Curiosities of Milan's Markets

This stall really struck me this morning with it's orderliness and gorgeous color contrasts. I'll be dedicating the next few posts to the glories of Italy's outdoor markets this harvest season. I'll start off with some things I found out of the ordinary. Are you getting hungry?
From left to right, you see guanciale (hog maw, that is, cheek), donkey salame and horse sausage. I’ve never had donkey anything, but have tried horse sausage and horse steak. They are pretty good when I can trick myself into thinking I’m not eating horse. (My problem, nobody else’s.) The one item I can really recommend is the guanciale. It’s very similar to pancetta but is considered better and is more expensive. People often substitute pancetta for guanciale if they don’t want to pay too much. The original recipe of “pasta all’amatriciana” calls for Guanciale.
Olive per friggere were a mystery to me this morning. It looks, from what I’ve been able to find online, that this is mainly a Greek thing. There’s a type of olive called Throumbes (or Throubes) from the Greek island of Thasos, that can be cooked this way. Could it be another example of Greek traditions living on in Italy? Maybe. This recipe here for Fried Olives With Tomato and Rosemary looks like a simple and lovely way to serve them. I’m thinking bruschetta topping or a nice pasta sauce.

Tune in next for my fall favorites!