I met my friend Marjorie the other morning at one of the dolci destinations, Desideri, on Via Carini. While I waited for her, and cooled down from the fast walk from Jack’s school, I checked out the amazing display of gelato and dolci—which refers to sweets of all sorts—in the display cases. A steady, but meandering, stream of people stopped in to lean on the counter and order their morning treats—all kinds of cornetti, and cappuccino.
Marjorie arrived, and began to tell me all about the different sweets at this famous cafe. I decided on an almond-covered cornetto, and she asked for un cornetto integrale—one made with whole wheat, and filled with bitter honey. Wow!
Look at this beautiful cappuccino.
From there, we hurried over to Via Nicolini, to the block-long market, to get the good veggies before they were gone. Marjorie took me to her favorite farmer-vendor, and we slowly admired everything on the table. We heard two women exchanging recipe ideas and exclaiming about the first cucumbers and the last melons.
I bought too much, but I have no doubt it will all be cooked and eaten.
I cooked the broad beans in a Roman style—sauteed with olive oil, tomatoes, and garlic, and dressed with plenty of chopped parsley. The tastes were surprisingly complementary, and the taste of the beans was that of simple freshness. It was clear they’d been picked that day.
The Roving Locavore 
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