Took my long walk to the grocery store today, up along Corso San Gottardo, where the little specialty shops are, as well as a few “bigger” stores. The grocery store has a good variety and good quality.

In my shopping bag today was: a big red pepper, a half dozen on-the-vine tomatoes, green beans, garlic, red onion, chicken thighs, fresh little mozzarelline, grana padano hard cheese, ricotta forno (which, I think, is a roasted ricotta), tomato sauce, rucola (arugula), cannellini and borlotti beans and a box of plastic bags. A half a block away at the little corner store, I bought a half dozen bottles of “Acqua Frizzante“, sparkling mineral water, a staple. I don’t have a menu planned, but I’ll whip up something…

Along San Gottardo I can’t tell you how many little “pasticerie” there are, tempting passersby – and me – with their displays of pastries, breads and other delicious foods. I succumbed and stepped in to buy a little something. I came out with a half dozen, bite-sized “biscotti al coco” (coconut macaroons) and “frollini al cioccolato” (a dry little cookie with chocolate bits in it).