Thursday, June 18, 2009

SO LONG AT THE FAIR

The fiera della contea is taking place in Modica this week so this evening I thought I'd stroll along and see what was going on there. "18.00 - 23.00" say the notices, but this is what happens when, just like a Brit, you arrive on time!




Yes, most of the stalls were still closed, partly, I think, because many of the exhibitors are also running their own shops with very little help and don't want to close them too early, but also because we are, after all, in Italy! By 7 pm things had livened up and I loved these cheese and salame stalls where you could have a taste of whatever took your fancy:





The Nduja advertised in the first picture is a very hot and spicy salame from Calabria. Just look at the size of the provolone cheeses on the left of the third photo! The Nero di Sicilia cheese in the fourth photo is a pecorino seasoned with black pepper. Below you can see some ricotta in the traditional cavagne. These containers used to be hung up with a stopper at the bottom to prevent mice from getting at the cheese:



Stalls selling some very pretty wares indeed had opened by 7:




Guess which bag caught my eye! I didn't even dare ask the price....

This is my haul from the occasion: I've got some spaghetti flavoured with red pepper, some of the Nduja salame in front of it, cheeses flavoured with parsley and red pepper and pistacchio, rucula [rocket] and radicchio next to that and some of the Nero di Sicilia cheese on the left. You wouldn't think the straw mules would be comfortable, but I assure you that they are.


The water melon did not come from the fair but I put it on the table for artistic effect, having found it hanging in a bag from my apartment's door knob when I got back. [It's a wonder the door knob and lock mechanism didn't collapse!] It had been placed there by kind Lucia. My favourite purchase from the fair is this tiny, hand-painted, papier-maché basket ornament, for I can appreciate the time and trouble that has gone into its making:



There were still several stores that had yet to open by the time I left so I can imagine that there is a very jolly atmosphere by now.

7 comments:

PinkAcorn said...

Nice variety of items, what time is dinner? They say "California, it's the cheese", but I think that cheese display is amazing!

Whispering Walls said...

What a cheese fiesta! Love those shoes as well!

Liz Hinds said...

Looks wonderful. I would love to taste some of those cheeses.

CherryPie said...

One of the ones with flowers on?

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, pink. About 10 pm-1 Glad you are impressed by the display. Hi, WW. Quite amazing, isn't it? I am getting very attached to the shoes! Maybe you will one day, Liz. I like those, Cherie but really wanted one of the grey ones on the left. They would go with an outfit, you see...

Maria said...

I swear I'm going to be 500 pounds in no time! *LOL*

If I could have jumped through the screen here.. I would have snatched up all the provolone, rocotta, and salame.. ran to see if I could find some olives and lets not forget the bread!!!

OK OK... I'll stop salivating at the mouth.

Love the purchases... but what NO BAG??? They looked adorable! Which one caught your eye!

Hungry once again!.. M :)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, M. If you are going to be 500 lbs I think I might be joining you after all the cheese and salame I bought there! I wanted one of the grey bags on the left to go with those silk trousers I bought. That reminds me - I must show you the shoes I got to go with those!

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