shopping list for week's stay: Massa Lubrense?
 

Hi!

Would love to get Fodorites ideas for Food shopping list for week's stay in Massa Lubrense (Sorrento Coast). We are a family of 5 with 3 kids (ages 13,12,10). Our villa rental company has offered to stock our kitchen for us and has requested a list of those things that we would like:
milk
oj
bread
water (lots)
cheese
wine
fruit
beer
vegetables(local ideas?)
What cereals?
snacks? ...

Since we are unfamiliar with the local fruits and vegetables, types of breakfast food,and snacks, any help adding to our initial shopping list would be MOST APPRECIATED! Grazie, Lisamarc

I would ask for freshly sqeezed orange juice. Or, if there is a juicer, for fresh oranges. and lots of lemons. As for other fruits and vegetables, ask for local seasonal ones..no sense stocking up on imported fruits and veggies when there are such great local ones in summer. For certain, fresh mozzarella and fresh yogurt. And honey and jams, and butter, of course. And a bottle of limoncello di Capri.

We have stayed in villas in Massa Lubrense and always decline the offer to have rental company buy food since we prefer to purchase what we want when we arrive. Of course, if you are arriving late in the day, it would be convenient to have some things ready for late day snacks and breakfast in the morning.

I suggest getting the minimum just to start you off. Depending upon when you get there, perhaps some late afternoon snacks, cheese, bread, cold drinks, fruit,water, milk, eggs, etc.

It is fun to do the bigger grocery shopping after you settle in. I think the children would enjoy going to the supermarket or local food shops and helping to make selections. We always found just about everything we wanted. We found similar cereals to what we get here in the US and plenty of fruit and vegetables to select from.

Have a great trip to one of our favorite places in Italy!

I had to chuckle, they eat the same food that we do in the USA. I don't know what you are expecting. A blood red orange may be different but that is about it. Buy whatever your children like to eat. Be sure and get some fresh eggs from the local farms. Have fun.

Hi Sea Urchin! I dream of Massa Lubrense! We will visit the area in July.

HI! Me too. I could go for a Jhonnies pizza right now! The one with potatos and zuccini! eeek

HI Marianna: You are the reason we have booked in Massa Lubrense! Thanks for your tips about just getting the basics. We won't arrive until later Sat. evening from Rome and we figured alot of things will be closed Sunday and it would be nice to stay put a day, go to the beach, and chill out. We will have spent the preceding two weeks in Venice, Tuscany, Rome ..hotels. eating out, etc. so the chance to be in one place will be glorious.

Seaurchin: I realize they eat similar food but am not familiar with the local fruits and vegetables so this is good to know...

Ekscrunchy... glad I asked, you gave me great ideas about the yogurt, mozzarella and limoncella.

Thanks everyone. Lisa

Hello Lisamarc,

Aren't you sweet to say that! Now I remember - I think you will stay in a villa we rented. That's the one I dream of - the views are spectacular!

I do hope you enjoy the area as much as we do. It is a special place.

Happy travels to you!

Marianna: That's me! I think I have planned the dream of a lifetime. When I get back if others are interested, I'll post our favorites... I have been provided the most wonderful suggestions from Fodorites and will so enjoy just going with the flow, enjoying our kids, eating lots of gelato and being thankful that we can get away for 3 weeks! To say we are excited is an understatement..ha!

Ciao, Lisamarc

I hope you didn't take my post wrong, I wasn't poking fun. It is just that they grow and eat the same fruit and vegs, I can't think of anything different except zucchini flowers which we rarely have in the US. You will like their tiny tasty strawberries. Their yoghurt tastes richer. hmmmm, can't think of anything else.

Do go to Jhonnies pizza in Massa L. though, I think you will enjoy it.

SeaUrchin: Oh, not at all.. As we do our research about foods of the different regions that we will be visiting across Italy, it's fun to learn of the differences. One of the things we are doing with the kids is to find out about different dishes that are unique to a region and then trying it. The kids will be on a mission to find the best gelato, best meal, best sight etc...great way to document "top finds" in their travel journals and from each region... not to mention, great points for debate..ha! Ciao, Lisamarc

Oh lisamarc, as SeaUrchin mentioned, the zucchini flowers..do get a receipe to cook them but also have them in any restaurant that has them on their menu. Ambrosia!!!

MassaLubrense is a special place..enjoy every moment..and do give us a trip report when you get home and settled in.

Oh, now I am really interested to try the zuchinni flowers... will report back the family's highlights. Thanks for everything Fodorites... great ideas for eating, sightseeing, and enjoying Massa Lubrense with the locals. If you think of anything else in the next week, please pass on to me. Grazie, Lisamarc

Some people think the blood oranges look rotten, not realising that is how they are supposed to look. Your kids might order OJ somewhere and it will be red.

I think the local lemons (of limoncello fame) are much larger, milder,or less tart, than lemons in the states.

There are quite a few flavors of chips -shrimp, etc.

My daughter always liked trying the different chewing gums and candy bars. She also loved all the different Fanta flavors and Fanta is less sweet than the American version.

kybourbon: thanks for the tips.We love blood oranges the time of the year when you get them here. I have made a great marinade with them for fish. Thanks, lisamarc

We stayed in Massa Lubrense years ago on the beach at Hotel Baia Di Puolo near Marina di Puolo. You had to zigzag down the cliff on a tiny lane, through lemon groves to reach the hotel. The lemons were huge!