The program for Il Mercato delle Gaite

Il Mercato delle Gaite

Bevagna, Umbria (Italia), June 27, 2010

On Sunday, we went to Bevagna for the last day of Il Mercato delle Gaite, a splendid medieval festa in the small walled town in central Umbria.  The event that began twenty-seven years ago provides a glimpse into the daily lives of Umbrians from the years 1250 to 1350.

For ten days in June, the medieval shops/workshops (botteghe) and food stands (taverne medievali) are open, mostly in the evening.  This year, the first day’s entertainment included plays and concerts.

The neighborhoods, represented by the town’s four doors (gaite), compete in culinary arts, trades of yesteryear, and archery.

Sunday afternoon, two trumpeters heralded the arrival of the judges as they entered the ancient marketplace where tradesman dressed in period costumes showed off their skills as weavers, iron-workers, painters, bookmakers, and candle-makers.

The erborista explains the benefits of herbs.

A weaver displays her wares.

There were great buys on handmade items at the market—ceramics, leather journals, wool scarves, cloth dolls, and copper pans.  Food and drink were abundant at the taverne, where alcoves along the street were transformed into restaurants.  I usually eat at the taverne where the food is tasty and the prices are reasonable, but it was too hot to sit in the sun at the picnic tables.  Menus offered ravioli or pasta with herbs, garlic, pancetta, and cheese for 6 euro.

Side dishes were a great buy—panzanella (bread salad), cabbage, and fava beans each were between 2 and 2-1/2 euro.  Roast goose was 8 euro.  A liter of cheap wine was 4 euro, and one of Umbria’s top sagrantino wines could be had for 25 euro.  I was sorry to miss the fun of eating among the Italians at one of the communal tables, but it was just too hot.  Instead we ate at Ristorante Enoteca Onofri, my favorite spot in Bevagna.  Soon I’ll write about our lunch (pranzo).

An artisan making the bottom of a basket.

Today, Bill and I went to the mall in Collestrada near Perugia.  He wanted to buy a laptop—I was happy to go because I love to linger at IperCoop, the enormous grocery-department store.  The wine selection is even better than it was a few years ago.

I brought home a bottle of Perticaia Montefalco sagrantino and one of my favorite dessert wines, sagrantino di Montefalco passito.  These delicious wines are almost impossible to find in Califorina. The cheese case is enormous and so is the selection of salami and other cured meats.  The store is so unlike traditional mom and pop stores of yesteryear that it almost feels like a mall in the states.  A fun place to visit–and shop.

A presto, Suzanne