You may think I’m crazy, but I was excited yesterday to find cottage cheese at Lidl. I’ve always liked cottage cheese but it’s definitely not something that you normally find here in Italy.
Now, you may ask, why would you want cottage cheese when there are so many good cheeses in Italy? But, all cheeses are different, and all countries have their own good foods that we can appreciate. Just because I live in Italy and am surrounded by good pasta, parmigiana, pecorino, etc. doesn’t mean I can’t get nostalgic once in a while for some American staples.
So, I had to buy a container of the cottage cheese. I only bought one just in case it didn’t turn out to be the cottage cheese that I expected. (You never know, it looks like it came from Germany and I wasn’t aware that Germany was known for its cottage cheese.) But it was perfect, large curd cottage cheese. It makes me think of my college days when some of my friends used to eat it with Apple Butter. I think it’s a Pennsylvania Dutch thing. But talk about nasty. They said it was good and I did try it once since I like apple butter too and am willing to taste (almost) anything. But, it just wasn’t my cup of tea, besides the fact that it was really disgusting looking.
Anyway, I was pleased to find some cottage cheese. Now, if I could only find some cheddar – or even Velveeta. Say what you will, but nothing makes a good dish of baked macaroni and cheese like velveeta.
Of course, I have to admit, that maybe some of this nostalgia for American food is just a nostalgia for my old home during the holiday season. Even though I love it here and am very happy, it’s just natural to want “go back home” for the holidays. So, even though my usual Christmas cookie repertoire has always included the Italian kind (fig cookies, biscotti, pizzelles, ricotta cookies), this year I’ve decided to do mainly American cookies. Next week I’ll be baking chocolate chips, peanut butter cookies, and gingerbread.
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Cheddar truly is the holy grail! Every new ipermercato that opens, I go in search of it. I walk though the cheese section ever so slowly, fearful that if it’s there, I’ll miss it. It’s never there. Sometimes I get a little teary-eyed.
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O thinks I’m crazy because every time we go into a new supermarket I have to look for it. I checked in Iper in Ortona Carrefour in Termoli and Auchan in Pescara. So far, no luck but I know one of these days I’m going to find it.
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I’m a fellow english speaking expat living in Pescara with my husband and 2 kids with another on the way in January. Just wanted to let you know that you can get cheddar cheese at the ‘deli counter’ in the Auchan opposite the Pescara airport. It is ridiculously expensive but sometimes nothing else will do!
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Darn! I was just in that Auchan store a week or so ago. I scanned the entire cheese section, but didn’t think to ask at the counter. I’ll have to check the next time I get a chance. Of course, if it’s ridiculously expensive, I may be better off without it.
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Oh, and by the way Nadia, congrats on the little one on the way. I’ve got one on the way too, but it’s not due until June.
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Hey did I know you were expecting? AUGURI!!!!!!!
Cottage cheese and apple butter is awesome! It probably is a PA Dutch thing as my PA Dutch mom introduced me to it. The secret for me is to not mix them too much on the plate…then it gets nasty-looking. I just do a little dip of apple butter, little dip of cottage cheese on the same fork/spoon (depending on my mood) and it’s *so* good.
I also love cottage cheese and canned peaches…man I’m getting homesick
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No, you didn’t know. I’m announcing it next.
I did try the cottage cheese and apple butter, but it just wasn’t for me. It’s funny that my grandmother never ate it, she was part PA Dutch and made a lot of those recipes like Pickled (red beet) eggs – yummmm!
Just thinking about some of these things, does make you homesick though, doesn’t it?
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This is so funny. I live in Seattle and recently became addicted to Nancy’s organic cottage cheese. It has this wonderful texture and a sharp aftertaste that I love. So many American foods are too sweet.
You have reminded me to make “Pasta Benjamin,” named for an Italian-American guy whose mom used to make it. They didn’t have any money, so she’d make the spaghetti, mix it with a little olive oil, and then top it with cottage cheese and chopped parsley. Toasted pinenuts would also be nice, but that was probably too expensive.
Anyway, it’s a wonderful comfort food and healthy too.
My mom put cottage cheese (well drained) in her lasagna because she couldn’t always get nice ricotta. It’s a tasty way of doing this, a variation of a classical dish.
P.S. I always thought Europeans had access to all that wonderful cheddar from England and Ireland. Alas. I wonder if this craving is related to pregnancy. Next you’ll want dill pickles!
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Italian woman, you may be right, it may be pregnancy related cravings. I’m into salty food and cheese lately. As for the cheddar, it’s not easy to find here at all. But, I think that it’s because there are so many cheeses already in Italy. We do see Swiss cheese, and Philadelphia cream cheese, but that’s about it. The immigrants were certainly resourceful though, weren’t they. Often times they couldn’t find the ingredients they needed, but they worked their way around it anyway.
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