Snapshots from Greece: The Modiano Market in Thessaloniki
Note: Our own Erin Zimmer just returned from ten days eating and drinking her way around Greece and will be sharing her adventures with us all week as Snapshots from Greece. —Ed.
I feel like travelers can be lumped into two categories: those who get a high from scouting out the local market, whether an average grocery chain or indoor hall with various stalls, and those who don't really care. Some of my strongest associations with cities are the markets—Eastern Market in Washington, the Delvita chain in the Czech Republic, and the English Market in Cork, Ireland. It's like a breathing museum with interesting characters, local produce, and, the always fascinating, foreign brands and packaging.
In Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, the Modiano Market hall takes up an entire square block, with stalls devoted to fresh, Aegean Sea-caught fish on ice, bakeries, coffee shops, watermelon piles, and hanging animal carcasses. It's not as active as it was back in the day (as in, the early 1900s) but it's still buzzing with energy and adorable little Greek men.
Octopus with big nickel-sized suction cups.
Lots of fresh-caught fish.
Two fish stall men taking a cigarette break. They were pretty excited about the photo session.
More fishy.
Bricks of feta floating in feta juices.
A woman looking after her odds-and-ends stall (she had everything from paper plates to instant coffee and sponges).
Cherries were all over Greece. Big, fat, deep-burgundy ones.
Near all the raw drumsticks and other chicken hunks, there was a fridge on wheels with breaded nuggets (in ranging nuggety sizes) that you could buy by weight.
Bakeries along the periphery of the market piled fresh spanikopita (spinach pie).
The Modiano Market is bounded by Aristotelous, Ermou, Vasileos Irakleiou, and Komninon Streets. The usual hours are Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday 5 to 9 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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8 Comments:
"adorable little Greek men" and "octopus with big nickel-sized suction cups"--
I swear there's a spectator sport in there somewhere.
Oh, and I am one of the "I get a high on local markets" travelers you mention. In fact, I have to be torn away from the market and made to look at "high culture."
Michele Humes at 2:58PM on 07/14/09
I always spend several hours wandering around markets, whether or not I'm on vacation.
Hannah Geller at 3:11PM on 07/14/09
Ooooh this comes at the perfect time for me, I am going to the Greek Islands in September and got a room with a kitchenette just so I could cook!
traceyB at 4:41PM on 07/14/09
those little red fish that go for a whopping 28 Euro/KG are making me hungry. Barbounia/red mullet/rouget might be my favorite. I've noticed that they are really prized by the locals in greece, alexandria, italy, france, etc... i've seen them in pretty good quality at some of the better fish mongers in NYC. love them grilled with olive oil and lemon and eaten like corn on the cob. sigh
foodful at 4:42PM on 07/14/09
I loooove farmer's market. That and the museums when I travel. Markets for sunny days, museums, well, you guess. :) Lovely photos! I'm going to Turkey the end of the month. I'm looking forward to some Mediterranean cultures.
gargupie at 5:15PM on 07/14/09
I spent a semester in Thessaloniki and lived just a few blocks from this market. These photos bring back great memories of fresh figs, pomegranates, and a vendor yelling "Good morning, American princess, would you like some pistachios?." Wonderful.
aguacate at 10:24AM on 07/15/09
Markets, yes. But also hypermercados, convenience stores and vending machines on the street. Love investigating food culture. (Would love to sneak a look into people's kitchen cabinets, too, if I could.
jennywinker at 1:09PM on 07/15/09
I know it's all about the farmer's market but you CANNOT miss the best "soutzoukaki" aka faggot in Thessaloniki at a little place called Vomvidia between Aristotelou and Ermou...oh and don't forget to put some lemon on it!
philysstar at 12:13AM on 07/16/09