MARKET VALUES

A visit to the Market in the main piazza of Le Cure in Florence, was always a high point in the morning.  The stall holders would arrive early - about 4 a.m., to set up their tables.  Depending on the time of year, there would be heaps of artichokes, porcini mushrooms, celery, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, bunches of onions, a variety of lettuces - a fabulous array of fruit and vegetables.  The quality of this produce has justifiably made Italian cooking famous !  Further down the market, were the olives, bottles of wine, cheeses and cold meats - I admired the way the  proprietor would lovingly slice the thinnest pieces of prosciutto crudo, to lay carefully onto individual paper sheets.  If you were treated with a smile during your purchases, you knew that it would be added to your bill - but it didn't really matter - they would also crunch a bunch of basil and flat leaf parsley and tuck that in with your veggies for free !  What a fragrance - it made everything right with the world.

In India, after an early visit to the central market, the barrow boys come round to your street corner - their vegetable carts supported on huge wheels - they each have their own individual call - everyone has their preferred veggie seller.  They arrive with coconuts, which they obligingly prepare for you by cutting off the top with a huge knife - this makes it easy to store in the fridge - the little plug can be cut out and a straw inserted, when you are ready to drink the coconut water.  They spray the produce with water to make it look more appealing in the surrounding heat and dust.  And instead of a complimentary bunch of parsley and basil, you get the Indian equivalent - coriander and green chillies !