Mandarin Oranges, Veal Scaloppini and Determination.

In the 1970s, Verona was the point of convergence of the agricultural industry in Northern Italy.  Fruits and vegetables arrived from warmer climes. After high-level bartering by grocery chains, the produce was loaded on to trains destined for northern cities: Paris, Berlin, Stockholm etc.  One morning I met with 3 friends at the cafe/bar in my building.  We were going to the Mercato Generale (wholesale market) to buy commercial-sized boxes of ultra-fresh produce to be divvied up among the four of us.  My friend, Anna, had a pass into the market obtained from a relative.

The Mercato Generale today.

That morning we set off in the ancient VW van. It was dirty, rusted and made indefinable noises as we bounced along the road to the market.  The fog was thick and I followed the tail-lights of the car in front of me.  At the gate,  Anna handed over the permit which was closely examined by a chubby guy in a green uniform.  After much discussion with another guard who was doing a crossword puzzle, we were permitted to enter the parking area.

The entrance to the Mercato Generale today.

We bumped over railway tracks and parked the van on the side of the warehouse by an industrial-sized scale.  The building was enormous - like an airplane hangar. At the entrance we obtained a metal flat-bed cart.  Locating the produce we desired and the exact box that met with Anna’s approval took much of the morning.    Anna had a neat cap of dark hair, blue-grey eyes and a brisk no-nonsense manner. She was a creative cook and taught me how to make arancini (rice balls stuffed with cheese, ham or ragù and fried) and veal scaloppini.

Arancini with cheese and ham.  See link to a recipe below.

We pulled our cart through the maze of stacked produce.  Around us, screeching forklifts were propelled up and down the wide aisles by operators in blue coveralls. We piled boxes of golden carrots, fennel bulbs, cipolinni onions, mushrooms and crates of dark green spinach, baby artichokes and pears.  It was freezing in the hangar.  Up near the roof wisps of fog  crept into the warehouse.

Cipolinni Onions.

Fennel Bulbs

We arrived at the citrus aisle.  There was a vertiginous stack of boxes of mandarin oranges piled up to the roof.  Anna walked over and inspected the boxes.  She decided the 5th crate from the bottom was by far the best.  We all groaned. There were 10 or so crates piled on top of it.  But she was convinced that she had found the best box.  She marched over to a fork-lift zipping by and waved her arms.  The driver stopped and she convinced him to help us out.  With the fork lift he moved the palettes of boxes to uncover the  perfect one.  Anna thanked him profusely while the rest of us stood back, embarrassed.

When we had rolled our flat-bed cart out to the parking lot, we headed to the industrial scale where we weighed and divided up the fruits and vegetables in equal portions.  It was a dirty business, especially the spinach.   But I’ll have to admit that those mandarin oranges were the best I’ve ever eaten. 

Here’s Anna’s recipe for Scaloppine ai Funghi.  Fresh porcini mushrooms would be best, but they are difficult to come by in this country.  I’m transcribing Anna's instructions as I scribbled them down years ago.

Scaloppine ai Funghi

1. Pound 4 scaloppine (breast of veal) until thin, but not too thin and flour them.
2. Melt some butter and oil in a large pan. Sauté the scaloppine quickly on each side.  Remove and keep warm.
3. Add a glass of white wine. (6 ounces ?)  Cook till partially evaporated.
4. Add four handfuls of mushrooms.  Cover and let cook 10 minutes for a deep flavor.
5. Beat an egg yolk with some cream or milk.  Mix in and add the scaloppine. Cook for a minute or two.  Don’t let it boil.
6. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Here is a link to a recipe for Arancini.  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/57844/arancini/