"Badly cut" pasta. Small irregular shapes, often made from left over scraps of dough used for making other pastas, added to thick soups, especially bean or chicken. Often a sort of elongated diamond shape. The name may also be given to the soup in which the pasta is found.
Malt. When barley germinates in warm, humid conditions maltose is created. This is processed to provide malt for use in brewing or made into a thick brown syrup.
Marshmallow. A tall plant from the roots and leaves of which a thickening agent can be obtained. This was combined with sugar to make the original marshmallows. The seeds and flowers are edible and the young leaves can be used in salads or cooked in the same way as spinach.
A family of wine grape originating in Greece. All over Italy different types of Malvasia grapes provide varying qualities of wines, both red and white. Good ones are good. Bad ones are bad. It is used to flavour and perfume good quality, white wines, particularly those made in Lazio from Trebbiano grapes, including Frascati. Wines made with Malvasia grapes are at their best around two years old.
The wines of Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti are made from the Malvasia Nera di Casorzo grape with additions of Barbera, Freisa and Grignolino not exceeding 10%. The wines can either be dry or sweet depending on the amount of fermentation undertaken and may be frizzant, lightly sparkling.
"Cow's udder." Sea squirt. A small sea creature which looks like a knobbly potato. The edible part looks like scrambled egg and is eaten raw.
An ancient wine from the Agrigento area and on the slopes of Etna in Sicily, with records in the 3rd century BC and which was valued even then. Present day Mamertino di Milazzo is a DOC wine produced in four types: white, red, Calabrese (or Nero d’Avola) and Grillo-Ansonica. The white, red and Calabrese also have a Riserva appellation that calls for 24 months of aging, six in wooden barrels. A light golden dessert wine is produced but is difficult to find but worth it, as it was said to be the favourite of Julius Caesar.
