Padova Shopping

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We have been buying wine from supermarkets, bars, and corner stores, but never found what we were looking for. We don't know wine, we just know what we 'didn't' like.

We found this place by accident (saw the sign), and the owner took great pains to explain how the shop worked (basically just point at the tap), let us sample many varieties, and eventually sold us 1.5 litres of red (Cabernet). He even provided a bottle for us. Cost 2.20 euro. Michelon has ten varieties of wine on tap, including Prosecco, all under 1.50 litre. He has a limited number of bottled wines in stock for a sudden required gift, as well as Grappa, and olive oil.

Easy to find, and no pretense here. A neighbourhood cantina, with many people lugging in various sized containers all day long to be refilled. Every visit is an enjoyable one for us, as Michelon has become a close friend, and not due to his product, but because of his infectious good humour, and continuous smile.

We visit regularly now, and love to tease our kids back home about the prices we pay.
I see Michelon often as he is riding to or from work on his bicycle, and every time he gives me a wave, a greeting, and a big smile. All in all, a very nice man.

What to buy: Every neighbourhood has a local cantina. You'll find that everyone is fiercely defensive of their choice of table wine, and of course, their offerings are always superior.

What to pay: cheap, if buying on tap, and I expect average for 'bottled' wine.

There are three types of produce retailers in Italy, a Green Grocer, who specializes only in produce/fruit, and could be found in local neighborhoods or at the open air markets,and the mass marketer, who offers produce/fruit as well as an abundance of other products, and the small, often family owned, grocery store.

What to buy: When you approach a Green Grocer, there is a cardinal rule you must adhere to... do not touch the produce. You are expected to either tell the shop keeper what you want, or point to it. The shop keeper will then select the item, weigh it, bag it, and then you pay. Don't hesitate to refuse an article of fruit if you notice a bruise, even if it has already been weighed. You will gain the green grocers respect, and next time you stop, he will carefully rotate the item for your inspection.

I prefer purchasing our fruit and vegetables from either of the other two types of retailers.
However, once again, there are rules to follow. You are expected to put on a plastic glove prior to handling the item. These are obtained from the same 'free standing' rack that you find the roll of plastic bags.

After selecting and bagging your produce, look on the sign for the item number, usually indicated on the bottom right corner within the box. Take your bag to the weight scale, be sure to tie or seal your bag prior to placing it on the scale, and then key in the number of your item. The scale will produce a sticky label, indicating type of produce, and price, which is then affixed to your purchase.
A suggestion, check to make sure the label and contents correspond. Also, do not remove the label with your gloved hand. They tend to stick to the glove before you can use it.

As I mentioned before, I prefer selecting my own fruit. I do not like bananas with 'any' discolouration, or tomatoes that are in the least bit soft. My pinkies are my best judge. I also find it odd to have a Green Grocer wait on me when I could just as easily pick the items out myself and hand it to him. Personal choice, I suppose. However, the Green Grocer will perform other services for the consumer, such as cutting cantilopes in half and removing the seeds, or chopping onions as I have often seen. Why, I don't know...

What to pay: A bit more at the Green Grocer, and the standard of freshness remains the same.

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The wonderful service and winning personality of the father/son team are the selling points of this small coffee shop. I have gone there on a number of occasions without my trusty translator (Ma Kettle), and using a combination of sign language and horribly butchered Canadianized Italian, have always been met with patience and understanding, and a great cup of cafe doppio.

It was the tantilizing aroma of freshly ground coffee that first attracted me into Caffetteria Manin, and the warm tones of their wood fixtures that persuaded me to stay and relax with a cup.

The father, Luigi Nicole' took time to explain the various blends of coffee to Ma Kettle and me this evening, and described in great detail how the various grinds can enhance your pot of coffee. The discussion led to our asking about manual coffee grinders, and Luigi just happened to have some units on hand. These grinders are made in Britain (by Birchleaf Coffee Grinder) out of heavy cast iron, and even though we clearly said that we weren't buying one for ourselves, he happily took time to remove them from the boxes so I could take photos to send to another VT member.

What to buy: Luigi, with his son Valentino, provide the necessary morning eye openers of cafe' and brioche to the local shop keepers and residents of Piazza Signori area, along with a smile and a great brew made from their own special blend (Manin). The creamy froth, topping Ma's Cappuccino, has the texture of whipped cream, but without the accompanying calories.

They also offer five blends of bulk coffee, bulk tea, and various types of chocolate to satisfy that pesky craving, including cocoa and hot chocolate for home use, and numerous novelty collectable coffee/tea tins. Presentation baskets made up of tea blends, chocolate, biscuits etc, all suitable for gift giving, are available at a moments notice..

The coffee grinders we were shown are of superior quality, extremely heavy cast iron construction, with an excellent thumb screw 'adjustable grind' feature.

Costly... yes.
Fun to use... most assuredly.
Bound to impress... no doubt.

What to pay: 1.90 euro to 2.10 euro per 100 grams for bulk coffee, freshly ground to your specifications.

There is no English Library in Padova, for obvious reasons. Why should there be? There just aren't enough English speakers to warrant the expense, let alone enough English readers.

All books in Italy are expensive, and to the store's credit, there appears to be no additional surcharge added for the convenience of reading a novel in my mother tongue. My last two purchases were 11.30 euro, and 12.40 euro. As I say, expensive.

This shop offers many English books in pocketbook form, as well as numerous coffee table books and language books. Staff are very pleasant, but sadly speak very, very limited English, probably about as much as I speak Italian, but we always understand one another.

The shop is closed Sundays, but Monday thru Saturday, the hours are as follows:

9:00-13:00
15:30-19:30

What to buy: A very large, often changing selection of English books are available, as well as numerous other language books. Check both floors of the store, as travel books are upstairs, rather hidden behind the service counter.

If you are in Padova for an extended period of time, sign up for the loyalty card. It is free, and well worth the few minutes it takes to fill out the application form. I have received deep discounts on DVD's, CD's and reading material.

What to pay: approximately 11,30 euro per novel.

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La de daahh. I'm sorry, years of scrimping and saving have made the idea of anyone buying clothes from here seem totally ridiculous to me.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is worth these kind of prices for clothes that look like rejects from Goodwill.

Click on to the photos for a picture of the price tag.

What to buy: Please note these photos were taken March 05/2006. Prices may have changed, perhaps they charge more as dry rot sets in.

If you take a close look at the white sweater, your first thought might be 'who wears these things', well, let me say, Northern Italy is full of women who wear that size.

What to pay: Scarves can be purchased for 5 euro at the market, and then of course you can buy one of the scarves scattered about the window display for 450 euro. The jacket is a steal at 1250 euro, and the jeans are a mere 395 euro.

Every saturday from dawn til dusk there are wonderful markets at Prato della Valle in Padova. Prato della Valle is huge and all the way around it you will find market stalls selling pratically everything!

What to buy: You can buy shoes very cheaply, clothes for men and women, home equipment, jewellery, flowers! The list is endless!

What to pay: Very reasonable priced!

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Every year at the end of September, we find this fellow roasting chesnuts over an open fire in the Piazza. Almost sounds like it could be a song or a poem doesn't it?

The season lasts until the Christmas Market starts in early December.

What to buy: Fresh roasted chestnuts, boy what a treat. We bought a bag of chestnuts from the batch you see in the photo. Charred, hot, delicious.

What to pay: A bag which fed two of us cost 4.20 euro (300 grams). They had no napkins, so be wary of blackened fingers, and regularly check your partner for bits between the teeth.

Piazza della Erbe is where the local fruit and vegetable market is located. The market appears every morning and has done so for hundreds of years but unfortuneately I was too late to see them as it was late in the afternoon when I arrived in the square. In the photo you can see the 15th century loggia which runs alongside the beautiful grand building of the Palazzo della Ragione. There must be some good views of the market if you go up inside it.