A VISIT TO THE MARVELOUS ITALIAN MARKET IN PHILLY
Please join me for a visit to the marvelous Italian Market in Philly. To be clear, it really isn’t a “market” per se, but rather, a 10 block long gastronomical paradise located on 9th Street between Wharton and Fitzwater Streets in South Philly.
Having just celebrated its 100th year in business, The Italian Market is considered to be the oldest and largest open-air market in America. It’s a throwback to another time, long before the advent of the supermarket.
Here, dozens and dozens of vendors line the street, selling the freshest, most diverse and wonderful array of vegetables I have ever seen in one place.
The Italian Market is not only a feast for the stomach, but for the eyes as well.
And the selection of produce is simply wonderful, with prices much lower than you’d find in the supermarket.
And, as was pointed out to me, the prices get lower and lower as one progresses further and further down the street. Where can you find 5 yellow bell peppers for a dollar for heaven’s sake??!!
The selection of items was also very diverse and covered all the bases in terms of ingredients for every type of cuisine imaginable. Some of the items were so exotic I couldn’t even identify them.
While the Italian Market’s heritage and its name are Italian, it is the large selection of international foods offered that has given the Italian Market diversity. As I understand it, given this new diversity, just as many people visit the Italian Market to buy Mexican or Asian foods, as they do to buy Italian delights.
Sugarcane anyone?
So, while the sidewalks are lined with vendors selling produce from outdoor stalls, there are also traditional shops and restaurants that occupy storefronts in between. Here you can find an amazing fish market with every type of fresh fish you could ever desire at very reasonable prices.
What I wouldn’t give to have a fish market like this in my neighborhood!
And then there are the butcher shops where you can find the usual cuts of meat and cold cuts, as well as the not so usual things like Pig’s Feet, Hog Maws (Pig Jaws!), Neck Bones, Oxtails, Goat Meat & Tripe. YUM! not….
And yes, those are pig’s feet. What, pray tell, do folks do with this delicacy? I think I’d have to be awfully hungry to partake in these, or am I missing something here?
Then there was this more traditional Italian market where folks were lining the sidewalk and clammering to get in. I have no idea what holiday speciality they were waiting to purchase, but it sure must be good, as this was the most crowded shop on the street. I understand they have a fabulous selection of cheese such as wonderfully fresh mozzarella, among other things.
In addition to food, there were also vendors selling flowers & holiday greenery .
The Italian Market is also home to the two most famous purveyors of cheesesteaks in the world: “Pat’s” and “Geno’s”. No visit to Philly would be complete without a visit to one of these establishments.
Stay tuned and in my next post I’ll take you on a taste-testing comparison of both Pat’s and Geno’s, and you’ll learn who we deemed to be the best. Do you have a favorite?
Well, the whole experience of the Italian Market left me wanting to move to Philly just so I could have access to all this fantastic food. You can’t be a truly good cook without access to great ingredients, and I envy those that have this exotic and wonderful wonderland of food available to them every day.
So there you have it: A VISIT TO THE MARVELOUS ITALIAN MARKET IN PHILLY
Thanks for dropping in! Do please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise credited, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
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