Wandering through Bologna’s open air food market I came upon this carton filled with these green balloon-like spheres and I was stumped. I wasn’t carrying my dictionary with me so I didn’t understand the sign. I decided to ask the vendor whether it was a fruit or a vegetable. He looked at me like I was crazy and answered “cetrioli” and walked away. Well, I can read so I knew the name. An elderly Italian woman walked up and asked the same question and he launched into a lengthy discussion with her. I guess he had not time for “tourists”.
Cetrioli are cucumbers. I’ve never seen any like these before!
Panini Girl 
June 11, 2012 at 4:51 pm
I’ve never seen cucumbers like that before in Italy where we live.
June 12, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Cathy-I thought the same thing!
June 11, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Cucumbers? Those cucumbers have been eating a McDonalds based diet!
Would love to try one though
June 12, 2012 at 2:01 pm
B.-I should have bought one and taken a bite. Next year when you are in Italy with me we’ll try all sorts of things together…
June 11, 2012 at 8:21 pm
I noted that they came from Sicily, if the carton and the vegetable are actually from the same place. My Dad was known to shout out the car window to someone who made some driving error, “Cetrull” (my phonetic spelling, his Neapolitan accent).
When I asked my mother for a translation her answer was – cucumber!
June 12, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Notes From Nonna-I love your comment!!!
June 12, 2012 at 4:51 am
Perhaps a lemon cuke variation.
June 12, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Carol-I was thinking the same thing.
June 12, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Odd, yet beautiful as all veggies in Italy seem to be.
June 13, 2012 at 1:26 am
Our Kitchen Inventions-I love renting an apartment when in Italy so I can cook a few meals, however I want to eat in restaurants as much as possible too!