I am thrilled to present our latest Guest Market, the Mercato Ballarò in Palermo, Sicily. This market is over 1000 years old!
Back in April, 2012, I received a wonderful email from a gentleman named Mauro Pellerito from Palermo. He had seen an interview I’d done with Speak Up Italia Magazine, and he was planning a family trip to New York. It turns out that he loves markets as much as I do! So we agreed to meet when arrived with his wife Carolina and daughters Giorgia and Simona.
We visited the Dekalb Market together, and I sent them to Chelsea Market and the Union Square Greenmarket. They loved everything, and they had a wonderful time in the city. They told me how much they love their own market back in Palermo. Later, they sent me some amazing images of the Ballarò Market, which is how we came to feature it here on Markets of New York City.
NOTE: There are some graphic images of the butcher section of the market. Now, I’ve seen butcher shops around the world with ears and lungs hanging on a meat hook in the window and cow heads dripping into a bucket. Yet, to be honest, I struggled around how to present the butcher images here. At the end of the day, however, I realized that almost no part of any animal goes unused. And so when we talk about “farm to table,” and “nose to tail,” this is what it looks like, folks.
I also wanted to share a few words from Mauro’s awesome daughter Giorgia, who collaborated with her dad on this contribution — and who speaks and writes beautifully in English:
This market is near my school, so I usually spend my all free time there, for example to buy a snack during school break or to have lunch with my friends after school! I really like the colors of this market and also is a place where you can feel the old Sicilian atmosphere.
The best things you can eat there are “pane e panelle” (bread with pancake made of chickpea flour) and “pane ‘ca meusa” (bread and veal spleen). I usually buy it with my friends for lunch!
Mauro himself also writes:
Ballarò is with the final accent. Surely some Italian-American people can remember this name. It’s an old market and I love topass through it, listening to the sellers shouting the best quality of their products, or looking at the explosion of colours. And then I love the fish. There, you can find the fresh one and many kinds for all the people. You can buy very cheap fish or very expensive, but it is always fresh.
It’s the oldest market in Palermo. The other big one is Il Capo. La Vucciria is almost closed, as there are only a few shops, very different from the past. Ballarò is near the Central Station in the old Palermo. I go there every Saturday to buy fresh fish. Giorgia’s school is very close to the market and she can eat that kind of food every day. Street food, I mean. But unluckily, she and her friends prefer McDonald’s… No comment.
I used to go to the market when I was a child because my grandfather lived there, in a flat in the main square. You can buy fish and vegetables to take home. But you can also find all the street foods you see in the pictures: pane e panelle, pane ca’ meusa, frittola, musso and so on… Are some names of the food you’ll taste when you come to visit us.
Si Mangia Bene nel Mercato Ballarò! E mille grazie a Mauro e Giorgia per la sua bellissima contribuzione!
Hi Karen! It was a pleasure taking this pictures for you! I’m very enthusiastic to share this part of my city with everyone!
I hope to see you soon, maybe here in Sicily!
All the best!
Giorgia
What a wonderful story! I love that you showed them around your favorite markets in NYC! When I (someday!!) get to Sicily, I will definitely be stopping by their market to say hello!:-)
Il mercato è sicuramente la parte più viva,colorata,allegra della città.Farlo vedere al di fuori dell’Italia è sicuramente piacevole!!! Complimenti. Mario (Mauro’s friend)
Hi Simona!!
Thank you! It was so great to meet you! And thanks for your nice comments.
Hopefully we’ll meet again very soon.
All the best,
Karen
Mauro and family…..this is such a wonderful video of a part of your beloved Palermo! Great job to you and Georgia!! Angelo and I WILL get there one day!! Love to all of you! Cathy!
Hi, Karen.
I really like those pictures and I always think of the day we spent together in NYC.
I hope meeting you again in a near future.
I wish you all the best.
Ciao, Simona
Hi Karen, Giorgia, Mauro !! Thanks for the beautiful tribute to one of the most folk places of Sicily ! Your images, your words are full of passion and emotion, the same that I proved when I was there !
Un abbraccio forte
vedere che il mercato della mia amata citta’ e sbarcato in america ,i’m proud of thanks…………….
mauro just wanted to say hi.i like the market and all the fresh foods.we have a public market here in rochester where you can go and buy food direct from the vendors and save alot of money,plus everything is fresh,there is nothing like it.i guess being italian means we love to eat.take care and tell your family i wish you all the best,maybe i can visit palermo someday,it would be great to meet you and your family.if you know on any nice single italian women send them my way.take care god bless all of you cousin frank basile
Even if it’s only virtually Mauro is considered a very precious friend of mine. Very caring, concerned, attentious. Likes to explore many different places and, with him, his beautiful family. I only follow their adventures by checking pictures on FB
And,…… this market is fabulous!!!! Very nice!!!
Woow! It’s awesone to see a part of sicily in
NY.. You did a great job in particular for all sacrifice
Congratulation!!!
A biggest kiss from oriental part of sicily
….Catania…
Marco (Mauro’s friend)
So proud of my cousins! Mauro is always exploring the world and meeting people, runs in the family
So fun to see your daughters grow. Beautiful post also by Karen. Non vedo l’ora di rivedervi!