Patrizia runs the wonderful fruit and vegetable shop in La Villa. She will select the best produce for you. Ask her for the perfect melon for lunch and she will find it. Which oranges are the best for juice…..she will tell you. Which peaches are ready to eat now…..she knows.
Look for her shop in the centre of La Villa, opposite the tiny piazza in Via Umberto1.
Bella Bagni di Lucca 
It is a wonderful little shop!
We are lucky to have such a good selection in the village and Patrizia is very helpful.
Probably a silly question, but if she already selected the best for you, what happens for the next customer?
In a lot of small shops in Italy you are requested not to touch the produce, so the assistant chooses for you. If you want to eat a melon for lunch today she would choose a ripe one. If you wanted it to be ready in a day or two, she would choose accordingly. Or she might ask if you prefer your apples very sweet, or perhaps more tart and she would choose the right type.
All Patrizia’s fruit and veg are excellent. It doesn’t matter whether you’re first or last in the queue, you will still get good produce. It’s not like that cartoon of two women standing at a melon bin in an American supermarket, where the first to arrive is taking ages to feel and smell each one and the second says, ‘Please give me the second best.’ I don’t know what Patrizia does with the peaches she doesn’t sell in time; maybe she has a pig.
I remember Patrizia’s shop well Debra! I have a lovely photo of her beautiful strawberries snapped through the window when she wasn’t looking….;-) And how wonderful are those artichokes….?
I’m surprised the smell of the strawberries didn’t drag you into the shop.
Me too actually! I do love strawberries. I’ll just have to concoct a way to post the photo. Stay cool!
I’m delighted you’ve posted an article on this fruit shop. In all the time we’ve been going to Bagni we’ve never once stepped in side this shop, and for the life of me I don’t know why. We’ve looked in the window, marvelled at the little building with its attractive rooftop terrace above it, but never been in. We’ll have to change all that next time we’re over. Great pics as usual,
I particularly like the second photo of the artichokes – what a delicious vegetable, almost
non-existent in the UK. Mmm artichoke hearts in olive oil and a little white wine vinegar!
Patrizia will be delighted to serve you I am sure. Go in and get some of those artichokes.