MORTADELLA

It's interesting when one comes across something new or different, then how often one sees it after that.

I don't believe I'd heard the word mortadella until last week.  Since then I've heard it three times!

While watching a cooking show, a dish being prepared was Spring Lasagna with green onions, fresh spinach, and mortadella, and it looked absolutely "delish" (to quote the host), and I decided I'd like to make it. However, I had never heard of mortadella.

I asked my brother Les, "Have you ever heard of mortadella?"  He answered, "Isn't that Italian bologna with pistachio nuts?"  I screaked, "How the Hell did you know that and I didn't?"  He asked, "Then WHY did you ask if you assumed that I wouldn't know--HMMM?"

Well, THAT was revelatory!  I wailed, "I know pancetta, soppressa, prosciutto, bresaola, and salumi!"  Les said, snarkily, "Maybe you could use capocollo!"  I said, "You're just making that up!"  He said, "Nah, that's just Italian pork."

Not surprisingly, I couldn't find any mortadella at grocery stores in Washington Court House. Two days later, as I was watching television, a commercial for Subway came on and it was advertising their new product: Italian subs.  The announcer said that they were using mortadella and capocollo!"

I said, "I wonder if Subway would sell just 8 ounces of mortadella?"

Guess what?  Subway did sell the mortadella and Gerald says that the Spring Lasagna IS "delish"!