From Zio Miraldo’s kitchen…

Before I got to Italy I didn’t really like polenta. I tried it on a few occasions and decided it was too mushy for me. Those not in the know, polenta is a type of corn bread, it’s basically corn flour, salt and water. I had tried my Nonna’s, which I didn’t like, but here, when it’s grilled or fried it’s not mushy and actually quite tasty.

Saturday evening we had some people over for dinner. When people are over we generally grill some meat, have potatoes and polenta. Sometimes we grill it, but lately it’s been fried. And although Jessica and I have both questioned the caloric count in each piece of polenta (it’s best not to think of it) it’s too good to pass up.

On boxing day I began questioning how it was made, I mean at first I thought it was fried in butter or oil and spices, but I started finding clues and today I was given the “secret ingredient.”

It’s birds.

The buggers, I was convinced I wasn’t going to eat any here, but I’ve been eating this dang polenta while it’s been coated in bird guts. When I was told this, my aunt questioned if I would stop eating it just because of that, even though I like it. No, I replied, I would not.

Apparently some of the “special bird sauce” may be smuggled back to Canada with me. It’s a present for dad from Miraldo. It makes good polenta dad, I’m just saying…