Outlet Mall Shopping in Tuscany, Italy

My friend Anne and I made a field trip to the outlet mall last Friday.  


Though I have lots of experience shopping outlet malls in California and Nevada, this was my first time on such an adventure in Italy.  Whenever I return to California, a trip to the outlet mall is part of the package.  I used to joke that my car should have a bumper sticker that reads:  "My car stops at all Banana Republic Outlets."

Even coupon books are available at the office

Outside of Florence are two outlet malls:  The Mall and Barberino.  The Mall has few stores, and they are all high end; Barberino is a good choice with many "normal" stores, meaning for common folk like myself.  However, on my recent road trip to the south of Italy, I saw Valdichiana from the autostrada, the largest of the three outlet malls but also the farthest from Florence.  Located just outside Arezzo, a car is necessary to get to Valdichiana; whereas, the other two malls offer a bus shuttle service from Florence at 15 euros.  Unfortunately, I have yet to confirm whether that price is each way or round trip.

Traveling Italian autostrada A1 with expired VA plates

My friend has a comfortable car with expired Virginia license plates, which makes our outing to the outlet mall in Valdichiana feel even more like an American adventure but on Italian soil.  As we approach, still on the freeway, we each are excited to see Gap.  In Italy?  The Gap is one of the stores I frequent in the States for T-shirts and other basic items at a good price.  Since September 2011 we now have Gap in Italy.  It looks just like our Gap but is considerably smaller in size and choice.  I make friends (amicizia) with the Gap salesgirl Renata, who is sweet, helpful, and a lot of fun.

 Renata and me at Gap in Italy

"Do you have a few curves from the waist to the hips?"

We spent a long, exhausting but fun day doing our research when shopping at the outlet mall.  Good and bad for me.  The bad:  I had hopes to find some new spring and summer items to replace my old worn and tattered clothes. I didn't.  Even at the outlet mall, I continue to struggle to find clothes in Italy to fit my longer-and-larger-than-typical-in-Italy body.  Good for my finances, though, with only one purchase of a summer-weight coat.  

You can tell it was a long day since it was already getting dark outside when we left

At the outlet malls in the States, it is fun to hear so many diverse accents.  Our experience at Valdichiana was that there were few tourists, and we did not overhear any other native English speakers.  (Maybe I should spend even more time at the outlet mall improving my Italian.) Everyone was very friendly, even the man who reprimanded us for taking photographs. 


It was a fun day and a wonderful field trip, one I look forward to repeating.

Fruttivendolo (Greengrocer)

In California, we are spoiled because we have an enormous variety of fruits and vegetables available year round. In Tuscany, we have fewer choices, but we are better off eating mostly what is in season and locally grown, and we also have choices not found in California. In California, we have farmers markets; in Tuscany, we have the fruttivendolo (greengrocer). I frequent the fruttivendolo, but my preference is to go directly to Mercato Centrale because I am guaranteed to have a fun experience.

Bitter melon is what this fruit is officially named and makes for some interesting and raunchy conversation. Originating in Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and India, this particular selection of bitter melon was cultivated in the province of Arezzo (about 80 km/50 miles from Florence). Italians generally don't eat it, but the immigrants buy it and fry it. It is a cugina (cousin) to the cucumber, melons, and squash families. And for those of you who don't know, it is technically a fruit because it has seeds. A fruit can also be a vegetable, but a vegetable can never be a fruit. While we're on the subject, I'll tell you that tomatoes; cucumbers; squash and zucchini; avocado; green, red, and yellow peppers; peapods; and pumpkins are all fruit, not vegetables.

The outside has an interesting texture -- long, delicate, rubber-like to the touch, with warts and ridges, and a bitter flavor -- whereas, inside the fruit has a pulpy cavity with ripe, red seeds that are slightly sweeter to the taste. (No, I didn't taste it! I trust my friends who described and tasted it in my presence, thank you.)  It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Bitter melon is known to have medicinal uses. Among the many uses, it stimulates sluggish digestion. I could imagine it would stimulate something. Clinical tests revealed links to aiding in the treatment of HIV and cancer as well as type-II diabetes.

Throughout Italy, bitter melon is more commonly known as pisello di coccodrillo, which I don't think I am permitted to translate on a public website.

How creative are you? How would you prepare this fruit? Do you eat it raw or cooked? Share your recipe ideas...

-- Josslyn "Giosalina"
Firenze, Italia