A Special Order of Mortadella

Walk into any food store in Italy today and you will find a dizzying array of prosciutto, salamis, and all sorts of other delicacies coming from all over Italy.

However, just a few decades ago some food products that can now be found anywhere in Italy were far more specific to particular areas. Only avid food lovers and those with the economic means to travel were aware of what was available across the country and how to order it.

We always knew what great food lovers Katia's grandmother and grandfather were, and how much they enjoyed not just Sicilian delicacies but good food wherever it came from. A document we recently came across dating from 1953 also proves to what lengths they were willing to go to enjoy great food despite economic difficulties and geographical limitations.

We found an invoice dated 21/12/1953 (just a few years after the Second World War) ordering 2.4kg of Mortadella, 1kg of Tuna in olive oil, 800gr of Sardines and 555gr. of syruped fruit straight from a company called C. Montani of Parma. These hard to come by delicacies must have been ordered so that the family could celebrate Christmas in style.

Knowing Katia's grandmother's reputation of sharing with the whole neighbourhood we are sure that the 2.4kg of Mortadella were just about enough to give everyone a taste of Emilia-Romagna in Modica.