Visit to the Market and the Lavazza Museum

Saturday October 8 was a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 23C.  Warm, a bit muggy and there was some drizzle late in the day.

After breakfast, we headed out to the main market (largest in Europe) to get food for the next few days.  The Saturday market was buzzing--- both the 100s of outside stalls and the indoor market.  The market is open later on Saturdays.

Lots of grapes

Herbs galore--- we saw piles of beautiful mint

So many stalls

We stopped to buy some fresh pasta in the indoor market.  We got about 300 grams of lovely thin egg pasta.  I couldn't believe we only paid 1.97 euros!  We usually pay between $6- $7 Canadian at Eataly in Toronto for the same amount of pasta.

Fresh Pasta and sauces

The market goes on and on

We returned to the fish store we were at on Wednesday and bought a piece of salmon filet

Outside of the indoor market where the meats, fish and cheeses are sold

We bought some wonderful pecorino here

We went back to the apartment with our provisions and had a light lunch.  We then headed off to the Lavazza Museum in an area we hadn't visited.  It was about a 25 minute walk.

Outside the Lavazza Museum


Alonso and a large coffee pot

Fiat "Musone"(big muzzle) because of grill work-- one of the first post-war adaptation of a pre-war car.

We were given a coffee cup on a lanyard to use on interactive displays.

The museum has five themed area.  The first room dealt with the family history of the Lavazzas.  Luigi was born in 1859 in the small town of Murisengo in Piedmont.  At 26, he moved to Torino with a loan of 50 lire.



The history of the business was outlined chronologically.  There are five generations of Lavazzas in the business.  Luigi's original shop on Via San Tommaso is still a Lavazza coffee shop today.  We think we passed it the other day--- will definitely stop in now.



The family was very philanthropic - they financed the construction of a nursery school in their hometown

 Picture from the 1930s


During the war,


The family back in Murisengo where Luigi and Emilia, his wife, retired

Silver Medal given to Luigi Lavazza in 1938

Luigi and Emilia.  Luigi passed away on August 6, 1949 at the age of 90.

Following WWII, the business is run by Luigi's children.

Alonso  with the interactive coffee cup on a table listening to an audio about the family

There was a section on advertising.  Armanda Testa (1917-1992) worked on many successful and iconic Lavazza campaigns.  His agency still does work for the company.

From Helmut Newton's calendar for Lavazza in 1993



Lavazza supports Museum exhibits-- Guggenheim in NYC
                                         

Sports cup collection

Andre Agazzi, Lavazza Global Ambassador 2017


La Fabbrica section was devoted to the coffee production processes from plantations to the coffee harvest.


There was a section called La Piazza (the Square) which is the heart and soul of a town.


This section featured various coffee making machines and a number of videos showing very innovative coffee drinks.



A spherical bicerin

New coffee cocktails developed by the Lavazza team

The Carmencita Moka pot designed by Marco Zanuso in 1979.  One of the most popular household objects in Italian kitchens

Examples of changing designs of Lavazza cups- beautiful blue lettering

There was a Lavazza autobar--- very innovative strategy to promote the brand throughout Italy.

Inside the Lavazza autobar

Lavazza autobar


We then went upstairs for a series of wonderful displays, called ''L'Atelier" where the installations give the impression of a film set.  There were lots of opportunities for souvenir photos to be taken.

Caballero and Carmencita-- the famous Lavazza characters who were on TV


Lavazza's Café Paulista was a huge campaign  in 1965

A selfie that worked


From the Paradise advertising campaign

There was an interactive site where we could pose for a photo.  It was part of the "Paradise" advertising campaign for Lavazza.   The Paradise campaign started in 1995.  

We're in heaven.... what fun!

In 1993, photographer Helmut Newton shot the first Lavazza calendar. This results in the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration between Lavazza and some of the great internationally-known photographers.

Melange of photos taken by Newton, Ellen von Unwerth, Ferdinando Scianna among others


We were at the Caffé Tripoli in Martina Franca, Puglia last October
and saw this picture taken by Ferdinando Scianna for Lavazza.               

At the end of the tour, there was a coffee bar and we were given a drink.  Non-alcoholic mix of Lavazza cold brew and sour cherry lemonade.  Quite refreshing.

Alonso with his drink


Gift shop- very well designed

There are two Rivers that run through Torino.  The Po, which is not a large river as it passes through Torino, and another small river, the Dora.  We crossed the Dora to get to the Lavazza Museum.

Walking across the Dora River--- Mole Antonelliana in the distance


We contemplated stopped at Al Bicerin again but there was a line up.  We noticed that the church across from the coffee shop was open, so we stepped in.

Santuario della Consolata


Beautiful interior


We walked back to Via Garibaldi and stopped for a coffee at Pasticceria Tamborini, in operation since 1812.

We then went back to the apartment for a late dinner of the fresh pasta we bought today with a home-made tomato sauce, green beans, a salad and some Nebbiolo wine.  

Alonso having dinner.

We are following the Blue Jays game on our MLB app and I am working on the blog.  Go Jays Go!! 
















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