FOOD MARKETS III

The series explores where quality food is produced in Europe and the markets that sell it. Local vendors, foodmakers and awarded chefs lead the stories, from Helsinki where fish and vegetables are conserved for the long dark winters, to the bustling Palermo where juicy fruits are available all year round. Lisbon clings to its long tradition of eating fish, while in Amsterdam we have produce of greenhouses that are technological marvels. Food markets play an ever important role in making fresh produce available daily and, as the Viktualienmarkt in Munich, are also vital social centers.

AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam is the place where new and old meet… and are displayed in all its amazing food markets! Here we can enjoy the best raw herrings and the most authentic Dutch “stroopwafels”. We can experience the true taste of Gouda cheese, collect wild oysters in the North Sea, eat a seaweed burger and discover the country’s first algae cultivation.

HELSINKI
Helsinki’s food markets offer the most astonishing products coming from Karelia in the East, Lapland in the North and the Islands to the West. In this episode we see reindeers running through the woods, we go fishing on the iced waters of the archipelago and end our journey with the locals, enjoying a coffee and a Munkkipossu, a typical fried pastry, in the market square.

LISBOA
Since around 1800, the “Mercado da Ribeira” treasures the best food Lisbon has to offer: lemons from the Mafra region, bright red peppers, black pig ham from Alentejo, and the octopuses fished in Cascais. We end our day sipping a cold glass of amarguinha and enjoying the views of the city from the many traditional kiosks located around the market hall.

MUNCHEN
The Viktualienmarkt is the true “belly” of Munich. Here we find temporary stalls serving seasonal food, but also permanent shops selling white Bavarian sausages, an endless variety of potatoes, organic honey and game. Following the best food artisans, we learn how cheese is matured, what a Schmalznudeln is and how a chocolate praline is made.

PALERMO
Placed in the middle of Palermo’s ancient streets, Ballarò is the city’s largest market. Here street food is a must, where one can taste dozens of roasted, salted, pickled and fried fish and meat specialties. Guided by the shouts of the vendors, we taste the sweetest tangerines from the ‘Golden Basin’ and the wild fennel from the arid inland, as well as discovering the art of baroque cake design.

Italy / Germany / 2017 / 5 x 52’
Produced by: Stefilm
In collaboration with: RAI 1, ZDF, ARTE, RSI, Majade Filmproduktion