Paradise Found at European Big-Box Store

09 November 2010, Massa, Tuscany, Italy Carrefour Marketplace

Big-Box stores make me ill, basically. Even the (sic) finest ones in the great U.S. of A. are either a conglomeration of the cheapest overproduced substitutes for nutrients, socially irresponsible acquisition or production, or politically-opportunistic disappointments for me... of course, I would assume that if you are reading Culture, you are privy to all of the above information, and more.

I am currently traveling in Italy, residing for the time being at an Agriturismo, or Agricultural Tourism farm. In this case, it is olive production, and I am here in the peak of the harvest. should the rain cease, I will be a part of said harvest, with my own hands and spirit. What a joy!

I arrived yesterday, greeted at the train station by Corrado Conti, one of the owners of Podere Conti, and was whisked away to the not-so-local Carrefour, a French-founded big-box chain, where he was shopping for the Conti's personal needs, separate from those of the guests.

The Wal-Mart of Italy was something I could not have conceived. The typical racks of clothing, children's socks, some sort of Crocs off-brand, Christmas paraphernalia... par for the course. But somewhere around the corner from the folding laundry hampers, just opposite the rain boots, and the weekly bargain pyramid of toilet paper, out rolled the most glorious food all before me, in grand splendor.

Freshly-made focaccia beckoned from behind glass, waging culinary war on my senses with its steamy hypnotic rosemary taunt. Bouquets of sausages and parma ham dropped to eye-level from rustic twisted ropes suspended from the familiar infrastructure that is the ceiling of big box stores worldwide. The Prodotti Senza Glutine (gluten-free) section was also grand, stacked with an arsenal of alternative pastas, breads, flours, cookies, and cakes. In great wonder I read labels and did math in my head, finding that every ingredient was something I could embrace. Not an "ate" or "ose" in sight!

And just when I thought things couldn't possibly get better, as Dorothy's Oz appeared on the horizon, I stumbled into miles of glorious cheese wheels, wedges, spreads, and pistachio-encrusted wedges, to name only a few. It was at this time that I found a sample of a simple reggiano sliver. The flavor was so powerful that the acid from my salivary glands rushed forward to greet the welcome guest like a pack of friendly Labradors. I had to close my eyes to absorb the pungent flaky aged bits on my tongue, and even let out an audible and unadulterated moan for the unforeseen pleasure discovered in a European version of Wal-Mart.

No, you cannot park your R.V. overnight and camp here for free, but for only a few Euros you can walk away with a world-class cheese of any sort and an excellent bottle of wine... the most economical I have ever seen. Just four Euros will satisfy even the most discerning of palates, and the most expensive Montepulciano won't even break the bank at about 70 Euros.