October 10th, 2002 | The lowdown by Nissa Cannon

Personal Paradise.

I must admit an unquenchable passion for fresh fruit. I think it stems from an infancy among the exotic wonders of Hawaii, or perhaps endless summers passed eating from road-side fruit vendors. Whatever the reason, Farmer’s Markets and the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets are my own version of paradise.

Bologna offers no shortage of produce sellers, and strolling past their open kiosks is a sea of temptation on my way to early morning class or afternoon lectures. While the high-end produce can be found on the centrally located Via Pescherie Vecchie, its more local, affordable neighbor is the Piazza Aldrovandi – a wide street lined with stalls selling fruits, vegetables, meat or cheese.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the wealth before you – the purple figs clamor for prominence with golden nectarines, and seven or eight types of lettuce. Let yourself take it all in, stroll down the street a couple of times before you choose what you want to buy, compare one place’s impossibly red currants to another’s beaming raspberries. Pick the fresh mozerella that most resembles perfect snowballs.

The prices of produce on Piazza Aldrovandi are affordable, the quality is fantastic, and the vendors are more than willing to help you select exactly the right peach.