In an attempt to educate the taste buds of Italy, we booked a stall at the Conzano village fair. We packed 400 packs of crisps into my Mini, one large umbrella to protect us from the blazing Italian sun and five receipt books to help us to comply with the Italian bureaucracy.
My business partner and his daughter also had a full car; it contained one makeshift table and enough provisions to sustain us through the day. At five-thirty in the morning, I foolishly climbed out of bed, drank the tea that Mrs Sensible had made me while she ironed my shirt, had a bowl of soggy cornflakes and sleepwalked my way to my little mini. When I arrived at my partner’s house he was still enjoying a cup of tea and warm croissants for his breakfast.
Not only was it raining, but some fool was trying to drive down the road as we were driving up it.
In convoy we finally set out for Conzano. The promotional leaflet we had been given advertised clowns, angels, sunshine and dancing girls with snakes. Unfortunately when we arrived, we were greeted by white vans, rain, unhappy looking stall holders and big wet looking puddles; oh, did I mention the wind and the driving rain that was arriving horizontally?
The leaflet promised clowns, angels and dancing girls with snakes.
We convened a management meeting underneath a semi-waterproof gazebo to discuss how we were going to erect our sun-proof umbrella. There were many helpful suggestions, including one or two suggestions that can’t be published.
Brown Bag Crisps Management team. This gazebo cost the owner 1,800 euros, but it didn’t look very high to me
At 7.30 am (I should mention that I ‘m normally still be in bed at this time) we decamped and ran through the rain to the nearest bar for a hot cappuccino and the chance to dry out.
A well deserved hot cappuccino after a morning’s hard and demanding work.
When we returned to our rain battered umbrella, we had another short meeting with two other stall holders to discuss whether the weather would improve. While I was taking photos to record this farcical attempt at promoting our crisps, I saw arriving through the driving rain, or at least I am pretty positive that’s what I saw, an old man with a beard walking up the hill of Conzano carrying one hammer and several planks of wood; he was closely followed by two cats, two dogs, two ducks and two of every other kind of animal imaginable. Taking this as a sign, we decided to cut down our sun umbrella and head for home.
You can cut this picture out and colour it in on a rainy day.
To see if we are coming to a sunny festival near you, check out or web site and our facebook page.
Englishman in Italy 
Oh no… soggy crisps 😦
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Soggy Englishman. My jacket is still drying out.
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You’ll dry out. I’m more worried about the crisps.
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They never left the car 🙂 I wish I hadn’t as well.
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I feel better now 😉
That cappuccino looks delicious, though. Not enough to compensate for being soaked right through to your bone marrow, I guess…
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It rained on me from 7 am to 9 am. In that time I managed to drink three cups of cappuccino. Some bright spark said the rain would clear at 3 pm. Ha ha ha ha.
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On those television programmes about people hunting for a new life abroad, they never show these places on a bleak, wet day, do they? You could easily form the idea that the sun is always shining. 🙂 Still, at least you had all those delicious crisps to eat.
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Ha ha ha, Very true, they should show the hassle of dealing with the local post office, or utility bills that were sent at the beginning of the month and arrive on the 24th and must be paid before the end of the month. Having said that I love Italy
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let us know when you decide to take the crisps on the road, sailing them across the pond—Ill be the first in line—the salt and vinegar are a particular favorite 🙂
Here’s to better weather ahead—
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I will send you a pallet of them. Salt and Vinegar are my favorite as well.
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Can you believe it is sunny here today.
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I feel the same way—it’s been a cold soggy spring here in “the sunny south”—poppycock I say!
Best wishes for booming sales!!
ciao ciao
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Thanks Julie.
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Mercato bagnato, mercato fortunato… 😉
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boh! Dripping wet Englishman 😉
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Oh dear… Err… It was worth a try? Perhaps, you have a part two of this story with sunshine and all?
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I fear I have another post on it’s way Spectacular Failure #2
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It’s only 6am here and the thought of salt and vinegar crisps is making my mouth water. Yes, I’m an early riser and yes, I would eat them for breakfast….although not sure they really go well with cappuccino.
Better luck with the next adventure.
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Maybe we should just export them to you. They go better with wine or beer. 😉
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Neither of which I drink here in rainy, soggy Seattle….although many do.
I’m sure they would go fine with a nice tall glass of iced tea. Perish the thought oh Englishman!
I’m afraid the shipping would be out of my price range. I’ll have to look for them the next time I’m in Italy.
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Better luck next time! I enjoyed reading about it.
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🙂 I have just read one of your posts… 🙂 🙂 🙂 It was very funny
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Thanks!!!
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I’m waiting for the second part…
Meanwhile , auguri and congrats for the photo
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Thanks and auguri to you. I am sure there will be a whole series of spectacular failure posts 😉
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‘I saw arriving through the driving rain, or at least I am pretty positive that’s what I saw, an old man with a beard walking up the hill of Conzano carrying one hammer and several planks of wood; he was closely followed by two cats, two dogs, two ducks and two of every other kind of animal imaginable.’
No worries, that was just Russell Crowe promoting his new film. 😉 Was that gazebo a mick-take? I keep hearing about all this short-selling, but thought that it was to do with stock markets.
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I should have stayed and asked for Russell’s autograph. The gazebo had very clever extendable legs, but it was too windy..
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thank you for keeping the crisps. crisp. as for you, well we can dry you out )
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Tsk tsk! I was as wet as a puddle. The crisps are safely back in the storeroom.
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Newton’s law at work once more. Still, what a great adventure for you – blog fodder indeed! 🙂
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As we say in England it was raining cats and dogs. I don’t think my shoes have dried out yet.
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Ugh. Hate wet shoes.
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Surely the whole point of English crisps is that they have to be eaten in the rain!? I’m surprised you gave up so easily, you must have been in Italy too long. No Englishman gives up because of a drop or two of rain… 😉
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A drop or two of rain!!! It was raining of Biblical proportions.
I was either stood under someones else’s gazebo or in the bar drinking cappuccino and still I was completely drenched from my Italian scarf to my British socks.
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It always rains at Easter. The village next door always organises a 3-day footie bonanza and it always gets rained off for at least part of it. Sure enough, it pissed down here too on Sunday and was pretty miserable on Monday. It’s a lovely sunny day today!
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It is wonderful and sunny here too.
Rain during a footie game is ok, it makes it more exciting. But Crispy crisps and rain… Noooo
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Ciao PN! I have been popping in and out of the blogosphere rather sporadically of late (life gets in the way a bit) so therefore have A LOT of catching up to do with all the lovely blogs I (try my best) follow… it seems there has been lots happening in your corner of Italia! I look forward to reading all about your adventures! 🙂
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Ciao,
I have also been very busy and have not blogged about my mishaps much. But summer is almost here and Italy comes alive again.
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I think you should have a word with the Italian trading standards people about the fact that you were promised angels, clowns and sunshine!
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🙂 I think I should, I just need to find an English speaking official.
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Good luck with that one! 😀
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Well I’m very impressed with your cunning business idea! I’ve been thinking of importing curry stuff here – I miss curry!!!!!! Wishing you all the best with the crisp plan and if it goes well, I’d be interested in a Le Marche franchise 😉
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Hi Sue, I miss curry as well. I thought of opening an English shop but there are not enough English near me. We seem to be scattered all over Italy, but very thinly.
A Le Marche franchise sounds very interesting.
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Inspite of this sodden experience, I do think the crisps project is a good (ie. dentally friendly) idea. Now if it was sweets then that would be another matter
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Ahhh, My little dentist friend how are you???? I have not blogged for a while and I have missed talking to everyone…
The day was a complete washout, I have since dried out and we will try again another day.
Happy Easter,
PN
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yes thank you, belated buona Pasqua, pasquetta and 25 aprile as well – so many celebrations in April. I look forward to hearing about your next crisp adventure !
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