February 29, 2008
Eataly
I don't know how I ever forgot to blog about this supermarket I visited in Turin. Yes, I use the word 'visited' because I specially made my way there to have a look at it. I actually find a supermarket a tourist attraction for me! The only one of its kind in the world thus far, Eataly is a supermarket set up by the advocates of the Slow Food movement, of which Carlo Petrini is the Italian founder and president.
And how can one not love the name Eataly? It simply and succinctly embodies what the supermarket is about. That is, bringing all the best local and organic produce of Italy and the region under one roof. The foods sold are seasonal, following the Slow Food philosophy that people should eat according to the seasons in order not to tax on the agricultural land and also to reduce one's carbon footprint. Slow Food advocates don't believe in eating food that has come as a result of causing harm to the planet.
The facade of the supermarket isn't really that impressive, but trust me, the goodies are inside!
The moment you enter, you'll see this section that has been set up to educate shoppers on the seasonal fruits and vegetables. This round pamphlet which shows when all the different fruits and vegetables are in season can be bought for €1. What I like about Eataly is their approach and philosophy towards food. They believe in educating people so that people will know how to eat better and in more responsibly ways.
The fruit and vegetable section has a wide variety of seasonal produce grown organically.
There are also labels telling the shopper where each of the produce originates from.
Formaggio!!! Cheese lovers will love this section with its wide variety of cheese to choose from.
There was also a wide variety of salami, prosciutto and other cured meats from the local farms. Eataly believes in informed eating and that people who should be made aware of the origin of their food. Hence there is always information about where and under what conditions the food items are made. In this photo, the signs above the hanging salami contain such information.
Spices
I've never seen such a wide variety of pasta in my life! There were shelves and shelves of pasta for sale in Eataly.
If you feel like it, you can have pasta there.
This machine's really cute. For €1, you can have a bottle of fresh cow's milk. Put your bottle in, slot in the coin and wait for it to fill up! The milk is gotten fresh every day and you're encouraged to recycle your bottles.
These are the bottles that can be bought when you want to buy milk. Each bottle costs 40¢.
The wine section takes up almost the entire basement.
You can buy wine straight from the barrel, using the bottles on the left hand side of the photo to contain the wine.
Beer lovers need not despair. There's also a whole section devoted to beer and other spirits. You can also sit at the counter and enjoy a pint or two.
Stacks of cheese waiting to be eaten in due course
You can also buy kitchenware here.
There's also an area where you can sit and browse the cook books for sale. You can also have a meal there they serve food there as well. There are eight themed restaurants you can check out. Eataly also organises cooking classes and other food events and if you're going to be in Turin, perhaps you could try attending one! It's probably best to check out their website for updates.
There are other sections like bread & pastry, jams, coffee, tea, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, meat and seafood etc, each with really fantastic food. It's definitely a place worth a visit for foodies!
Eataly Torino: Via Nizza, 230 / 14 (in front of "8 Gallery") Turin Lingotto
Opening hours: Every day 10am to 10.30pm
Restaurants open from 12am to 3pm and from 7pm to 10.15pm