Old England Stores – the place to go if you hanker to bring out the Branston!
We are doing a watercolour painting class over this weekend – and I happen to know that one of the delegates loves cheddar cheese and that our tutor loves Marmite so I thought I would try out this store to see whether I could buy Branston Pickle and Marmite …. and sure enough there they were …….almost first things on the shelf as you walk in!
Well! Who would have thought it?
I suppose anyone who has seen Franco Zeffirelli‘s film “Tea with Mussolini” would be aware that Florence between the wars was bristling with Brits – and an Italian called Carlo Marcacci saw the opportunity and opened his store in 1924 – providing practically everything a British Expatriate could possibly miss – including a variety of teas, coffee, biscuits, chocolates, spices, sauces, whisky, pâtés, caviar and smoked Scottish salmon!
But not only food is provided – there are also perfumed soaps by Floris, Trumper and Penhaligon, Cashmere and lambswool jumpers and a fine selection of raincoats and strong umbrellas – and believe me when it rains in Florence the umbrellas proffered hopefully by the Senegalese in the streets don’t last for long – there is a need for a sturdy umbrella!
These days the shop is still in the same location where it was built in 1924, in a space created by closing the alleyway that connected Via Vecchietti and Via Brunelleschi, and the back still provides access to the former stables of Palazzo Medici Rosselli del Turco , which were converted into the stockroom.
It is much bigger than it seems from the frontage and is still run by the same family with Antonio Marcacci as the third generation proprietor.
Travelling regularly to and fro as I do I don’t usually have time to miss English specialities but I hope that these two luxury goods (they don’t come cheap!) together with the huge waxed knuckle of cheddar that I brought with me will go down well with my guests!
We still have two spaces available for the classes on Friday 14th, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March – lunches are provided every day , but much more importantly the teaching is excellent!
