Our history
Since the end of 1800 in the typical San Lorenzo area under the loggia of via Panicale it was possible to take a look to the “Salumeria Ciatti”, an old and typical shop of food known allover Florence but also abroad for the “baccalà” (dried and salted cod) and the stockfish. The shop was also famous for the marble tanks and masks of 1936 used for the baccalà soaking.
The furnishings were the old ones, the same of the first years of 1900 and also the atmosphere was esactly the same: wooden shelves with wines, oil, pasta, tomatoes cans, wooden axes near the ceiling where the stockfish was hanged, a beautiful marble counter with big cans of tuna, anchovies and olives over it. The shop was a “civaiolo” and it was specialized in selling “civaie” (seeds, beans, rice, flour), food and first of all the baccalà, the real speciality of this shop. Bianca’s grand-grandfather Enrico Ciatti transfered in 1895his civaiolo activity from the old market of Florence to the ‘800 palace of via Panicale 19/r. Ciatti family began an activity of “salumeria” (cured pork meats and cheese) and in the first years of 1900 decided to expand their activity with the selling of baccalà.
This particular product persuaded Giovanni Ciatti, the son of Enrico, to dedicate it the entire shop making restructure the shop in 1932. Giovanni decided to furnish the part of the shop close to the streeet with furnishing dedicated to the baccalà selling. The sculptor Giovanni Tiglio sculptured the 4 wonderful marble tanks for the baccalà soaking and the 4 masks representing 2 triton and Neptune from where water came out (and still come out!). 2 beautiful marble counters were also produced and all the walls were covered with white marble from Carrara. In the ‘60 the activity was continued by Enrico and Francesco (Bianca’s father) until 1998.
After almost 12 years of closing, Bianca, Francesco’s daughter, and Livio decided to restructure totally the shop bringing it again to its old splendor. The marble tanks, the masks and a part of the marble walls are now like they were in the last century.