March 21, 2023 - Cascine Market

We left the apartment early to head to St. Ambrogio market to get our supply of prosciutto and charcuterie for a few days then proceeded to walk to a tram station to go to the Cascine market that we had gone to last week.

When we arrived, we went directly to the booth that had the nice artichokes last week at 15 for 4 euros. This week they were 20 for 4 euros. They are double the size of the other booths and a lot cheaper. In the stores they sell for 1 euro each and at the other markets they are 5 for 4 euros. Anyway, we took a number upon arriving. They were serving number 35 and our number was 28. It turns out it was E35 and we had A28. They had to get to 100 before they began the A numbers. Needless to say, we were in line for over an hour. We will be eating artichokes as a vegetable for a few meals. While waiting for our turn, it was fun to watch the vendor serve his customers, very entertaining.

Came home and made a short run to buy some vino santo to bring home and then it was time to clean the apartment a bit while the artichokes were steaming.

In the late afternoon we walked to the square to have a beer and watch all the people around. I hate to admit it, but I guess I must be sexist because I am amazed at how many older woman in Italy drive a motorbike.

Ponte Vecchio from the other side.

Relaxing while watching the world go by.

Jacques had found a restaurant where the food was supposedly very good. He went in the afternoon to make reservations because they don’t answer the phone. The tables are community style where everyone sits at the same table. We were seated with a couple from Alsace, France. We talked a lot with them. Most places as was the case here, you don’t get a wine glass but a regular glass if you order the house wine. When she (Chantal, the lady from Alsace) asked about the glasses I told her this is the way it has been since we arrived in Florence. She said no this will not do; I know him and he will not drink wine from a water glass. She was right, he insisted, and they both received proper wine glasses. My first impression was oh oh, but they were really nice after he received his wine glass.  I wasn’t about to complain. It was 5 euros per person, no matter how much you drank.

Very informal atmosphere at the restaurant.

At the end of the meal, we talked for a while on the sidewalk before each heading our own way.  He gave us his card to contact them if we are ever in Alsace. The card, says dégustations, conseils et ventes de vins.