The bustling Catania market in Sicily moves an astonishing volume of fish, produce, and meat, but for me the real spectacle is the people. These markets are unimaginably old; fishmongers have been selling in Catania since at least Roman times, if not earlier. The current location, tucked behind the fountain near the main square, is only about a century and a half old because the market has shifted around the city over its long history. In its present form—with fish being butchered in full view, boisterous vendors calling out, and the activity focused in a sunken pit—it carries forward a tradition woven through Sicilian history, feeling at once utterly contemporary and stubbornly traditional.
At first, I hesitated to descend into the pit, but I am glad I did. Beth ventured down as well and bought swordfish for our dinner. As you can see, women appear here only as customers, though they, too, often command the space with large, forceful personalities.
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