Fiori di zucca (zucchini flowerettes); Photo, Susan McCrory

For those of you who just love to shop for ingredients, here’s some virtual window-shopping from the Testaccio open-air market in Rome, which I was fortunate enough to visit this past week. My husband and I ate fiori di zucca two different ways over the course of our stay in the Eternal City: once on pizza with anchovies and mozzarella, and a second time in the form I am more used to–fried, but again paired with those salty little buggers and melted cheese. It makes for an implosion of sweetness, salt, smooth and course textures. Yum. Though it lacks the anchovies, I like this link to fried zucchini flowers for the range of recipe options at the bottom of the page–risotto con fiori di zucca, stuffed fiori di zucca, etc.

Tomatoes from Lazio; Photo, Susan McCrory

There was, of course, no shortage of tomatoes (pomodori) to choose from.

Carrotts; Photo, Susan McCrory

The carrotts and greens looked divine.

Chanterelle mushrooms; Photo, Susan McCrory

Fetchingly displayed with sprigs of parsley (prezzemolo), these galletti or chanterelle mushrooms reminded me that mushroom season makes for gorgeous primi piattti, such as a pasta dish made with pancetta, shrimp and the galletti shown above or a risotto.

Fishmonger; Photo, Susan McCrory

With vongole (clams), fresh swordfish, tuna, an octopus and shrimp in abundance, this fishmonger sprinkled some parsley into the package he was preparing, all for freshness and eye-appeal.

Stay tuned tomorrow:  more fish and “Is that a body in there??”