Spilimbergo Market

Went to the Spilimbergo Market this morning with some friends and decided to take my new camera,The Canon Rebel, along to check out it's potential... Boy, do I love this camera...The options are fabulous...It's worth every bit of it's cost and more!

Both artichokes and radicchio are in season right now. Radicchio is known as Italian chicory. It usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. We especially like it grilled with salt/pepper and a little extra-virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

We also bought some amazing mushrooms and our favorite cheese - Formaggio Ubriaco or "Drunken cheese". This cheese was born out of necessity: when the oils used to treat the cheese rind became scarce and expensive, the cheese makers decided to use local wine instead. The curds are left to mature for about 20 days before being immersed in black grapes, usually of the Cabernet, Merlot or Raboso varieties, in a warm room and are then doused continuously with pressed wine for 35- 40 hours. The rind grows very hard, and adopts a dark wine color. The inside has a distinctive flavor, piquant and sweet at the same time, and is very fragrant, with a hint of red wine. Yum, parmesan cheese with a hint of red wine... Does it get any better than that?...