Naples: Shuffling to the Supermarket

Frozen cornetti with apricot jam inside...next week I'll try the chocolate ones, yeah?

I really like supermarkets. A bit too much. I haven't eaten in a restaurant yet in Naples (take-out pizza aside) because I prefer to cook. And so, I do.

Cooking, as you know, requires raw ingredients. After a walk through one of the outdoor markets, I was not too impressed with the quality of the fruits and vegetables. They looked fine, but it was mostly the same stuff and it all looked so tired and wilted. Also, I have not yet mastered my Italian numbers, so I fear walking home with twelve kilograms of apples instead of two.

Fortunately, my supermarket fetish is well-served here. There are plenty of smaller markets in Naples's historic center, but a twenty minute walk to a more residential part of town has a giant Coop supermarket. Not like Cosco-giant, but big for an Italian city. I found it by accident one day while wondering. I'm hooked. I can spend an hour in there seeing how far I can stretch 20 euros. The walk and carrying doubles as exercise, so my weekly trips are really 

Last week's haul...

The pasta aisle is enormous, with every shape and size possible. Think of an American grocery store's cereal aisle, and replace it with pasta. There are plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit and it's all Italian, except for the exotic stuff. No Spanish citrus here. No offence to the Spanish.

I have recently become a fan of Coop's frozen pastries. I discovered that I have a working oven in my apartment, and so for less than a price of two fresh ones, I purchased a dozen cornetti with apricot jam. I baked a few the other day and it was plucked right out of a Parisian bakery. Or I guess an Italian one.

Then there's the wine. In France, I wouldn't balk at boxed wine, but I never paid it much notice. In Italy, however, I have fallen for the carton of wine. It's basically the same packing they use for fruit juice but with, you know, wine. I guess that means there are more vitamins in it. Anyway, I'm having a ball tasting the different colors. I don't think it gets more detailed than red or white. but I'll keep checking. I just wish they had straws, likes some magical adult juice box.

I might be missing out on some amazing outdoor market experience. Please tell me if so. I can't promise I'd go, though. My adult juice boxes pair wonderfully with all of my pizzas, so I have to keep  well-stocked.