Personal Veggie Vendor Sicilian Style

There is so much to love about Sicily, but way up there on the chart is the personal veggie and fruit vendor who comes by twice a week and stops right at your door once you become a customer.  Oh my.  Our guy was Dennis…..a young, energetic, capable and knowledgeable vendor who definitely had his hands full in our neighborhood.

Veggie Vendor Arriving

As soon as we heard the bee-buzzing sound of his Api truck approaching, we all headed out the door and lined up to purchase the fruits and veggies that would carry us through the next couple of days.  It was a wonderful way to shop and to spontaneously plan menus based on what was taking center stage in the array of goods he had so artfully arranged for our consideration.  And the goods never disappointed…..

A Basketful of Cherries, soon to be empty

One day he showed up with this huge (and gorgeous) soft basket just heaping with cherries.  As I waited my turn, I watched that mountain of red dwindle to the point where I was getting a bit nervous about being able to command my fair share!

Real Cherries

I needn’t have worried……because my neighbors and I all understood the drill.  In this sweet and welcoming environment of slow food and slow life, there will always be enough to go around.  The choices always seemed to be just what I was looking for……

Summer Peaches

Summer peaches for afternoon snacks, or to be sliced and added to a pitcher of red wine, or to be the filling for a summer torte…….

Cheery Cherry Tomatoes

Or how about cherry tomatoes just bursting with flavor to be used for a fresh tomato sauce with basil or diced and blended with oil to top the evening’s bruschetta at aperitivo time…….

Salad Love, Every Day!

The freshness of the greens never failed to surprise me…..crunchy lettuce leaves, deep dark green parsley, green beans that were so sweet they only needed to be steamed for a minute or two……and tomatoes with a decent skin protecting their meaty and aromatic pulp……for me, and for anyone who loves to cook, this was better than being a kid in a candy store.     As I got to know Dennis, I wondered at the experience of being a one-man business…..the simplicity and importance of the exchange between vendor and customer taken to a personal level right from the start…….and then one day I was given a peek into the future…….

Veggie Vendor in Training

Little Emilio appeared with his father one day……sitting in the front seat of the Api and hopping out to greet his future customers.  I guess Dennis was doing daddy duty that day, and the little fellow generated waves of emotion from all the ladies…..

Trainee Perks

By the time he got back in the Api and headed off with his dad, little Emilio had collected his fair share of treats and enough attention to keep him happy for the rest of the afternoon.

Thanks Dennis!

Many thanks to you, Dennis, for providing the ingredients for most of our meals while we were in Scicli….and it’s nice to know that The Firm is on track to be taken over by a well-trained underling when his time rolls around.