As I described in my prior post, which you can read on this link, Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx, the northernmost borough of New York City, has been a "Little Italy" marketplace for many generations. My last post showed many of the seafood stores and restaurants on the avenue, and now I'd like to show a variety of the other stores on Arthur Avenue. (All photos and collages will enlarge if clicked on once and then clicked on again when they open on a new page.)
As I stated in my last post, my husband was born in Calabria, Italy, and I know his region is known for its delicious cured dried pork sausage called sopressata, so I was curious to see what types would be for sale in the Calabria Pork Store located at 2338 Arthur Ave.
Momma mia! Sausages of all kinds by the hundreds, maybe thousands, were hanging from the ceiling! Countless cured sopprassata and capicollo dangled tauntingly over my head. The aroma was sweet and pungent and oh, so tempting!
The Calabria Pork Store also sells many varieties of fresh sausage and pancetta, which is an Italian bacon, plus they are a full-service deli, with roasted peppers and olives, fresh cheeses, seafood salads and dried pastas for sale.
All the meat markets along the avenue are also outstanding as far as their variety and selection of prime cuts of meats.
I am not used to seeing almost whole butchered animals hanging in the windows of a butcher shop, and I have to admit the sight was a little disconcerting and enough to make me rush by them.
The bakeries were a much more welcoming sight!
I really enjoyed looking at the goods the Teitel Brothers sold. Located at 2372 Arthur Avenue, they are importers of specialty Italian foods, oils and cheeses.
Their selection of authentic Italian products would excite any foodie and I found their prices quite reasonable. The next time I return I will bring a long shopping list with me.
There are not only food stores available on Arthur Ave. Above and below are photo mosaics of other Italian imports that are available in many different specialty stores. Beautiful christening gowns and suits, glassware, espresso coffee sets, statues, appliances, decorative items, etc., are for sale.
In the heart of this Little Italy is the Arthur Avenue Retail Market located at 2344 Arthur Avenue. It is a large indoor market under one roof which houses more than a dozen vendors. It was opened by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the 1940's as an effort to get vendor pushcarts off the crowded streets.
The market is vast, and the center isles are packed with a wonderful selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile, the perimeter of the indoor market contains stores that have a dizzying array of of every imaginable Italian fresh and imported food products.
Fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese are made on the premises. There are barrels full of different selections of olives, salted dried capers, and sun dried tomatoes. There are counter full of every kind of prepared foods too -- rice balls, potato croquettes, fish salad, stuffed peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, macaroni salads, etc.
If you can't wait to carry your purchases home you can eat right on the premises. I think I'd sit at the Humphrey Bogart table.
As I was leaving Arthur Avenue, I was clicking away with my camera. A vendor called out to me and pointed to this apron that he had for sale. While it does not describe me, I think it summed up my feeling about Arthur Avenue perfectly!
I'm linking tis post to Mary at The Little Red House "Mosaic Monday" event. Please visit Mary today and see her beautiful photo mosaic and links to all the blogs participating in her event.
