Mercato in Mogliano Veneto
When the Monday morning mercato comes to Mogliano Veneto, it becomes the talk of the town. Locals converge on the open air markets where attractive stalls have been set up in the early hours. Selling anything from common household items to clothing, homewares, kitchen gadgets, linen and every bric-a-brac imaginable, mercato offers a glimpse of life in this tranquil town just ten kilometres outside of Venice.
During our ten day stay in Mogliano Veneto, we were fortunate to experience the buzz of the locals, get a feel of the rhythm of the town and learn about the type of produce that the people buy on their weekly jaunts.
Flower stalls with vibrant colours attract the eye as well as the camera lens.
With some stalls setting up their display or as an assortment of colours or hedge-like, one is tempted to bring something home.
Fruit and vegetable displays at eye level entice for a closer look.
Chestnuts were in season. The mercato even sold special pans with which to roast them over an open fire or gas stove.
Plump oranges invite a touch or a gentle squeeze.
And then there is the fish markets, a favourite haunt of mine, where only the freshest of produce is displayed and sold in Mogliano. Every product is labelled with its place of origin and price.
These manzacolle are the sweetest prawns you can eat. We had them during our stay in Sicily, simply cooked in salted boiling water with a squeeze of lemon.
Live eels swimming in styrofoam boxes were not very popular. I wonder if any of them made it to a local kitchen.
Mazanette are sold live, as can be attested by the adventurous one trying to escape its fate. They look like miniature crabs and when cooked, they have the same taste and crunch as the soft shell crab variety.
The array of seafood and fish on display had me wishing I could sample every variety during my stay.
Like the garusoli, or winkles, from the Adriatic sea.
Or the range of moscardini and seppie that are a speciality of the Veneto region.
These neatly tied cappelunghe or razor shells definitely beg attention.
Anyone for giant squid? I hope it found a home in a good restaurant.
This is more to my taste. Live lobsters or astici that would make a tasty lobster mornay.
Il Mercato di Mogliano Veneto
Centre of Town, Mogliano Veneto
Monday mornings
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I like these snippets of rural life. Markets offer a different perspective than run of the mill tourism.
Chris: Absolutely, trying to blend with the locals and learning about their lifestyles is a fascinating part of travel.
[...] bicycles, balancing shopping with one hand and their two-wheels with another. The town holds a mercato every Monday, a market day with stalls selling household items, fresh produce and [...]
[...] Italy and France, I have come to appreciate and enjoy what is available in season. A visit to the food mercato in Mogliano Veneto during October, with chestnuts and mushrooms in season will yield a different [...]