SLOW LORIS 38: Cool Display Stands And The Things Within

Things on display at flea markets tells something of the place and culture. Usually a feast to the eyes in terms of colour and vibrancy. One can be amazed by the things and foodstuff being sold. More so if you are an Asian venturing into a historic European city. Am sure the experience will be the same the other way around. One's sense of smell, taste, sound and sight would surely be challenged ( more so in Asia ) and treated.

Super sized strawberries!

Was in the Naschmarkt Flea Market just adjacent to U4 Kettenbruckengasse Vienna subway stop. The place was bustling with people on a sunny Saturday morning. Food products on display here were clean and inviting. Having laid eyes on this heap of strawberries, impulse buying kicked in. As usual, strawberries look better than it taste. I can't complain because its definitely fresh and succulent.

Cheese galore

The cheese selection was quickly browsed through. I am not used to the many curd looking, white cottage cheeses. Looked like it was half done in its semi-processed state. I like my cheese to look fully aged and with a robust taste to boot. Wished I had some pastries to try each type that were offered on sale.

Stuffed vegetables actually looked good

Next came the baked stuffed vegetables in some kind of preserve or another. Hollowed-out chillies, bell peppers, artichokes, tomatoes and a host of other unidentifiable items were filled with ground meat or fish. Am sure its flavoured with some herbs or spices. Great meals if I were a low carb food junkie but have realized my penchant has always been for meat. The array of natural colours were definitely eye-therapy. It was like standing before a hotel buffet and you were trying to decide what to eat.

Pastamania

Pastas here looked fresh and good. Not the traditional long types of pasta, like the masculine spaghetti or the feminine fettuccine, that were displayed here. Instead we have the stuffed pastas like the ravioli, pansotti, agnolotti andtortellini. They come in circular, semicircular (agnolotti), square (raviolli), rectangular and triangle (pansotti) shapes. Some are multi-coloured pastas and was able to recognize at least one spinach flavoured ravioli. The larger ones are those with suffixes -otti ( meaning largish ). The agnolottiare semi-circular stuffed pockets of mixed cheese, meats and vegetables. Should have stayed in a youth hostel to be able to buy, cook and eat some these stuff.

My favourite stall!

Another favourite stall

My favourite stand - store selling dry cured meat of all kinds and shapes. Welcome to the world of prosciutto, pancetta and salamis. Prosciutto can take up to 2 years to cure. Usually served in wafer thin slices, I managed to taste my first prosciutto pharma ham years later thanks to my thoughtful friends. To Aw & Sock Wai, thank you! The recommended way to savour these ham is to serve with sun melon. Not bad but the flavour of the meat came out stronger to me.

Sandwiches here have more greens

Salads to go ...

Kebabs have generous portions here

Sandwiches in Europe certainly looked much more appetizing with its thick layer of green leaves and cheese sticking out. Bite me it screamed. It was difficult to decide which sandwich to go for.

Alas the smell wafting from the kebab store a few stalls away was just too tempting. The smell-test won the day. Turkish kebab it was for me ... in the middle of Vienna's largest flea market.

It is difficult to eat vegetable salads when you are on the move. Though they looked scrumptious I feasted the salads with my eyes only. Took a quick shot before doing my other touristy things.