is a perfect application for so many things. We also had a lot of wild fennel growing all over with its distinctive smell, but don't know if that pollen would be at all the same as Italy's. This brought so many good memories - thank you.
Gale, I'm sure It's the same wild fennel that grows in Tuscany, and all over Italy for that matter. I just wonder why no enterprising Californian hasn't taken to harvesting and packaging it. Perhaps that's in the near future?
Actually, I think it's been done, but haven't heard much about comparison. I do know it's less expensive. If I can get some, I'll let you know.
I can almost smell that wild fennel! (I buy mine from just over the border in Acquapendente.
For some reason, your note that the market reminds you, in retrospect, of yard sales in Maine made me think, suddenly, of Mary McCarthy's "Birds of America," which is set in Maine (and was first published in 1971...about the time of this memory?). And then I remembered that the plot of the book is to some extent set in motion by the protagonist's discovery of a bean pot -- which would of course have been common both to Tuscany and to Maine. And then I remembered that McCarthy had actually written about Tuscany...and one of the characters is half-Italian. SO many coincidences! And I loved this piece.
I’ll have to go back and reread that book. What I remember is the son who was studying in Paris and celebrated a difficult Thanksgiving with an American colonel and his family along with a young woman who turned down the turkey because she was vegetarian (totally un-American)! I knew McCarthy’s son, we were part of a group of pretentious intellectual undergraduates, which gave the scene special resonance.