my Marche

The kiosk that smells of the sea

Food and Wine

 

From Morena, the kiosk that smells of the sea.

There is a place in the center of Ancona that is a seafood shop which, when it was born a hundred years ago, consisted of a two-wheeled cart on which the delicacies of our sea were placed. It later became a brick house next to the Fontana del Calamo known as the 13 Spouts and for a few years, having adapted to regulatory requirements, it has been a shop selling fruit and seafood which is prepared in a modern and well-equipped kitchen located a few steps away. from there. The foundation of this activity is due to Socrate Sabbatini around 1935, then it passed to his son Aldo. From 1950 the management was assumed by Wilma Graziani, Aldo's wife.

And since then this small business, which has been able to consolidate and grow over time, has been a female business, that is to say that women have managed it not only materially but have also been formally its owners. Since 2000, management responsibility has been in the hands of Moraine Baldini, wife of a son of Wilma. In short, the business never passed to the son but to his wife. I believe it is a recognition of the entrepreneurial ability of the female gender. A trust that has paid off for her. The Kiosk is much loved by the people of Ancona and beyond, who in good weather can also sit at the tables. The locals are not the only ones who are fond of this place and its products. Antonio Luccarini, who with his tireless commitment as councilor for culture has attracted countless artists of international fame to the city, recalls that there is no Italian or foreign figure who could help but pass by the Kiosk, then returning there at every opportunity. Like Marco Muller who in Venice in the days when he was directing the Venice Film Festival spoke about “nostalgic for Ancona and the seafood from that little bar near the 100 cannelle” as he calls them.

Among the famous customers, Morena mentions the chef Gianfranco Vissani who frequented him to learn the art of chipping the crosslets. Important magazines and specialized sites such as Foodie, Gambero Rosso, Bellitalia and TripAdvisor have spoken of it as an interesting place from a historical and culinary point of view. Street Food has awarded it 6 stars and for 2014 Week End Gastronomici magazine places it in 27th place among the top 50 restaurants nationwide. At Morena we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and meetings. There are even those who wanted to hold their wedding reception there. It is undeniable that even without special occasions, every visit to the Kiosk is a celebration because it brings joy.

What could be the reason for such success? Certainly the structure of the Kiosk and its location, the freshness of the fruits offered and the fact that the customer can choose them and Morena opens them then and there before his eyes, then the verdicchio, glorious wine from the hills around Ancona which is offered as an accompaniment to seafood... But not only. There is a special atmosphere at Morena: the welcome is essential and genuine and at times may seem a little rude, in reality it is an ancient and no-frills grace, given by the awareness and pride of making the precious goods of the sea. All with naturalness and sobriety. By grasping these characteristics, the customer feels lucky to be able to enjoy the delicacies of shellfish without the formalities and ceremonies that usually accompany the offer of quality products. In short, it's good at Morena or as the people of Ancona say with a dialect expression that doesn't allow replies “The kiosk is good”. Despite the celebrities who pass through it is a popular place frequented by people of all walks of life. Among the particular customers, I also like to remember the family dog, our legendary Ezio who used to take a daily walk through the streets of the centre, not failing to stop at Morena's, who would give him either a ragusa or an oyster or a bombarello. Ezio is no longer here but I would bet that Morena still has these clients too.

The kiosk is located in Corso Mazzini, Ancona - Close to Fountain of the Thirteen Spouts

 

Taken from the booklet “Flavours of Ancona” by Carla Virili, published by Elective Affinities

2 comments

Emilio 26 May 2019 at 18: 17

Among the memories of my youth I met the famous international actress Ave Ninchi who was tasting the aforementioned delicacies, how wonderful

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filippo 15 July 2019 at 15: 54

We also remember Ave Ninchi, with her little dogs, in the summer, she used to walk along the avenue. What a good artist!

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