Food tours – Despite its cold temperatures, January is the perfect month to rediscover the authentic flavours of winter. The garden and orchard offer us a wide choice of flavors and intense colors, perfect to warm up the coldest days and satisfy our palate as well as rich in vitamins and useful for our well-being.
What are the best fruits of the month of January and their benefits
Impossible not to start talking about the fruits symbol of winter: citrus. Versatile, tasty and rich in vitamin C, citrus fruits are valuable for our immune system and help us to defend ourselves from seasonal influences and ailments.
Another seasonal fruit rich in vitamin C is kiwi – delicious in a fruit salad with citrus! – which also has a lot of antioxidants.
Finally, how to forget the great winter classics, apples and pears. In addition to being delicious, they contain a large amount of fiber and vitamins and are perfect for eating natural, to be taken with them to school or work or to cook sweet treats.
The vegetables of January: between taste and well-being
Also with regard to vegetables, January offers a lot of choice, starting from artichokes, the prodigious cleansing and antioxidant properties, are perfect for risotto, omelette or eaten natural, both raw and cooked.
Another vegetable to add to the January shopping list is definitely cabbage – cauliflower, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – which contain vitamins and minerals and are useful for many recipes, from soups to side dishes.
Finally, carrots, delicious both cooked and raw and rich in beta-carotene, a valuable substance for our eyes and skin.
Where to discover seasonal fruits and vegetables: the food markets
Close your eyes and imagine walking inside a food market, immersed in the scents of winter season. Imagine being able to choose the best local products, taste them and bring home the unique taste of winter.
Why imagine it if you can do it? In fact, in Italy, the organization of food markets is very widespread even in smaller cities, usually on a weekly or monthly basis.
Why visit a food market? Because it is an entirely different experience than shopping in a supermarket. In this case you will have the opportunity to discover the variety of local products according to their seasonality and get in touch with the local gastronomic culture.
Not only fruits and vegetables: the best gastronomic destinations in January
Fruits and vegetables are a valuable asset for our diet and affect our health but there are many other seasonal products that stand out in January.
If you want to immerse yourself in the culinary culture of a different place from yours, then find out which are the best gastronomic destinations in Italy in January.
Bolzano
Here you can visit the famous market of Piazza delle Erbe where you can taste typical products of the area including speck, cheeses and cold cuts.
Turin
The capital of Piedmont will surprise you with its Porta Palazzo market, one of the largest in Europe. Here you can buy local seasonal products, such as the white truffle of Alba, as well as taste the specialties of Piedmont cuisine.
Florence
In Florence do not miss the central market of San Lorenzo, the most famous in the city where you can buy meat, fish, cheese, salami, vegetables, bread and bakery products as well as taste the best Tuscan specialties.
Rome
The capital offers several gastronomic markets and, among all of them, stands out the market of Campo de’ Fiori where you will feel like being inside a real temple of food.
Typical Roman products, seasonal fruits and vegetables, cheeses and meats: the market of Campo de’ Fiori is an experience that will make you get in touch with the city of Rome and feel all its energy.
Perugia
Umbria is a region rich in typical products such as black truffle, extra virgin olive oil and cured meats.
We recommend you to visit the covered market of Perugia, one of the largest and oldest in the region. A lively and colorful place where you can find local products of all kinds: seasonal fruits and vegetables, cheeses, cold meats, fresh bread, olives, honey and much more.
Naples
In Naples, don’t miss the Pignasecca market, the most famous of the city, which we can define as a great celebration of local food.
Authentic flavors, typical atmosphere and taste merge in this place that seems far from time and space, as if it has always remained the same, despite the passing of years. After the market, however, do not miss the famous Neapolitan pizza!
Palermo
Sicily is a paradise for food lovers and, among the most famous and appreciated gastronomic markets, we find the Vucciria of Palermo.
A place with a chaotic and cheerful atmosphere, where the voices of the vendors blend with the inviting smells of Sicilian specialties and, above all, where it is impossible not to be conquered by the inimitable flavors of this land.
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