Anguria

'Mangi, beva e lavi la tua faccia'.. is an old Sangiorgese saying and it's also what you do with watermelon.

You eat, drink and wash your face.

Anguria (or zipangulu in dialect) is a summery treat that is as good a reason as any to be envious of anyone travelling in Italy in the late summer. Having finished many a meal with watermelon, it's something that I now associate with our time there. For me, smells and flavours, in particular, conjure up distinct memories.

We'd gone to the market. Usually, I'm the one wandering off.. lured on by the call of a vendor or the glimpse of piles of fresh something or other. But on this day, someone else is missing. While I had certainly noticed the massive watermelons piled at one of the first stalls we passed, I didn't notice one being carried off by my (now absentee) shopping companion.

At an easy 12kg, this wasn't one to be missed. And it was melon perfection, seeds and all. Astonishingly sweet, it tasted of childhood summers at the beach. Forget all the tasteless, seedless specimens you've had in the past. Eat, drink and wash your face - go for the traditional.

I found this photo while perusing the pictures of our 04 trip to Italy and it reminded me of this issue Barbara was having with her local fruit and veg vendor. This was not a problem in the Cittanova weekday market where the lack of a posted price would be a cause of great grief to the vendor. The prices are clearly marked but they are, however, open to negotiation.

This zipangulu's for you Barbara.. We're both hoping that your wishes come true.