Cornucopia*

Sicilian Ibo Selmy trained as a geologist. Luckily for us, his interest was more in people and food than in rocks. So in 2003, after 15 years in Washington, the Palermo-born Italian opened Cornucopia in Bethesda to sell the specialties of his native land.

"It's about people, sharing time with them." His passion for food came from his mother who was a great cook, he says. You'll find he sells the kind of treasures any Italian or other foodie worth their 'sale' (and 'pepe') requires to make the country's classic and contemporary dishes, including cold-pressed olive oil from a small grove in Puglia. There are other bottles, and a range of vinegars, too.

But if you don't want to cook from scratch, buy Pumpkin Amaretti Tortelloni from the freezer, or a startling black-and-yellow striped chardonnay, lemon and shrimp ravioli that looks as though it had borrowed the livery of an exotic fish, or something from his range of various stuffed gnocchi. Main course dishes are also stocked, such as Eggplant Parmigiana, manicotti in sauce, various lasagne, and hearty baked ziti with meat - as well as fresh cut fettucini, linguini, spaghetti and cappellini and the sauces to go with them.

There's a small selection of Italian coffee makers. Buy a coffee and sit at one of the little cafe tables with a sandwich or a delicious cookie or two, surrounded by displays of candied orange peel, Carnaroli rice for risotto and a deli counter filled with salamis and crocks of different olives.

Cornucopia, 8102 Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, 301 652 1625. Mon-Sat 9-8, Sun 10-6. 

* means this is one of My Favorite Markets

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