Early spring

The colorful banquets of spring and summer are much more appealing than those in winter

I guess I can say that this year we skipped the winter season. If we forget about the few cold weeks we had, autumn gently went over into spring. Whatever the reason for this, it enables us to enjoy a lot of things which in an average year we could only dream of.

The sunny days of the last week made it difficult for me to stay concentrated. It is clear that the spring is about to burst out. Birds sing the most beautiful songs, blossoms colour the sides of the streets and my pollen allergy developed itself as it never did before. I feel restless, want to open the windows, clean my house and go outside to do sports or have a drink on a sunny terrace. Preferably in my new spring outfit.

That the winter seems long gone is not only demonstrated by the good weather and the obvious signs of spring. Shops sold out their winter garment to make room for new ‘collections’ with more colourful stuff as for example strawberries, raspberries, asparagus and the like.

We costumers might be very tempted to buy these ‘new arrivals’. After months of heavy food, like cabbages, leeks and beetroots, we are more than ready to change our menu. It is similar to the way we like to change our wardrobe in something lighter and more suited for the sunny days we live.

But as it is not very clever to start wearing you spring clothes (the outside temperatures are still too low) you should also refuse to buy these delicacies that seem so attractive. As SlowFood Italy says ‘eating these products is not really an act of eating local and seasonally’. Even though in some areas they can already grow in unheated hothouses  (like in the southern parts of Italy and Spain), the growing process is forced exactly because they use hot houses and the transport distances to get them in a market anywhere north of these zones, are way too long.

So be wise and stay with that what you should normally eat in March. Even though the strawberries are beautifully red, you better refuse them and continue to have juicy oranges. That might also help you to improve you resistance in case you decide to wear your new spring dresses. 

Terra in Moto / Earth in Motion

The producers themselves also like to taste their own produce and that of others

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the month and thus it was time for the Terre in Moto Market at Cox 18. In contrast to the bad weather of the day before I found an almost clear sky accompanied by spring temperatures, so I put on my good shoes and headed for a walk. Up to the underground!

I got to know the monthly market in Via Conchetta – in the south of Milan - thanks to a friend that sells the bread made by her husband and baked in their own wood oven. Some time ago he decided to dedicate his time to making bread in their hillside house just south of Pavia. But since their workshop doesn’t comply to the official regulations (in Italy you need to have a certain ceiling height to receive the certificates for hygiene), they can’t sell it via the official canals. That is why they are ‘limited’ to the markets organized for example by Cox 18.

The mercato dei prodotti biologici e delle autoproduzione (market with organic and self-made products) is part of the Terre in Moto network. This network has many (brave) objectives, amongst others the desire to narrow the gap between consumer and producer, the wish to sell produce that is grown or made honestly and to make the market again the centre of the neighbourhood, where people meet and exchange. Seems like they have a lot in common with the ideas of Food in the Streets.

If you arrive for the first time at Cox 18 - not knowing that you are in a place that is a social orientated, self-managed building, occupied since 1976 – you might feel a bit lost. I guess this is what many people would call ‘alternative’ or ‘underground’. Regular visitors seem open minded, everyone is every ones friend (or at least they act like it), kids run around without any parental guidance and smoking cigarettes in the same room as where dinner is served is still allowed. It is a bit crazy, unique in Milan (as far as I know) but much fun and full of good intentions.

Back to the producers and the food they sell. If you think in stereotypes, you might not be very surprised when I tell you there are producers of vegan cheeses and bakers that bake with henna seeds. Even for a Dutch girl it is somewhat weird to see this. But a talk with the baker himself (that is the good thing about this event) reassures me that eating this kind of pizza will not make you fly or whatever. In this case, the seeds of this plant add a very nice flavour to the dough, which also makes it possible to go down on the salt. So nothing to worry about.

  

Besides the too many ‘unusual’ products on sale, you can also buy the most delicious breads, good cheeses and local wines. And if you still can’t your hunger with all the tastings, there is always the possibility to join the lunch (vegetarian, vegan or ‘omnivorous’) that is prepared by the people that support Cox 18. As you sit on large tables it is almost unavoidable to you get in touch with someone and make new friends yourself.

What’s my point? Do not be afraid for that what is different than your used too. These markets like the ones organised by Terre in Moto have the best intentions to make the world better, give a chance to small economies and allow you to buy delicious food for reasonable prices. There is nothing wrong with going underground every now and then.