Il Mercato Centrale

Italian food is all about being fresh and simple. Ragu does not exist here and, as we discovered our first night, neither do seedless grapes (no genetic modifications here!) Italians shop daily or bi-daily and use their ingredients that same day to ensure the freshness of their meals. And don't even think about buying produce out of season! Cabbage-related veggies and citrus fruits are in season now. As an Italian, if you don't like what's in season, you might end up going hungry.

I'm a healthy eater and I like what goes into my tummy to be as natural as possible. That being said, Mercato Centrale (the Central Market) has become one of my favorite places here in Firenze. AND, even better, you can get a week's worth of fresh fruit for about €3 ($4--and for those of you who know how cheap I am, you know that this was fantastic news for me!). Some things, like fresh pasta, balsamic vinegar and olive oil are more expensive but, hey, you get what you pay for.
This market has existed for hundreds of years (since the time Florence was to be the capital of Italy) and I would say that no trip to Florence, or blog written about one, would be complete without it.

Il Mercato Centrale

The main produce section.  

You should always go to the same produce vendor. If you establish a relationship with one of them, they'll recognize you, pick the better produce for you and be more likely to give you discounts.

Il Pane

Yep. That's all biscotti!

Fresh Pasta/gnocchi anyone?

Frutta secca! (Dried fruit!) Yum!

Balsamic vinegar and wine

Trippa (Pronounced TREE-PUH. We call it tripe.)

Something interesting about Italians is that they never waste. No part of the animal is inedible. They sell brains, lungs, hearts, skulls--anything you can think of. It's completely disgusting and you can only imagine what it smells like. Also, for those of you who don't know tripe is the 4th stomach of a cow and is commonly found in sandwiches. Tripe is to Florence what hot dogs are to New York. I'm all for new experiences but I draw the line at cow stomach. 

They sell the most gorgeous flowers here!

And you can grab a bite on your way out. fyi: that Italian dude is adorable.

Buon Appetito!

~Britt