“Pesce spada, fresco e appena pescatoooo! Signora, vuole un pezzo di pesce spada?”… I look at him and say no because I am missing a kitchen as I am only a tourist here. He looks sad and immediately is trying with my friend who gives the same answer. After that he is waiting before offering again his sword fish.
I am at the fish market in the heart of Catania. It happened more than it was planed as we parked our car just a few steps further in a very busy and small street.
The market is held in the Via Pardo and the Via Zappalà-Gemelli just at the corner of the Piazza del Duomo where the cathedral of the city is situated.
Purple broccoli, Roman cauliflower and fresh onions, pineapples, tomatoes and lemons – one stand after the other offering the best of the best of the best. That’s what the sellers make me believe.
Mussels, calamari, swordfish, eels and tuna, buckets of water with snails and clams, wherever I was looking, the freshest fish ‘on the rocks’ everywhere. Many typical specialties as well. Like filled intestine or typical cheese coming from all regions in Sicily.
It’s a paradise for ‘fast food’ as there are a lot of meals almost ready and waiting just for cooking or warmed up. Meat of all kinds, fresh and hanging on hooks as also freshly prepared.
Mazara del Vallo is the most important port for fishing. Chefs, shop-owners and housewives are buying here their fish. And the other ingredients for a tasty dish. Sometimes I see some youngsters bringing espresso in plastic cups to the sellers.
The most interesting of the market is the sound. A background sound of hundreds of voices, screaming and singing, half Italian, half Sicilian dialect, cars of the nearby roads honking, women discussing how much to pay.
Packed with people we slowly arrive at the much more calm Piazza del Duomo. I am happy that in the crowd I had a very small and safe handbag and my rucksack with the photo equipment in front of me. One never knows… maybe I would have a fish instead of my camera in the rucksack.
Catania, Sicily/Italy:
For further information:
Website about Sicily
Website about Catania
