Among many unforgettable sights are the huge sheets of golden-fried whole pigskins hanging from the rafters, to be broken into portions called chicharrones and eaten as a snack. Pick up lacquer-bright dried chilies and rich Mexican vanilla extract. Stop for a hot wurst and a Munich Weissbier , a pale brew sparked with a dash of lemon. For many city dwellers, the fruit, vegetables, and flowers sold here provide a sense of season. Midsummer is marked by corn, tomatoes, peppers of many colors, zinnias, and roses.
Autumn arrives with chrysanthemums, wild mushrooms, game, and a botanist's array of local apples.
Tastings, book signings, and performances by street musicians add to the festive hubbub. Sides of lamb and goat are split and hung to show organs in situ , and olives glint like polished stones. Piles of eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers, next to trays of salt-dried capers and bottles of golden olive oil, will put you in the mood for caponata. For lunch, try a focaccia stuffed with innards and a gelato in brioche, the world's most remarkably lush ice cream sandwich. Vendors arrive almost at dawn to erect their tables and tents, and depart shortly after lunch.