Colorful breakfast: Macarons or Macaral?

I took some pictures, they’re very colorful and bright, looking so happy. They’re about this new trend of ‘Macarons‘, something I thought was produced in France. I’m speaking – writing?! 🙂 – by using the past tense, because, in fact, some days ago I discovered something different. There was this old lady, who was working in one of the most colorful and modern cake design/pastry of Florence – Rinaldini its the name – and she told me that their origins are Italian, they’re part of the Made-in-Italy-history.

In fact, by looking at the following pictures, you will see that they’re called ‘Macaral‘ in order to be distinguished from the universal trend of nowadays. I think that LadurĂ©e brand is playing a very essential role in the diffusion of those biscuits all around the world, and it’s also helping to spread the conviction that macarons are from France, even if it’s not true.

Macaral - Rinaldini - Florence

Anyway, wherever they’re from, it seems you can’t avoid to have 2, 3, 4, 5 (…) Macaral at least once in your life, for breakfast or a break in the afternoon..

Rinaldini pastry - Macaral in Florence

And if when you are in front of those colorful infinite rows, you have such difficulties to choose the best flavors, just don’t worry, it’s normal! You’ll be displayed all the possible flavors of the world…violette, strawberry, pistachos, licorice, chocolate, coffee and many, many others.

If you want a tip: just choose by the color 🙂

Italian markets

Italian markets are something so traditional that you can’t live in Italy and enjoy this specific part of any Italian life. You can go everywhere, with any of your friend, and enjoy clothes markets, vintage markets, street food, food market from all around the world…

And this happened to me some weeks ago, when I came across what I thought it was the Xmas market 2014. But I was wrong, anyway, I thought it was too much early for Xmas.

And here we are: I was going towards Santa Croce when I saw so many people, and in 2 minutes I was in front of hundreds of food corners and little shops that were selling any kind of stuff.

What do you think they are?

flower 2014-10-31 23.45.29

Flower and herb seeds, fruits, oranges and ginger and more..

licorice

licorice, licorice roots and very big black bricks made of this plant.

And going on with food markets full of sausages, porks, strudels, ‘vin chaude’, apple pies and so on…

I was really sad to know it was going to be open just for 2 days,

hence I couldn’t do anything else but buying sweeties and homemade products and weird buiscuits.