Philadelphia’s Historic Italian Market is one of those places that over the years has undergone small changes, but not to the extent that it has lost its charm. When you walk down the street, you see vegetable and fruit vendors that line the street. The aroma of the fresh herbs and fruits fill the air. Butchers, Seafood stores, Cheese shops, Bakers, Pasta shops, Eclectic cafes, Authentic Italian Restaurants, multicultural Restaurants, and quaint shops that carry everything from kitchen ware to those shoelaces you can no longer find, because the company went out of business in the 1970’s line the street. New shops and restaurants pop up, but the feel of the street never changes. Everyone is friendly and street is filled with the energy of the merchants and shoppers.
I have been visiting the Philadelphia Italian Market since I was a little girl and I love the way it reminds me of how things were before shopping malls or on-line shopping. But the reality is, the Philadelphia Historic Italian Market has the old world charm and warmth in that remains a constants regardless of how the world changes around us.
My primary goal for my most recent visit was to pick up cheeses at Claudio Specialty Foods, stop by Fante’s Kitchen Shop for fresh ground coffee, and pick up some Kohlrabi from the street vendors.
Claudio has been in business since 1950. It is a place where magic happens for cheese lovers and foodies. It is not just a place to buy cheese. If you want to just buy cheese, go to grocery chain. If you want the experience of purchasing incredible cheeses from an experienced Cheesemonger, Claudio Specialty Foods is the place for you.
In case you are wondering, a Cheesemonger is a person that is an expert at selling cheese. Claudio’s Cheesemonger have a style that make you feel like you are their only customer from the time you reach the counter until you are closing the shop door behind you. Claudio’s has upgraded the counters and the shelfing in the store, but the experience of buying cheese and the condiments that go with it has not changed. I normally go to the store hungry, because the Cheesemonger always give you tastes of the cheeses, meats and any other new condiments that have come into the store that week. On this visit, I pickup one of my favorite stable cheese Prima Donna cheese, but also wanted a dessert cheese. The Cheesemonger picked out several fantastic dessert cheese for me to try. All the cheese were incredible. For a minute, maybe two, I thought about buying them all, but like most people I have to think about my budget. I bought a creamy, lightly sweet cheese with tiny pieces of apricot in it. This would be the perfect dessert cheese to take to a party with fresh and dry fruit on the plate. My plan was to serve it with a rich freshly ground Jamaican Coffee from Fante’s Kitchen Shop.
Fante’s Kitchen Shop carries ever type of kitchenware you could want for cooking, baking, fermenting, jarring, making coffee or tea and so much more. When you enter the store, you can smell the fresh coffee being ground. This week I picked up some Jamaican Me Crazy coffee to go with the Apricot Cheese. I did not stop there, I pick up a few utensils that you can find in a chain store.
To my surprise the Italian Market’s Spice Shop, Grassia’s Spice Company, moved to a bigger store. Now they have a larger variety of spices and herbs than before. To my delight I was able to pick up mustard seeds at a reasonable price. Really, it was so much cheaper that going to a chain store.
The Buck’s Tales and Trails family may not have picked up any meat on this trip to the market, but we did look. We have to leave something for the next adventure at the Market.
There is a time in everyone’s life where they want to take a step back and remember kinder, simpler time. When shopping was enjoyable, in person, interaction between the shop keeper and a customer. A visit to the Philadelphia Italian Market, will give you an experience that you cannot get at your locate chain store. Also, the prices are reasonable and walking the Market give you exercise you do not get by ordering on your phone. Next time I will let you know how much exercise I can typically get on a visit to the Market.
Don’t forget to stop by the Philadelphia’s Historic Italian Market! When you need to take a step back from today hectic pace and reminisce about to a simpler time.