I went off to do some weekend food shopping in Eataly, a massive, and possibly monstrous, new food emporium strategically placed right next door to Liverpool Station. I have been often to their branch outside Pinerolo, but am not quite sure what to think of its sense of massive super-abundance immediately post-lockdown. It feels more than faintly immoral. But I’m not averse to that feeling of being in an Italian supermarket, even if it’s a Hollywood version of one:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
On Charles’s recommendation and to see the spectacle we went to Eataly on Saturday morning. The queue was not too long (it had been an hour and a half on the first two days) but when we arrived at the entrance the door-keeper said “next time come straight in” in respect of my white hair, I suspect. It is indeed massive and faintly immoral – reminding me of the lines of “goodies” as one enters an airport. We bought ravioli, parmesan and fiore sardo; there was only one ravioli, the parmesan was grossly expensive and the fiore clearly stale. Very poor : Lina Stores far better. However the wine department is enormous and very helpfully sorted regionally. We ended up buying bitters: the sales assistant let his ID card accidentally give us his discount – a good £25. He couldn’t correct it and said he would have to say “it was his grandfather” . So we left, as we had, entered – with respect and recognition. Wabi Sabi.
Maybe not such a great recommendation after all ! Charles
Finally got to Eataly and I was interested in the co-opting of Wendell Berry – the quotes on the escalator. A google search led me to this very good article about the whole concept of the store and its global advance:
https://vittles.substack.com/p/italy-isnt-eataly
Dear Joan, Thank you – as always, you are ahead of me ! Such a good and interesting article. I had been to the branch outside Pinerolo and liked it – or at least found it convenient, not least for its scale. But the one in London felt a bit too bland and commoditised, so I’m going to stick to The Green Truffle on the Roman Road (and try out De Calabria). Charles