Making Good Memories

Good Memories sounds much better in Italian, Buon Ricordi.

My name is Judy and I have an addiction.

There are not a lot of things I can’t live without.
After being in Italy for almost 25 years, I can get along without most of the little things in life that I thought I needed. I have learned to make do, substitute or live without many of lifes little niceties.

BUT I absolutely adore my Buon Ricordo plates!

inside Da Gennarino in Livorno, with his collection or plates
So when we found a sign on the gate in front of our house, that the electricity
would be off from 8am to 3pm today, seemed like a great time to split!

Living in Florence, one of the biggest “treats” in life is going to eat fish.
Inland over an hour from the sea ( which can take 7 hours in the summer traffic!)
driving to the coast can be a major event.

When asked where we should eat, I had no doubt in my mind,
anywhere with a Piatto di Buon Ricordo!

I decided to head for the closest place at the sea.

Livorno!

I had always heard they had a lovely central market so that was an easy choice.

the lovely mercato in Livorno, often called the Tuscan Venice.

The Vettovaglie market celebrated it’s 100 year anniversary in 1994.

This fabulous affresco was commissioned by the owner
( below)
he is on the right in the affresco!
When he saw I recognized him, he graciously posed.

Telling me he had worked in the market for over 50 years.

The inside of the market.

Lunch was lovely!

To get the Piatto, you have to eat the specialty of the house.
This is the specialty

Pasta with cacciucco sauce.

Cacciucco is the famous fish soup from Livorno.
It is supposed to have as many kinds of fish as it does “c’s” so five.

This sauce was a mildly spicy light tomato with octopus and mussels.
The portion awas so large I only ate half.

We had started with

the tasting
Marinated fresh anchovies with red onions and vinegar
Octopus salad
shrimp toasts
mussels, shrimp and squid salad

Main course of lightly breaded baked prawns and squid, with lovely sauce

oven-roasted artichokes.

Buon Ricordi!

Ristorante Gennarino
via Santa Fortunata, 11

Livorno