ISP

Many of you know I love shepherd's pie and it's even my favorite thing to cook. And for the emotional sake of my Irish friend Jocelyn, I have no issue making it clear that I have never claimed to make an authentic rendition, rather a much bastardized and delicious one. So what does an American SP lover in Italy do? Make Italian shepherd's pie!!!

After three hours of cooking (and snacking), a great deal of cleaning afterward, and waiting patiently for lunch the next day, it is safe to say that Italian shepherd’s pie is officially deemed a success. Thanks to the random things in my fridge: spicy pork sausage, potatoes, Braidese cheese, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant from last week’s GAS box (the local equivalent of CSA), butter from the local market and homemade gravy, I made my best...yes I said BEST...shepherd’s pie yet! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll give you a taste of ISP...or give you the recipe.

An American in Italian China

I found my self in the city during the midday break with a few hours to kill. During this time almost all shops are closed and the streets are practically deserted. So what's an American girl to do? Eat!

I've been stuffing my face with prosciutto and cheese sandwiches and pasta type dishes so I ventured for something new...Italian Chinese food. Yes, Chinese food in Italia. Keep in mind I don't speak a comprehensive amount of Italian, just basic survival phrases. So imagine this if you can: a Middle Eastern American gal in the heart of Italy, phrase book in hand, trying desperately to communicate with the Chinese waitress fluent in Italian (so Italian she doesn't know what dim sum is).  A strange sight to be seen, I tell you.

The dumplings arrived first and the flavor was so powerful it screamed Umami in my mouth. Then came the fried rice made with Italian prosciutto, an interesting combination. The third dish was shrimp in "salsa picante" which was not picante if I must say. It needed some srirracha to meet my standards! The fourth plate was a sauté of mushrooms and bamboo. I doubt fresh bamboo is indigenous to the area, but the sauce was so tasty and the mushrooms meaty that it was enjoyable nonetheless. My final order was gnocchi with shrimp. I had no idea what to expect on this one and I have to say I was not happy with the results. The gnocchi was made out rice which makes sense I guess, it is Asian. It tasted fine but I couldn't get past the mouth feel and after taste...not something I would order again. Ever. Too bad for me because all I had to do was make a quick stop at the gelateria to wipe the taste off my palate!

With all that said, the day I ordered Chinese food in Italy is not one I will forget anytime soon.