I'm always interested in new words. In June, I came across two interesting Italian words which I had seen before, but in a different context. Bizarrely, both relating to crime!
Bob and I greatly enjoy the Inspector Montelbano books, written by Andrea Camilleri, and set in Italy. The great thing about this Sicilian policeman - apart from his crime solving skills - is his great love of food.
Every episode shows him at some point, enjoying a good meal. This was the reason Bob and I chose Sicily for our holiday in 2016 [a special birthday gift from Liz and Steph] We wanted to visit this beautiful island and enjoy its particular cuisine. When Julian came to visit us last month, he brought me a 'hostess gift'. Totally unnecessary, but delightful [thanks J!]
From Borough Market, he'd got some almond cantucci biscuits - a delicious Tuscan delight we have enjoyed before. Wonderful dunked in coffee!
And secondly a pot of intriguing spread...
Pasticceria Camilleri. I thought at first this was the Italian for Pistachio Spread - which is the most delicious tasting topping for bread or toast. A sort of upmarket peanut butter, in a Farrow and Ball sage green colour. But no, it turns out Camilleri is a relatively common Sicilian surname, and Pasticerria means Pastry Chef. Around thirty years ago, I discovered the US Author Patricia Cornwell. She has written nearly thirty novels using a character based on Marcella Farinelli Fierro, who was the Chief Medical Examiner for Virginia for many years. Cornwell called her criminal pathologist Kay Scarpetta. In the 16th book, Cornwell reveals that the name Scarpetta means "little shoe" - and makes a comparison with the name Caligula which means "little boot"
Now I have known for a long time that Ciabatta means "slipper" and was actually invented in 1982 as a rival to the French baguette.
But the Italians clearly have an obsession with food and footwear - they have a phrase fare la scarpetta a tavola, that is "to make a shoe at the table". To tear off a piece of bread and use it to wipe the bowl, enjoying every last scrap of ragu sauce or whatever. One crime solver has led me to pistachio spread, another to a useful piece of bread, I have taken to asking Bob if he'd like a Scarpetta with his meal!
Mmmmm...bread....you're making me hungry...on my morning train! Might now have to steal a piece of bread from my lunch (I have olive loaf from Waitrose! Delicious!)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know either of those! Kx
I'm sure you've visited Borough Market though,Kezzie!
DeleteI have but only a couple of times. I used to love Enid Blyton's food descriptions in her books!
DeleteAs children, we were always given a piece of bread to clean our plates. It took me years ti break the habit and my late mother-in-law never did. I suppose it was a way of making our tummies full when the early fifties still had rationing. Catriona
ReplyDeleteAnd saved wasting precious food
DeleteWhen I eat bread with soup, I always save bread to take the rest of the soup from the plate... and yes, the soup tasted really delicious in this case.
ReplyDeleteThe Italian cuisine is a dream in itself... yesterday we enjoyed pizza for a long time with beautiful Pinot Grigio - the Italian Pinot Gris... from our Italian pizzeria nearby - with a stone wood oven :-))) Wonderful
You see, your puns make me dream...
a hug for you.
Hugs Viola!! Pizzas cooked in a proper pizza oven always seem better!!
DeletePatricia Cornwell was an author I read a lot, then I went right off her, but you 've reminded me about her, so a visit to the library, I think!
ReplyDeleteYes I went off her too - maybe I should try her again. I still think her best book was the biography of Ruth Bell Graham (wife of evangelist Billy) PCs mother had problems and dumped her daughter on the Graham's doorstep. Ruth had a major influence on her, and encouraged her to become a writer.
DeleteI was addicted to those books years ago 😀
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to read about The Italian foodie words too.
Alison in Wales x
Another former Scarpetta fan!
DeleteI've not read the books but we watched the entire Montalbanao series on TV through lickdown in 2020. I was so sad to come to the end. Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti series is another foodie detective
DeleteI'm slowly working through that series
DeleteIt's always pleasant to have food featured in the books we read. I am convinced that Nevil Shute was fond of cauliflower cheese and cherry cake because he mentioned them in two of his novels. More recently I enjoyed the food references in the Louise Penny crime novels. I could imagine the cafe where her characters met to enjoy delicious baguettes and such.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the food in NS novels, but I'm sure you are right. HEBates has marvellous food descriptions (esp in The Darling Buds of May)
DeleteThat pistachio spread sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt is tasty, but has a little too much sugar
DeleteI too enjoyed Montalbani - not so much "Young Montalbani" (partly because I didn't think the young detective could have grown into the older detective, as he appeared to be taller and more conventionally good looking) Another we enjoyed is Inspector Ricciadi (https://www.channel4.com/programmes/inspector-ricciardi) with the slightly strange premise that he can see the ghosts of the victims & hear their -always enigmatic- last words. Never as helpful as "Mario, why are you killing me?". It doesn't really get in the way of the action too much, and is set in pre war Napoli, which is also interesting.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Ricciardi. Will check that one out. Thank you. Re Young Montalbano - I agree about the main character, but I thought the young Catarella could easily become the older one!
DeleteLove FD xx
ReplyDelete😀
DeleteIsn't it interesting what we learn from fictional novels? I do love me a good Patricia Cornwell book occassionally.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite PC is her non fiction biography of Ruth Bell Graham (wife of Billy, the evangelist) simply titledRuth""
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