"Spatula." A name in Sicily for the silver scabbard fish, generally cut into pieces and fried or grilled, or used in stews, or filleted and lightly grilled.
A local dialect word in Campania for 'arca di Noe', so-called because the shell is said to resemble Noah's Ark. It is usually eaten raw, when it is quite tough and chewy, or cooked like mussels and included in pasta dishes.
Spergola is an ancient vine grown in the hills or Colli of Scandiano and Canossa. The vine is first documented in the 15th century, when it was mentioned by Bianca Cappello, Grand Duchess of Tuscany. Over the centuries it has been called by various names: in 1644 the Marquis Vincenzo Tanara called it Pomoria or Pellegrina, in 1811 Claudio Dalla Fossa referred to it as Spergolina describing it as the ideal cultivar for hillside vineyards, and in 1839 Count Giorgio Gallesio named two varieties: Spergolina normale and Spergolina molle (soft). With an averagely dense bunch, characterised by small-medium grapes with a greenish-yellow pruinose skin, for a long time this vine was confused with Sauvignon: fortunately interest in vine has been sufficient to save it for today’s lucky imbibers. In 2000 an in-depth morphological and genetic study was carried out and thanks to this study Spergola has been recognised as a variety in its own right, it does differ greatly from Sauvignon. Its’ registration in the Italian National Catalogue of Vine Varieties is currently being evaluated. It is used in the production of balsamic vinegar.
Smelt. A fish of the salmon family often served tossed in flour and fried. Fresh from the water, they are said to smell like cucumber.
