We walked out of CONAD today for €10.00. Among our purchases
The thing that drove the bill up? Dried cranberries, a small bag for €4.25.
We can buy great bottles of wine for €10-13. I am in my happy place and making pasta al’amatriciana tonight!
Where were you? You can't expect the same prices all over Italy.
Barilla
Avoid Barilla if you can, it's so cheap for a reason.
We found very reasonable grocery store prices in Germany and the UK during our two, monthlong visits this summer. Groceries were cheaper than US grocery stores almost item by item. We were staying in houses for 2-3 weeks at a time so we shopped several times.
Dario, We are in Ortisei. Not the cheapest place in the country. Barilla? I think it is fine. Merely a base for my fine sauce tonight. I think it is all they had at CONAD, and this is, as you know, a place with an interesting fusion of cuisine. Speck anyone?
Mona, We have similar experiences every year as we do long stays and cook a lot. I have paid a bit more attention lately as we all seem to be complaining about inflation but at these prices, I can beat my home budget hands down. The price of meat, however, is a bit scary. But Italian cuisine doesn’t require much meat to be great.
One of my favorite dishes! I’ve tried to replicate at home in the states but most difficult is the protein, not that it has much but it is important for the flavor. Curious what you are using in yours? I have defaulted to pancetta since it is the easiest to find here at home.
Side note - one of my friends received a gift package from one of her former Italian exchange students and in the package was a jar of barilla amatriciana sauce - I have not found this locally in the states but thought worth mentioning you may be able to find it there. I am curious how the jarred version is.
Enjoy!
Crystal, No jarred sauce at Casa Barton! I do resort to pancetta at home and am totally fine with that outcome, although Dario might be rolling his eyes. Here in the Val Gardena I use speck, the local product. I will try to remember to PM my recipe to you. All my American guests love it and I did dare to feed it to a couple of Italians from the embassy when I lived in Roma. They didn’t shy away from wolfing it down!
Glad you are enjoying yourself Laurel. I just got your Val Gardena book from Amazon in the mail. Wish I was there too! A friend of mine is there for her first visit and is absolutely loving it!
Thanks Tammy!
I’m in NYC this week, in midtown Manhattan.
One liter bottle of sparkling water at the supermarket: $3.99.
Bananas: $0.85 each
At a low priced Italian restaurant (owned by a Neapolitan)
Spaghetti alla carbonara: $24
Spaghetti allo scoglio (seafood) $26
Tiramisu: $11
Of course, add at least 25% to the above to account for tax and tip.
And this one was the cheapest restaurant so far.
Basically 3 times the prices you pay in Italy for the same items.
Roberto, $11 for tiramisu is a crime!
I don’t usually pay too much attention to prices but meat is truly up here in Italy. Produce is a real bargain. I am sure that when we get to Switzerland sticker shock will return with a vengeance.
Out of curiosity, do you mean just beef when you speak about meat being expensive? Or about all kinds of, like pork and lamb and other four-legged animals who shouldn't be named?
Thanks, Laurel! I hear ya and while jarred may be Italian blasphemy I admit I would try it if I were to find it simply out of curiosity since it doesn’t seem to be available in the states.
Would love to have your recipe, I’m sure it will inform where I can tweak mine.
We spent the month of July in Italy - Rome, Calabria & Puglia, to be exact - and the grocery prices were considerably lower than here in Portland, OR. Most restaurants were cheaper as well.
We didn't buy meat to cook, but bought plenty of prosciutto and bresaola (swoon, my favorite!) and it was all very reasonable.
I've had a bit of sticker shock coming back.
Buon appetito!
Hi Laurel,
Please send me your recipe for pasta al’amatriciana. Thanks!
I’ve been following your trip on your blog.
Wow! It’s incredible that Ric’s wallet was found.
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
I’m in NYC this week, in midtown Manhattan.
Roberto, we were in lower Manhattan at almost the same time, (9/3 -9/8). Young friends live in Tribeca but they say it's their last year as it has gotten so expensive to live there.
